#SrigleyStats Weekend Recap: Pocono
Taking a look back at this weekend's events from Pocono Raceway
Things got pretty wild in the closing stages of Sunday’s NASCAR Cup Series event at Pocono Raceway, with contact between Denny Hamlin and Kyle Larson while battling for the win leading to a disagreement amongst friends.
In Saturday’s NASCAR Xfinity Series and NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series events, there was also some late-race tomfoolery, which resulted in the afternoon’s dominant drivers not getting the chance to park it in victory lane.
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NASCAR Cup Series - HighPoint.com 400 at Pocono - Top-10:
#11 - Denny Hamlin - Joe Gibbs Racing
#45 - Tyler Reddick - 23XI Racing
#19 - Martin Truex, Jr. - Joe Gibbs Racing
#4 - Kevin Harvick - Stewart-Haas Racing
#54 - Ty Gibbs - Joe Gibbs Racing
#20 - Christopher Bell - Joe Gibbs Racing
#47 - Ricky Stenhouse, Jr. - JTG Daugherty Racing
#21 - Harrison Burton - Wood Brothers Racing
#43 - Erik Jones - LEGACY MOTOR CLUB
#9 - Chase Elliott - Hendrick Motorsports
NASCAR Xfinity Series - Explore Pocono 225 at Pocono - Top-10:
#21 - Austin Hill - Richard Childress Racing
#1 - Sam Mayer - JR Motorsports
#17 - Chase Elliott - Hendrick Motorsports
#98 - Riley Herbst - Stewart-Haas Racing
#11 - Daniel Hemric - Kaulig Racing
#18 - Sammy Smith - Joe Gibbs Racing
#9 - Brandon Jones - JR Motorsports
#25 - Brett Moffitt - AM Racing
#48 - Parker Kligerman - Big Machine Racing
#10 - Daniel Suarez - Kaulig Racing
NASCAR Truck Series - CRC Brakleen 150 at Pocono - Top-10:
#51 - Kyle Busch - Kyle Busch Motorsports
#11 - Corey Heim - TRICON Garage
#17 - Taylor Gray - TRICON Garage
#61 - Christopher Bell - Hattori Racing Enterprises
#23 - Grant Enfinger - GMS Racing
#98 - Ty Majeski - ThorSport Racing
#19 - Christian Eckes - McAnally-Hilgemann Racing
#5 - Dean Thompson - TRICON Garage
#99 - Ben Rhodes - ThorSport Racing
#25 - Matt DiBenedetto - Rackley WAR
#SrigleyStats Spotlight Driver - Pocono: Taylor Gray
Contesting his first full season in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series, Taylor Gray has been staying out of the limelight, recording top-10 finishes at Martinsville, Kansas, and Charlotte and only having a single DNF - on the dirt at Bristol.
After missing the first three events of 2023, the 18-year-old driver entered Pocono with the only path to the post-season being a victory.
While that isn’t what happened, the younger of the Gray brothers picked up a career-best result of third, his first top-five in the NASCAR Truck Series, while in his second race working with new crew chief Jacob Hampton.
The strong result at the 2.5-mile facility puts an exclamation point on a stretch of good runs for the TRICON Garage driver, who has scored top-15 finishes in each of the last five events - Charlotte, Gateway, Nashville, Mid-Ohio, and now Pocono.
However, looking ahead to this weekend, the regular-season finale at Richmond Raceway, Gray has to have a sense of optimism, as the three-quarter-mile short track is the site of a sixth-place result last season.
Things will likely be off-the-handle as drivers battle for the final spots in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series post-season, but Taylor Gray, driving the No. 17 Toyota Tundra TRD Pro, could be a driver to watch, as he could win his way in.
Regardless of the outcome though, Gray has maintained a steady composure in his rookie season, which should allow him to come out swinging and competing for victories in 2024.
While Denny Hamlin scored the 600th NASCAR National Series victory for Toyota in NASCAR’s National Series, the manufacturer was able to place five entries inside the top six in Sunday’s NASCAR Cup Series event at Pocono Raceway.
It’s only the second time in a 17-year tenure at NASCAR’s top-level that a Toyota Camry has occupied five of the top-six positions in an event.
With Kyle Busch’s victory in Saturday’s NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series event at Pocono Raceway, Kyle Busch Motorsports has officially become the first-ever organization to win 100 races in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series.