NASCAR starting lineup and notebook for Pocono

NASCAR: Cup Practice and Qualifying — Credit: Matthew O'Haren-USA TODAY Sports

Ty Gibbs might need a win over the next six races but keeps putting himself in position to do so too.

The Joe Gibbs Racing No. 54 car will lead the field to green on Sunday in the NASCAR Cup Series at Pocono Raceway. It’s his second career pole, following his first in the Coca-Cola 600 in May, but also his second consecutive front row start after Chicago last weekend.

But they are feeling some pressure to win, even with an 84-point lead over the playoff cutline, it would be just 31 if there’s a winner from outside the current cutline too. Daytona looms large next month.

“Yeah, a win would definitely get us in the Playoffs,” Gibbs said after winning the pole. “That’s our goal to go win and be smart outside of that. Go get great stage points and go win is the biggest thing. Takes care of about everything.”

His crew chief, Chris Gayle, feels that pressure too.

“We’ve been close a lot,” Gayle told Sportsnaut after the race at Chicago last weekend. “We’ve collectively screwed it up every way we can. I don’t know. What is it, four cars that aren’t locked into the playoffs now?

“Six races left to go and one of those is Daytona. We’re not comfortable. We need to win a race. That’s what we felt like entering (Chicago) because the past four weeks for us, we have not gotten the finishes we deserve. We had speed but we didn’t finish it.”

Gibbs will now start this race from the front thanks to his 52.929 second lap which topped William Byron, Martin Truex Jr., Denny Hamlin and Josh Berry.

Hamlin is the defending winner and also facing a month-plus of races where his speed hasn’t resulted in finishes.

“There’s been some wonky races,” Hamlin said. “I mean there’s been rain, which really changed New Hampshire quite a bit going from what we think is a race-winning car and feeling like we were going to win to not. And obviously Chicago, it turned out the way it did. We were really good in the dry pace. I felt very good with where I was at and then with the rain.

“And then at Nashville, we all saw what happened there at the end. Yeah, just some different finishes for sure where this race track (Pocono) plays out in a more predictable manner than what others have. Surely, weather can be a factor in things like that, but with this track, you typically have an idea of (pause). The best car usually wins here at a higher percentage than at those others.”

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Berry could also be one of those upset contenders Gayle and Gibbs should worry about based on a month-plus of speed on oval tracks.

All told, the Gibbs Toyotas look like the team to beat with Gibbs on the pole but also Truex posting the fastest 10 lap average speed in practice, despite his own mini-slump over the last several weeks.

“For sure, it’s been a tough month-and-a-half, finish-wise,” Truex said. “Speed-wise, aside from maybe last week and Iowa, we’ve been solid. Just need to capitalize on that and execute. It takes a lot of things to win races, lead laps, stay upfront and have fast cars, so hope we can put it all together this weekend. But I feel good about it. Yeah, just kind of been in a slump for a little while now.”

What’s been behind that?

“It’s been multiple things, frustrating for sure,” Truex said. “You name it across the board, it’s happened. The last three races, we’ve been crashed at the end by someone, and that’s frustrating. Dealt with a lot of things like rain and crazy things like that. Yeah, hopefully this is a normal, straightforward weekend. Hoping for a good day today and execute tomorrow, be upfront tomorrow and be in good shape.”

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But for now, at the start, they’re all chasing Gibbs.

“Yeah, it’s really good,” Gibbs said. “It’s crazy how fast time goes by, that’s for sure and all that happens in between it. But it’s really cool to get the pole here. Really appreciate it and thanks to everyone that helps out. It was a fun qualifying session. I always have fun coming to Pocono. Hopefully we can go win it tomorrow.”