Can Jimmy Johnson Make it 2 in a Row?
NASCAR Pennsylvania 500 Preview — By Bet Jamaica – Jimmie Johnson will be looking to make it two wins in a row on Sunday afternoon when he takes to the track at Pocono Raceway for the Pennsylvania 500.
Johnson took the checkered flag in the troubled Allstate 400 at the Brickyard at Indianapolis Motor Speedway last weekend, keeping his tires from exploding just long enough to grab the victory. That was Johnson’s second win of the season.
Carl Edwards finished second at Indy, followed by Denny Hamlin, Elliott Sadler, and Jeff Gordon. Jamie McMurray, Kasey Kahne, Greg Biffle, Jeff Burton, and A.J. Allmendinger rounded out the day’s top 10 drivers.
Dale Earnhardt Jr. had to settle for a 12th-place result, while Ryan Newman was 13th, David Ragan was 14th, Kyle Busch was 15th, Clint Bowyer was 19th, and Tony Stewart was 23rd. Matt Kenseth was well back in 38th place at the end of the day.
Busch’s lead in the driver standings is now at 253 points over Earnhardt Jr., with Burton 271 points back in third place. Johnson’s win at Indy moved him into fourth place in the standings, while Edwards, Gordon, Biffle, Hamlin, Kahne, Stewart, Kenseth, and Bowyer make up the rest of the current Top 12.
Kurt Busch won the Pennsylvania 500 last year, while Kahne visited victory lane in the Pocono 500 on that track back in June. Gordon took the checkered flag in the Pocono 500 last year, and he has four career Cup wins on that track.
Other drivers with multiple Pocono wins on the top series include Hamlin (twice in 2006) and Johnson (twice in 2004), while Kurt Busch also won there in 2005. Edwards (2005), Stewart (2003), and Ryan Newman (2003) also have Pocono wins.
After racing in Pennsylvania the drivers of the Sprint Cup Series move on to Watkins Glen International for the Centurion Boats at the Glen on August 10. NASCAR will then round out its August schedule with the 3M Performance 400 at Michigan, the Sharpie 500 at Bristol, and the Pepsi 500 at Auto Club Speedway.
