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Coming off yet another Monday event dominated by Martin Truex Jr at New Hampshire, NASCAR continues its East Coast journey heading to Long Pond, Pennsylvania. The Cup Series drivers head to the Pocono Raceway this weekend as they take on the "Tricky Triangle."
The 2.5-mile triangle oval will host the ARCA Menards, Truck, Xfinity, and Cup Series this weekend. The HighPoint.com 400 NASCAR Cup Series race is scheduled at 2:30 pm ET this Sunday, July 23.
Like New Hampshire Motor Speedway, the Pocono Raceway is yet another stronghold for Toyota cars. Joe Gibbs Racing driver Denny Hamlin is the most successful NASCAR driver on the track, with six victories in the Cup Series.
Hamlin and his teammates will be at the front, but their course to victory lane won't be an easy one, with plenty top tier drivers yet to earn a playoff spot. Known for producing unexpected winners, HighPoint.com is shaping up to be an exciting race.
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4 NASCAR Drivers to watch out for in the HighPoint.com 400
#4. Chase Elliott
While Chase Elliott's recent results indicate a slump in form, he has been one of the strongest Hendrick Motorsports drivers in the races he has started. Out of his 13 starts, Elliott has five top-five finishes and two top-10 results. He has the best average finish position out of all four HMS drivers.
However, the #9 Chevrolet driver's season has been scarred with injuries and racing incidents. This weekend provides an opportunity to defend his previous season's victory on the track while earning his first win of the season.
Elliott is also scheduled to start the Xfinity Series race on Saturday, to get extra track time under his belt.
#3 Martin Truex Jr.
Coming off a winless NASCAR season, Martin Truex Jr has hit a purple patch this year. With three wins in his bag, the #19 Toyota driver has established himself as a championship favorite.
Truex Jr's three wins have come in dominant fashion and this weekend he will be the protagonist considering JGR's record on the track. Having taken his first victory at New Hampshire last weekend, the New Jersey native is hoping to continue his dream run on the east coast.
#2 Kyle Busch
Former Joe Gibbs Racing driver Kyle Busch has plenty of experience driving at the front at Pocono. The veteran driver has four wins with Toyota on the track. He will be eager to add to the list this time in the #8 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet.
Last year, the #8 Chevy finished inside the top 10, with Tyler Reddick behind the wheel. Despite having an inconsistent season, Busch has been strong at specific tracks.
Coming off a disastrous weekend in New Hampshire, the two-time NASCAR Cup Series champion is expected to have a solid weekend.
#1 Denny Hamlin
Denny Hamlin is the clear favorite at Pocono Raceway, given his stellar record at the tri-oval. With six wins, Hamlin is the joint most successful driver at the 2.5-mile oval, a record he ties with Jeff Gordon.
During last year's outing at Pocono, Hamlin overcame multiple setbacks to claim his seventh win on the track. However, his #11 Toyota didn't pass the post-race inspection and was thus disqualified. Being the outright favorite to win the race this weekend, Hamlin is most likely to claim the seventh win.
Catch the drivers live in action as they try to tame the Tricky Triangle this Sunday at 2:30 PM ET, on USA Network, NBCSports.com.
