This weekend, the NASCAR Cup Series returns to Pocono Raceway for the only scheduled doubleheader weekend of the season.  Coverage of the Pocono Organics CBD 325 starts with Countdown to Green at 2:30 p.m. ET on NBCSN.  Race coverage begins at 3 p.m. with the green flag around 3:15. 

Coverage of Sunday's Explore the Pocono Mountains 350 will start with Countdown to Green at 2:30 onNBCSN, immediately after the coverage of the Xfinity Series Pocono Green 225 Recycled by J.P. Mascaro & Sons.  Race coverage starts at 3:30 p.m. with the green flag around 3:40.  Both races can be heard on MRN Radio and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio (Channel 90).

Records and facts

Among active drivers, Denny Hamlin has the most victories at Pocono with six.  They include a sweep during his rookie year in 2006 and the second race of last year's doubleheader.  The Busch brothers have three each, while Martin Truex Jr. has two.

All-time, Hamlin and Jeff Gordon both top the chart with six victories.  Bill Elliott has five wins, then Rusty Wallace, Darrell Waltrip and Tim Richmond have four each.  Jimmie Johnson, Kurt Busch, Kyle Busch, Bobby Labonte, Geoff Bodine and Bobby Allison have three each.

Track Facts
Track / Race Length: 2.5-mile tri-oval, 160 laps (400 miles)
Banking: 14 degrees in Turn 1, 8 degrees in Turn 2, 6 degrees in Turn 3.
Frontstretch: 3,740 ft., flat

Long Pond Straightaway: 3,055 ft., flat

North Straight: 1,780 ft., flat

Grandstand Seating: 70,000
Pit Road Speed: 55 mph
Pace Car Speed: 65 mph
Opened: 1971 (first Cup race in 1974)

Website: http://www.poconoraceway.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/poconoraceway

Twitter: http://twitter.com/poconoraceway

Say What?!

"Just because we had success in the doubleheader there last year, I don’t think it will automatically mean we’ll have success this year. A lot of things about the cars and the rules have changed since last year. But I’m optimistic about it. I think we’re going to continue to get better as a team. And these summer months are really where we should be hitting our stride.

"Pocono Raceway has got some very passionate fans. For 16 years, I’ve gotten to see some packed crowds there. So, winning there last year without fans around, you didn’t feel the same excitement. It will be fantastic to have the fans back and the infield packed with campers and kids playing. It’s part of what makes it a great track." - Denny Hamlin

"I feel the doubleheader last year allowed us to learn a lot in that first race that we could then apply to the second one. I feel like Pocono is a track that we are good at and on track to be successful every time we show up, we just need to get a little bit better to close the gap on the top guys. It’s honestly a track that both Rudy [Fugle] and I have [had] a lot of success at together and over our careers. I’m not too worried about it though. I feel like having two races there may be a great opportunity for us.

"I think with modern-day NASCAR, you have to be good in all three corners now. Before, it was always you had to pick and choose which corner to be good in and give up in the others. With the engineering we have now, it kind of throws that old thought process out the window. For us, we’re trying to focus on being really good in turn 3 and then carry that consistency through the other two corners. The hope is to be consistently balanced throughout all three, but I know I want my drive off of turn three to really carry me down the front straightaway and set me up for turn one with momentum into turn 2." - William Byron

"I’ve always enjoyed Pocono because of its uniqueness – every corner is different. I don’t know what to expect with this doubleheader weekend. I’ve done Xfinity and Cup races on the same weekend before, so I don’t think it will be much different. Physically, I won’t prepare differently. We’ll do a lot of preparation looking at data in advance of the first one, then I’m sure there will be a lot of discussion in the debrief Saturday of what went right and what went wrong as we prepare for Sunday’s race." - Kyle Larson