3 NASCAR dark horse drivers who could win at the Pocono Cup race

The NASCAR Cup Series gears up for the 17th race of the 2025 season this weekend at Pocono Raceway. Based on previous track results, the race could potentially witness a dark horse driver step into victory lane on Sunday (June 22).

Dubbed The Great American Getaway 400, the Pocono race will be hosting 160 laps of oval racing at the 2.5-mile circuit. The entry list comprises 37 drivers, including the returning Denny Hamlin and open car driver Brennan Poole.

Which Cup Series driver could make a surprise win this weekend? Here are our top three picks.

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Tyler Reddick

Following a dominant regular season run in 2024, Tyler Reddick hasn't had the same form this year, though he is still among the frontrunners. Perhaps his first win of the 2025 NASCAR season could come at Pocono Raceway, considering he holds the best average finish in the Next-Gen car era (2022-present).

Tyler Reddick drives the #45 Toyota Camry for 23XI Racing - Source: Imagn

At Pocono Raceway, the 23XI Racing driver finished second in 2022, second in 2023, and sixth in 2024, giving him the best average finish of 3.3. Despite searching for his first win this year, he ranks sixth in the points standings with three top-fives and five top-10s.

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Chase Elliott

Considering how Chase Elliott's season has been unfolding, the #9 Hendrick Motorsports team isn't really expected to return to the victory lane, with some suggesting a new crew chief could be what the driver needs to bring back his former glory.

Nevertheless, Elliott holds the second-best average finish at Pocono Raceway of 6.7, putting him in a good position to win the race on Sunday (June 22).

Chase Elliott drives the #9 Chevrolet Camaro for Hendrick Motorsports - Source: Imagn

The Chevrolet pilot should be familiar with the so-called Tricky Triangle, considering he won at the track in the NASCAR Next-Gen car's inaugural season in 2022. He had a couple of top-10 finishes in the following two years.

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Bubba Wallace

Another 23XI Racing driver on the list is Bubba Wallace. The 31-year-old looked promising this year, but a race win is yet to be checked off the list. Fortunately for him, he is entering The Great American Getaway 400 with the fourth-best average finish of 9.7.

Bubba Wallace drives the #23 Toyota Camry for 23XI Racing - Source: Imagn

Wallace has been on a roll over the past three weeks, though he came short of a top-10 finish last Sunday (June 15), finishing in 12th place in Mexico City. If the NASCAR driver can capitalize on his momentum, he might win in the upcoming Pocono race and secure a playoff spot, which is crucial as the postseason nears. He currently sits above the cutline in 10th, fighting for a playoff spot against drivers like Chase Briscoe and Alex Bowman.

The 2025 Great American Getaway 400 will be live on Amazon Prime on June 22 at 2:00 p.m. ET. It will mark the media company's final NASCAR coverage as TNT Sports is set to take over at EchoPark Speedway (formerly Atlanta Motor Speedway).