Ryan Blaney looks for 2nd straight spring Pocono win from the pole

Ryan Blaney will try for his first win of 2018 in the same place he got his first ever Cup Series win last season, and from the best possible starting spot.

Sometimes, up and coming NASCAR drivers find a track or two that are better for them than the rest while they work on fulfilling the rest of their potential. For Ryan Blaney, Pocono Raceway, and specifically the Pocono 400, look like they will be that place and that race.

The Tricky Triangle in June seems to suit Blaney just fine, as he won last year’s race and will start from the pole on Sunday afternoon in Long Pond. Blaney was comfortably ahead of the rest of the field by several tenths in qualifying, except for Kevin Harvick, who will start beside him in Row 1.

Both drivers are looking to bounce back from disappointment in the Coca-Cola 600 in Charlotte last Sunday. Harvick blew a tire and smashed into the wall hard enough to end his night early, finishing dead last. Blaney lasted longer but had mechanical issues and saw his race literally go up in flames.

One driver who might be trending in the opposite direction is Jamie McMurray, who will start third in his No. 1 Chevrolet. McMurray’s sixth-place finish at Charlotte was only his second top-10 of the 2018 season, but he and Ryan Newman (eighth) are the only Chevy drivers starting in the top 10 at Pocono.

Kyle Busch, who dominated the Coca-Cola 600, starts fifth, just behind Martin Truex Jr. Chase Elliott will start 11th, the first of six consecutive Chevrolets, including all four Hendrick Motorsports cars.

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Coverage of the Pocono 400 begins at 2:00 p.m. ET on Sunday on FS1.

2018 Pocono 400 starting grid for Pocono Raceway

1. Ryan Blaney – No. 12 Menards/Duracell Ford
2. Kevin Harvick – No. 4 Busch Beer Ford
3. Jamie McMurray – No. 1 Gearwrench Chevrolet
4. Martin Truex Jr. – No. 78 Bass Pro Shops/5-hour Energy Toyota
5. Kyle Busch – No. 18 M&M’s Red, White & Blue Toyota
6. Kurt Busch – No. 41 Monster Energy/Haas Automation Ford
7. Joey Logano – No. 22 Shell Pennzoil Ford
8. Ryan Newman – No. 31 Kalahari Resorts and Conventions Chevrolet
9. Clint Bowyer – No. 14 Busch Light Ford
10. Denny Hamlin – No. 11 FedEx Office Toyota
11. Chase Elliott – No. 9 Napa Auto Parts Chevrolet
12. Austin Dillon – No. 3 Dow Chevrolet
13. Kyle Larson – No. 42 DC Solar Chevrolet
14. Alex Bowman – No. 88 Nationwide Chevrolet
15. Jimmie Johnson – No. 48 Lowe’s for Pros Chevrolet
16. William Byron – No. 24 UniFirst Chevrolet
17. Brad Keselowski – No. 2 Wurth Ford
18. Daniel Suarez – No. 19 Arris Toyota
19. Bubba Wallace Jr. – No. 43 Weis Markets Chevrolet
20. Paul Menard – No. 21 Motorcraft/Quick Lane Tire & Auto Center Ford
21. David Ragan – No. 38 MDS Transport Ford
22. Kasey Kahne – No. 95 FDNY Foundation Chevrolet
23. Ricky Stenhouse Jr. – No. 17 Little Hug Fruit Barrels Ford
24. AJ Allmendinger – No. 47 Kroger Click List Chevrolet
25. Erik Jones – No. 20 DeWalt Toyota
26. Matt Kenseth – No. 6 Ford
27. Chris Buescher – No. 37 Louisiana Hot Sauce Chevrolet
28. Cole Custer – No. 51 Haas CNC/Prefund Capital Ford
29. Ty Dillon – No. 13 Geico Chevrolet
30. Michael McDowell – No. 34 Dockside Logistics Ford
31. Ross Chastain – No. 15 TBD Chevrolet
32. Matt DiBenedetto – No. 32 Zynga Poker Ford
33. Landon Cassill – No. 00 TW Cable, LLC Chevrolet
34. Aric Almirola – No. 10 Smithfield Ford
35. Cole Whitt – No. 72 TBD Chevrolet
36. Gray Gaulding – No. 23 BK Racing Toyota
37. JJ Yeley – No. 7 Steakhouse Elite Toyota
38. Derrike Cope – No. 99 StarCom Fiber Chevrolet