Chevrolet Preparing To Pounce On Pocono
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| Pocono |
After competing in the longest race on the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series schedule last weekend at Charlotte Motor Speedway, the stars of the circuit head to the perplexing three-turn, 2.5-mile, ‘roval’ in the picturesque Pocono Mountains.
Pocono Raceway is one of the most unique tracks on the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series schedule. The “Tricky Triangle" is a smorgasbord of tracks complied together. Turn 1 is loosely based off Trenton (NJ) Speedway. The infamous ‘Tunnel’ Turn, with nine degrees of banking, is modeled after Indianapolis Motor Speedway, and the final turn has characteristics of the Milwaukee Mile. Teams and drivers are tasked with getting a comfortable set-up for each of the three unique corners. Many drivers compare the track to a road course earning it the nickname of ‘roval’.
Chevrolet has been immensely successful at the superspeedway earning 31 wins in 76 races. Team Chevy drivers have rolled into victory lane in six of the past seven races. This weekend at Pocono, drivers will take the 2016 low downforce package to the track for the first time. Two-time victor, Dale Earnhardt, Jr. is looking forward to the challenge.
“I think the track probably still has a lot of grip because it’s so recently paved, but the low downforce package has been fun everywhere we’ve gone so far, so I anticipate it being even more enjoyable, said Earnhardt, Jr. “We just want the cars to be slicker, harder to drive, and slower with more off-throttle time. It’ll be interesting to see how much the track has changed in the last year because of how harsh the winters are there."
Fans can catch all the action from the three-turn, 2.5-mile, Pocono Raceway at 1 pm ET Sunday June 5th. Live coverage will be available on FoxSports 1, MRN Radio, Sirius NASCAR Radio Channel 90 and NASCAR.com.
TEAM CHEVY FOR THE FANS AT POCONO RACEWAY:
- Fans can visit the Team Chevy Racing Display in the Midway Area at Pocono Raceway
- Fans can check out great Chevrolet vehicles including: Silverado 1500, Corvette Stingray, Colorado Z71, Equinox 1LT, Trax LTZ, Malibu and Cruze
- Fans can also get an up-close and personal look at a variety of show cars including: the No. 3 Bass Pro Shops Chevrolet Camaro, the No. 14 Mobil 1 Chevrolet SS and the No. 88 Nationwide Chevrolet SS
- Also on display is a Chevrolet R07 racing engine complete with electronic fuel injection. Fans can also see a sample of engines, parts and accessories available for purchase from Chevrolet Performance at their local Chevrolet dealer
- Other activities at the Team Chevy Racing Display include a variety of interactive games for adults and kids
DRIVER FAN Q&A APPEARANCES:
- Friday, June 3rd
o 1:45 p.m. – Blake Koch
o 2:00 p.m. – Ray Black, Jr.
o 2:15 p.m. – Brendan Gaughan
- Sunday, June 5th
o 9:50 a.m. – Kurt Busch
- Hours of operation: Fri. June 3rd – 9:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.; Sat. June 4th – 8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. and Sun. June 5th – 7:30 a.m. – 1:30 p.m.
TEAM CHEVY IN NASCAR SPRINT CUP SERIES (NSCS) COMPETITION:
- Chevrolet has won 39 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Manufacturer Championships
- Team Chevy drivers have scored 756 wins and 683 poles in NSCS competition
CHEVROLET ON THE TRACK—POCONO RACEWAY:
- Chevrolet drivers have won 31 of 76 races at Pocono Raceway. Victories by current Team Chevy drivers are:
- Jimmie Johnson, No. 48 Lowe’s Chevrolet SS, has three victories at Pocono Raceway (’04 – TWICE & ‘13)
- Kurt Busch, No. 41 Monster Energy/Haas Automation Chevrolet SS, has visited Victory Lane at Pocono Raceway twice (’05 & ‘07)
- Dale Earnhardt, Jr., No. 88 Axalta Chevrolet SS, has two victories at Pocono Raceway (’14 – TWICE)
- Kasey Kahne, No. 5 Farmers Insurance Chevrolet SS, has two wins at Pocono Raceway (’08 & ’13)
- Tony Stewart, No. 14 Bass Pro Shops/TRACKER Boats Chevrolet SS, has two trophies from Pocono Raceway (’03 & ‘09)
- Ryan Newman, No. 31 Kalahari Resorts Chevrolet SS, has gone to Victory Lane at Pocono Raceway once (’03)
- A Chevrolet driver has won six of the last seven races at Pocono Raceway
- A Chevrolet driver has sat on the pole at Pocono Raceway 32 times
- Team Chevy drivers have scored 157 top-five and 330 top-10 finishes at Pocono Raceway
- A Chevrolet has led 6,384 laps (43.6% of possible 14,629 laps) at Pocono Raceway
TEAM CHEVY FROM THE DRIVER’S SEAT:
KEVIN HARVICK, NO. 4 JIMMY JOHN’S CHEVROLET SS – POINTS LEADER
“The first thing you do is you’ve got to survive the restart. We learned last time that practice didn’t really matter. If you could get a good restart and survive going through the corner and get in line, then you were in good shape. It’s really fast and the thing I like about what they did at Pocono (Raceway) is that all the bumps are now kind of swells, and you have the same kind of feel that you had there, they are just not extreme bumps. Each corner is fast. Turn one is a corner where you drive in and downshift. The key to Pocono now is getting up off the corners and in the throttle and being able to stay in the throttle, really, in all three (turns)."
KURT BUSCH, NO. 41 MONSTER ENERGY/HAAS AUTOMATION CHEVROLET SS – 2ND IN STANDINGS
“The low drag I think will come into play. We are looking at running a different style set-up, something that we think we are seeing in the garage area. That will blend into Michigan as well. Those two races have turned into sister tracks. It’s not necessarily Pocono and Indy anymore, it’s more Pocono and Michigan can blend right off of Kansas. We ran well at Kansas earlier this year and that is kind of the style and theme that we will go with at Pocono and Michigan."
JIMMIE JOHNSON, NO. 48 LOWE’S CHEVROLET SS – 3RD IN STANDINGS
“Last year at Pocono we had some success and finished third and sixth. It’s such a unique track, but it suits my driving style and we enjoy going there. I was really pleased with the speed we had in Charlotte and this race kind of kicks off the long summer grind. This package should make for some great racing there. Overall it’s a great track and I like cycling around the area on Saturdays with my guys."|
CHASE ELLIOTT, NO. 24 NAPA AUTO PARTS CHEVROLET SS – 8TH IN STANDINGS
“I haven’t raced at Pocono a lot. I’ve run just a couple ARCA races there. I’m looking forward to getting back there though. It’s been a few years since I’ve run at that track. It’s a neat place and very unique. It’s nothing like you see anywhere else with the three turns. I think getting there will be a big refresher. I’m looking forward to getting back and getting in that swing."
AUSTIN DILLON, NO. 3 DOW (STEM) CHEVROLET SS – 12TH IN STANDINGS
"Pocono Raceway has been pretty good to me the last couple of races. We're bringing a new Goodyear tire, which is always interesting to work with in terms of the changes that it brings to the race. You saw at Charlotte Motor Speedway the changes that it brought to the race. I think the tire changes have been positive this year. We're looking forward to Pocono."
DALE EARNHARDT, JR., NO. 88 AXALTA CHEVROLET SS – 13TH IN STANDINGS
“I think the track probably still has a lot of grip because it’s so recently paved, but the low downforce package has been fun everywhere we’ve gone so far, so I anticipate it being even more enjoyable. We just want the cars to be slicker, harder to drive, and slower with more off-throttle time. When we get there for the Axalta ‘We Paint Winners’ 400, it’ll be interesting to see how much the track has changed in the last year because of how harsh the winters are there."
JAMIE MCMURRAY, NO. 1 CESSNA CHEVROLET SS – 14TH IN STANDINGS
“The key to Pocono is trying to get the car working good in all three corners, because they are each so different. You especially need to be good off of turn one and three because of the long straights, it is crucial to carry momentum. I feel like we have run pretty well at Pocono the last few races, so hopefully we can continue that this weekend."
RYAN NEWMAN, NO. 31 KALAHARI RESORTS CHEVROLET SS – 16TH IN STANDINGS
"It's just really about getting a good balance in all three corners of the track. Another key is getting off the corners. It's probably more important than getting into the corner because the straightaways are so long. There is more to be gained distance wise on the straightaway but just having a good balance and getting your shifting points right is also important in managing all three corners."
AJ ALLMENDINGER, NO. 47 BUSH’S GRILLIN BEANS CHEVROLET SS – 17TH IN STANDINGS
"All the corners are so unique. It seems like you’ve got to get your car turning in Turn 3 really to get the power down to get onto the straightaway, but by doing that sometimes you get the car too free. Or, if you feel like you get your car really balanced right in Turn 3, then Turn 1 and Turn 2 become really tight. It’s a tough place to get your car setup. It’s just like any place we go to, but especially there track position is so critical. You have got to qualify well. Because the track is so long, the way pit stops work out you can time it to where you get on pit road somehow right before the yellow flag falls and stay on the lead lap that changes your whole race. There’s a lot that goes into that 400-mile race. A lot of things need to fall the right way and you’ve got to get the car balanced pretty well."
KASEY KAHNE, NO. 5 FARMERS INSURANCE CHEVROLET SS – 20TH IN STANDINGS
“Pocono has been great over the years. We have been able to get a couple of wins there. It is an interesting track with three completely different corners. There have been some changes over the last couple of years – they added patches in the final turns at one point. Now, it is pretty smooth, but it always seems to throw you a curveball. It is a good track and it is neat to go there."
KYLE LARSON, NO. 42 TARGET CHEVROLET SS – 21ST IN STANDINGS
“I’m looking forward to getting to Pocono this weekend, and excited to be running in the first XFINITY race up there. We tested at Pocono a while back, and I thought our Target Chevy was pretty strong, so hopefully we can unload with a fast car and just have to worry about making small adjustments before the race. We’ve run pretty well there in past and will look to continue some renewed success this weekend as we try and get that first win."
PAUL MENARD, NO. 27 RICHMOND/MENARDS CHEVROLET SS – 22ND IN STANDINGS
"You're never good in all three turns at Pocono, so it's always a compromise. Turn 3 is probably the most important because it leads to a long straightaway. Turn 1 is probably the easiest corner because it has more banking and you can kind of run the bottom to middle so you can still get a launch off of that corner. Turn 2 is probably the least important but definitely the trickiest corner. So, I would have to say Turn 3 is where I want the car to be setup to run its best."
DANICA PATRICK, NO. 10 NATURE’S BAKERY/FOX SPORTS GO! CHEVROLET SS – 24TH IN STANDINGS
“It’s a neat place, definitely a unique track. It’s still a place I don’t have a ton of experience at. It’s just an odd place to set the car up because the corners are so different. If you are really good in turn one, then maybe two and three are a little off. Or if you’re good in three, maybe one and two are different. I will say that the straightaway is enormous. There’s a lot of distance between turns three and one."
Chevrolet NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Statistics
Manufacturers Championships
Total (1949 – 2015): 39
First title for Chevrolet: 1958
Highest number of consecutive titles: 13 (2003-2015)
Years Won: 1958, 1959, 1960, 1961, 1972, 1973, 1974, 1976, 1977, 1978, 1979, 1980, 1983, 1984, 1985, 1986, 1987, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1993, 1995, 1996, 1998, 2001, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015
Drivers Championships
Total (1949 – 2015): 30
First Chevrolet champion: Buck Baker (1957)
Highest number of consecutive titles: 7 (2005 – ’11)
Years Won: 1957, 1960, 1961, 1973, 1976, 1977, 1979, 1980, 1984, 1985, 1986, 1987, 1990, 1991, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 2001, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2013, 2014
Event Victories
Record for total race wins in single season: 26 – (in 2007)
2016 STATISTICS:
Wins: 3
Poles: 5
Laps led: 1,319
Top-five finishes: 33
Top-10 finishes: 70
CHEVROLET IN NASCAR SPRINT CUP CUMULATIVE STATISTICS:
Total Chevrolet race wins: 756 (1949 – to date)
Poles Won to Date: 683
Laps Lead to Date: 226,250
Top-Five Finishes to Date: 3,835
Top-10 Finishes to Date: 7,847
Total NASCAR Cup wins by Corporation, 1949 – To-Date
GM: 1,091
Chevrolet: 756
Pontiac: 155
Oldsmobile: 115
Buick: 65
Ford: 741
Ford: 641
Mercury: 96
Lincoln: 4
Chrysler: 466
Dodge: 217
Plymouth: 190
Chrysler: 59
Toyota: 87