Category: NASCAR Cup PR

Martin Truex Jr.
Pocono Advance
No. 19 Interstate Batteries Toyota Camry XSE for Joe Gibbs Racing

Event Overview

● Event: The Great American Getaway 400 (Round 21 of 36)
● Time/Date: 2:30 p.m. EDT on Sunday, July 14
● Location: Pocono (Pa.) Raceway
● Layout: 2.5-mile triangle
● Laps/Miles: 160 laps/400 miles
● Stage Lengths: Stage 1: 30 laps / Stage 2: 65 laps / Final Stage: 65 laps
● TV/Radio: USA Network / MRN / SiriusXM NASCAR Radio

Notes of Interest

● Outrageously Dependable for 33 Years and Counting: Interstate Batteries has 11 primary sponsorships on the NASCAR Cup Series schedule in 2024, a similar number of schemes to last year’s expanded presence among all four Joe Gibbs Racing (JGR) Toyota Camry XSEs. Christopher Bell and Ty Gibbs were slated to run the majority of the Interstate Batteries races with eight primaries in all between the two drivers. Denny Hamlin piloted the Interstate Batteries machine for two races this season and now Martin Truex Jr. is carrying the primary Interstate Batteries sponsorship for the one and only time this season at Pocono in the midst of his final season as a fulltime Cup Series driver.

● Where We Stand: The New Jersey native sits fifth in the driver standings with 601 points, 70 behind leader Kyle Larson. All four JGR entries are currently inside the top-10 in the standings with Denny Hamlin fourth, Bell eighth and Gibbs ninth as the series heads to the Pocono Mountains this weekend.

● Truex has two wins, seven top-five finishes and 15 top-10s and has led a total of 257 laps in 34 career NASCAR Cup Series starts at Pocono. Truex’s average Pocono finish is 14.1.

● Truex notched his second and most recent Pocono win in June 2018, when he led 31 laps along the way. The New Jersey native’s first win at Pocono came in June 2015, when he led a race-high 97 laps on his way to his maiden win at the “Tricky Triangle.”

● Helpful Tips: An avid fisherman, Truex uses the marine battery line from Interstate in all his boats. Fans are advised to do the following before they head out on the water:

Make sure the battery has a charge by testing it before going out on the water.
Clean off any corrosion around battery terminals and ensure a proper connection.
Check the battery box seal and terminal boots. If a replacement deep cycle or cranking battery is needed, choose what the pros use and get an Interstate.
● Looking for 35: Truex’s win at New Hampshire Motor Speedway in Loudon in July 2023 was his most recent Cup Series win, the 34th of his career, tying him with 2004 champion Kurt Busch for 25th on the all-time Cup Series win list.

● Ahead at this Stage: Truex has accumulated 63 stage wins since the beginning of the stage era in 2017. He is the only driver with 10 or more stage sweeps, with his latest sweep coming at Michigan International Speedway in Brooklyn last August. Truex scored his second stage win of the season at Dover (Del.) Motor Speedway in April, leading the field across the line at the end of Stage 1.

Martin Truex Jr., Driver of the No. 19 Interstate Batteries Toyota Camry XSE

Are you looking forward to Pocono after having a strong run there last year, even though it didn’t work out in the end?

“Really looking forward to going to Pocono this weekend in our Interstate Batteries car. It’s one of our home tracks, as they say. I’ve won there a couple of times. But really excited to get back with the fast racecars James (Small, crew chief) and all the 19 guys have been bringing to the track lately. We’re fired up and hope we can get another win at Pocono, but this time with Interstate Batteries on board with us.”

With Interstate Batteries being a founding partner of JGR dating back to its inception in 1992, what does it mean to have Interstate on your car at Pocono this weekend, knowing what the company has meant to JGR all these years?

“It means a lot to be able to drive the Interstate Batteries Toyota Camry. I’ve been watching Interstate cars go around the racetrack about my whole life. Since JGR started, I’ve been watching NASCAR, and Interstate has been an iconic paint scheme in the series, so it was an honor to drive for them the last couple of years, and we get to do it again this weekend at Pocono one more time. I’ve been working with them the last couple of years on appearances and other things – a lot of great people and hard-working people who have treated me well. We almost got them a win at Pocono last year, so it would be great to get those guys to victory lane at a place I’ve already won at a couple of times.”

What does it take to be successful at Pocono?

“Pocono really tests every aspect of your car – horsepower, downforce, you name it. You’ve got to make your car work in all three corners and each one is so different, it’s a challenge. The setup has to be spot on because all three corners are unique. It’s really hard to make your car work around there. Track position is key, so you have to qualify well and you have to have a fast car, but you have to have the right strategy, too, because if you get off strategy and lose track position, it’s going to be a tough day. The NextGen car has been even more track-position sensitive than before, so you have to try to stay near the front all day. You have to have a good racecar there and I’ve been fortunate to have a lot of them over the years there and we’ve had some success. I know the guys will bring a good car this weekend and would love to get Interstate Batteries to victory lane there.”

You went to Pocono as a kid with your dad when he ran the road course there. What are your early memories of going to Pocono?

“I remember going there as a kid and my dad ran the Race of Champions there. They ran that weird pit-road track. I was so young I really don’t remember a lot about it. I remember seeing the street stocks and they were squealing the tires and running into each other and crashing like crazy. I remember the street stocks there and those were my early memories of Pocono, and never raced there again until I was in the Cup Series. It was definitely a different time. I remember staying in hotels that had heart-shaped hot tubs as a kid and they’re probably still there, so that was pretty crazy.”

What are your memories from your first Pocono win back in 2015, when you were with Furniture Row?

“The 2015 win was huge because we had been in a drought for a couple of years. We had a new group of guys, which ended up being our championship group. At that point, we were still a young team and things were feeling like they were coming together. We had been in position to have a chance to win a few races that season up to that point, so it was really good to get our first win together. It was a big deal for all of us. I think it just kind of got the ball rolling for us and, in 2014, everybody knows how bad we struggled. It was a huge deal for all of us, and for Barney (Visser, team owner) – being his second win. It was the first time that we were competitive each and every week and we were up front a lot, leading laps and doing a lot of good things, so it was cool to check that off the list. And who would have thought how the next few years would have gone. It was an incredible run and the start of a really special group.”

No. 19 Interstate Batteries Team Roster

Primary Team Members

Driver: Martin Truex Jr.

Hometown: Mayetta, New Jersey

Crew Chief: James Small

Hometown: Melbourne, Australia

Car Chief: Chris Jones

Hometown: Smith Mountain Lake, Virginia

Race Engineer: Jaik Halpainy

Hometown: Blockville, New York

Engineer: Jeff Curtis

Hometown: Fairfax Station, Virginia

Spotter: Drew Herring

Hometown: Benson, North Carolina

Road Crew Members

Underneath Mechanic: Ryan Martin

Hometown: Mechanicsburg, Virgina

Mechanic: Todd Carmichael

Hometown: Redding, California

Interior/Tire Specialist: Tommy DiBlasi

Hometown: Annapolis, Maryland

Engine Tuner: Beau Morton

Hometown: Lake Havasu City, Arizona

Transporter Driver: Kyle Bazzell

Hometown: Fairbury, Illinois

Transporter Driver: Eddie DeGroot

Hometown: Baldwinsville, New York

Over-The-Wall Crew Members

Gas Man: Matt Tyrrell

Hometown: Fort Lauderdale, Florida

Jackman: Caleb Dirks

Hometown: Riverside, California

Tire Carrier: CJ Bailey

Hometown: Outer Banks, North Carolina

Front Tire Changer: Thomas Hatcher

Hometown: Middleburg, Florida

Rear Tire Changer: Lee Cunningham

Hometown: Leaf River, Illinois

CHASE BRISCOE
Pocono Advance
No. 14 HighPoint.com Ford Mustang Dark Horse

Event Overview

● Event: The Great American Getaway 400 presented by VisitPA.com (Round 21 of 36)
● Time/Date: 2:30 p.m. EDT on Sunday, July 14
● Location: Pocono (Pa.) Raceway
● Layout: 2.5-mile triangle
● Laps/Miles: 160 laps/400 miles
● Stage Lengths: Stage 1: 30 laps / Stage 2: 65 laps / Final Stage: 65 laps
● TV/Radio: USA / MRN / SiriusXM NASCAR Radio

Notes of Interest

● Pocono (Pa.) Raceway is known as the “Tricky Triangle” for its three distinct corners connected by three straightaways, including an enormously long 3,740-foot frontstretch. It is the only triangle-shaped track on the NASCAR Cup Series calendar, and its layout was designed by two-time Indianapolis 500 champion Rodger Ward, who modeled each of its three turns after a different track. Turn one, which is banked at 14 degrees, is from the legendary Trenton (N.J.) Speedway. Turn two, banked at 8 degrees, is a nod to the turns at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. And turn three, banked at 6 degrees, is based on the corners at The Milwaukee Mile. The first race on the 2.5-mile triangle occurred in 1971, but it wasn’t until Aug. 4, 1974 that NASCAR visited, with the inaugural race won by NASCAR Hall of Famer Richard Petty.

● The Great American Getaway 400 will serve as Chase Briscoe’s fifth career NASCAR Cup Series start at Pocono. The driver of the No. 14 HighPoint.com Ford Mustang Dark Horse for Stewart-Haas Racing has found that there is indeed truth in advertising when it comes to Pocono’s tricky nature. His best Cup Series result at Pocono is 15th, earned in 2021. His other three finishes have all been in the 20s. However, Briscoe can claim a 100 percent lap-completion rate, for he has finished on the lead lap in all four of his Cup Series races at Pocono, a tally that currently stands at 590 laps (1,475 miles).

● Briscoe’s time at Pocono hasn’t always been a challenge. In the NASCAR Xfinity Series, the Mitchell, Indiana native made three starts at Pocono, and while his first race ended in a crash just past the halfway mark, he rebounded in his next two Xfinity Series starts at the track. Briscoe finished third in 2019 and then performed the equivalent of a mic drop in 2020, winning in his last Xfinity Series race at Pocono. He qualified third and led twice for 24 laps, including the final nine, to take the victory by 1.015 seconds over runner-up Ross Chastain.

● Before Briscoe came to Pocono in the NASCAR Xfinity Series, he made one start in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series. In 2017, Briscoe qualified fifth and then drove his Ford F-150 to a solid ninth-place finish.

● Briscoe’s first taste of Pocono came in the ARCA Menards Series. He made two starts in this developmental division, both of which came in 2016. In June of that year, Briscoe drove to a respectable 10th-place finish. When he came back to the track in July, Briscoe upped his game significantly, qualifying second and leading 51 of the race’s 60 laps, winning by a whopping 4.651 seconds over runner-up John Wes Townley.

● Before Briscoe arrives at Pocono, he will make a trip north of the border to Ohsweken Speedway, a 3/8-mile dirt track in Ontario Canada, where he will compete in his first NASCAR Canada Series race. Briscoe will drive for Jacombs Racing, which is a multiple championship-winning team in the series whose crew chief, Don Thomson, Jr., is a five-time NASCAR Canada Series champion. Briscoe’s NASCAR Cup Series team owner, Tony Stewart, is very familiar with Ohsweken. Stewart won his first career World of Outlaws Sprint Car Series A-Feature at the track on July 27, 2011. Stewart won another World of Outlaws A-Feature at Ohsweken on July 31, 2012, his third in the series.

● Back with Briscoe this weekend at Pocono is HighPoint.com, a leading provider of technology infrastructure solutions that is headquartered just 60 miles east of Pocono in Sparta, New Jersey. HighPoint has been a partner of Briscoe and Stewart-Haas since 2020, when the company supported Briscoe’s NASCAR Xfinity Series campaign, a collaboration that netted a season-best nine victories and earned Briscoe a promotion to the NASCAR Cup Series. HighPoint has climbed the NASCAR ladder with Briscoe and has helped Stewart-Haas maximize its IT investments. Said Briscoe about the partnership: “Even though we race stock cars, there’s nothing stock about what we do. The science of our cars is impressive, but the technology that goes into building our Ford Mustangs and then making them perform is even more advanced. Our IT needs are pretty complex, and we demand a lot from our technology every day, whether it’s at the shop or at the track. HighPoint provides efficiency and security. They’re more than just a sponsor – HighPoint is a partner that helps us perform.” As an IT Solutions Integrator focused on all things that connect, HighPoint helps its customers with the selection and supply of network infrastructure, mobility, collaboration, data center, security solutions and the risk-mitigated implementation and management of their technology. The company, founded in 1996, is a minority-owned business that serves markets in its nearby Tri-State Region (New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Delaware) and the southeastern United States via its presence in Charlotte, North Carolina, as well as globally with offices in Amsterdam and London. To learn more about HighPoint’s solutions, please visit HighPoint.com.

● The story of how HighPoint.com came together with Briscoe and Stewart-Haas is one that could’ve been scripted in Hollywood. In November 2019, while walking to dinner after attending the SEMA show in Las Vegas, Kevin Briscoe was stopped by a stranger who noticed his No. 98 Stewart-Haas hat. The man was Mike Mendiburu, founder and CEO of HighPoint.com, and he said he was a big fan of Chase Briscoe, then a young NASCAR Xfinity Series driver from Mitchell, Indiana, who was driving the No. 98 Ford Mustang for Stewart-Haas. Kevin informed Mendiburu that Chase was his son and the two carried on a conversation like they were old friends. The two walked away with Kevin accepting Mendiburu’s business card, just in case the Briscoes ever needed anything. Months passed and Chase Briscoe was told that he may not have a ride in the No. 98 for the 2020 season if funding couldn’t be found. So, Stewart-Haas was given Mendiburu’s information and an agreement was reached for HighPoint.com to sponsor Briscoe. That chance encounter in Las Vegas led to a nine-win season in 2020. In October of that year, midway through the playoffs, Briscoe arrived at Tony Stewart’s house in Indiana for what he thought was a discussion with his team owner about whether HighPoint.com would be returning as his sponsor for the next season. The group sat down for dinner and Briscoe, joined by his parents, was informed a decision had already been made – he would be leaving the No. 98 Xfinity Series program to become the next driver of the team’s No. 14 Cup Series entry, the car Stewart himself wheeled during his driving tenure at Stewart-Haas. “I wouldn’t have a career if it wasn’t for Mike and everyone at HighPoint.com,” Briscoe said. “Going into 2020, I was going to be done. They literally came in the fourth quarter with 30 seconds left on the clock and kept things going. Without them, I think my career would’ve been over.”

Chase Briscoe, Driver of the No. 14 HighPoint.com Ford Mustang

What makes a lap at Pocono so challenging?

“I think the challenging thing about Pocono is just the fact there are three different corners, so your car’s not going to drive good in one of them or maybe even two of them. So you just know that going in and hope that your car’s somewhat balanced in all three, but know there’s a good possibility your car’s probably not going to drive good in one of them. That’s the kind of fun part, but challenging part, of running at Pocono.”

What makes the Tunnel Turn so difficult?

“I think the Tunnel Turn is probably the most difficult corner just due to the fact that it feels super flat, it’s extremely high-speed, it’s the tightest-feeling corner, and it’s by far the roughest corner. You go over the tunnel and the asphalt is kind of moving all over the place, so it’s got a lot of content to it, and that makes it a real challenge to go through there.”

How big of a deal is aero at Pocono, specifically, battling through dirty air when you’re in traffic?

“Everywhere we go, dirty air is certainly a struggle, but at Pocono, it’s one of the worst ones just because of the speed you’re going. And then also due to the fact that your car’s not going to handle very good in a couple of the corners, just from a setup standpoint, and the dirty air just makes it that much worse. You’re drafting down the straightaways and it’s just hard to get away from people there because the draft is so big and there aren’t a ton of lane options. So you’re just kind of limited in where you can go to get clean air, which makes Pocono a challenge.”

Pocono seems to have a road-course element to it – some flat, fast corners, some bumps, plenty of shifting. Does that make it a track that puts more of the race in your hands?

“A little bit. It’s a place where there’s always a lot out of your control, in general, just with the strategy and how much is going on, kind of the bigger picture of the race outside of what I’m doing inside the car. The pit crew and the crew chief play a huge role in your day at Pocono in just trying to play the strategy right and catching cautions and things like that. I feel like winning at Pocono is one of the harder things to do because it takes an entire day from start to finish. You can’t really be off from a setup standpoint, from a strategy standpoint, really from any standpoint, if you’re going to have a good day at Pocono.”

You won at Pocono in the NASCAR Xfinity Series. In fact, you did it in your third and final Xfinity Series start there. Was that win a result of your experience at Pocono, because you knew what you needed in your racecar, or was it just a matter of taking a really good car and delivering with it?

“Our car was definitely really, really good that day. Some things also went our way that day, as well. It’s the hard thing about Pocono – you can be the best car there and one untimely caution during a green-flag cycle can really set you behind. So it just goes back to having everything go your way, because it’s so hard to be fast and so hard to get through the field. But having a fast racecar makes it way easier at Pocono.”

What, if anything, is applicable from your time in the Xfinity Series at Pocono to your time there now in the NASCAR Cup Series?

“I feel like Pocono is one of those tracks where, no matter what car you’re in, there are tricks to that racetrack, and what makes each car go fast around there is kind of the same thing. I definitely think there’s stuff you can take away more from there in other series than there is anywhere else we go. Plus, you don’t get a whole lot of laps at Pocono, in general. It’s a 50-something-second lap, so in practice you don’t get a lot of laps in, and even in the race, it’s not like it’s a super-long race. Just getting more laps at Pocono is always something that’s beneficial, and I also feel like it’s one of those places where you just have to have an open mindset going into it and really embrace what it is.”

Pocono is the home track for your primary partner, HighPoint.com. You want to win everywhere you go, but is there added incentive to win in HighPoint.com’s backyard?

“Yeah, for sure. Any time you go to one of your sponsor’s home races, you always want to go and perform in front of their home crowd. HighPoint always has a ton of employees and guests out there, so it’s important to run well. It’s always fun to go up to Pocono and be in HighPoint’s backyard.”

Before you race at Pocono, you’re going to make your first career start in the NASCAR Canada Series on Thursday night at Ohsweken Speedway, a 3/8-mile dirt track in Ontario, Canada. What are your thoughts going into that race?

“I have absolutely no idea what I’m getting myself into. I don’t know the team and I’ve never been to the racetrack. I’ve watched videos of the racetrack before with the World of Outlaws and stuff like that, but I have no idea what the car is like, what it has for a motor, what it drives like, anything. All I know is it’s a dirt race and I’ve always enjoyed running the Truck Series and the Cup Series on dirt. They reached out and asked if I had any interest in doing the Canada Seriesrace up there and I’ve always enjoyed going to Canada, so I said, ‘Why not?’ The few times I’ve been up there to race in IMSA and the Truck Series, the fan base has always been incredible. I’m excited to go up there, but I have no idea what I’m getting myself into. It’ll be fun, I’m sure. Any time you can go run a dirt race, it’s going to be fun.”

It sounds like that race will get you out of your comfort zone. Does doing that make you a better NASCAR Cup Series driver?

“Any time you feel uncomfortable, it helps you. The more you can make yourself uncomfortable and put yourself in different situations, I feel like that makes you more versatile and makes you better on Sundays. That’s the reason I go and run the sprint car and late models and midgets, just trying to get out of my comfort zone and just do something that I don’t do every single week. I feel like it definitely makes me better on Sundays.”

No. 14 HighPoint.com Team Roster

Primary Team Members

Driver: Chase Briscoe

Hometown: Mitchell, Indiana

Crew Chief: Richard Boswell

Hometown: Friendship, Maryland

Car Chief: J.D. Frey

Hometown: Ferndale, California

Engineer: Mike Cook

Hometown: Annapolis, Maryland

Spotter: Joey Campbell

Hometown: Berlin, Connecticut

Over-The-Wall Members

Front Tire Changer: Shayne Pipala

Hometown: Frankfort Square, Illinois

Rear Tire Changer: Dakota Ratcliff

Hometown: Nashville, Tennessee

Tire Carrier: Jon Bernal

Hometown: Holland, Michigan

Jack Man: Kapil Fletcher

Hometown: Fort Lauderdale, Florida

Fuel Man: Corey Coppola

Hometown: Bluefield, West Virginia

Road Crew Members

Underneath Mechanic: Stephen Gonzalez

Hometown: Mooresville, North Carolina

Interior Mechanic: Trevor Adams

Hometown: Plymouth, Wisconsin

Tire Specialist: Keith Eads

Hometown: Arlington, Virginia

Shock Specialist: Brian Holshouser

Hometown: Charlotte, North Carolina

Engine Tuner: Jon Phillips

Hometown: Jefferson City, Missouri

Transporter Co-Driver: Todd Cable

Hometown: Shelby, North Carolina

Transporter Co-Driver: Dale Lackey

Hometown: Taylorsville, North Carolina

Pocono Event Info:
Date: Sunday, July 14
Time: 2:30 p.m. ET
Series: NASCAR Cup Series (NCS)
Location: Long Pond, Pennsylvania
Format: 160 Laps, 400 Miles, Stages: 30-65-65
TV: USA
Radio: MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio (Channel 90)

Weekend Schedule:
Saturday: 12 p.m. ET, Practice (USA, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio)
Saturday: 12:45 p.m. ET, Qualifying (USA, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio)
Sunday: 2:30 p.m. ET, Race (USA, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio)

Pace Laps:

• The NASCAR Cup Series heads north to Pocono Raceway for the 21st points race of the season as ‘The Tricky Triangle’ hosts its lone race date on the calendar.
• Just one race remains following Pocono (Indianapolis) before the two-week pause in the schedule for the Olympics.
• Jack Roush has four Pocono wins all-time, while the three-turn track stands as one of Brad Keselowski’s best (former winner in 2011). Pocono was also the site of Chris Buescher’s first victory in the Cup Series, way back in 2016 in one of his first seasons in Cup.

6 Team Info:
Crew Chief: Matt McCall
Partner: NEXLIZET

17 Team Info:
Crew Chief: Scott Graves
Partner: BuildSubmarines.com

Keselowski at Pocono
Starts: 26
Wins: 1 (2011)
Top-10s: 15
Poles: 1 (2016)

• Keselowski enters the weekend in line for his 27th Cup start at Pocono. He carries a 10.9 average finish, his second-best of any track on the circuit.
• Most recently he finished 16th a season ago, and 14th in 2022. Overall he has 15 top-10s, 11 of which were in the top five, with one win at ‘The Tricky Triangle’ in 2011.
• Keselowski has led laps in 14 different Cup races in Pocono, including a race-best 95 in 2014 when he ran second. That marked one of four P2 finishes at the track, with the other runner-up results coming in 2015, 2016 and 2019.
• Keselowski has finished top-10 in five of the last eight Pocono races, and in 11 of the last 15.
• He has one pole all-time (2016) with an average starting position of 11.9 and 11 starts inside the top-10.
• Outside of Cup action, Keselowski made one start each in the Xfinity and Truck Series, winning the 2017 Xfinity race in the No. 22.

Buescher at Pocono
Starts: 13
Wins: 1 (2016)
Top-10s: 2
Poles: 1 (2021)

• Pocono marks the site of Buescher’s first-ever Cup win, which came in 2016 while driving at Front Row Motorsports. After weather played a factor with 133 laps completed, NASCAR red-flagged and ultimately called the race early, giving Buescher his first-career victory in NASCAR’s top series.
• Overall at Pocono, Buescher has two top-10s in 14 starts with an average result of 20.6. He finished 18th a season ago.
• Buescher’s average qualifying effort stands at 19.5 with two career top-10 starting spots – including the pole in 2021 when NASCAR inverted the field after race one of a doubleheader, and in 2022 when he qualified fifth.
• Buescher also made four ARCA starts at Pocono in 2011-12, recording one runner-up finish followed by a third-place run and two fifth-place finishes.

RFK Historically at Pocono
Cup Wins: 4 (Carl Edwards, 2005, 2008); Kurt Busch (2005); Greg Biffle (2010)

• It’s Tricky, it’s Tricky (Tricky) Tricky (Tricky): RFK has run 222 Cup races at ‘The Tricky Triangle’ dating back to 1988. An RFK Ford has visited victory lane on four occasions in the Cup series, with the first coming in 2005 with Carl Edwards. Kurt Busch followed with a win in the July race of that same year, one of his three victories for Jack Roush in 2005. Three years later, Edwards found winners circle again in 2008, and Greg Biffle carded the organization’s most recent win at the 2.5-mile track back in 2010.
• Runner-Up: RFK has finished in the second position 13 times at Pocono with six different drivers. All in all, RFK has finished first or second 17 times at the triangular track.
• Tale of the Tape: Overall RFK has 73 top-10 and 45 top-five results at Pocono along with three poles and the four wins. Mark Martin earned back-to-back poles in 1990 and 1991, before capturing his third in 1996.

RFK Pocono Wins

2005-1 Edwards Cup
2005-2 Busch Cup
2008-2 Edwards Cup
2010-2 Biffle Cup

Last Time Out & Where They Stand
Chicago: Joey Hand – piloting the Stage 60 Ford – led RFK with a P4 finish Sunday at the Chicago Street Course. Keselowski restarted third inside five to go and was in line for a top-10, but was spun on the final lap to finish 18th. Buescher finished 20th.

Points Standings (6: 10th, 17: 13th): Keselowski sits P10 with a two-point gap to ninth, while Buescher is eight points off P12.

NOAH GRAGSON
Pocono Advance
No. 10 Overstock.com Ford Mustang Dark Horse

Event Overview

● Event: The Great American Getaway 400 presented by VisitPA.com (Round 21 of 36)
● Time/Date: 2:30 p.m. EDT on Sunday, July 14
● Location: Pocono (Pa.) Raceway
● Layout: 2.5-mile triangle
● Laps/Miles: 160 laps/400 miles
● Stage Lengths: Stage 1: 30 laps / Stage 2: 65 laps / Final Stage: 65 laps
● TV/Radio: USA / MRN / SiriusXM NASCAR Radio

Notes of Interest

● Pocono (Pa.) Raceway is known as the “Tricky Triangle” for its three distinct corners connected by three straightaways, including an enormously long 3,740-foot frontstretch. It is the only triangle-shaped track on the NASCAR Cup Series calendar, and its layout was designed by two-time Indianapolis 500 champion Rodger Ward, who modeled each of its three turns after a different track. Turn one, which is banked at 14 degrees, is from the legendary Trenton (N.J.) Speedway. Turn two, banked at 8 degrees, is a nod to the turns at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. And turn three, banked at 6 degrees, is based on the corners at The Milwaukee Mile. The first race on the 2.5-mile triangle occurred in 1971, but it wasn’t until Aug. 4, 1974 that NASCAR visited, with the inaugural race won by NASCAR Hall of Famer Richard Petty.

● The Great American Getaway 400 will serve as Noah Gragson’s third career NASCAR Cup Series start at Pocono. The driver of the No. 10 Overstock.com Ford Mustang Dark Horse for Stewart-Haas Racing finished 24th in his first Cup Series race at the 2.5-mile triangle in 2022 and improved that mark by two positions in 2023 when he finished 22nd.

● While Gragson is still building his NASCAR Cup Series resume at Pocono, his CV in the NASCAR Xfinity Series at the track is stout. The 25-year-old racer from Las Vegas has four Xfinity Series starts at Pocono, with three finishes of sixth or better. In fact, his last Xfinity Series start at Pocono was his best. On July 23, 2022, Gragson started ninth but worked his way to the lead after 25 laps. He wound up pacing the field three times for a race-high 43 laps, including the final 22, to take the win by .281 of a second over runner-up Ty Gibbs.

● Before Gragson came to Pocono as a rookie in the NASCAR Xfinity Series in 2019, he was a rookie in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series, making a single start at Pocono in 2017. He qualified eighth and was a top-10 regular until he became embroiled in a three-truck accident on lap 40 that ended his race.

● Gragson also has three ARCA Menards Series starts at Pocono. He first saw the track in 2016, but it was an inauspicious beginning to his time at Pocono, as his car stalled on just the fourth lap. While Gragson’s team was able to finally fix his racecar, it took a while, 51 laps to be exact. But the 29 laps Gragson did run provided valuable experience, which Gragson turned into top-10 runs in 2017 and 2018, when he finished ninth and 10th, respectively. That 2018 ARCA race, however, probably should’ve ended in victory lane. Gragson won the pole for that race and led three times for a race-high 37 laps before he was penalized for an errant wheel from his pit box. ARCA officials sent Gragson to the rear of the field, and while he rallied to 10th, he could never regain the form he had earlier in the race when he was able to race in clean air.

● Overstock.com adorns Gragson’s No. 10 Ford Mustang Dark Horse at Pocono. The partnership amplifies the recent relaunch of Overstock.com, home of crazy good deals that offer quality and style for less. Overstock.com is for the savvy shopper who loves the thrill of the hunt and it includes product categories customers know and love, like patio furniture, home furniture and area rugs, while reintroducing jewelry, watches and health-and-beauty products.

Noah Gragson, Driver of the No. 10 Overstock.com Ford Mustang Dark Horse

What makes a lap at Pocono so challenging?

“You’ve got three different corners and the challenge is to get the car set up optimally in all three corners. But the reality is that you’ve got to compromise one corner so you can be good in the other two. Just trying to get the car handling right all the way around the racetrack and feeling good about it is hard. All the corners are important, and you really have to be good in all of them, and if you get your car dialed in, you can get all three pretty good.”

What makes the Tunnel Turn so difficult?

“It’s just super flat as far as banking, and you’re pretty hammer down through there. It’s all timing. You might touch the brake, barely. You carry a lot of speed, and you have to be right with your steering input. If you hang it out and turn in late by a half-second, or turn in a bit early, you’re going to be angled and positioned wrong and you’re going to have to get back out of the gas again on exit. So it’s important to get through there and time it right, and you definitely have to give yourself room.”

How big of a deal is aero at Pocono, specifically, battling through dirty air when you’re in traffic?

“I feel like you have more options now because they’ve resined the second lane the last five or six years. You can run side-by-side pretty well around there and just go to the lane that they’re not in, so it’s not terrible.”

Pocono seems to have a road-course element to it – some flat, fast corners, some bumps, plenty of shifting – does that make it a track that puts more of the race in your hands?

“Every corner is different, so it’s hard to get into a rhythm. When you go to a regular racetrack, their overall configuration is kind of the same with the way they’re banked and angled. Pocono’s a bit different just because it’s a triangle and three different corners that they tried to replicate from other racetracks, so it’s hard to get into a rhythm there.”

You won at Pocono in the NASCAR Xfinity Series. In fact, you did it in your fourth and final Xfinity Series start there. Was that win a result of your experience at Pocono, because you knew what you needed in your racecar, or was it just a matter of taking a really good car and delivering with it?

“Probably a bit of both. I think the experience we had and us building up a notebook over the years allowed us to bring a good package. Pocono’s one of those tracks where you’re only as good as your car. If the car won’t do something, you’re probably not going to run great. When it’s dialed in and you can hit on something, you’re probably going to have speed and contend for the win. That’s what I felt like we had in the Xfinity race in ’22. I still had to work my tail off holding off Ty Gibbs. It was probably one of the best battles I’ve had racing. We raced each other super hard. It was a lot of fun.”

No. 10 Overstock.com Team Roster

Primary Team Members

Driver: Noah Gragson

Hometown: Las Vegas

Crew Chief: Drew Blickensderfer

Hometown: Decatur, Illinois

Car Chief: Jerry Cook

Hometown: Toledo, Ohio

Engineer: James Kimbrough

Hometown: Pensacola, Florida

Spotter: Andy Houston

Hometown: Hickory, North Carolina

Over-The-Wall Members

Front Tire Changer: Ryan Mulder

Hometown: Sioux Center, Iowa

Rear Tire Changer: Trevor White

Hometown: Arlington, Texas

Tire Carrier: Tyler Bullard

Hometown: King, North Carolina

Jack Man: Sean Cotten

Hometown: Mooresville, North Carolina

Fuel Man: James “Ace” Keener

Hometown: Fortuna, California

Road Crew Members

Mechanic: Chris Trickett

Hometown: Grafton, West Virginia

Mechanic: Beau Whitley

Hometown: Carmel, Indiana

Tire Specialist: Jacob Cooksey

Hometown: Westbrookville, New York

Engine Tuner: Matt Moeller

Hometown: Monroe, New York

Transporter Co-Driver: Steve Casper

Hometown: Salisbury, North Carolina

Transporter Co-Driver: Matt Murphy

Hometown: Augusta, Georgia

Grant Park 165: Chicago Street Course
Chicago, Ill. – July 7, 2024

AUSTIN CINDRIC No. 2 DISCOUNT TIRE FORD MUSTANG

START: 21ST STAGE ONE: 38TH STAGE TWO: 33RD FINISH: 15TH POINTS: 20TH

RACE RUNDOWN: Austin Cindric, driver of the No. 2 Discount Tire Ford Mustang, finished 15th in Sunday’s Grant Park 165, the second-ever street race in the NASCAR Cup Series. The unique event was plagued by weather for the second year, again ending prematurely due to darkness after a nearly two-hour long red flag. Cindric qualified 21st under bright, blue skies Saturday but different conditions greeted him Sunday afternoon as wet weather loomed over the city of Chicago. The skilled road racer fired off on rain tires and gained solid track position early on, but as the track dried out, he slipped back in the running order as the tires became heavily worn. Cindric visited pit road on Lap 15 for a fresh set of rain tires as another burst of rain was en route. A mere one lap later the caution was displayed with Cindric 39th, one lap down. As Stage 1 ended in the following laps, Cindric was scored 38th and eligible to take the wavearound. Intense, heavy rain began to pour over the race course, igniting a nearly two-hour long shutdown of track activity. Once the race resumed, the Discount Tire Ford Mustang restarted 29th, still on rain tires, as the darkness countdown clock ticked away creating a sense of urgency for drivers. On Lap 43, the No. 2 team elected to pit for four slick tires as the weather cleared up and the track conditions changed, just prior to finishing Stage 2 in the 33rd spot. As the time remaining in the race shrunk, Cindric remained focused and steered clear of other on-track mishaps to register a 15th-place finish.

CINDRIC’S THOUGHTS: “It was nice to be able to get a decent finish there at the end with the Discount Tire Ford Mustang. The weather at the start obviously generated a lot of different strategies, and then the long red flag, it’s just unfortunate we weren’t able to go the full distance again. I’m proud of the effort from everyone on the No. 2 team.”

RYAN BLANEY No. 12 MENARDS/DUTCH BOY FORD MUSTANG

START: 17TH STAGE ONE: 36TH STAGE TWO: 29TH FINISH: 10TH POINTS: 7TH

RACE RUNDOWN: Ryan Blaney came away with a 10th-place finish in Sunday’s weather-impacted Chicago Street Race, marking his ninth top-10 result of the season. Steady rain began to fall shortly after the command to fire engines was given, prompting NASCAR to give teams the option to put on wet weather tires before rolling off the grid for the second edition of the street course event. The No. 12 team opted to start the race on the wet tires before Blaney dropped to the rear of the field due to suspension repairs following Saturday’s qualifying session. As the rainfall dissipated and the track began to dry out during the opening laps, Blaney worked to manage tire wear on the softer wet tires with another band of rain approaching the track. While mired in traffic in the back half of the field, Blaney went down a lap five to go in the opening stage and was called to pit road the following lap for four fresh wet tires as heavy rainfall began, prompting the entire field to make the call for the treaded tires before the start of Stage 2. After taking the wave around during the stage break to rejoin the lead lap, the field was brought to pit road on lap 26 for what amounted to be a nearly two-hour red flag. Following the delay, Blaney worked his way up to 24th in the running order before hitting pit road under green for four slick tires before pit road closed prior to the end of Stage 2. The final stage began with 15 minutes remaining until the mandated end time of 8:20 p.m. CT due to darkness as teams were on varying tire strategies to get them to the finish. Blaney evaded several incidents throughout the field in the closing laps, making up nine spots in the final seven laps to surge into the top-10 before ultimately taking the checkered flag 10th on lap 58.

BLANEY’S THOUGHTS: “It’s hard to assess it. It was a crazy race from the start. There were a lot of split strategies getting going on a mix of dry and wet [tires] and then ended kind of on split strategies. We put dries on and ended up 10th – I kind of gave away a few spots at the end missing the corner. Overall, a good finish from where it started today. Pretty wild race – I’d like to run here one time where it’s dry the whole time for the fans’ sake and our sake.”

JOEY LOGANO No. 22 SHELL-PENNZOIL FORD MUSTANG

START: 32ND STAGE ONE: 40TH STAGE TWO: 34TH FINISH: 23RD POINTS: 14TH

RACE RUNDOWN: Joey Logano posted a 23rd-place finish in Sunday’s weather-impacted Chicago Street Race as the second edition of the Grant Park 165 was shortened to 58 laps due to rain throughout the afternoon. Rain began to fall around the track shortly after the command to fire engines was given, prompting NASCAR to give teams the option to put on wet weather tires before rolling off the grid. The No. 22 team chose to start the race on the wet tires in an attempt to gain track position on those the elected to stay with slick tires as Logano worked to manage wear during the opening run as the track began to naturally dry out. With another cell of rain approaching the track in the latter stages of Stage 1, Logano continued on with the wet tires before going a lap down with seven to go in the stage, prompting crew chief Paul Wolfe to call him to pit road on lap 17 for four fresh treaded tires as heavy rainfall began. However, the caution flag flew before Logano crossed the commitment line, trapping him a lap down and forcing him to start at the tail of the field to restart Stage 2. After the entire field made the change to wet weather tires prior to the start of the second segment, a timely caution on the opening lap awarded Logano the free pass to rejoin the lead lap before the race was red flagged for nearly two hours due to rain. After returning to action with eight laps to go in Stage 2, Logano was called to pit road for four slick tires prior to the stage end as the rain dissipated ahead of the final run of the afternoon. The final stage began with 15 minutes remaining until the mandated end time of 8:20 p.m. CT due to darkness as teams were on varying tire strategies while Logano made up ground on the slick tires in the closing laps to come away with a 23rd-place finish.

LOGANO’S THOUGHTS: “A pretty crazy race overall, for sure. With starting back where we did, we had to go against the grain early to find a way to make up as much track position as we could. Fortunately we gained some ground late with the different strategies playing out the way they did.”

The NASCAR Cup Series makes its annual trip to Pocono Raceway on Sunday, July 14. Coverage of the Great American Getaway 400 begins at 2:30 p.m. ET on USA, MRN, and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90.

DANIEL HEMRIC
No. 31 Cirkul Camaro ZL1

• Daniel Hemric qualified 35th for the Grant Park 165 at the Chicago Street Race.
• Starting on slick tires, Hemric made it up to 24th, after completing nine laps. He pitted on lap 17 for wet-weather tires, but the first caution of the day came out just before he committed, closing pit road. Hemric rejoined the field and pitted under caution, before the opening stage ended under caution. Hemric finished 25th.
• Hemric pitted for four wet-weather tires during the stage break, before restarting 27th. A wreck on the restart brought the caution back out, with Hemric acquiring minimal nose damage. The race was then red flagged due to weather. When the race resumed on lap 29, Hemric sat 22nd. The next caution came out on lap 35, as Hemric had worked his way to 20th. Restarting 19th with eight laps remaining in the stage, Hemric fell multiple spots but stayed out until the end of the stage, while most pitted. Hemric finished seventh in the second stage, earning stage points.
• During the stage break, crew chief Trent Owens made the call to gamble and stay out, as the countdown for the race wound down. Hemric started the final stage in seventh. The fifth caution of the day came out on lap 50, as Hemric sat eighth. Told to conserve fuel under caution, he stayed out, before restarting eighth on lap 54. As the countdown continued, Hemric went on to finish 12th, after 58 laps complete.

“What a challenge. Incredible strategy once again by my crew chief, Trent Owens, to continue to run on rain tires. If the race ended about two laps earlier, we would have had a solid top 10, but we finally fell back to a couple guys with new tires. All in all, we maximized our day, and I appreciate the fight from our Kaulig Racing team.” – Daniel Hemric  

AJ ALLMENDINGER
No. 13 Benesch Camaro ZL1

• AJ Allmendinger qualified 37th for the Grant Park 165 at the Chicago Street Race.
• After several cars were sent to the rear at the start of the race, Allmendinger was 26th on the first lap green. The No. 13 continued to move through the field, reporting he needed more lateral grip. By the stage end, Allmendinger was in 16th place. Under the stage break, the team came to pit road for wet weather tires.
• The race restarted for the second stage, and the caution came out on lap 26. The field was brought to pit road for weather, and the red flag was displayed. After the red flag was lifted, Allmendinger restarted in 11th on lap 29 and had taken over 10th on the first lap green. By lap 41, Allmendinger was in sixth place and came to pit road for four slick tires with two laps remaining in the stage. Allmendinger finished the second stage in 19th.
• The No. 13 restarted at the tail end of the longest line on lap 48 after receiving a penalty for pitting when pit road was closed at the end of the second stage. On lap 50, while trying to make it through the field, Allmendinger hit the tire barrier in turn 12, which ultimately ended the day for the No. 13. Allmendinger finished in 38th.

“Proud we had a chance at a really good day. We made a lot of gains from practice and qualifying, but unfortunately, the penalty ended our day.” – AJ Allmendinger  

SHANE van GISBERGEN
No. 16 Wendy’s Camaro ZL1

• Shane van Gisbergen qualified fifth for the Grant Park 165 at the Chicago Street Race.
• Moments from the start of the 75 lap event, inclement weather came through for a short period of time, giving the field the decision to start the event on wet weather tires or stay on slick tires. The No. 16 team chose to start on slick tires. Van Gisbergen took his first lead of the race on lap 12 and secured the stage one win under caution.
• During the stage break caution, the No. 16 Wendy’s Team opted to pit for fuel and wet-weather tires. Van Gisbergen took the green flag fifth to start stage two. On lap 25, Van Gisbergen was involved in an incident, ending his race, relegating him to a 40th-place finish.

“I’m disappointed. We had a really amazing Wendy’s Chevy today. Kaulig Racing and Trackhouse Racing, they gave us a great car. We were able to lead and I felt like I was driving well with it, so yeah, it’s a shame to be out so early. It’s a shame we couldn’t have a proper crack at it at the end.” – Shane van Gisbergen  

 

About Kaulig Racing

Kaulig Racing™ is a full-time, multi-car NASCAR Cup Series (NCS) and NASCAR Xfinity Series (NXS) team, owned by award winning entrepreneur, Matt Kaulig. Established in 2016, Kaulig Racing™ has earned 23 NXS wins, made the NXS Playoffs consecutively each season since the playoff system started, and won two regular-season championships. In 2021, the team competed in select NCS events, before expanding to a two-car, full-time NCS team in 2022 and adding a third, part-time entry during the 2023 season. Since its first NCS start in 2021, the team has earned two wins. Kaulig Racing is currently fielding two full-time entries in the NCS and continues to field three full-time NXS entries, with a part-time fourth entry at select events. To learn more about the team, visit kauligracing.com.

RICK WARE RACING
Grant Park 165

Date: July 7, 2024
Event: Grant Park 165 (Round 20 of 36)
Series: NASCAR Cup Series
Location: Chicago Street Race (2.2-mile, 12-turn street circuit)
Format: 75 laps, broken into three stages (20 laps/25 laps/30 laps)
Note: Race called 17 laps short of its scheduled 75-lap distance due to darkness.

Race Winner: Alex Bowman of Hendrick Motorsports (Chevrolet)
Stage 1 Winner: Shane van Gisbergen of Kaulig Racing (Chevrolet)
Stage 2 Winner: Joey Hand of RFK Racing (Ford)

RWR Race Finish:

● Justin Haley (Started 23rd, Finished 16th/ Running, completed 58 of 58 laps)
● Kaz Grala (Started 40th, Finished 26th/ Running, completed 58 of 58 laps)

RWR Points:

● Justin Haley (29th with 287 points)
● Kaz Grala (35th with 166 points)

RWR Notes:

● Haley earned his eighth top-20 of the season and second top-20 in two career NASCAR Cup Series starts on the Chicago Street Course. It was his third top-20 result in the last four races.
● Haley’s best finish on the Chicago Street Course remains second, earned in last year’s inaugural event.
● Haley’s 16th-place finish was a team-best for RWR on the streets of Chicago. The previous best finish was 21st, earned by Jenson Button in 2023.
● This was Grala’s first NASCAR Cup Series start at Chicago.

Race Notes:

● Alex Bowman won the Grant Park 165 to score his eighth career NASCAR Cup Series victory, his first of the season and his first on the streets of Chicago. His margin of victory over second-place Tyler Reddick was 2.863 seconds.

● There were five caution periods for a total of 19 laps.

● Thirty-four of the 40 drivers in the race finished on the lead lap.

● Kyle Larson remains the championship leader after Chicago with an 11-point advantage over second-place Chase Elliott.

Sound Bites:

“I feel like we had a really good car. The biggest thing we were fighting was track conditions and we were able to drive up into the top-10 before the call to pit at the end of stage two. I think we could’ve left with a top-five finish. That’s what this team deserves, but I’m glad I was able to get back up there for another top-20 finish and make a decent points day out of it.”– Justin Haley, driver of the No. 51 Pinnacle Home Improvements Ford Mustang Dark Horse

“I had a blast at the beginning of the race driving all the way up to 12th from the tail. Our remixers.com Ford was quick today and had top-10 pace. The way things cycled at the end we were primed to get that top-10 finish, but got a penalty for entering a closed pit road with only a handful of laps left. We battled back as best we could, but ultimately just got too far behind.” – Kaz Grala, driver of the No. 15 remixers.com Ford Mustang Dark Horse

Next Up:

The next event on the NASCAR Cup Series schedule is The Great American Getaway 400 presented by VisitPA.com on Sunday, July 14 at Pocono (Pa.) Raceway. The race begins at 2:30 p.m. EDT with live coverage provided by USA and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio.