NASCAR in Pocono: Weekend schedule, watch info, favorites, picks, weather (2024)

NASCAR is entering a whole different environment this week.

From the streets of Chicago last Sunday to the Pocono Mountains this time around, Cup drivers are in for another challenge.

Pocono Raceway, known as the Tricky Triangle, has three unique corners around the 2.5-mile venue. NASCAR’s only three-turn track has been a yearly staple on the schedule since 1974.

Who is racing in Pocono? What’s the schedule for TV and streaming? And which drivers could contend for the win on Sunday?

Here’s everything you need to know for The Great American Getaway 400:

NASCAR in Pocono entry list

Thirty-seven drivers will race in Pocono – the 34 full-timers, plus three others.

A.J. Allmendinger will pilot the No. 16 for Kaulig Racing as he continues his part-time effort this season. Cody Ware and J.J. Yeley will both make their third Cup starts of the season – Ware for Rick Ware Racing, Yeley for NY Racing Team.

Here’s the full entry list for Pocono:

When is the NASCAR race in Pocono?

The Great American Getaway 400 is set for Sunday, July 14, at 2:30 p.m. ET.

Before the race, there will be practice and qualifying sessions on Saturday. The 37 drivers will be split into two groups (found here) with each group getting 20 minutes of free practice.

Then, the field will compete in two-round qualifying. Here’s how it works:

• The two practice groups will remain the same for qualifying.
• Each driver will make one lap in the first round, with the five fastest drivers in each group advancing.
• In the final round, the remaining drivers each get one lap to set the top 10 starting order. The fastest driver overall will start on the pole, the fastest driver in the other group will start second.
• Positions 3 through 10 are set on final round times – Group A filling the even-numbered positions (4th, 6th, 8th, 10th), Group B filling the odd-numbered positions (3rd, 5th, 7th, 9th).
• Positions 11 through 37 are set based on first round times – Group A filling the even-numbered positions, Group B filling the odd-numbered positions.

What is the NASCAR TV schedule this weekend?

Rick Allen (play-by-play), Jeff Burton (analyst) and Steve Letarte (analyst) will be on the call for NBC Sports all weekend. Marty Snider, Kim Coon and Parker Kligerman will serve as pit reporters.

Here’s the full TV and streaming schedule:

Saturday, July 13 (USA Network and streaming)

• Practice: 12 p.m. ET, USA Network, NBC Sports app
• Qualifying: 12:45 p.m. ET, USA Network, NBC Sports app

Sunday, July 14 (USA Network and streaming)

• Countdown to Green: 2 p.m. ET, USA Network, NBC Sports app
• The Great American Getaway 400: 2:30 p.m. ET, USA Network, NBC Sports app
• NASCAR Cup Series Post-Race: 6 p.m. ET, USA Network, NBC Sports app

NASCAR Pocono past winners, race history

Nine of the 37 drivers in the field are past winners in Pocono, but one stands above the rest.

Hamlin stands alone with seven Pocono wins, a record he broke last year when he surpassed Jeff Gordon’s all-time total of six. The Joe Gibbs Racing driver has technically crossed the line first in each of the past two years, but his 2022 win was disqualified due to a car inspection failure.

Busch (4) and Truex (2) are the other multi-time winners in Pocono – the former last winning in 2021, the latter last winning in 2018.

Keselowski (2011), Logano (2012), Buescher (2016), Blaney (2017), Bowman (2021) and Elliott (2022) have one Pocono victory apiece.

NASCAR in Pocono picks, favorites, drivers to watch

Hamlin is always the driver to watch in Pocono. He won his first two career starts at the track and has never slowed down.

But beyond Hamlin, his Toyota teammates could be his biggest challengers in 2024. Toyota cars finished first (Hamlin), second (Reddick), third (Truex), fifth (Gibbs), sixth (Bell) and 11th (Wallace) last season.

Reddick leads all active drivers over the last four Pocono races with a 6.0 average finish, while two-time Pocono winner Truex is still searching for his first victory in his final Cup season.

Despite all the talk about Toyota, it’s a Chevrolet driver who holds the best career average finish in Pocono. That title belongs to Byron (9.9 average finish in 10 starts), who led 60 laps after starting on the pole last July.

Keselowski (10.9 average finish in 26 starts), Larson (11.6 in 16 starts), Jones (13.5 in 12 starts) and Elliott (13.8 in 14 starts) are other drivers who have historically performed well at the Tricky Triangle.

Pocono Raceway weather for NASCAR

Rain has impacted the last four NASCAR race weekends, but that streak might finally end in Pennsylvania.

As of Thursday afternoon, NBC Philadelphia is predicting a 52% chance of rain on Saturday (morning showers) and a 16% chance of rain on Sunday in Long Pond. There will be mostly sunny skies on race day, but a stray shower or thunderstorm is possible as temperatures could reach 84 degrees.

NASCAR is able to use wet-weather tires for racing on short tracks and road courses, but it is not possible in Pocono. The track also does not have lights, so the race must be completed before sundown.