Joe Gibbs Racing Takes 1-2 Spots at Pocono Raceway

June 2010 -  A heavy rain storm struck Pocono Raceway just as the field was prepared to take the green flag delaying the start of the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Gillette Fusion ProGlide 500 for nearly two hours, but that did little to hamper yet another strong effort by Joe Gibbs Racing as Denny Hamlin and Kyle Busch earned a 1-2 finish and only a late-race accident kept Joey Logano from putting all three teams inside the top-five.

It is no secret that Hamlin is a heavy favorite when the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series circuit visits Pocono Raceway and today was no exception as he proved his No. 11 FedEx Freight Toyota would be a factor throughout the day right from the very beginning. Starting from the fifth position Hamlin wasted absolutely no time in working his way to the front as he took his first lead of the day from his teammate Kyle Busch on lap five. He would go on to lead a race-high 88 laps in en route to the victory and the only true questions would result from fuel strategy and if he could hold off his JGR teammates who also had proven strong entries. Crew chief Mike Ford made the right calls however and the FedEx team executed on each stop while Hamlin did the rest on the track to earn his second consecutive and fourth career victory at Pocono. It was also Hamlin’s fourth victory of the season.

Kyle Busch, driver of the No. 18 M&Ms Pretzel Candies Toyota started the day on the pole and took the early lead as he raced to the front at the green flag and led the first four laps of the day. Battling extremely tight conditions early on Busch drifted back into the fourth position but when a competition caution came out on lap 15 the M&Ms crew managed to put him back out front for the restart on lap 20. Busch would be strong all day and go on to lead four different times for a total of 32 laps as crew chief Dave Rogers and the M&Ms team delivered a strong entry this weekend in Pocono. Busch would restart in the third position when the race went to a green-white-checkered finish and was able to get around former teammate Tony Stewart for a strong second place showing by the M&Ms team.

Joey Logano started the No. 20 Home Depot Toyota in the 12th position and ran just outside the top ten for much of the first portion of the race. As the race went on Logano would get stronger thanks to the adjustments made by crew chief Greg Zipadelli and the Home Depot team. He would race his way into the top 10 and ultimately the top-five and appeared set for a very strong finish despite only having two previous races of experience on this most difficult and unique triangular track.

As the race appeared set to conclude Logano had moved clear of Kevin Harvick in the No. 29 car for fifth place just as Hamlin was approaching the finish line for the white flag which signifies the final lap. Harvick appeared to have other ideas however and came back on Logano and made contact to the Home Depot Camry’s left rear quarter panel which caused Logano to spin. The contact would bring out the caution flag and with Hamlin just shy of getting to the white flag the race would not be declared complete and thus set the stage for a green-white-checkered finish. Logano would restart back in the 30th position but rally all the way up to 13th to salvage the day as another large wreck would take several cars on the final lap.

Tony Stewart finished third behind Hamlin and Busch, while Harvick was fourth and Jimmie Johnson rounded out the top five. There were eight cautions for a total of 27 laps and 14 lead changes among seven different drivers.

Busch remains second in the point standings just 19 points out of the top spot. Hamlin moved up two spots into the third place thanks to his victory in Pocono, while Joey Logano managed to gain one spot despite the late-race misfortune and is now in 17th-place just 101 points out of the top-12.

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