NASCAR
Stratta’s Six: Who Will Triangulate the Winning Strategy at Pocono?
One of the most unique tracks in all of NASCAR will throw drivers three distinct curveballs this weekend. Pocono Raceway can be summed up as a great compromise; nobody’s car will handle perfectly on all three ends of The Tricky Triangle. Whoever manages these harrowing corners and stays on top of strategy will be rewarded big on Sunday. Here are a few drivers that hope to find the keystone to victory lane in The Great American Getaway 400.
Denny Hamlin
No conversation of potential Pocono winners is complete without the track’s all-time winningest man–Denny Hamlin. Seven times victorious on the triangle, Hamlin calls Pocono one of his favorite stops on the NASCAR calendar and prides himself with his unparalleled record. His first two Cup triumphs came in a 2006 Pocono sweep. More recently, Hamlin heads into Sunday with a 10-race Pocono stretch of laps led. Five top-twos in the last eight races here prove that Hamlin’s shown no signs of slowing down. One of those races not in the top-two was his disqualified win from 2022, so his Pocono resumé could be even stronger.
Coming off a week outside of the car for childbirth, Hamlin should be energized and on kill mode for an eighth win here. Should Hamlin write another page in the Pocono history books, the No. 11 Toyota would lead all teams in victories for 2024.
Ryan Blaney
Getting the upper hand by a second over Hamlin last year was Ryan Blaney. The Penske driver also puts Pocono Raceway on a high pedestal, taking his maiden victory here as well in 2017. Fast-forward seven seasons, and Blaney triumphantly returned to winning form. Leading a race-high 44 laps last year, Blaney has confidence recent speed will translate into Sunday.
“I feel really good about how our kind of mile-and-a-half program has been this year,” Blaney said. “It’s bigger than a mile-and-a-half, but a lot of the same tendencies as some mile-and-a-halves that we go to. So I’m curious to see where we’re going to be at. The run that we had at Pocono last year was definitely good, getting to Victory Lane there. So you just hope to keep building off those things. It definitely makes me look forward to there.”
“I always try to look forward to the next week. That’s no matter if we win the race or run 35th. I always try to close the book Monday morning and move on to next week and look forward to having a shot at winning, running well.”
“I think it bodes well. Like I said earlier, I think our speed is really good, and that is kind of across short tracks and speedways and mile-and-a-halves and two miles. So hopefully we can have a good run.”
Hamlin may be the betting favorite for Pocono, but Blaney is not far behind with second-best odds. What may determine Blaney’s fate here, however, is luck and execution. These are two factors team 12 has lacked more times than not this year. Nashville proved this team can be elite and close out races, but their metaphorical wheels have fallen off more recently. Should Blaney’s day remain disaster-free, the 12 may be a top-flight winning contender once again.
Kyle Larson
Shockingly winless across 17 career Pocono starts, Kyle Larson looks to get his season back on track. Dating back to his dominant Kansas win in May, Larson’s seen four-straight races where the No. 5’s been uncharacteristically off. Despite no past Pocono victories, Larson has been second twice before on the triangle and was a corner away from winning here in 2021.
“Looking to rebound from a rough day at Mexico City,” Larson said. “The No. 5 team brought a fast car for us, we were just in the wrong place at the wrong time. We have had some strong runs at Pocono and Hendrick always brings fast cars to Pocono. I am hopeful we can put our HendrickCars.com Chevy in Victory Lane on Sunday.”
Larson’s odds are tied as third-best, only behind the two aforementioned drivers. The 5’s led laps in two of three Next Gen starts here, but has only yielded one top-10. Pocono is a track that typically rewards fast drivers and teams; none have been more unbeatable when executing to their full potential this season than Larson. The Hendrick team hopes to make Sunday a long 160 laps for the competition.
Tyler Reddick
Leading all drivers in Next Gen Pocono average finish is Tyler Reddick. Second, second, and sixth are driver 45’s results here since 2022, one of only three drivers with three top-10s. Reddick appears to be on the cusp of taking a checkered flag in 2025, if he and his team can merely not shoot themselves in the foot.
The 23XI Racing Toyota has shown regular top-10 speed, but has a bad tendency of falling back in the closing laps. Only one top-10 in the last eight weeks proves this for the team currently ranked sixth in points. Pocono is a prime chance for Reddick to perform at the highest level and perhaps join the 2025 winner’s club.
William Byron
One Pocono record not belonging to Denny Hamlin is best-ever average finish (9.36). This stat instead goes to William Byron, who still chases checkered flag number one here in his 12th try. A fourth-place run after starting second last year showed that Byron’s beginning to turn a corner at Pocono. That elusive win seems not-so-far away for the 24 crew.
“We’re always good at Pocono,” Byron said. “That brings comfort. We put extra work into preparing for Mexico, so I think this weekend is more business as usual. We know what works and we can just execute like normal.”
Late-race execution has been Byron’s Achilles’ heel throughout recent months, despite remaining atop the points. Darlington, Charlotte, and Michigan were all races where the 24 was best in class, only to give up spots in crunch time. Byron now leads the series by 67 points, appearing to have a regular season championship runaway. Another win would put Byron one step closer to this preseason goal and add onto the 24’s Pennsylvania legacy.
Chase Elliott
One of the least conventional wins in NASCAR history fell into Chase Elliott’s lap not long ago at Pocono. Taking the 2022 checkered flag in third, Elliott was rewarded the win after the top-two finishing cars were disqualified. The 9 retroactively took home the trophy and points with a grand total of zero laps led. Now entering Pocono on a 43-race losing drought, Elliott is optimistic he can be first to the checkers this time.
“I like Pocono,” Elliott said. “I’ve always enjoyed going up there. It’s unique. Something different. It does have some similarities to Indy in ways. It’s a fun place to go. I enjoy the racetrack. It’s just not the norm. Anytime we go to places that kind of set themselves apart from other tracks, I think, is always an enjoyable thing to do.”
Going 3-3 in Next Gen Pocono top-10s, Elliott’s shown consistent speed to be a winning threat here. Much like Reddick, Elliott’s 2025 has been good not great, and lacks any checkered flags through 16 weeks. Can Mr. Consistency sneak his way up a few positions or have Sunday’s winning strategy play? Hendrick cars are no strangers to Pocono success, and Elliott’s likely to win eventually in 2025.
The top tier of drivers are rightfully favored this weekend. However, Pocono Raceway offers nearly limitless opportunities at creative strategy calls that could end up with a surprise face in victory lane. Only Denny Hamlin is a repeat winner in the last eight Pocono races.
Six Playoff berths remain up for grabs with 10 weeks left in 2025’s regular season. The Great American Getaway 400 may see one unexpected team get in. The Pennsylvania green flag flies Sunday at 2 p.m. ET on Prime Video, MRN, and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio.
Written by Peter Stratta
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Photo Credit to Jonathan Bachman/Getty Images
