GoBowling.com 400 Betting News and Notes

Driver Tale of the Tape at Pocono

Greg Biffle (No. 16 3M Ford)

· One win, three top fives, five top 10s
· Average finish of 16.7
· Average Running Position of 14.4, 10th-best
· Driver Rating of 87.8, 13th-best
· 97 Fastest Laps Run, seventh-most
· 1,347 Green Flag Passes, sixth-most
· Average Green Flag Speed of 160.563 mph, 11th-fastest
· 2,083 Laps in the Top 15 (66.5%), eighth-most
· 659 Quality Passes (passes of cars in the top 15 under green), seventh-most

Kurt Busch (No. 78 Furniture Row/Denver Mattress Chevrolet)

· Two wins, nine top fives, 13 top 10s; one pole
· Average finish of 15.8
· Average Running Position of 10.9, fourth-best
· Driver Rating of 103.8, third-best
· 304 Fastest Laps Run, second-most
· Average Green Flag Speed of 161.085 mph, third-fastest
· 2,219 Laps in the Top 15 (74.7%), sixth-most
· 618 Quality Passes, 10th-most

Dale Earnhardt Jr. (No. 88 National Guard Youth Foundation Chevrolet)

· Six top fives, 10 top 10s; one pole
· Average finish of 16.7
· Driver Rating of 88.0, 12th-best
· 60 Fastest Laps Run, 13th-most

Carl Edwards (No. 99 Fastenal Ford)

· Two wins, five top fives, eight top 10s
· Average finish of 13.5
· Average Running Position of 14.5, 11th-best
· Driver Rating of 97.8, sixth-best
· 175 Fastest Laps Run, fifth-most
· Average Green Flag Speed of 160.838 mph, fifth-fastest
· 2,002 Laps in the Top 15 (63.9%), ninth-most
· 620 Quality Passes, ninth-most

Jeff Gordon (No. 24 Drive To End Hunger Chevrolet)

· Six wins, 18 top fives, 28 top 10s; two poles
· Average finish of 10.2
· Average Running Position of 10.5, third-best
· Driver Rating of 100.0, fourth-best
· 111 Fastest Laps Run, sixth-most
· 1,319 Green Flag Passes, eighth-most
· Average Green Flag Speed of 160.928 mph, fourth-fastest
· 2,337 Laps in the Top 15 (74.6%), third-most
· 721 Quality Passes, fourth-most

Denny Hamlin (No. 11 FedEx Office Toyota)

· Four wins, eight top fives, 10 top 10s; two poles
· Average finish of 10.5
· Series-best Average Running Position of 9.1
· Series-best Driver Rating of 113.8
· Series-high 434 Fastest Laps Run
· Series-best Average Green Flag Speed of 161.419 mph
· 2,244 Laps in the Top 15 (82.3%), fifth-most

Kevin Harvick (No. 29 Budweiser Chevrolet)

· Five top fives, nine top 10s
· Average finish of 13.9
· Average Running Position of 14.0, ninth-best
· Driver Rating of 90.2, 10th-best
· 1,440 Green Flag Passes, second-most
· Average Green Flag Speed of 160.562 mph, 12th-fastest
· 1,955 Laps in the Top 15 (62.4%), 10th-most
· 671 Quality Passes, sixth-most

Jimmie Johnson (No. 48 Lowe's Planes Chevrolet)

· Three wins, 10 top fives, 16 top 10s; two poles
· Average finish of 8.7
· Average Running Position of 9.3, second-best
· Driver Rating of 110.0, second-best
· 259 Fastest Laps Run, third-most
· Average Green Flag Speed of 161.266 mph, second-fastest
· Series-high 2,536 Laps in the Top 15 (81.0%)
· 741 Quality Passes, second-most

Kasey Kahne (No. 5 Farmers Insurance Chevrolet)

· One win, four top fives, six top 10s; two poles
· Average finish of 17.8
· Driver Rating of 89.6, 11th-best
· 243 Fastest Laps Run, fourth-most
· Average Green Flag Speed of 160.816 mph, seventh-fastest

Matt Kenseth (No. 20 Home Depot Husky Toyota)

· Three top fives, 10 top 10s
· Average finish of 14.7
· Average Running Position of 12.9, eighth-best
· Driver Rating of 90.7, ninth-best
· 687 Quality Passes, fifth-most

Mark Martin (No. 55 Aaron's Dream Machine Toyota)

· 20 top fives, 34 top 10s; three poles
· Average finish of 11.2
· Average Running Position of 12.6, seventh-best
· Driver Rating of 93.1, eighth-best
· 2,126 Laps in the Top 15 (67.9%), seventh-most

Ryan Newman (No. 39 Quicken Loans/The Smurfs Chevrolet)

· One win, eight top fives, 11 top 10s; two poles
· Average finish of 12.0
· Average Running Position of 11.2, fifth-best
· Driver Rating of 95.4, seventh-best
· 2,379 Laps in the Top 15 (76.0%), second-most
· Series-high 774 Quality Passes

Tony Stewart (No. 14 GoDaddy Chevrolet)

· Two wins, 12 top fives, 21 top 10s; two poles
· Average finish of 11.0
· Average Running Position of 12.0, sixth-best
· Driver Rating of 98.8, fifth-best
· 1,418 Green Flag Passes, fourth-most
· 2,291 Laps in the Top 15 (73.1%), fourth-most
· 737 Quality Passes, third-mos

Pennsylvania 400 Preview
By Micah Roberts
VegasInsider.com

For those looking to wager on this Sunday’s race at Pocono Raceway, the first order of business at hand is to not only look at what happened in the June 9 race at Pocono, but also last week’s results from the Brickyard 400. The similarities between the two 2.5-mile tracks lie within the long straightaways and at least one instance -- turn 3 at Pocono -- that resembles Indy’s flat turns.

Ten of the top-15 finishes in the first Pocono race finished in the top-15 Sunday at the Brickyard, including Sunday’s winner, Ryan Newman, who finished fifth at Pocono. Jimmie Johnson won the June race and finished second on Sunday using the exact same chassis for both races, which was also the same one that he used to win last year’s Brickyard 400. However, that beast of a chassis is unlikely to be turned around this quickly and be ready for this week, even though there shouldn’t be too much tinkering required on it because the set-ups for each track are similar.

The No. 48 team will have its press release sent out by Wednesday which will detail what chassis Johnson is using this week, and if it isn’t the same chassis he used to lead the most laps at Pocono and Indy this year, it shakes up the odds considerably for everyone else. Or rather, it gives everyone else a fighting chance.

If it wasn’t for an out-of-the-ordinary late muff by the No. 48 pit crew in their final pit stop that last 17 seconds, Johnson would have been able to win at Indy again -- for a record fifth time. Newman’s crew made the winning move by taking only two tires in their final pit stop, while Johnson’s took four, but the margin victory was just under three seconds. If Johnson’s crew had just been able to shave off three seconds and make just an average pit stop, Johnson would have been able to make the winning pass on Newman with about two laps to go.

No one’s crying for Johnson, though. This guy has four wins on the season already and is making a mockery of the points system by having a 75-point lead over second-place Clint Bowyer. That’s almost two entire races of maximum points that Johnson leads by which is why he’s an overwhelming EVEN (Bet $100 to win $100) money favorite at the LVH Super Book to win the Chase this season.

As for Newman, he moved up three points in the standings to 16th but still needs some help to gain the final wild card spot in the Chase with six races to go. For the lucky few that had the foresight to take Newman last week, he paid off at 50/1 odds. Following a good practice session and then qualifying well enough to start from the pole, his odds were dropped down to 25/1 at the LVH.

Other drivers that fared well at both events this season were Dale Earnhardt Jr. (3rd at Pocono, 6th at Indy), Tony Stewart (4th at each), Kyle Busch (6th, 10th), Kurt Busch (7th, 14th), Joey Logano (10th, 8th), Jeff Gordon (12th, 7th), and Juan Pablo Montoya (14th, 9th).

The only driver among the top-7 finishers at Pocono that didn’t finish within the top-15 at the Brickyard was Greg Biffle, who was runner-up to Johnson at Pocono. He should be looked at as a strong candidate this week just because during his poor performance last week, he wasn’t using his Pocono chassis. We’ll know what car he’s bring by Wednesday, but I’d be willing to lay odds that the No. 16 team will be bring that same Pocono chassis from June that ran so strong.

Jeff Gordon will be looking for his seventh Pocono win on Sunday in what will be his 42nd start on the track, and ironically, it's also his 42nd birthday. How can you not bet on that combination, right? The best thing to like about Gordon this week is a strong run at Indy last week, and the fact that he won this race last season.

A driver that has performed well at Pocono his entire career, but didn’t fare well Sunday at Indy is Denny Hamlin. Over his career, he has four wins on the tricky triangle with a 10.5 average finish. He’s been mired in slump recently, but Pocono should get him going again and contend for the win.

If you’re thinking sweep with Johnson, it’s happened quite a few times in the past beginning with Bobby Allison in 1982. Then it was Bill Elliott in 1985, Tim Richmond (‘86), Bobby Labonte (’99), Johnson (’04) and Hamlin (’06) following suit with the double. A Johnson win would be his fourth at Pocono, both coming in season sweeps.

Because it’s doubtful Johnson will be using the same car, I’m going to look elsewhere for a winner this week.

Top-5 Finish Prediction:

1) #14 Tony Stewart (7/1)
2) #16 Greg Biffle (25/1)
3) #18 Kyle Busch (8/1)
4) #39 Ryan Newman (15/1)
5) #24 Jeff Gordon (10/1)

Driver Handicaps: Pocono
By: Jeff Wackerlin
Racingone.com

To help you make your fantasy racing picks, MotorRacingNetwork.com's Jeff Wackerlin brings you his weekly detailed analysis to help steer you toward Sunday's GoBowling.com 400 at Pocono Raceway.

Who's HOT at Pocono

• Three-time winner Jimmie Johnson leads all drivers with an 8.7 average finish.
• Jeff Gordon leads all drivers in wins (6) and laps led (965).
• Two-time winner Tony Stewart leads all drivers with a 4.0 average finish in the three races on the newly repaved surface.
• Four-time winner Denny Hamlin is coming off his 10th top-10 finish in 15 starts.
• Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Ryan Newman each have finished ninth or better in four of their last five starts.
• Mark Martin leads all drivers entered in the race in poles (3) and 34 top-10 finishes.
• Joey Logano has posted an 8.0 average finish in his last three starts, including a win in the 2012 June race.

Who to Keep an Eye On at Pocono

• Clint Bowyer (9.7), Carl Edwards (12.0), Brad Keselowski (12.7) and Kevin Harvick (13.0) each rank in the top 10 in average finish among all drivers that have raced in all three races on Pocono's newly repaved surface.
• Richard Petty Motorsports (Aric Almirola, Marcos Ambrose) tested at Pocono last week.
• Greg Biffle (second), Kyle Busch (sixth) and Kurt Busch (seventh) were among the top 10 finishers at Pocono in June - the first race at the track with the Gen-6 racecar.
• Martin Truex Jr. has posted an 8.0 average finish in the last three Pocono August races.
• Juan Pablo Montoya, who tested at Indianapolis Motor Speedway and finished ninth there, is the defending August Pocono pole winner.
• Kasey Kahne, who finished third at Indianapolis, posted his best Pocono finish (second) in the last 10 races in this event last year.

MotorRacingNetwork.com Writer Picks

Jeff Wackerlin: Dale Earnhardt Jr.
Pete Pistone: Jeff Gordon
Dustin Long: Jimmie Johnson
John Singler: Tony Stewart

Top 20 Driver Notes - Ordered by current standings

(All stats/notes are in regards to Pocono unless noted)

Jimmie Johnson: Leads all drivers with an 8.7 average finish; Led 128 laps en route to the win in June; That victory was his third in 23 starts; Second-best average finish (6.3) and most laps led (172) in the three races on the newly repaved surface*; Will return in the same car (chassis No. 799) that he last led 182 laps and finished ninth with at Kentucky Speedway.

Clint Bowyer: Finished 15th in June; 9.7 average finish in three starts with Michael Waltrip Racing; Fifth-best average finish (9.7) in the three races on the newly repaved surface*; Will return in the same car (chassis No. 733) that he raced at Pocono in June.

Carl Edwards: Last of two wins came in this event in 2008; Finished 18th in June; Has finished seventh or better in this race the last three years; Eighth-best average finish (12.0) in the three races on the newly repaved surface*; Will return in the same car (chassis No. 808) that he raced at Pocono in June.

Kevin Harvick: Coming off ninth top 10 (ninth place); Has only led five laps in 25 starts; 13.0 average finish in the three races on the newly repaved surface*; Will return in the same car (chassis No. 391) that he raced at Pocono in June.

Dale Earnhardt Jr: Finished third in June; Finish was fifth top 10 in 11 starts with Hendrick Motorsports; 14.3 average finish and 53 laps led in the three races on the newly repaved surface*; Will return in the same car (chassis No. 798) that he raced at Pocono in June.

Matt Kenseth: Finished 25th in first track start with Joe Gibbs Racing in June; 10 top 10s came in previous 26 starts with Roush Fenway Racing; 18.3 average finish in the three races on the newly repaved surface*.

Kyle Busch: Finished sixth in June for his sixth top 10 in 17 starts; Last of four top fives (second) came in this event in 2011; 23.0 average finish in the three races on the newly repaved surface*.

Greg Biffle: Winner of this race in 2010; Finished second in June; 13.7 average finish in the three races on the newly repaved surface*; Will debut a new car (chassis No. 862) in the GoBowling.com 400.

Kasey Kahne: Finished 36th in June; Second-place finish in this event last year is his only top-25 finish in three starts with Hendrick Motorsports; Won the 2008 June race with Gillett Evernham Motorsports; 22.3 average finish in the three races on the newly repaved surface*; Will return in the same car (chassis No. 779) that he raced at Pocono in June.

Jeff Gordon: Defending race winner; That victory was his sixth in 41 starts; Finished 12th in June; Has finished in the top 10 in this event for the past seven seasons; Sixth-best average finish (10.7) in the three races on the newly repaved surface*.

Tony Stewart: Has finished in the top 10 in seven of his nine starts with Stewart-Haas Racing; Last of two wins came in the 2009 June race; Leads all drivers in average finish (4.0) in the three races on the newly repaved surface*; Will return in the same car (chassis No. 706) that he finished fourth with at Pocono in June.

Martin Truex Jr: 14.6 average finish in seven starts with Michael Waltrip Racing; Finished third in this event last year; 8.0 average finish in this event in the last three seasons; 15.3 average finish in the three races on the newly repaved surface*.

Brad Keselowski: Winner of this race in 2011; Finished 16th in June; 12.7 average finish in the three races on the newly repaved surface*; Will return in the same car (chassis No. 856) that he finished 32nd with at Darlington Raceway.

Kurt Busch: Finished seventh in first track start with Furniture Row Racing in June; Last of two wins came in this event in 2007 with Penske Racing; 18.5 average finish in the three races on the newly repaved surface*.

Jamie McMurray: 10th-place finish in the 2012 June race is his only top 10 in seven starts driving an Earnhardt Ganassi Chevrolet; Finished 13th in June; 13.3 average finish in the three races on the newly repaved surface*.

Ryan Newman: Second-best average finish (7.4) in the last five races; Third-best average finish (7.7) and 19 laps led in the three races on the newly repaved surface*; Won this event in 2003 with Penske Racing; Will return in the same car (chassis No. 733) that he drove to the win last weekend at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

Aric Almirola: 22.3 average finish in the three races - only track starts - on the newly repaved surface*; Tested last week at Pocono; Will return in the same car (chassis No. 837) that he raced at Pocono in June.

Joey Logano: Winner of the 2012 June race; Finished 10th in June this year; Fourth-best average finish (12.0) and 49 laps led in the three races on the newly repaved surface*; Will return in the same car (chassis No. 839) that he finished eighth with last weekend at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

Paul Menard: 16.7 average finish in the three races on the newly repaved surface*; 14.8 average finish in five starts with Richard Childress Racing; Will return in the same car (chassis No. 427) that he finished 14th with at Michigan International Speedway.

Jeff Burton: Last of 17 top 10s (eighth) in 39 starts came in this event in 2010; Finished 11th in June; 16.0 average finish in the three races on the newly repaved surface*; Will return in the same car (chassis No. 416) that he last raced at Pocono in June.

*Last year's August race was shortened to 98 laps due to weather.