The NASCAR Cup Series concluded its doubleheader Sunday afternoon for the Pocono 350 at Pocono Raceway. Kevin Harvick was looking to sweep the doubleheader after winning race one on Saturday. Harvick would start in the 20th position. Quin Houff, Erik Jones, Tyler Reddick, Joey Logano, and Alex Bowman were heading to the rear of the field with backup cars. At the same time, Chase Elliott, BJ McLeod, William Byron, and Ryan Preece also went to the rear of the field for changing engines.
As a result of yesterday’s race, Ryan Preece was the pole sitter along with Austin Dillon to make up the front row. Chevrolets held the top four positions. The cars were starting to roll off of pit road when lightning struck, bringing the cars back to pit road. After the lightning delay, the cars were back out on the track to get the race started.
For a historic THIRD time today, the green flag flies at @PoconoRaceway! The #Pocono350 is live on FS1 and https://t.co/oWWAusOO8X! pic.twitter.com/Bo9Cuudh6W — NASCAR (@NASCAR) June 28, 2020
Kurt Busch would get the lead thanks to a push from Cole Custer. The race only went another four laps before the caution flag came out for rain, and NASCAR put out the red flag. The red flag lasted 50 minutes before the cars were back out on to the racetrack. The race got back underway at lap 12.
Step on that loud pedal and let's get back to work! 📺: FS1 📱 : https://t.co/oWWAusOO8X pic.twitter.com/07drMQEy1L — NASCAR (@NASCAR) June 28, 2020
Three laps into the restart, Michael McDowell’s car spun after his right rear tire went down, and he hit the outside wall of turn two to bring out the second caution of the race. Some of the lead lap cars pitted including Alex Bowman, Ryan Preece, Joey Logano, and Jimmie Johnson. Kurt Busch would lead the field back to green on lap 19. On laps 26 and 27, Matt Kenseth, Denny Hamlin, Ricky Stenhouse Jr., Clint Bowyer, Jimmie Johnson, Erik Jones, and Bubba Wallace made green-flag pit stops. Only Johnson went a lap down. Kurt Busch would go on to win stage one.
Remember to replace your divot, @joeylogano. pic.twitter.com/p4dD8IE6CG — NASCAR (@NASCAR) June 28, 2020
Under the caution, Austin Dillon, Matt DiBenedetto, and Cory LaJoie took two tires while Kevin Harvick, Chase Elliott, Ryan Newman, Cole Custer, and others took four tires. Kurt Busch led the field back to green at lap 36. Ryan Blaney got the lead from Busch on the inside lane heading into turn two. On the 39th lap, Christopher Bell got into the turn two wall wrecking his backend to bring out the fourth caution of the race.
Flexing some 💪 on the Long Pond Straightaway!@Blaney jumps out to the lead at @PoconoRaceway! pic.twitter.com/ODcAPRIsoC — NASCAR (@NASCAR) June 28, 2020
Heavy damage for Christopher Bell at Pocono. pic.twitter.com/JpweLWLBfJ — FOX: NASCAR (@NASCARONFOX) June 28, 2020
Under caution, most of the leaders came in for fuel only while others took four-tires. When the race restarted at lap 45, Ryan Blaney was still in the lead when the fifth caution came out for a spin by Chris Buescher exiting turn three. He managed to keep the car going after gently hitting the outside wall with no significant damage.
Spin coming out of Turn 3! @Chris_Buescher spins in front of the field, but everyone is able to avoid the No. 17. pic.twitter.com/7X2IJZB2T5 — NASCAR (@NASCAR) June 28, 2020
Once again, most of the leaders stayed out, and the only cars to come down to pit road were Cole Custer, Daniel Suarez, Aric Almirola, Ryan Newman, and five others. Blaney would lead the field back to the restart at lap 51. Blaney would come down pit road six laps later for his first pit stop of the day to start scheduled green-flag pit stops. Martin Truex Jr. would come in a lap later, followed by Kyle Busch, Bubba Wallace, and Joey Logano. On the 76th lap, Kyle Busch tried to get around a lapped down car when Ryan Blaney came underneath of him and made contact, sending Busch to the inside wall of turn two to bring out the sixth caution.
.@Blaney came in hot, but there was no room to avoid @KyleBusch. pic.twitter.com/0y1flRaG2K — NASCAR (@NASCAR) June 29, 2020
Most of the lead lap cars stayed out while Alex Bowman, Ryan Blaney pitted. Bowman was given an equipment interference penalty after Ryan Blaney stopped. That penalty would send Bowman to the rear of the field.
Brad Keselowski was the leader bringing the cars back to the green on lap 80. Not long after the restart, Ryan Preece got loose exiting turn two almost taking out Bubba Wallace and would hit the inside wall.
.@RyanPreece_ went for a spin while @BubbaWallace caught some air! You can hear the relief over the No. 43 radio 😅. pic.twitter.com/GgAZhGOW9O — NASCAR (@NASCAR) June 28, 2020
Most of the cars in the back of the field pitted under caution, including Erik Jones, Bubba Wallace, Joey Logano, and Cory Lajoie. Aric Almirola was the leader when the raced resumed with two laps to go in stage two. During the restart, Brad Keselowski went around Aric Almirola for the lead and would take the stage two win.
Under the caution, Martin Truex Jr., Aric Almirola, Austin Dillon, Ricky Stenhouse Jr., Ryan Preece, Daniel Suarez, and Brennan Poole pitted while the others stayed out. Daylight was starting to become a factor at this point.
Keselowski led the field back to green for the final stage at lap 95. Kevin Harvick got by Keselowski for the lead as scheduled green-flag pit stops began. He would pit at lap 105, and the new leader was Denny Hamlin. Hamlin was going with a different strategy hoping for a caution or have the track get dark and end the race early.
.@dennyhamlin and @CG1751 are pulling out all of the strategy moves to get another @PoconoRaceway 🏁! pic.twitter.com/vgpfw1pje6 — NASCAR (@NASCAR) June 29, 2020
Hamlin would come in at lap 120 with a 33 second lead on third-place Kevin Harvick. He would take two-tires and fuel. When he left pit road, he was only behind Martin Truex Jr., who was the leader. Truex would come in at lap 125, relinquishing the lead back to Hamlin. From there, it was Hamlin versus Harvick.
The money stop! See if @dennyhamlin's strategy gets him the #Pocono350 win on FS1 and https://t.co/oWWAusOO8X! pic.twitter.com/9fwKrKF1Wa — NASCAR (@NASCAR) June 29, 2020
Harvick was now playing catch-up to Hamlin. Brad Keselowski would pit with four laps to go. Hamlin’s strategy would work as he would go on to win the Pocono 350 by 3.068 seconds over the second-place finisher Kevin Harvick. For Hamlin, this is win number four on the season and fifth for Joe Gibbs Racing this year.
🏁🔼🏁🔼🏁🔼🏁🔼🏁🔼🏁🔼 RETWEET to congratulate @dennyhamlin on his SIXTH @PoconoRaceway victory! pic.twitter.com/ZIncvonOIS — NASCAR (@NASCAR) June 29, 2020
The rest of the top ten finishers were Erik Jones third, Chase Elliott fourth, Aric Almirola fifth, Matt DiBenedetto sixth, William Byron seventh, Clint Bowyer eighth, Alex Bowman ninth, and Martin Truex Jr. tenth. There were eleven lead changes by eight drivers and eight cautions. Next up for the Cup Series is a date at the legendary Indianapolis Motor Speedway for the Big Machine Vodka 400 at the Brickyard Powered By Big Machine Records next Sunday at 4 pm on NBC.
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