NASCAR Fantasy Fusion: Pocono 400

Drivers with Most Top 10s (Last 5 Years):

By Race
All with 4 - Kurt Busch, Dale Earnhardt Jr., Denny Hamlin, Jimmie Johnson and Joey Logano

All with 3 - Kevin Harvick, Jamie McMurray and Matt Kenseth

By Track
Both with 6 - Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Kurt Busch
All with 5 -  Brad Keselowski, Kevin Harvick, Denny Hamlin and Joey Logano
All with 4 - Ryan Newman, Jimmie Johnson and Kyle Busch

Recent Pole Winners:  

2016 Brad Keselowski
2015 Kurt Busch

Last Year's Race Winner: Kurt Busch

The Likely Suspects: The Tricky Triangle isn't so tricky for a handful of drivers who I'll be including on my roster this week. They include Kurt Busch, Dale Earnhardt Jr., Jimmie Johnson, Denny Hamlin, Joey Logano, Kevin Harvick and Brad Keselowski.

My 2 Cents: My no-brainer pick this week is a tie between Denny Hamlin and Kyle Larson. My next picks are Jimmie Johnson, Kurt Busch, Ryan Blaney and Ryan Newman. I will complete my team with Ty Dillon and David Ragan.

My Final Four: Denny Hamlin, Kyle Larson, Ryan Blaney and Ty Dillon.

Points to Ponder:

• The first starting position is the most proficient starting position in the field, producing more winners (15) than any other starting position at Pocono Raceway. 
• 55 of the 78 (70.5%) Monster Energy NASCAR Cup races at Pocono have been won from a top-10 starting position.
• Kyle Larson leads all active drivers in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series in average finishing position at Pocono with an 8.833.
• Five active drivers have multiple wins at Pocono: Denny Hamlin (four), Jimmie Johnson (three), Kurt Busch (three), Kasey Kahne and Dale Earnhardt Jr. (each have two). 
• Three of the seven drivers to win consecutive races at Pocono are active: Jimmie Johnson (2004 sweep); Denny Hamlin (2006 sweep and 2009 fall and 2010 spring races) and Dale Earnhardt Jr. (2014 sweep).
• Hendrick Motorsports leads the series in wins at Pocono with 17: Jeff Gordon (six), Tim Richmond (three), Jimmie Johnson (three), Dale Earnhardt Jr. (two), Kasey Kahne (one), Geoff Bodine (one) and Terry Labonte (one). 
• Eight different manufacturers have won in the MENCS at Pocono; led by Chevrolet with 32 victories; followed by Ford with 22, Dodge (seven), Pontiac (six), Buick (four) Toyota (four), Mercury (two) and Oldsmobile (one).
• Jimmie Johnson and Denny Hamlin lead all active drivers at Pocono with three Coors Light poles each. 
• Of the 42 Pocono pole winners, only five have won consecutive Coors Light poles. Among active drivers there are only two: Denny Hamlin (2006 sweep) and Joey Logano (fall 2011 and spring 2012).

Remember, if you're playing Yahoo! Fantasy Auto Racing, your pick deadline is Friday, June 9th at 5 a.m. EDT.

Enjoy the race! Post your comments here or follow me on Twitter @purplecatpr.