Pocono is a very unusual race track with its triangular shape, it's kind of an oval with the characteristics of a road course. Sunday's Pocono 500 in the NASCAR Nextel Cup is also the first time rookies see Pocono as the Busch Series doesn't run there. So it was very surprising when rookie Denny Hamlin won the pole. It seems he plays a lot of video games and has practiced Pocono there. Also, his crew chief Mike Ford has had a lot of success at Pocono winning with Bill Elliott in 2003.
Denny Hamlin-#11 FedEx Ground Chevy led the first 50 laps when he blew a left rear tire and spun out. He didn't hit anything but the tire caused some damage. His pit crew had to repair the battery compartment so the battery would stay in place. Hamlin was still on the lead lap but things didn't look good. Kurt Busch-#2 Miller Lite Dodge took the lead. He would lead several times during the race but wasn't fast enough to keep the lead. In this case Jeff Burton-#31 Cingular Chevy would quickly pass Busch for the lead.
A long green flag run would lead to green flag pit stops. Carl Edwards-#99 Office Depot Ford won this race last year and was leading when his car came off the jack during the pit stop. This put Edwards a lap down and he finished 25th. Greg Biffle-#16 Subway Ford had trouble with his brakes early in the race. His crew fixed it and Biffle took the lead on lap 121.
After another round of green flag pit stops, Kevin Lepage-#49 Pocono Manor Resort Dodge stopped on the track on lap 149 to bring out the caution. Some guys stayed out and Biffle continued to lead. Denny Hamlin took the lead on lap 164. After more green flag pit stops, Hamlin had a significant lead. But a brake failure caused Jeff Gordon-#24 Dupont Chevy to hit the wall hard. NASCAR brought out the red flag so they could repair the SAFR barrier and clean up the track. Gordon was OK. This tightened up the field but Denny Hamlin held on for the win.
Congratulations to Denny Hamlin, crew chief Mike Ford & car owner Joe Gibbs on winning Denny's first Nextel Cup race. A couple of notable top ten finishes. After being relieved by Ricky Rudd at Dover last week because of a broken scapula, Tony Stewart was fitted for a new seat and ran the entire race and finished third. Brian Vickers announced this week that he is leaving Hendrick Motorsports at the end of this season. He came in here and had a top ten. Rumour is Vickers will drive a Toyota for Red Bull Racing. Scott Riggs had a mishap on lap one that put Casey Mears into the wall and out of the race. Riggs recovered for a top ten finish. Jimmie Johnson still leads the points. Next week the Nextel Cup boys are in Michigan and the Busch Series is in Kentucky. Here's the top ten of today's race.
#/Driver/Sponsor/Make/Owner
1.11/Denny Hamlin/FedEx Ground/Chevy/Joe Gibbs
2.2/Kurt Busch/Miller Lite/Dodge/Roger Penske
3.20/Tony Stewart/Home Depot/Chevy/Joe Gibbs
4.25/Brian Vickers/GMAC/Chevy/Rick Hendrick
5.17/Matt Kenseth/DeWalt Tools/Ford/Jack Roush
6.16/Greg Biffle/Subway/Ford/Jack Roush
7.9/Kasey Kahne/UAW-Dodge Dealers/Dodge/Ray Evernham
8.10/Scott Riggs/Valvoline/Dodge/Ray Evernham
9.31/Jeff Burton/Cingular/Chevy/Richard Childress
10.48/Jimmie Johnson/Lowe's/Chevy/Rick Hendrick
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