The NASCAR Cup Series leaves Michigan behind and heads straight into one of the most demanding stops on the schedule, the 2.5‑mile triangle of Pocono Raceway. Sunday’s Great American Getaway 400 presented by VISITPA at 3 p.m. ET on Prime Video, HBO Max, MRN Radio, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio marks the sixteenth points race of the 2026 season, and the tone around the garage feels different this week. Michigan was a fistfight. Pocono is a chess match. And the Entry List shows a field that understands exactly what kind of afternoon it’s walking into.
Chase Briscoe returns as the defending winner, and that victory still stands as one of the most complete performances of his Cup career. He managed the shifting zones, controlled the pace, and never let the race slip out of his hands. This time, he arrives in the No. 19 Toyota with a team in momentum and on a track that rewards discipline. Briscoe knows Pocono doesn’t hand out second chances. If you miss your marks, you pay for it immediately.
The headline on the Entry List belongs to Denny Hamlin. The driver of the No. 11 Toyota is chasing something he has never done before: win three straight Cup races. He’s fresh off victories at Nashville and Michigan, and he heads to the track where he has won more than anywhere else. Seven career wins at Pocono make him the all‑time leader at the facility. It’s the one place where he always seems to find another gear. Hamlin has been sharp, aggressive, and fully in rhythm. The question is whether he can sustain that level of execution at a track that demands absolute precision. He has never won three in a row, and the weight of that history follows him into the weekend.
Thirty‑eight cars appear on the Entry List, a strong number for a mid‑summer race that often becomes a turning point in the playoff picture. The field is a blend of veterans who know every inch of the triangle and younger drivers still learning how to balance Pocono’s three distinct corners. It’s a track that forces compromise. You can build a car that’s great in Turn 1, but it might cost you in Turn 3. You can chase straightaway speed, but you might give up rotation. Every team has to decide what matters most, and those decisions usually show up early in the race.
Ross Chastain leads the list in the No. 1 Chevrolet for Trackhouse Racing. He’s had an uneven season, but Pocono fits his style. He’s aggressive on entry, fearless in traffic, and willing to take risks in the tunnel turn that others avoid. Austin Cindric, Austin Dillon, and Noah Gragson follow him on the sheet, each carrying their own set of questions into the weekend. Cindric needs a clean run. Dillon needs a spark. Gragson needs a weekend where everything finally lines up.
Kyle Larson sits fifth on the Entry List, and he remains one of the most dangerous drivers at Pocono. His ability to manipulate the car through shifting zones gives him an edge few can match. Brad Keselowski, Daniel Suárez, Chase Elliott, and Ty Dillon round out the early portion of the lineup, each with something to prove. Elliott has been steady but not dominant. Suárez has shown flashes. Keselowski has been grinding for every point. Dillon is searching for traction in a season that hasn’t given him much.
Further down the Entry List, the depth becomes even more apparent. Ryan Blaney, AJ Allmendinger, Chris Buescher, and Briscoe form a block of drivers who could easily contend if their cars unload well. Christopher Bell returns after his Michigan crash, and his presence alone stabilizes the No. 20 team. Josh Berry continues his first full season in the No. 21 Ford, and Joey Logano remains a threat no matter how unpredictable the race becomes.
Bubba Wallace, William Byron, Austin Hill, Todd Gilliland, Riley Herbst, and Zane Smith fill out the middle of the pack. Byron has been strong everywhere. Wallace has been quietly consistent. Smith and Herbst continue to build chemistry with their teams. Gilliland has shown more maturity this season, and Hill brings the kind of controlled aggression that tends to pay off at Pocono.
The back half of the Entry List includes Cole Custer, John Hunter Nemechek, Erik Jones, Tyler Reddick, Ricky Stenhouse Jr., Alex Bowman, Cody Ware, Ty Gibbs, Ryan Preece, Casey Mears, Michael McDowell, Carson Hocevar, Daniel Dye, Connor Zilisch, and Shane van Gisbergen. It’s a group with a wide range of experience. Mears returns as one of the oldest drivers in the field. Zilisch arrives as one of the youngest. Hocevar continues to grow into his Cup role. Van Gisbergen remains one of the most intriguing drivers in the series, capable of brilliance on any given weekend.
Pocono doesn’t care about résumés. It cares about execution. It cares about who can manage the long straightaways, who can handle the shifting rhythm, and who can stay disciplined when the race stretches into long green‑flag runs. The Entry List shows a field ready for that challenge, and Sunday’s race has the feel of a moment that could reshape the summer stretch.
Cup Series at Pocono Raceway
Great American Getaway 400 presented by VISITPA: Full Entry List
(i) indicates any driver deemed ineligible for championship and or playoff points
- 1. Ross Chastain — No. 1 — Trackhouse Racing
- 2. Austin Cindric — No. 2 — Team Penske
- 3. Austin Dillon — No. 3 — Richard Childress Racing
- 4. Noah Gragson — No. 4 — Front Row Motorsports
- 5. Kyle Larson — No. 5 — Hendrick Motorsports
- 6. Brad Keselowski — No. 6 — RFK Racing
- 7. Daniel Suárez — No. 7 — Spire Motorsports
- 8. Chase Elliott — No. 9 — Hendrick Motorsports
- 9. Ty Dillon — No. 10 — Kaulig Racing
- 10. Denny Hamlin — No. 11 — Joe Gibbs Racing
- 11. Ryan Blaney — No. 12 — Team Penske
- 12. A.J. Allmendinger — No. 16 — Kaulig Racing
- 13. Chris Buescher — No. 17 — RFK Racing
- 14. Chase Briscoe — No. 19 — Joe Gibbs Racing
- 15. Christopher Bell — No. 20 — Joe Gibbs Racing
- 16. Josh Berry — No. 21 — Wood Brothers Racing
- 17. Joey Logano — No. 22 — Team Penske
- 18. Bubba Wallace — No. 23 — 23XI Racing
- 19. William Byron — No. 24 — Hendrick Motorsports
- 20. Austin Hill (i) — No. 33 — Richard Childress Racing
- 21. Todd Gilliland — No. 34 — Front Row Motorsports
- 22. Riley Herbst — No. 35 — 23XI Racing
- 23. Zane Smith — No. 38 — Front Row Motorsports
- 24. Cole Custer — No. 41 — Haas Factory Team
- 25. John Hunter Nemechek — No. 42 — Legacy Motor Club
- 26. Erik Jones — No. 43 — Legacy Motor Club
- 27. Tyler Reddick — No. 45 — 23 XI Racing
- 28. Ricky Stenhouse Jr. — No. 47 — HYAK Motorsports
- 29. Alex Bowman — No. 48 — Hendrick Motorsports
- 30. Cody Ware — No. 51 — Rick Ware Racing
- 31. Ty Gibbs — No. 54 — Joe Gibbs Racing
- 32. Ryan Preece — No. 60 — RFK Racing
- 33. Casey Mears — No. 62 — Beard Motorsports
- 34. Michael McDowell — No. 71 — Spire Motorsports
- 35. Carson Hocevar — No. 77 — Spire Motorsports
- 36. Daniel Dye (i) — No. 78 — Live Fast Motorsports
- 37. Connor Zilisch — No. 88 — Trackhouse Racing
- 38. Shane van Gisbergen — No. 97 — Trackhouse Racing
Comments