Posted on by Staff Report

Denny Hamlin’s victory at Pocono Raceway last weekend — his 50th career Cup Series triumph — didn’t manifest itself solely from the No. 11’s swift on-track speed. A proficient pit crew also played a part in Hamlin’s Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota conquering the “Tricky Triangle” for a seventh time.

RELATED: Hamlin’s 50th win highlights evolving legacy | Where Hamlin ranks in all-time Cup wins 

To illustrate how much of a factor pit-road action played in Hamlin prevailing at Pocono, look no further than having the fastest four-tire pit stop among the entire field (9.810 seconds). In fact, the performance in this area — spearheaded by front tire changer AJ Rosini, rear tire changer Deven Youker, tire carrier Dylan Dowell, jackman Joel-Alexandre Bouagnon and fueler Kenneth Purcell — vaulted the No. 11 team into the top five when referring to teams with the best average four-tire pit stop times (11.250 seconds). The No. 11 crew ranked eighth in this category (11.281 seconds), after the race at New Hampshire Motor Speedway.

See below to analyze additional pit-road statistics through Pocono and before Sunday’s Cook Out 400 at Richmond Raceway (3 p.m. ET, USA, NBC Sports App, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio).

TEN FASTEST FOUR-TIRE PIT STOPS IN 2023

RankTrackDriverTime
1SonomaKyle Busch9.185 seconds
2NashvilleKyle Larson9.281 seconds
3SonomaAustin Cindric9.301 seconds
4RichmondCorey LaJoie9.309 seconds
5NashvilleDaniel Suárez9.333 seconds
6CharlotteWilliam Byron9.383 seconds
7CharlotteTy Gibbs9.443 seconds
8NashvilleWilliam Byron9.443 seconds
9CharlotteWilliam Byron9.504 seconds
10KansasBubba Wallace9.509 seconds

BEST AVERAGE FOUR-TIRE PIT STOP TIMES IN 2023

Posted on by Staff Report

The National Motorsports Appeals Panel today heard and considered an appeal of a behavioral penalty issued on July 13, 2023, to No. 34 NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour Driver John “JB” Fortin; Team Owner Nicole Fortin; and Crew Members John Fortin and Amber Fortin.

Upon hearing the testimony, the decisions of the National Motorsports Appeals Panel are:

  1. That the Appellant violated the Rule(s) set forth in the Penalty Notice.
  2. That the Panel affirms and upholds the original Penalty assessed by NASCAR.

In reaching the above decision, the panel provided the following explanation: “The NASCAR presentation confirms the violations were more probable than not, and they were detrimental to racing.”

The Appeals Panel members for this hearing:

  • Mr. Tom DeLoach
  • Mr. David Hall
  • Mr. Steve York

The Appellant has the right to appeal the decision of the National Motorsports Appeals Panel to the National Motorsports Final Appeals Officer in accordance with the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour Rule Book.

Posted on by Zach Sturniolo

LONG POND, Pa. — Only three active drivers have scored at least 50 wins in the NASCAR Cup Series: Kyle Busch, Kevin Harvick, and as of July 23, Denny Hamlin.

It’s fitting Hamlin joins an illustrious trio at a three-turned speedway, hitting the half-century mark in career wins in Sunday’s HighPoint.com 400 at Pocono Raceway — becoming the track’s all-time winningest driver in the process with seven triumphs.

That Hamlin’s recent successes have featured a fade from cheers to boos — including a plethora at Pocono — further magnifies the evolution of the 42-year-old’s career.

MORE: Battle with Larson results in Hamlin win | Cup standings

Eighteen years in, Hamlin boasts quite the resume — three-time Daytona 500 champion; three-time Southern 500 winner at Darlington; 2022 Coca-Cola 600 winner at Charlotte; team co-owner of 23XI Racing with NBA legend and global superstar Michael Jordan. But his role in a handful of on-track incidents over the past decade-and-a-half consume some of the conversation surrounding Hamlin.

The list includes run-ins with Brad Keselowski and then-teammate Kyle Busch a decade ago, a fierce battle for the championship against Jimmie Johnson in 2010, and has more recently included a 2022 rivalry with Ross Chastain and collisions with the Hendrick trio of Chase Elliott, Alex Bowman, Kyle Larson — highlighted again in full force Sunday at Pocono.

Through the noise, the winning hasn’t stopped for the driver of the No. 11 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota.

A conversation with former teammate and NASCAR Hall of Famer Matt Kenseth this week helped Hamlin contextualize the ebbs and flows of a successful stint through the 38-week grind NASCAR’s Cup Series entails.

“I was like, you know, that’s one thing that we’re always guilty of is not appreciating it (success) in the moment,” Hamlin said. “Like it’s always when you’re retired, and you’ve got a bunch of time, and you’re sitting there on your rocker on your back porch when you’re thinking about, well, what have I accomplished in the sport? These things take a long time to set in. They really do. We’re in the heat of the moment now. I mean, I’m answering questions about if what I did was fair or not. I mean, give me a break.

“It takes time. And I just never thought I’d get an opportunity in the Cup Series. But luckily, JD Gibbs and Joe Gibbs took a chance on me nearly 20 years ago. And to get my 50th when it comes down to the track that I got my first, it certainly is special.”

Indeed, the first two victories at Hamlin’s Cup career came at the 2.5-mile “Tricky Triangle” in 2006, sweeping the track’s two races in his rookie year. Jeff Gordon previously held the track’s winning record with six checkered flags — and Hamlin seemingly broke the record a year ago, crossing the start/finish line first but failing post-race inspection and receiving a disqualification for a technical infraction instead.

His Pocono record aside, few drivers have found long-term homes the way Hamlin has at JGR. Since the autumn of 2005, Hamlin has been the driver of the team’s No. 11 car and largely with FedEx emblazoned as a primary sponsor.

“I’m just really happy to win it for the team — the whole team: (Crew chief) Chris (Gabehart) and his team on the pit box, guys in the war room, the guys in the fab shop,” Hamlin said. “Like, I’ve been really lucky to be part of an organization that carried me for many years to many, many victories — like a lot. Not everyone gets the opportunity to go from racing late models to racing for Joe Gibbs Racing in 18 months in the Cup Series. It’s hard to do. It really is. But luckily, they believed in me, they gave me time to get going, and the rest is history.”

MORE: Playoff Watch | Race Rewind: Pocono’s full highlights

The appreciation is mutual, as team owner Joe Gibbs explained Sunday.

“I think Denny is really patient. I see him, and he’s a vet,” Gibbs said. “He understands it. I think he understands how to win. He’s certainly been a great representative for us.

“The other thing I’ve always admired about Denny, he has been so loyal to us, our family. We had a picture there taken in the winner’s circle where JD used to come up behind Denny and squeeze him. Denny had me come up there and do that. I just appreciate Denny in every way.”

Hamlin’s legacy has grown to include team ownership with his 23XI Racing team firmly aligned with Toyota and Joe Gibbs Racing, a partnership that has seen all of its full-time drivers visit Victory Lane in Bubba Wallace, Kurt Busch and Tyler Reddick. In fact, Pocono’s performance was an ideal Toyota day: Hamlin was celebrating the win while his driver Reddick was second, JGR’s Martin Truex Jr. was third, and Ty Gibbs, Joe Gibbs’ grandson and a Cup Series rookie, scored his first top-five result in fifth.

And Hamlin’s resume isn’t exactly complete. A NASCAR Cup Series championship remains the most significant unchecked box. But with two wins this season and 22 playoff points, Hamlin seems likely to have another opportunity at Phoenix Raceway this November.

Posted on by Adam Fenwick

EDITOR’S NOTE: The Clash at Claremont 150 was postponed as a result of a gloomy weather forecast for Saturday, July 29 at New Hampshire’s Claremont Motorsports Park. A potential new date and time for the race will be announced at a later date.

For just the fourth time in NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour history, the series heads to Claremont Motorsports Park this Saturday night for the running of the Clash at Claremont 150 (8:30 p.m. ET on FloRacing).

The race, which serves as the 10th round of the 2023 NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour season, also doubles as the finale of JDV Productions’ Whelen Granite State Short Track Cup bonus program. The Cup offers bonus money to teams that have compete in three events promoted by JDV Productions in the state of New Hampshire.

The NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour made its debut at Claremont during its inaugural season in 1985, with Richie Evans besting Jimmy Spencer to earn a trip to Victory Lane. The series didn’t return until 2007, when James Civali secured one of his four Tour victories. Last year, Jon McKennedy earned his lone victory of the 2022 campaign at Claremont on his way to the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour championship.

Tickets to Saturday’s Clash at Claremont 150 are available here. Below is everything you need to know about the 10th race of the 2023 NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour season.

Clash at Claremont 150 at Claremont Motorsports Park

What to watch for:

The second edition of the Whelen Granite State Short Track Cup comes to a close this Saturday night at Claremont Motorsports Park during the Clash at Claremont 150. One driver and team will walk away with a $5,000 bonus courtesy of JDV Productions and promoter Josh Vanada.

Doug Coby and Tommy Baldwin Racing currently lead the Whelen Granite State Short Track Cup standings following finishes of first at Monadnock Speedway and sixth at Lee USA Speedway, making them the favorites to secure the cash bonus.

With Jon McKennedy not scheduled to compete Saturday night, that makes defending Whelen Granite State Short Track Cup champions Matt Hirschman and PeeDee Motorsports Coby’s closest pursuers. They’re only four points behind Coby in the battle for the $5,000 bonus.

Both of those men are among the drivers entered to compete in the Clash at Claremont 150, but several others are in the mix to claim the crown, as well.

MORE CLAREMONT: Watch on FloRacing | Get tickets

Austin Beers and the No. 64 KLM Motorsports team find themselves only six points back of Coby entering Claremont. The team, which already has a win this year at Richmond Raceway, will look to secure their second victory of the season while also claiming the Whelen Granite State Short Track Cup.

Ron Silk, the current NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour championship leader who has three wins this year, is seven points back of Coby. Not only does he want to capture the Whelen Granite State Short Track Cup, he also wants to pad his place at the top of the series standings as he pursues his second championship.

Other notable entries include Eric Goodale, Anthony Nocella, Woody Pitkat, Kyle Bonsignore, Craig Lutz and Tyler Rypkema.

The complete entry list for the Clash at Claremont 150 is available here.

The green flag waves at the start of the Clash at Claremont 150 for the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour at Claremont Motorsports Park on July 29, 2022 in Claremont, New Hampshire. (Photo: Rachel O’Driscoll/NASCAR)

RACE FACTS

Race Clash at Claremont 150
Date Saturday, July 29, 2023
Track Claremont Motorsports Park
Layout Third-mile paved oval
Location Claremont, New Hampshire
Start Time 8:30 p.m. ET
Laps 150
Posted awards $83,845
Live stream FloRacing (Live)

Schedule: Saturday, July 29 … Final practice from 2:25 to 3:25 p.m. ET … Qualifying at 5:45 p.m. ET … Clash at Claremont 150 at 8:30 p.m. ET (FloRacing).

Qualifying: Two consecutive qualifying laps. (EIRI) Faster lap determines qualifying position. Adjustments or repairs may not be made on the vehicle after the vehicle has taken the green flag at the start/finish line. NASCAR reserves the right to have more than one vehicle engage in qualifying runs at the same time. Starting field for the 2nd Annual Clash at Claremont 150 is limited to 28 starters including Provisional Positions.

Tire allotment: The maximum tire allotment available for this event is eight (8) tires per team. All tires used for qualifying and the race must be purchased at the track and scanned by Hoosier, unless otherwise approved in advance by the Series Director. Four (4) tires must be used for qualifying and to begin the race. All qualifying tires must remain in impound until released by NASCAR Officials. The remaining tire allotment may be used for practice and/or change tires during the event. The tire change rule is zero (0) tires, any position.

Posted on by Zach Sturniolo

LONG POND, Pa. – Kyle Larson’s rebound from an early spin went for naught Sunday at Pocono Raceway after an unfriendly push up the track sent him from second to a 20th-place finish in the HighPoint.com 400.

Despite a Lap 46 slide, Larson found himself on the outside of the front row on a restart with eight laps remaining. A shove from Denny Hamlin launched Larson to the lead entering Turn 1, but Hamlin dove to Larson’s left on corner entry and drew alongside the No. 5 Chevrolet.

Hamlin drifted high on corner exit, forcing Larson wide – with apparent slight door-to-door contact – and into the outside SAFER barrier on the Long Pond Straightaway.

When the yellow flag flew for Justin Haley’s crash in the next corner, Larson pulled up alongside Hamlin’s car and brushed him on the frontstretch as the field slowed.

Hamlin went on to score a record seventh Pocono victory, his 50th career win and the 600th national series triumph for Toyota. Larson was relegated to a 20th-place finish.

RELATED: Race results | At-track photos: Pocono

The move was eerily similar to the move Hamlin used on Ross Chastain at the 2.5-mile triangular track one year ago, when Chastain slammed the wall, spun and exited the race prematurely in 2022. Larson was plenty conscious of that going into Turn 1.

“I was nervous of the move that happened because he made it work on Ross last year and he dirtied him up,” Larson said. “He knows and Ross deserved it last year for all the times that he got into Denny.

“I felt like I didn’t. I deserved to be raced with respect at least through Turn 1. But he knew that was gonna be his only opportunity to beat me with how bad dirty air was. So I got used up.”

Hamlin, on the other hand, believed his car never touched Larson’s and simply forced the 2021 Cup champion into a choice.

“How can you wreck someone you don’t touch?” Hamlin said. “They make a decision to either let off the gas and race side-by-side, or hit the gas and hit the wall. I mean, I put them to those decisions. I didn’t overshoot the corner. I was behind them. I tried to get position on them. I knew it was going to be tight off of two, but always made sure I left a lane or more – more than a lane.

“These Next Gen cars, for whatever reason, you get in that spot near the car on the outside, it sends them very tight. It just tightens their aero balance. Everyone knows it. You know, Kyle is one of the best aero blockers in our field. I knew once he got the lead and it was green, there’s just no way I was gonna go around him and so I just backed off and just waited and tried not to burn up my (expletive) for a restart later because he knows how to put you in a situation to just kill your car.”

This isn’t the first time Larson and Hamlin have battled one-on-one for the win. In May, the duo fought for the victory at Kansas Speedway – which resulted in contact from Hamlin that sent Larson into the wall.

The two are friends off-track, but Larson’s frustration lingered longer Sunday afternoon.

“We’ve had a handful of run-ins. I’ve never had to reach out to apologize,” Larson said. “He’s always been the one that’s reached out to me and been like, ‘Hey, man, sorry. You know, I messed up there a little bit or sorry I put you in a bad spot, whatever. Sorry I hurt your day.’ I’ve never had to do that to him.

“Sure, maybe there’s been times where he’s been frustrated with me. But I’ve never hurt his results. You know, I should have at least been top two. I finished (20th). In my eyes, I mean, hey, I could have 10 more playoff points, two more wins right now if not for the 11. So yeah, I’m pissed. I should be.”

Hamlin disagreed that the two have had “run-ins,” but acknowledged past incidents where they’ve collided.

“I got in the back of him at Atlanta (in 2022) trying to push him,” Hamlin said. “That’s in a draft. We’re drafting. So that was a draft gone bad. And then like once again, we’re racing for the win at Kansas and he gets in the fence, comes off the fence and I tagged him in the left rear.

“I mean, I get it. I know (where) you guys are trying to go with this. But you know, I’ve been on the (bad) end of so many of these results. And when it comes to getting (win No.) 50 for me, 600 for Toyota, I’m going to make sure that I drive as hard as I possibly can – and respectful. That’s why I left him more than a lane off the Turn 2.”

But asked if he raced Larson with respect at Pocono, Hamlin was incredulous.

“We’re racing for the win. Are you (kidding) me?” he said. “For sure, I mean, if I’m gonna give anyone in the field respect, it’s Kyle Larson just because I respect him as a race car driver and I think he’s probably the best. So certainly, he’s got my respect, but damn, I mean, we’re all racing for a win and I guarantee you, roles reversed, it goes the same way.”

Still, Larson doesn’t anticipate much change in their relationship, noting Hamlin “races me like a (jerk)” but that he’s still a friend and separates what happens on-track from off-track life well. But he admitted he’s unsure when enough is enough.

“As we’ve all heard him say, eventually he has to race a certain way to get some respect back,” Larson said. “I’m an aggressive racer, I get it. But I tend to race my friends with more respect. But I just feel like I haven’t gotten that respect from him, especially this year.”

Posted on by Holly Cain

Denny Hamlin prevailed in a tight door-to-door, bump-and-go pass on Kyle Larson with seven laps remaining to claim a historic all-time-best seventh NASCAR Cup Series victory at Pocono Raceway – the win in Sunday’s HighPoint.com 400 also marking Hamlin’s 50th career Cup trophy and second of the 2023 season.

The race ended under caution for a last-lap incident elsewhere on track, and the Pocono crowd voiced its displeasure, booing loudly as Hamlin celebrated after exiting his No. 11 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota on the 2.5-mile track’s frontstretch after the checkered flag. Hamlin, 42, maintained the action was just close-quarters racing for a win. Larson, who finished 20th after the contact, disagreed and was none too happy with his good friend and golf partner.

RELATED: Official results | At-track photos: Pocono

“Both guys wrecked themselves,” Hamlin said of his run-in with Larson and an earlier brush with Larson teammate Alex Bowman. “There was a lane. He [Larson] missed the corner first and evidently didn’t have his right-side tires clean, and when he gassed up and got going again, you have an option in those positions to either hold it wide open and hit the fence or lift and race it out. Those were choices they made. I didn’t hit either one of them. Didn’t touch them.

“I love it, I love it,’’ Hamlin added, acknowledging the boos. “I thought we had the best car, and the strategy worked out. Just so happy we’re winning these races we should win.’’

Larson, the 2021 NASCAR Cup Series champion, did not mince words after climbing out of his No. 5 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet. Instead of a top-five finish – or a possible victory – he recovered from the incident to cross the finish line near midpack.

“First off, really proud of my team, they got us in position to race for the win,” said Larson, who led 24 laps and earned the Stage 2 win – his third of the year. “We got spun early [in the race], and the car was never really the same after that, but we played the strategy really well to get us up there. Just unfortunate.

WATCH: Larson discusses Pocono finish, voices frustration

“I’ve been cost a lot of good finishes by him throughout my career, and I know he says that I race a certain way, but I don’t think I’ve ever had to apologize to him about anything, not that I’m sure he’ll say ‘I’m sorry’ after this, but it is what it is. Just move on and try to go to Richmond, where we won earlier this year. It is what it is. Yeah, we’re friends. Yes, this makes things awkward. But he’s always right. All the buddies know Denny’s always right. It is what it is. I’m not gonna let it tarnish our friendship off track. But I am pissed, and I feel like I should be pissed.

“I think at this point I have the right,’’ Larson said of potentially racing Hamlin differently on track going forward. “Like I’ve said, I’ve never had to apologize to him about anything I’ve done on the race track. I can count four or five times where he’s had to reach out to me and say, ‘Sorry I’ve put you in a bad spot there.’ So eventually, like he says, you have to start racing people a certain way to get the respect back.”

Hamlin earned Toyota its 600th career win in the three NASCAR national series combined. Tyler Reddick, who drives for the 23XI Racing Toyota team co-owned by Hamlin, finished second, with his Joe Gibbs Racing teammate Martin Truex Jr. coming across the finish line third. Stewart-Haas Racing’s Kevin Harvick and the remaining two JGR cars of rookie Ty Gibbs and Christopher Bell rounded out the top six. Gibbs’ fifth-place result marked a career-best.

Ricky Stenhouse Jr., Harrison Burton and Hendrick Motorsports’ Chase Elliott rounded out the top 10. It marked the second top-10 of the season for the 22-year-old Burton. And the effort from Elliott leaves him 59 points out of the 16-driver playoff pool, with five more regular-season races remaining for the 2020 series champion to race for another trophy after missing six races in 2023.

Elliott’s Hendrick Motorsports teammate, polesitter William Byron, led the most laps (60) of the day but finished 24th. He now trails Truex by 31 points for the regular-season title.

Varying pit strategies – and in particular on the final green-flag run – changed the leaderboard in the last 30-40 laps of the race. Some drivers who hadn’t run top five all day postponed their last stop, hoping for a caution flag. However, the day’s strongest cars were in position to settle the trophy, with some – such as Larson and Hamlin – on a two-tire pit stop and some – such as Truex and Byron – with four fresh tires.

There were 11 cautions on the day, and incidents on three consecutive restarts after the Stage 1 break impacted the playoff situations of multiple drivers.

The first restart after the stage break not only involved the Stage 1 winner Joey Logano but also collected Trackhouse Racing’s Daniel Suárez, who went into the race a single point behind Michael McDowell for the provisional 16th and final playoff position. Suárez’s No. 99 Trackhouse Chevy made just one additional lap but was too damaged to continue. He finished last in the 36-car field. Logano’s No. 22 Team Penske Ford was flagged off the track for failing to meet the minimum-speed requirement, and he finished 35th after completing just 48 laps.

MORE: Suárez, Logano exit early at Pocono

With five regular-season races remaining, Suarez dropped to 18th in the championship standings and his deficit to 16th-place McDowell now stands at 23 points.

“At the end of the day, it’s our fault we shouldn’t be back there with those guys, squirrels,’’ a frustrated Suarez said, adding, “It was a racing incident, but we shouldn’t be racing those guys. We can only control what we can control.”

Austin Dillon was involved in a pair of incidents in Turn 1, brushing the outside wall on Lap 42 and then smashing into it on Lap 106 after tangling with Reddick. After a nudge from Reddick’s No. 45 23XI Racing Toyota, Dillon’s No. 3 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet made heavy contact with the barrier.

Dillon exited his car unhurt, then threw his helmet at the No. 45 car of Reddick, who was his Cup Series teammate at RCR from 2020-22.

RELATED: A.Dillon irate after Stage 3 crash

The Cup Series’ next race is the Cook Out 400, scheduled next Sunday, July 30 (3 p.m. ET, USA, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio, NBC Sports App) at Richmond Raceway. Kevin Harvick is the defending race winner. Kyle Larson won at Richmond this spring.

Note: Post-race inspection in the Cup Series garage at Pocono concluded without issue, confirming Hamlin as the race winner. The Nos. 4 and 19 will return to the R&D Center for further inspection, while the No. 47 will return to Concord, North Carolina, for a wind tunnel test.

Contributing: Staff reports

Posted on by Staff Report

Austin Dillon exited Sunday’s NASCAR Cup Series race after a heavy final-stage crash at Pocono Raceway, showing his displeasure with former teammate Tyler Reddick by throwing his helmet toward his car.

RELATED: Official results | At-track photos: Pocono

Dillon’s No. 3 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet was nudged into a spin after contact with the No. 45 23XI Racing Toyota of Reddick entering Turn 1 in the 106th of 160 laps in Sunday’s HighPoint.com 400. Dillon’s No. 3 Chevy careened into the outside retaining wall and skidded to a stop on the apron.

After Dillon was evaluated and released from the infield care center, he said that Reddick’s car drifted up into his rather than him cutting down on Reddick.

“I’m pissed about it because from my perspective, I couldn’t see him,” said Dillon, who finished 34th in the 36-car field. “I know I was three-wide, but my left-front (tire)’s in front of him. That’s the bigger thing. I’m in front of him, so I didn’t come down egregiously. He drove into the corner deep enough to try and get me back, like to get his right-front in front of my left-front. That was not possible with how I drove in the corner, and he wiped me out at the fastest part of the track.”

After the crash, Dillon lowered his window net to indicate to safety officials that he was not seriously hurt. The 33-year-old driver then walked toward the racing surface and hurled his helmet at Reddick’s No. 45 during the caution period.

WATCH: Dillon throws helmet on the track

He said during his interview that he should have had better aim as his helmet sailed wide.

“I was just trying to hit him,” Dillon said. “I’m pissed I didn’t lead it. They were going probably 65 (mph). If I would’ve started at the front of the car, I might’ve got him in the door.”

Reddick was a teammate to Dillon with Richard Childress’ team from 2020-22, and he joined 23XI Racing to start the season. Reddick drove away from the contact and finished second to fellow Toyota driver Denny Hamlin.

“First things first, I’m just glad he’s OK,” Reddick told NASCAR.com post-race. “Him and Brad (Keselowski) were on older tires, and I figured I’d take advantage of the momentum that I had and put them in a little three-wide. I was in the bottom lane, and he just tried to I think beat me in the corner a little bit and came down on myself. By the time I realized what was happening, it was too late and the contact had already took place.”

Dillon had been involved in an earlier incident in Turn 1, continuing after slight rear-end contact on the 42nd lap.

Reddick said post-race that he imagined that Dillon had texted him to initiate a conversation about the contact, adding that “it’s always better probably to talk after we’ve had some time to reflect on it.” After his check at the care center, Dillon said having a conversation wasn’t part of his plan.

“No, I just need to start wrecking some people,” Dillon said.

Posted on by Staff Report

A jammed-up start to Stage 2 sidelined Daniel Suárez and collected Joey Logano during Sunday’s NASCAR Cup Series race at Pocono Raceway.

Suárez was in the lower groove when the field clogged up entering the first turn on the 36th of a scheduled 160 laps in Sunday’s HighPoint.com 400. His No. 99 Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet made heavy nose-first contact with the outside wall in Turn 1, and Suárez limped his car back to the pits for repairs. He made one more lap before the No. 99 team opted to park the damaged No. 99 for the rest of the day.

RELATED: Official results | At-track photos: Pocono

Suárez, who was evaluated and released at the track’s infield care center, entered Sunday’s 400-miler just one point below the provisional elimination line in the pursuit of a berth in the 16-driver NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs field. He unofficially dropped to minus-23 points relative to the elimination line with five races left in the regular season.

“I don’t know exactly how it happened and everything, but all I know is that we’re out of the race, and that’s not great,” said Suárez, who was saddled with his worst finish of the season — last in the 36-car field. “At the end of the day, I think there’s nobody to blame but ourselves. I don’t think we should have been racing in the back like we were. We’re much better than that. We just missed the balance of the car in the first stage and were just making some adjustments to make it better. Unfortunately, we didn’t get to try it.”

Logano won Stage 1 but restarted in 17th place after a shuffle of pit stops. His No. 22 Team Penske Ford was snagged in the logjam and made significant contact with the outside retaining wall in Turn 1. Logano’s car was towed back to pit road, and the defending Cup Series champion returned to the race six laps down.

IN-CAR: Ride with Logano on wild spin

Logano’s crumpled car was later black-flagged for failing to meet the minimum-speed requirement. He led 21 laps, completed 48 laps and finished 35th, just ahead of Suárez.

“Just a lot of jostling, for sure,” Logano said of the crash’s factors. “I had a run down the center, which is great, and that was gonna put me in a really good spot into Turn 1, and my car fired off really well in Turn 1. We’ve seen that in the restart before that, so I felt real confident about putting myself in a tough position because I knew my car could handle well, and it just started squeezing up, and when I came back up to avoid the cars on the inside the outside of me, I had to check up just a little bit and it just got the 34 (Michael McDowell) into my right-rear.  It turns so quick that there’s no chance of saving it, just turn it around, and then you kind of slide and hope not to get hit, which, luckily, no one hit me, but the wall did enough damage.”

Posted on by Dustin Albino

Winning eight of the past 14 races at Pocono Raceway, Toyota has established itself as the manufacturer to beat in Sunday’s HighPoint.com 400. Hendrick Motorsports has had much success at the track as well, taking two of the past three. It’s no surprise that a Hendrick car with the most wins in 2023 won the pole on Saturday, with a handful of Toyotas in the top 10.

Dustin Albino’s race-day lineup:
Starter 1: William Byron
Starter 2: Denny Hamlin
Starter 3: Kyle Larson
Starter 4: Christopher Bell
Starter 5: Kevin Harvick
Garage pick: Martin Truex Jr.

NEXT IN LINE: Tyler Reddick, Bubba Wallace, Ryan Blaney, Joey Logano

RELATED: Updated race-day odds; Hamlin now favored

RISING: Pocono has never been Logano’s best track with an average finish of 17.3 in 27 starts. For a multitude of reasons, the No. 22 team has just a quartet of top 10s in the last 12 races at the “Tricky Triangle.” But Logano was above average on Saturday, with his car being the best of the Team Penske trio in sixth. Don’t overlook Blaney, either, who had the best five-lap average in practice.

Bumping Harvick into my lineup isn’t a real rise with how stellar his recent numbers at the track are. But subbing out Ross Chastain for Harvick was my only change this week, so technically, it would be considered a rise. Harvick was happy with his speed on Saturday – and in 17 starts with Stewart-Haas Racing at Pocono, the 2014 champion has 14 top 10s, including a win in 2020 and five runner-up finishes.

FALLING: The recent struggles of the No. 9 team continued Saturday, as Chase Elliott spun during his qualifying lap and will start 35th (Todd Gilliland also spun). Having no track position to start the race will certainly impact what strategy Alan Gustafson, crew chief of the No. 9 car, can play throughout the race. Elliott did rank eighth in practice on single-lap speed, but taking him off your lineup this weekend seems like the safe play.

Chastain said his No. 1 team was on him for acting “mopey” after turning the 21st quickest lap in qualifying. The No. 1 Chevrolet wasn’t any better in practice, dropping to 26th on the scoring pylon. Chastain mentioned if he could find a half-second of pace, he would be in a solid position. It’s hard to find a half-second of speed throughout any race weekend, which makes it hard to put Chastain, who contended for the Pocono win last year, in my lineup.

MORE: See starting lineup for Sunday’s race

FEATURED MATCHUPS

Kevin Harvick vs. Bubba Wallace: Both drivers showed up with speed at Pocono that could contend for the win. In practice, they were on top of each other. Wallace, however, didn’t execute in the final round of qualifying and slapped the wall off Turn 1. With how confident Harvick was following qualifying, he’s my pick.

Christopher Bell vs. Ross Chastain: Toyota seemed to have the best pace of the three manufacturers, despite Chevrolet winning the pole with Byron. Chastain struggled mightily, while Bell will start from fifth position. The two drivers hovered around one another in practice, but I’ve flopped my opinion from earlier this week, thinking Bell will outrun Chastain.

Alex Bowman vs. Daniel Suárez: Of all the tracks on the schedule, Pocono has statistically been one of Suárez’s best. Bowman has been solid in recent years, including a triumph in 2021. Despite ranking lower than Bowman in practice, he’s the best bet, especially with how much the No. 48 team has struggled over the past couple of months.

Ryan Blaney vs. Brad Keselowski: It’s reasonable to think the No. 12 car is going to have a good showing on Sunday. Blaney was quickest in five-lap averages and just didn’t put a solid three corners together in qualifying. Keselowski actually starts one position better than Blaney but doesn’t think Pocono fits in RFK Racing’s wheelhouse. My gut feeling tells me to pick Blaney.

Posted on by Zach Sturniolo

LONG POND, Pa. – On July 23, 2022, Ty Gibbs saw his NASCAR career change in one phone call.

That evening, the then-19-year-old was driving back to the airport from Pocono Raceway following a runner-up effort in that day’s NASCAR Xfinity Series race. The result was strong, but the stewing disappointing was stronger.

Of course, that was only until Gibbs received a call from his mother, Heather, who informed him he would make his inaugural NASCAR Cup Series start the next day.

“It was definitely a lot of emotions for sure there,” Gibbs told NASCAR.com Saturday.

MORE: Relive Gibbs’ Cup debut | Pocono starting lineup

While Gibbs’ whirlwind experience didn’t hit warp speed until that evening, the story truly begins with Cup qualifying earlier that afternoon. Kurt Busch, driver of the No. 45 Toyota for 23XI Racing and the 2004 NASCAR Cup Series champion, crashed during the final round of the session, backing his vehicle hard into the outside SAFER barrier in Turn 3.

Fast forward to the stretch run of the Xfinity race. Gibbs and rival Noah Gragson battled fiercely for the win through the final dozen laps, the former hounding the latter with attempt after attempt to snag the lead. The two manipulated the air like veterans and Gibbs pulled alongside Gragson for the lead on the final lap entering Turn 2.

But Gragson maintained his advantage in the outside lane and managed to clear Gibbs’ No. 54 Toyota to nab the win.

“I felt like I give a race away there,” Gibbs recalled Saturday. “I should have been way more aggressive and wasn’t, looking back at it with everything that happened. We were really fast. They were on four tires, and we were on no tires anyway, so we were really good.”

Then came the drive back to the airport. Gibbs and friend Drew Dollar were cruising down a Pennsylvania highway when his phone began to ring. The news: Busch was not feeling well and Gibbs – a 19-year-old halfway through his first full-time Xfinity season – might need to substitute at the sport’s highest level.

“Of course, I was really excited. I’d never made my Cup Series start yet, right?” Gibbs said. “So I was really, really, really pumped and pulled over some gravel lot on the highway – I don’t even know what highway – just talking about it.”

Cue the whirlwind. After taking a few minutes to process the opportunity that lay ahead, Gibbs and Dollar got back on the road to catch their plane to Charlotte. The teenager wasted no time getting himself as dialed in as possible, utilizing whatever tools he could without access to the shop or a car to prepare.

“I have a racing simulator at my house that I practice on,” Gibbs said. “We’ve got a lot of really realistic software on there. So it gives me the best feel for what I have and can help my team kind of get my stuff dialed in there. So I used that and we kind of went from there, just trying to get as much time as I can before going to the track to have the best feeling like it for the car.”

WHAT TO WATCH: More key story lines for Sunday

Prior to race-day morning on Sunday, Gibbs had never sat in a Next Gen car, let alone been properly fitted or turned the vehicle on.

That process came quickly while also dealing with plenty of media attention surrounding the No. 45 Toyota and its hauler. There was little time, if any, to soak in the moment.

But crew chief Billy Scott, engineer John Vining and Busch all worked to keep Gibbs as cool, calm and prepared for the last-minute Cup debut of a highly touted young racer – who also happens to be the grandson of NASCAR Hall of Famer and Pro Football Hall of Fame coach Joe Gibbs.

“We were just talking about what the situation was, what we’re gonna do,” Gibbs said. “We’re looking at a lot of data so to get me understanding where I needed to be on the track and then went out there and kind of just did it. They talked me through every bit of it. So all credit to them and really cool to make my first Cup start with Billy Scott, somebody that’s been around and had a lot of success in the racing world.”

“Just do it,” was Busch’s advice – appropriate for a team so closely connected to Nike through the Jordan Brand, but also apt for Gibbs’ situation and so little time to truly get ready for his debut.

And so he did it. Gibbs walked away with an impressive 16th-place finish in his inaugural start around a track known quite well for its tricky, three-turn, asymmetrical layout.

The circumstances were far from ideal. Busch has yet to compete again, and Gibbs closed the 2022 Cup season filling in at the Cup level, kicking off his Cup career with three consecutive top-20 finishes, including a 10th-place result at Michigan.

But Pocono was the kickstarter – one that gave him 15 races of premier level experience and proved to Joe Gibbs Racing he was ready to jump to the Cup Series full-time in 2023 for his rookie campaign.

The leap has not been easy, but Gibbs didn’t really expect it to be. Yet the driver of the No. 54 Camry, now 20 years old, sits 19th in points, 41 markers beneath the elimination line to qualify for the NASCAR Playoffs.

An early spring stretch of four consecutive top-10 finishes was impressive, but he’s scored just one since the Bristol dirt race in April, a ninth-place effort at the Chicago Street Race earlier this month. It’s an adjustment for Gibbs, who scored seven victories in Xfinity last season and won in his 2021 series debut, but one he isn’t shocked by.

“It’s a big jump,” Gibbs said. “And everybody’s kind of had that same thing, so it’s expected and it’s, you know, part of the plan. Just gotta keep working hard and do the best you can and (results) usually kind of come along and then it starts getting normal again.

“You’ve got to realize, like, you go from Xfinity and you have three really great guys in really great cars. And you go to Cup and you have probably 22 guys that are really, really good and really good cars.”

Gibbs will start 11th in Sunday’s HighPoint.com 400 at Pocono Raceway (2:30 p.m. ET, USA Network, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio, NBC Sports App). And this time, there were no surprises.