For the second straight week, Denny Hamlin drove his #11 Toyota to Victory Lane. Hamlin continues to roll in this middle portion of the season. The question has to be asked: Can anyone slow down the #11? Next up is the 2026 Great American Getaway 400 from Pocono Raceway.
Pocono’s unique, triangular, oval shape and 2.5-mile circuit present a different challenge than any race on the schedule thus far. Does Hamlin continue his recent run of success, or will a new face rise to the top of the field come Sunday?
Let’s dive in.
2026 Great American Getaway 400 Entry List
NASCAR will see two open entries in the field for this weekend’s race at Pocono. Daniel Dye will be back behind the wheel of the #78 for Live Fast Motorsports. Casey Mears will also be in the field driving the #62 entry for Beard Motorsports.
Look away, @KyleLarsonRacin fans. pic.twitter.com/F6cK9IlTun
— NASCAR (@NASCAR) June 11, 2026
As mentioned above, Pocono features one of the most unique layouts in NASCAR. The three turns of the circuit are modeled after three different circuits. Turn after Trenton Speedway and features 14 degrees of banking. Turn two was inspired by the Indianapolis Motor Speedway with eight degrees of banking. The wide and sweeping turn three is modeled after the Milwaukee Mile with six degrees of banking.
The combination of different turns makes Pocono a notoriously difficult track to nail the setup for. Adding to the load for the crew chiefs is the fact that this race often comes down to fuel mileage, with strategy playing a huge factor.
2026 Great American Getaway 400 Race Predictions
Denny Hamlin’s hot streak, combined with his history here at Pocono, makes the #11 a no-brainer pick for race winner this week. Hamlin’s first career victory in the NASCAR Cup Series came at the Tricky Triangle, and he’s been a force at this track ever since.
I expect his JGR teammates to be in the mix as well, but it will be important to keep an eye on Christopher Bell. Bell suffered a fractured wrist after a vicious crash at Michigan last week. Meanwhile, hase Briscoe won this race last season and likely represents the biggest threat to Hamlin.
Tyler Reddick will be looking to bounce back from his first DNF of the season, but the 23XI cars all suffered issues in this race last season. None of Herbst, Wallace, and Reddick finished above 30th.
Outside of the Toyota camp, I’d expect Ryan Blaney to be the top contender in spite of the struggles Ford continues to have this season. The #12 has consistently been the best car in that camp.
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Friday 06/12
Pocono ARCA 150 (ARCA Menards Series) – 2:00 p.m. CT on FS1 and FOX ONE
Saturday 06/13
NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series Practice – 9:30 a.m. CT on the CW App
NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series Qualifying – 10:35 a.m. CT on the CW App
NASCAR Cup Series Practice – 12:00 p.m. CT on Prime
NASCAR Cup Series Qualifying – 1:10 p.m. CT on Prime
MillerTech Battery 250 presented by KOA (NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series) – 3:00 p.m. CT on the CW
Sunday 06/14
Great American Getaway 400 presented by VISITPA (NASCAR Cup Series) – 2:00 p.m. CT on Prime and HBO Max
Stay locked into Apollo for more NASCAR and F1 coverage throughout the racing season, and check out our Instagram – Apollo NASCAR!
