On Air Now & coming up

NASCAR Sprint Cup Series “Axalta 400”

Kurt Busch wins at Pocono

Kurt Busch kept one eye on his fuel gauge and the other on a fast-closing Dale Earnhardt, Jr. down the stretch Monday afternoon, winning the rain-delayed event at Pocono Raceway. Busch got the jump on Junior on the day’s final restart and kept the #41 Stewart-Haas Racing Chevrolet in front the rest of the way, stretching his fuel mileage through the final 32 laps to notch his first win of 2016. 

Busch’s margin of victory was one second over Earnhardt with pole sitter Brad Keselowskirookie Chase Elliott and Joey Logano completing the top five. It’s Busch’s 28th career victory and 3rd at “The Tricky Triangle.” The race was originally scheduled for Sunday afternoon but persistent rain moved it to Monday. Logano and Matt Kenseth showed power during the first third of the race, combining to lead 48 of the first 65 laps. Elliott took over from there and went on to lead 51 laps through the middle portion of the race before yielding to Earnhardt – who then fell victim to Busch on the final, pivotal restart.

The race pace was slowed by 10 cautions, just 3 shy of the track record. Busch won with an average speed of 125.490 miles per hour, some 20 miles per hour slower than Jeff Gordon’s track record set in 2011.

Speaking of Gordon, he’s the last driver to win back-to-back June races at Pocono – in 1996 and 1997. Martin Truex, Jr. had his sights set on matching that achievement but was involved in pit-road contact with Matt DiBenedetto early in Monday’s race and never fully recovered, finishing 19th.

Kevin Harvick’s 9th-place finish was enough to keep him atop the regular-season point standings.

[button style=”btn-primary btn-lg” icon=”fa fa-flag-checkered” align=”left” type=”link” target=”true” title=”Full Story From mrn.com” link=”http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASCAR-Sprint-Cup/News/Articles/2016/06/Kurt-Busch-Wins-Axalta-We-Paint-Winners-400-at-Pocono-Raceway.aspx”]

 

– story by John Singler
www.mrn.com
Concord, NC

RankDriver (wins)PointsBehind+/-
1Kevin Harvick (1)490LEADER0
2Kurt Busch (1)465-250
3Brad Keselowski (2)442-48+3
4Carl Edwards (2)437-53+1
5Kyle Busch (3)416-74-1
6Jimmie Johnson (2)415-75-3
7Chase Elliott413-77+1
8Joey Logano410-80+1
9Martin Truex, Jr. (1)403-87-2
10Matt Kenseth (1)382-1080
11Dale Earnhardt, Jr.381-109+2
12Denny Hamlin (1)372-118-1

 

 

Recommended Posts

Loading...