Greatest Races at the ‘Tricky Triangle’ Feat. Kyle Busch, Kevin Harvick, and Dale Earnhardt Sr and Jr

Pocono Raceway has played host to some of the most memorable races in the history of NASCAR—from the heroic Kyle Busch performance in winning all the top three divisions in a single year to Chase Elliott becoming the youngest ARCA Racing Series Superspeedway winner.

The track is also known for hosting some of the best battles in NASCAR. The competitive circuit is divided into three sections, giving it the name ‘Tricky Triangle.’ The triangular track has three separate infield sections—the North, East, and South courses. The circuit is considered to be a tri-oval just like Daytona. However, the three turns are not at all the same, nor are the three straights. The banking is considerably less compared to other speedways.

These track features play a huge role in making Pocono such an exciting race track, considering the overtakes, crashes, etc. The NASCAR community has seen numerous battles and crashes on the Pocono Raceway, and here is a ranking of the top-five most exhilarating races at the Tricky Triangle.

#5 Ryan Blaney defeats Kyle Busch and Kevin Harvick to win his first race in 2017

After making his debut in 2014, Ryan Blaney was still waiting for his first win. At the 2017 Pocono 400. Blaney had a good qualifying and lined up fourth on the grid, with Kyle Busch on Pole. At the end of the first two stages, Blaney was no way near the lead and Busch was still looking dominant.

However, a very late caution resulted in teams having the choice to pit or not. With 13 laps to go, Busch and Brad Keselowski decided to stay out and take the lead in the race whereas the rest of the field pitted for new tires. This worked out for Blaney who came out with four new tires in third place.

With nine laps to go, Blaney passed Busch who was on worn-out tires. Still, Blaney had another Cup Series champion to race, as Kevin Harvick was closing in on him. However, Blaney showed some exquisite defensive maneuvering to take home the first Cup Series win of his career.

#4 Jeremy Clements runs out of fuel on the last corner

At number four, we have an ARCA Race which had one of the most unbelievable endings. The 2007 Pennsylvania 200 was a race rife with crashes that added up to a total of nine cautions. And Jeremy Clements grabbed the opportunity with both hands. However, he was closely being followed by Michael McDowell who used to race in ARCA back then.

To secure his first ARCA Race, Clements decided to extend his fuel mileage instead of pitting. He was leading the race till the last lap and keeping McDowell behind him at bay. However, on the final turn at the Pocono circuit, Clements’s car ran out of fuel and McDowell ended up winning the race.

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#3 Bobby Labonte pounces on Dale Earnhardt Jr’s Mistake

The first 400 miles of the 2001 Pennsylvania 500 were a snoozer for the fans due to a dominant performance from Jeff Gordon. However, a pit stop mistake resulted in him falling down the standings. The race was then being led by Dale Earnhardt Jr with Bobby Labonte closely following him.

Labonte was looking for his opportunity to make a move. However, Junior was defending very strongly. Labonte was patient and knew that he might find an opportunity to make a move for the lead.

And it happened! With just two laps to go, Junior took a shallow entry into the tunnel turn which allowed Labonte to attack.  Labonte did just that and got on the gas before Junior and took the lead with just one and a half laps to go.

#2 Jeremy Mayfield gets a flat tire on the final lap

At the 2000 Pennsylvania 500, Jeremy Mayfield was in the lead of the race with a comfortable gap on his teammate Rusty Wallace. Mayfield was moving towards yet another win at the Pocono Raceway, which was one of his strongest circuits with two of his five career wins coming at Pocono.

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However, once again, at the tunnel turn on the final lap, Mayfield got a flat tire. His teammate Rusty Wallace took over the lead and fended off a charging Jeff Burton behind him to win the race. After the race, Wallace did say that he felt bad for his teammate losing a race in such a way. However, he was happy about winning the race.

#1 Dale Earnhardt gets the lead snatched on the last lap

Well, the ‘Intimidator’ got intimidated. Dale Earnhardt is one of the most decorated drivers in the history of NASCAR and was known for his aggressive racing style. However, a month before the 2000 Pennsylvania 500, the same circuit hosted the Pocono 500. It was Jeremy Mayfield once again contesting for the lead of the race against Earnhardt.

With just two laps to the checkered flag, Earnhardt got a taste of his own medicine when a slight touch from Mayfield’s car made him go up the track. Mayfield took the lead in the race in the final moments and got his second win at the Pocono Speedway. It was unexpected to watch one of the most aggressive drivers being pushed out.

In conclusion, The Pocono Raceway has shown some great competition through the years. It has played host to some great races and it is expected to play host to many more. This weekend NASCAR will reach Pocono once again, with a lot of drivers looking for points and wins to make their way into the playoffs. Could we see a new winner qualify for the playoffs? Only time will tell.