Pocono 500 at Pocono

There was rain at the Pocono Raceway earlier but it has cleared out now. The track dryers are out and we should be set to go racing in about 20 minutes. This will be race number 14 of the season. After 26 races, only 12 cars will make the Chase for the Nextel Cup. With the gap from 12th back to 16th just 160 points, it’s still wide open. Point penalties to Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Kurt Busch have dropped them out of the top 12. Can they make up some ground today? Will a new driver make the surge forward? Or will a favorite ensure his position in points? We’ll get all the answers after 500 miles in the Pennsylvania mountains.

Rumors that Pocono Raceway might lose one or both of its NASCAR Nextel Cup races in 2008 were just that -- rumors. Officials from NASCAR and Pocono Raceway Chief of Operations and CEO Dr. Joseph Mattioli ironed out an agreement Friday to keep two of the Nextel Cup races at the Long Pond, Pa., facility in 2008."We signed the deal with Doc on Friday," said Steve O'Donnell, NASCAR's Vice President of Racing Operations and a Kingwood Township, Hunterdon County, native. (via)