NASCAR Great American Getaway 400 preview: Favorite, underdog, top storylines

LONG POND, Pennsylvania -- The "Tricky Triangle" is abuzz with the sound of engines once more. 

On Sunday, the stars of the NASCAR Cup Series will take on the 2.5-mile Pocono Raceway in The Great American Getaway 400. Here's what you need to know before the 17th race of the 2025 NASCAR Cup Series season. 

Favorite: Denny Hamlin (+450, per DraftKings) 

There's not a better race for Hamlin to return to Cup Series competition at after missing Mexico City for the birth of his son. Hamlin has won a record seven times at Pocono, with his most recent triumph coming in 2023. He's already won thrice this season, and after a week off, you can bet he's love to scratch the racing itch with another Pocono victory. 

Underdog: Alex Bowman (+3000)

Pocono has been rather kind to Bowman as of late. He finished third at the track in 2024 and has five top-11 finishes — including a win in 2021 — in his last six Pocono starts. The No. 48 team has struggled as of late, but a top-five in Mexico City could spur another big performance at Pocono. 

Playoff bubble has changed drastically

Shane van Gisbergen's Mexico City victory completely shook up the NASCAR Cup Series playoff picture, which has pitted a pair of RFK Racing drivers against each other for the final provisional spot. Bubba Wallace, Chase Briscoe, Alex Bowman and Chris Buescher are all above the cut line, but none of then are feeling safe with 10 regular-season races remaining. 

Does van Gisbergen's victory spur a big second half? 

While van Gisbergen's win in Mexico City was unsurprising given his acumen for road courses, the rest of his season has been relatively underwhelming. That's not to say he hasn't improved on traditional ovals, however. He's finished inside the top 25 in the last five non-road course races, and with Pocono having some similarities to road circuits, another solid run could be on the horizon for van Gisbergen in his rookie season.