The halfway point of the NASCAR Cup Series season has arrived, and there’s no question who the hottest driver in the sport is right now — veteran Denny Hamlin.

Fresh off back to back wins at Nashville and Michigan, Hamlin heads to Long Pond looking to extend his streak. He’s finished third or better in four of his last five races, and added another victory earlier this year in the NASCAR All-Star Race at nearby Dover.

At the moment, Hamlin’s making a strong case to take the “Mr. Consistency” moniker from NASCAR Hall of Famer Mark Martin.

The timing couldn’t be better with the Great American Getaway 400 (Prime, Sunday at 3 p.m. ET) on deck at Pocono Raceway — one of Hamlin’s most dominant tracks.

Hamlin’s seven career victories at the Tricky Triangle are the most all time, and he’s finished first or second in three straight Pocono starts and in six of his last nine, including wins in 2019, 2020, and 2023.

As Hamlin looks for a third consecutive victory, he also chases a personal milestone: despite his storied career, Hamlin has never won three straight points races.

One of the biggest threats to Hamlin this weekend is Tyler Reddick, who holds a 51-point lead on him in the standings. Reddick, driving for 23XI Racing — co owned by Hamlin and Michael Jordan — has a Cup Series best five wins this season.

He’ll be looking to rebound from his first DNF of the year at Michigan, and Pocono offers a good opportunity.

He has four top 10 finishes in his last five races there, including runner up results in 2022 and 2023.

Rising star Carson Hocevar has also grabbed plenty of attention this season with his aggressive driving style and unapologetic personality — traits that have made him a fan favorite.

At just 23 years old, Hocevar already has his first Cup win under his belt after a victory at Talladega.

Hocevar sits seventh in the standings, and has only two Cup starts at Pocono, though he qualified third last year. Expect to see plenty of No. 77 Spire Motorsports gear in the stands on Sunday as his popularity continues to surge.

Hendrick Motorsports also enters the weekend with momentum at a track where it has historically performed well.

William Byron owns an average Pocono finish of 10.8, with six top 10s and three top fives in 12 starts, plus poles in 2019 and 2023. He’ll also run Saturday’s NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts event in the No. 88 JR Motorsports car.

Chase Elliott has been strong here too, with four straight top 10 finishes dating back to his 2022 win. Kyle Larson, still searching for his first victory of the year, has also been consistently fast at Pocono, posting four straight top 10s from 2019–2022, including three top fives.

Team Penske shouldn’t be overlooked either, while Ryan Blaney is a two-time winner at the Tricky Triangle, visiting Victory Lane in 2017 and again in 2024.

Joey Logano, meanwhile, needs to string together a few strong runs, as he continues to sit outside the top 16 and below the playoff cut line. His recent Pocono record has been mixed — a top five in 2024 but finishes of 16th, 35th, and 20th in the three years prior.

RFK Racing will look to keep building momentum behind Chris Buescher, who earned his first career Cup win at Pocono in a rain-shortened race in 2016. Buescher sits eighth in the standings and turned in a strong performance last year, qualifying second and finishing fourth.

His teammate and car owner Brad Keselowski, leads all active drivers with an impressive 10.7 average finish at Pocono, boasting 11 top fives in 28 starts and seven top 10s in his last 10 races at the track.