NASCAR at Pocono 2016: Start Time, Ticket Info, Lineup, TV Schedule and More
With the snap of a finger, the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series became the Martin Truex Jr. show last weekend in Charlotte, North Carolina, ahead of Sunday's Axalta "We Paint Winners" 400 at Pocono Raceway, Pennsylvania.
Call it perfect timing by Truex, who slapped some much-needed intrigue into the leaderboard as drivers continue to chip away and nailing down Chase spots with automatic bids.
With notables such as Dale Earnhardt Jr., Joey Logano, Kurt Busch and others still without a win, Truex's emergence could signal the beginning of a new wave of winners—or a run of dominance for himself.
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Either way, it makes the latest trip to Pocono must-see action. Here's everything to know about Sunday's event.
Viewing Details
Where: Pocono Raceway, Pennsylvania
When: Sunday, June 5, at 1 p.m. ET
Watch: FS1
Live Stream: Fox Sports Go
Tickets: ScoreBig.com
Sprint Cup Standings
| 1 | Kevin Harvick | 457 | 1 |
| 2 | Kurt Busch | 421 | 0 |
| 3 | Jimmie Johnson | 409 | 2 |
| 4 | Kyle Busch | 405 | 3 |
| 5 | Carl Edwards | 404 | 2 |
| Brad Keselowski | 404 | 2 | |
| 7 | Martin Truex Jr. | 381 | 1 |
| 8 | Chase Elliott | 374 | 0 |
| 9 | Joey Logano | 373 | 0 |
| 10 | Matt Kenseth | 347 | 1 |
| 11 | Denny Hamlin | 345 | 1 |
| 12 | Austin Dillon | 344 | 0 |
| 13 | Dale Earnhardt Jr. | 341 | 0 |
| 14 | Jamie McMurray | 318 | 0 |
| 15 | Ryan Blaney | 309 | 0 |
| 16 | Ryan Newman | 309 | 0 |
NASCAR at Pocono Lineup
| 1 | 2 | Brad Keselowski |
| 2 | 22 | Joey Logano |
| 3 | 20 | Matt Kenseth |
| 4 | 4 | Kevin Harvick |
| 5 | 19 | Carl Edwards |
| 6 | 14 | Tony Stewart |
| 7 | 48 | Jimmie Johnson |
| 8 | 88 | Dale Earnhardt Jr |
| 9 | 41 | Kurt Busch |
| 10 | 11 | Denny Hamlin |
| 11 | 5 | Kasey Kahne |
| 12 | 18 | Kyle Busch |
| 13 | 24 | Chase Elliott |
| 14 | 21 | Ryan Blaney |
| 15 | 16 | Greg Biffle |
| 16 | 43 | Aric Almirola |
| 17 | 78 | Martin Truex Jr |
| 18 | 34 | Chris Buescher |
| 19 | 3 | Austin Dillon |
| 20 | 27 | Paul Menard |
| 21 | 42 | Kyle Larson |
| 22 | 31 | Ryan Newman |
| 23 | 15 | Clint Bowyer |
| 24 | 6 | Trevor Bayne |
| 25 | 17 | Ricky Stenhouse Jr |
| 26 | 1 | Jamie McMurray |
| 27 | 83 | Matt DiBenedetto |
| 28 | 95 | Ty Dillon |
| 29 | 13 | Casey Mears |
| 30 | 44 | Brian Scott |
| 31 | 38 | Landon Cassill |
| 32 | 47 | AJ Allmendinger |
| 33 | 10 | Danica Patrick |
| 34 | 23 | David Ragan |
| 35 | 7 | Regan Smith |
| 36 | 46 | Michael Annett |
| 37 | 55 | Cole Whitt |
| 38 | 30 | Josh Wise |
| 39 | 32 | Jeb Burton |
| 40 | 98 | Reed Sorenson |
Drivers to Watch
Jimmie Johnson
Last week's showdown in Charlotte was a breath of fresh air for Jimmie Johnson fans.
Johnson started seventh and finished third, a major boon for a driver who had hit on a slump of epic proportions dating back to the start of May. Over four events, Johnson had finished 12th or worse in all and 22nd or worse in half.
Still, the momentum gained last week pairs with Johnson's strong history at Pocono, which NASCAR detailed by saying a lot through just a little:
Last a winner of this event in 2013, Johnson looks like a name to know going into the weekend provided Truex doesn't hit on another run of historic form.
While he's already a winner in two races this year, it's hard to imagine Johnson is content or finished seizing checkered flags. Given the time of year, experimentation fades to getting ready for consistent contention, so expect Johnson to whip his team into shape at one of his best locales.
Dale Earnhardt Jr.
It might be time to start an official Earnhardt watch.
Something is simply off with Jr. this year, as he sits winless and more often than not seems locked in a competition for a top-20 finish instead of an actual win.
It seemed like Earnhardt and his team had gained a little momentum at the All-Star race two weeks ago thanks to his third-place finish after starting 10th. But the wacky format didn't translate to the real thing, as Earnhardt started 25th in Charlotte and only improved to 14th.
The situation inching toward "dire" status has Earnhardt wishing for a peak at just the right time, according to Nationwide 88:
Earnhardt only finished 11th at this race last year, but he did win it in 2014.
Much of the pressure falls on the shoulders of crew chief Greg Ives as much as it does Earnhardt. No matter where the blame should fall, though, one fact remains—time is starting to run out.
Martin Truex Jr.
Truex made history last week in Charlotte.
Forget seizing his first win of the year, Truex led 392 of 400 laps for a record at CMS and 588 of 600 miles, the most-ever in a NASCAR race.
He took to social media to celebrate the historic occasion:
Now the trick is using the momentum to keep fighting for more wins, as Truex hasn't seemed like the guy who shocked the globe last year. An owner of just six top-10 finishes on the season, consistency will become a sticking point for Truex with an automatic bid punched.
Good thing he enters this weekend going into a race he won last year.
Last year, Truex lead 97 of the 160 laps to get the win, finally getting a checkered flag after a whopping five top-10 finishes entering the event.
This time, Truex enters a winner. What he does with the momentum could not only have a major impact on his championship pursuit, but the rest of the field.
Stats and info courtesy of ESPN.com unless otherwise specified.
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