NASCAR - Pocono

Pocono racing newly paved track made for a faster lap on the "no right turn road course". Pit road strategy was the name of the game today. Joey Lagano took the checker flag taking a chance on caution laps to make it to the end. Dale Earnhardt Jr. after leading the most laps, pit with 16 to go and lost on the risk of no more cautions causing the other drivers to run out of gas... Gaining 8 positions in the 16 laps he finished 8th with one of the fastest cars out there.  Wins are just slipping through his fingers... one should be here soon. Matt Kenseth who also had a fast car through out the race, lost positions after a restart incident when Kasey Kahne and Denny Hamlin got together, just not able to recover, finishing 7th. Jimmie Johnson getting caught speeding on pit road twice was part of the record 22 penalties for speeding on pit road. Still posting a top 5 finish in 4th.

Congratulation Joey Lagano!!! Gambling on fuel mileage paid off. Chasing the veteran Mark Martin the final 8 laps of the race and making the pass that counted to cross that finish line first. Giving Gibbs Racing yet another Pocono win. As in all "road courses" pit strategy is the race.


Top Ten Recap:
1. Joey Lagano - started on Pole - up 1 position to 15th
2. Mark Martin - started 6 - up 1 position to 23rd
3. Tony Stewart - started 22 - remains in 8th
4. Jimmie Johnson - started 24 - remains in 5th
5. Denny Hamlin - started 5 - remains in 4th
6. Clint Bowyer - started 16 - up 1 position to 9th
7. Matt Kenseth - started 14 - up 1 position to LEADER
8. Dale Earnhardt Jr. - started 8 - up 1 position to 2nd
9. Paul Menard - started 3 - up 2 positions to 13th
10. Jamie McMurray - started 11 - up 3 positions to 19th

Race for the Chase:
1. Matt Kenseth - up 1 position - finished 7th
2. Dale Earnhardt Jr. - up 1 position - finished 8th
3. Greg Biffle - down 2 position - finished 24th
4. Denny Hamlin - finished 5th
5. Jimmie Johnson - finished 4th
6. Kevin Harvick - up 1 position - finished 14th
7. Martin Truex Jr. - down 1 position - finished 20th
8. Tony Stewart - finished 3rd
9. Clint Bowyer - up 1 position - finished 6th
10. Brad Keslowski - up 1 position - finished 18th
11. Carl Edwards - up 1 position - finished 11th
12. Kyle Busch - down 3 positions - finished 30th

Ryan Newman in 14th position would be in the Chase with 1 win and Carl Edwards out with no wins. Joey Lagano in 15th and Kasey Kahne in 16th also have 1 win.
Kyle Busch and Aric Almirola were the big loser... losing 3 positions
Jamie McMurray was the biggest mover upward with 3 positions putting him in 19th.

Next race - Michigan International Speedway - Quicken Loans 400 - Sunday June 17, 2012 - 12pm

Take Care All
Have a Wonderful Week
Barbara