Pennsylvania 400 2012: Start Time, Lineup, TV Schedule and More

NASCAR’s Chase for the Cup is inching closer and closer as this weekend’s pivotal Pennsylvania 400 goes down. Of note, 2012 is the first year the Pocono Speedway race will be run at just 400 miles.

Dubbed “The Tricky Triangle,” the Pennsylvania 400 promises to excite this weekend.

The standings are beginning to take shape and the drivers are prepared after competing there just a little over a month ago at the Pocono 400. Drivers and their teams have had the experience of running the course, taking notes and game-planning to get things organized to make a run this weekend.

Jimmie Johnson, winner at Indy last weekend, finished top five there back in June and is the heavy favorite to ride his momentum and experience on the course to run away with another win.

When: Sunday, Aug. 5

Where: Pocono Raceway, Long Pond, Penn.

Start Time: 12 p.m. ET

Watch: ESPN

Live Streaming: TrackPass

Starting Order: Qualifying will be held at 10:40 a.m. ET on Saturday, Aug. 5 on ESPN.

Weekend TV Schedule (Courtesy of NASCAR.com)

Pennsylvania 400 practice: Friday, Aug. 3 at Noon ET, SPEED

Pennsylvania 400 final practice: Friday, Aug. 3 at 3:00 p.m. ET, SPEED

Pennsylvania 400 qualifying: Saturday, Aug. 4 at 10:40 a.m. ET, ESPN 2 (Coverage starts at 10:30 a.m. ET)

Pennsylvania 400 at Pocono: Sunday, Aug. 5 at 12 p.m. ET, ESPN

Drivers to watch

Jeff Gordon

Gordon has not won a race in 2012 and is in danger of not making the Chase.

Gordon has some work to do if he is going to pull within the top 10 to make the Chase. He’s currently 79 points behind 10^th place Clint Bowyer in the points standings and will need more than an encouraging showing if he plans on making a real run at this thing. He needs to win, not just a good race and a top ten finish. 

Don’t count him out just yet, though. A year ago Gordon won the Pocono 400 and at Atlanta, clinching two key wins in his final six races to make the Chase.

Denny Hamlin

After starting his career dominating the flat-tracked Pocono, Hamlin has struggled as of late on the Pennsylvania course. In fact, he hasn’t finished better than fifth in his last four races.

According to ESPN blogger Matt Willis, since the start of 2009, Hamlin has been the fastest car on 225 laps at Pocono, 65 more than any other driver. While impressive, it hasn’t been translating to success on the pole.

Jimmie Johnson

Johnson is the favorite and is coming off of a big win at the Brickyard 500. He is currently sitting nicely at fourth in the NASCAR Sprint Cup points standings.

Brickyard isn’t the extent of his recent success, though. He’s racking up the points and is averaging a fourth place finish in seven of his last eight races.

He’s also historically performed remarkable at Pocono, winning twice and recording three fourth-place finishes.

 

 

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