Restart chaos is a hot topic as the NASCAR Xfinity Series prepares for a weekend in the Poconos
NASCAR Xfinity Series officials will keep a close eye on restarts this weekend at Pocono. Last week in New Hampshire, a massive pileup destroyed several cars as the field resumed on lap 70.
Playoff Hope Parker Kligerman took a big hit in the points after being caught by the fall. The restart zone in New Hampshire is completely straight while most tracks have a slight bend, allowing drivers to see further.
Restarts at Pocono Raceway are also completely direct and have a habit of being very aggressive. For this reason, NASCAR issued a warning to all three series ahead of the weekend.
Track
Pocono Raceway is one of the most unique tracks on the NASCAR Xfinity Series schedule. The track dubbed “The Tricky Triangle” certainly lives up to its namesake. The three towers are completely different in shape and have different levels of inclination.
The three straights are also all different lengths, making it almost impossible to find a perfect setup. Teams are usually forced to compromise on one part of the track in order to be faster in a larger area.
The extremely wide stretch of the front has always invited wild runs into the first corner on restarts, which officials will be watching closely after last week. Pocono Raceway’s mix of fast and tight turns typically produces great racing for the NASCAR Xfinity Series.
Prediction
The NASCAR Xfinity Series entry list includes several eye-catching drivers for the trip to Pocono. Daniel Suarez will drive the Kaulig Racing “all-star” car this weekend and Ty Dillon will be in a third car for Richard Childress Racing.
The biggest name on the list is Chase Elliott who will drive the No. 17 car for Hendrick Motorsports. Elliott will compete in his first NASCAR Xfinity Series race since 2021. He hasn’t won an Xfinity race since 2016 and has won just five times despite winning the 2014 championship.
Even with the Cup Series talent in this race, I’m going with their future contender Josh Berry. The added motivation of racing against his future competitors could give Berry the boost he needs to land on victory lane.
How to Watch – Explore the Pocono Mountains 225 (All times ET)
- Training/Qualification: Friday July 21, at 3:35 p.m. UNITED STATES
- Explore the Pocono Mountains 225: Saturday July 22, at 5:30 p.m. UNITED STATES
