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Pocono 500 Preview

Jun 9, 2007 - 10:48 AM

June 10, 2007
Pocono Raceway 
Long Pond, Pennsylvania
Race 14 of 36 on Nextel Cup circuit

TV: TNT, 12:30 p.m. EDT

Laps: 200 
Track length: 2 1/2 miles 
Race length: 500 miles

Qualifying record: Kasey Kahne, Dodge, 172.533 mph, 2004 
Race record: Rusty Wallace, Ford, 144.892 mph, 1996


DRIVERS TO WATCH
----------------

Jeff Burton
Team: Richard Childress Racing
Car: No. 31 Chevrolet Monte Carlo
2007 Earnings: $2,935,376

Has struggled over his last six races, failing to place higher
than 10th after finishing sixth or better in six of the first
seven events this season; ran 12th at Dover and remained fifth
in the standings, 355 points behind leader Jeff Gordon; has five
top-five finishes and seven top-10s this season; captured his
first victory of the season at Texas; ran ninth in this event
last season and also placed ninth in the summer race at this
track.

Carl Edwards
Team: Roush Fenway Racing
Car: No. 99 Ford Fusion
2007 Earnings: $1,604,807

Quietly has made his way up the standings after getting off to a
slow start this season; registered his best performance of the
season by running third at Dover; has just two top-five finishes
and four top-10s but is sixth in the standings thanks to
placing 12th or better eight times; struggled to 25th in this
race last season but won this event in 2005.

Jeff Gordon
Team: Hendrick Motorsports
Car: No. 24 Chevrolet Monte Carlo
2007 Earnings: $3,133,719

Ran ninth at Dover and owns a comfortable 152-point cushion atop
the series standings; endured a crash two weeks ago at
Charlotte en route to finishing 41st, his worst showing of the
year; reached a landmark milestone at Talladega, recording his
77th career victory to pass the late Dale Earnhardt for sixth on
NASCAR's all-time list; has completely dominated the circuit
this season and is on pace to capture his fifth career title,
leading the series in poles (6), top-five finishes (9) and
top-10s (11); struggled to 34th place in this event last season
but has three career victories at this track, the last of which
came in 1998.

Denny Hamlin
Team: Joe Gibbs Racing
Car: No. 11 Chevrolet Monte Carlo
2007 Earnings: $2,127,835

Finished fourth at Dover, his fifth top-five finish in his last
eight races; rebounded from a 21st-place showing at Darlington
to finish ninth at Charlotte; has six top-five finishes and
eight top-10s this season and is fourth in the standings, 217
points behind Gordon; clearly has avoided a sophomore slump,
placing inside the top 15 in 10 of the last 12 events; won both
events at this track last season, his only two career victories.

Jimmie Johnson
Team: Hendrick Motorsports
Car: No. 48 Chevrolet Monte Carlo
2007 Earnings: $3,116,913

Was slowed by a late flat tire at Dover and finished 15th, his
worst performance since running 38th at Texas on April 15; is
second in the standings but still trails teammate Gordon by 152
points; captured his series-leading fourth victory of the season
at Richmond and moved to second in the standings; finished
second at Talladega to continue his fast start to the season;
despite collecting eight top-five finishes, has been hurt by a
pair of finishes outside the top 35; also has captured checkered
flags at Las Vegas, Atlanta and Martinsville; placed 10th in
this event last season and ran sixth in the summer race at this
track; won both events at this track in 2004.

Matt Kenseth
Team: Roush Fenway Racing
Car: No. 17 Ford Fusion
2007 Earnings: $2,717,526

Placed fifth at Dover, his sixth top-five finish of the season;
is third in the standings, 190 points behind Gordon and 38 in
back of Johnson; The defending champion of this race; has been
outstanding since struggling to 27th place at Daytona, running
inside the top 11 in the next seven races; ran fifth in this
event last season, one of his three career top-five finishes in
14 starts at this track.

Tony Stewart
Team: Joe Gibbs Racing
Car: No. 20 Chevrolet Monte Carlo
2007 Earnings: $2,441,698

Placed just 40th at Dover thanks to a wreck involving Kurt
Busch; ended a string of four consecutive top-10 finishes,
including a sixth at Charlotte; has made noise off the track but
has been quiet behind the wheel, failing to record a win and
collecting just two top-five finishes over the first 13 races;
one of the circuit's most inconsistent drivers, collecting eight
top-10 finishes while placing 25th or worse in the other five
events; finished third in this race last season and won this
event in 2003.

2006 Top 10
-----------
 1. Denny Hamlin (11), Chevrolet
 2. Kurt Busch (2), Dodge
 3. Tony Stewart (20), Chevrolet
 4. Brian Vickers (25), Chevrolet
 5. Matt Kenseth (17), Ford 
 6. Greg Biffle (16), Ford
 7. Kasey Kahne (9), Dodge
 8. Scott Riggs (10), Dodge
 9. Jeff Burton (31), Chevrolet
10. Jimmie Johnson (48), Chevrolet

Past Champions
--------------
2006  Denny Hamlin, Chevrolet, 131.656
2005  Carl Edwards, Ford, 129.177 mph
2004  Jimmie Johnson, Chevrolet, 112.129 mph
2003  Tony Stewart, Chevrolet, 134.892 mph
2002  Dale Jarrett, Ford, 143.426 mph
2001  Ricky Rudd, Ford, 134.389 mph
2000  Jeremy Mayfield, Ford, 139.741 mph
1999  Bobby Labonte, Pontiac, 118.898 mph
1998  Jeremy Mayfield, Ford, 117.809 mph
1997  Jeff Gordon, Chevrolet 139.828 mph
1996  Jeff Gordon, Chevrolet, 139.104 mph
1995  Terry Labonte, Chevrolet, 137.720 mph
1994  Rusty Wallace, Ford, 128.801 mph
1993  Kyle Petty, Pontiac, 138.005 mph
1992  Alan Kulwicki, Ford, 144.023 mph
1991  Darrell Waltrip, Chevrolet, 122.666 mph
1990  Harry Gant, Oldsmobile, 120.600 mph
1989  Terry Labonte, Ford, 131.320 mph
1988  Geoffrey Bodine, Chevrolet, 126.147 mph
1987  Tim Richmond, Chevrolet, 122.166 mph
1986  Tim Richmond, Chevrolet, 113.279 mph
1985  Bill Elliott, Ford, 138.974 mph
1984  Cale Yarborough, Chevrolet, 138.164 mph
1983  Bobby Allison, Buick, 128.636 mph
1982  Bobby Allison, Buick, 113.579 mph