Denny Hamlin holds the cards at the Tricky Triangle

Denny Hamlin is the absolute king of the Pocono Mountains. With seven track-record wins at the Tricky Triangle and a Hall of Fame career hot streak, he is the man to beat. It is a stunning run for the 63-time Cup Series winner, who is hunting for his third consecutive victory this weekend. Make no mistake, he is the benchmark for every other machine on the grid.

Qualifying has already been wild. Brad Keselowski suffered an engine failure, while Bubba Wallace had a disastrous spin into the inside wall. These incidents forced some quick tactical changes in my lineup, bringing in the likes of Chris Buescher—who showed serious pace with the best five-lap average in practice—and Daniel Suárez, who starts third for Spire Motorsports. With Toyota showing supreme strength, three Joe Gibbs Racing cars are locked into the top five to start the race.

While the spotlight is on Hamlin, the tactical battle for points remains cutthroat. Chase Elliott continues to be a consistent force at Pocono, being the only driver to place in the top 10 for all four Next Gen races here. Meanwhile, drivers like Joey Logano and Ross Chastain are ones to watch with caution, as both have struggled to find consistent performance at this venue in 2026.