Top 5 Drivers to watch: POCANO
The #5 driver to watch is a two-time former-winner here, #41 Kurt Busch. Kurt last won here in this August race in 2007. Before that he had a win in August of 2005. He got those two wins in 28 starts and he has 12 Top 5’s. More recently, in his last four starts, three were Top 5’s and he is #1 hottest over the last six weeks.
My #4 pick came very close to winning here in June of last year, #2 Brad Keselowski. Brad only has three Top 5’s in his 11 starts. But Brad did win this race in 2011 and came a wrapper away from a win last June. Brad is #7 in points and #8 hottest over the last six weeks, not bad, but not where he wants to be. He is ranked #2 on flat tracks and is looking for a big bounce here in Mountains.
My #3 pick won this race three years ago, #24 Jeff Gordon. In fact Jeff is a six-time Pocano winner. Jeff has 45 starts and 19 Top 5’s in addition to his six wins. Jeff is coming off a horrible day at Indy and is looking at this race as probably his best shot for a win in the six remaining races before the “Chase”.
The #2 driver swept this track in 2014, #88 Dale Earnhardt Jr. Dale is not only a two-time winner, but has 30 Top 5’s in his 31 starts. Jr. has Top 5’s in four of his last five appearances and is #3 ranked on flat tracks.
My #1 driver to watch has the worst stats here, #4 Kevin Harvick. Kevin has 29 starts, no wins and just 7 Top 5’s. But no one has more Top 5’s so far this year than Kevin. His last two stops here he finished 2nd. It is time for that trend to end. Kevin is definitely shopping for his first win here and since he has two wins so far this year he is not afraid to gamble to get win #3 in this 2015 season.
Monday look for our preview of the Cheez-It 355
at the Glen from Watkins Glen.