2014 Pocono 400

2014 Pocono 400
Race details[1][2][3][4][5][6][7][8][9][10][11]
Race 14 of 36 in the 2014 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series
Date June 8, 2014 (2014-06-08)
Location Pocono Raceway, Long Pond, Pennsylvania
Course Permanent racing facility
2.5 mi (4 km)
Distance 160 laps, 400 mi (643.737 km)
Weather Sunny with a temperature around 76 °F (24 °C); wind out of the south at 8 miles per hour (13 km/h).
Average speed 139.440 mph (224.407 km/h)
Pole position
Driver
Joe Gibbs Racing
Time 49.610
Most laps led
Driver Brad Keselowski Team Penske
Laps 95
Winner
No. 88 Dale Earnhardt, Jr. Hendrick Motorsports
Television in the United States
Network TNT & MRN
Announcers Adam Alexander, Wally Dallenbach, Jr. and Kyle Petty (Television)
Joe Moore, Barney Hall and Jeff Striegle (Booth)
Dave Moody (1), Mike Bagley (2) and Buddy Long (3) (Turns) (Radio)
Nielsen Ratings 3.0/8
4.5 Million viewers[12]

The 2014 Pocono 400 was a NASCAR Sprint Cup Series stock car race held on June 8, 2014, at Pocono Raceway in Long Pond, Pennsylvania. Contested over 160 laps on the 2.5 miles (4.0 km) triangular superspeedway, it was the 14th race of the 2014 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series. Dale Earnhardt, Jr. won the race, his second of the season and first at Pocono. Brad Keselowski finished second, while Kurt Busch, Denny Hamlin, and Kyle Larson, who placed as the highest finishing rookie. Behind Larson, the top rookies of the race were Austin Dillon in 17th, and Michael Annett in 20th.

Earnhardt, Jr. was the fourth straight different driver from Hendrick Motorsports to win at Pocono, following Jeff Gordon's rain-shortened win in August 2012 and Jimmie Johnson and Kasey Kahne in the June and August 2013 (respectively) races.

Previous week's race

Jimmie Johnson held off a four-lap charge by Brad Keselowski to win the FedEx 400 at Dover International Speedway. It was Johnson's second straight win after his Coca-Cola 600 victory the week before; he joined Kevin Harvick and Joey Logano as the only multiple race winners of the season. He led 272 of 400 laps in a performance he described as "incredible", with an "awesome" race car.[13]

Report

Background

Pocono Raceway, the race track where the race was held.

Pocono Raceway is a three-turn superspeedway that is 2.5 miles (4.0 km) long.[14] The track's turns are banked differently; the first is banked at 14°, the second turn at 8° and the final turn with 6°.[14] However, each of the three straightaways are banked at 2°.[15] The front stretch at Pocono Raceway is 3,740 feet long, the longest at the track.[15] The back stretch, is 3,055 feet long, while the short stretch, which connects turn two with turn three, is only 1,780 feet long.[15] Jimmie Johnson was the defending race winner after winning the race in 2013.

Entry list

The entry list for the Pocono 400 was released on Tuesday, June 3, 2014 at 11:09 a.m. Eastern time. Forty-three drivers were entered for the race which meant no one failed to make the race.

No. Driver Team Manufacturer
1Jamie McMurrayChip Ganassi RacingChevrolet
2Brad Keselowski (PC2)Team PenskeFord
3Austin Dillon (R)Richard Childress RacingChevrolet
4Kevin HarvickStewart-Haas RacingChevrolet
5Kasey KahneHendrick MotorsportsChevrolet
7Michael Annett (R)Tommy Baldwin RacingChevrolet
9Marcos AmbroseRichard Petty MotorsportsFord
10Danica PatrickStewart-Haas RacingChevrolet
11Denny HamlinJoe Gibbs RacingToyota
13Casey MearsGermain RacingChevrolet
14Tony Stewart (PC3)Stewart-Haas RacingChevrolet
15Clint BowyerMichael Waltrip RacingToyota
16Greg BiffleRoush-Fenway RacingFord
17Ricky Stenhouse, Jr.Roush-Fenway RacingFord
18Kyle BuschJoe Gibbs RacingToyota
20Matt Kenseth (PC5)Joe Gibbs RacingToyota
22Joey LoganoTeam PenskeFord
23Alex Bowman (R)BK RacingToyota
24Jeff Gordon (PC6)Hendrick MotorsportsChevrolet
26Cole Whitt (R)BK RacingToyota
27Paul MenardRichard Childress RacingChevrolet
31Ryan NewmanRichard Childress RacingChevrolet
32Travis KvapilGo FAS RacingFord
33David StremmeCircle SportChevrolet
34David RaganFront Row MotorsportsFord
36Reed SorensonTommy Baldwin RacingChevrolet
38David GillilandFront Row MotorsportsFord
40Landon Cassill (i)Circle SportChevrolet
41Kurt Busch (PC4)Stewart-Haas RacingChevrolet
42Kyle Larson (R)Chip Ganassi RacingChevrolet
43Aric AlmirolaRichard Petty MotorsportsFord
44J. J. Yeley (i)Xxxtreme MotorsportsChevrolet
47A. J. AllmendingerJTG Daugherty RacingChevrolet
48Jimmie Johnson (PC1)Hendrick MotorsportsChevrolet
51Justin Allgaier (R)HScott MotorsportsChevrolet
55Brian VickersMichael Waltrip RacingToyota
66Timmy HillMichael Waltrip RacingToyota
77Dave BlaneyRandy Humphrey RacingFord
78Martin Truex, Jr.Furniture Row RacingChevrolet
83Ryan Truex (R)BK RacingToyota
88Dale Earnhardt, Jr.Hendrick MotorsportsChevrolet
98Josh WisePhil Parsons RacingFord
99Carl EdwardsRoush-Fenway RacingFord
Official entry list
Key Meaning
(R) Rookie
(i) Ineligible for points
(PC#) Past champions provisional

Practice

First practice

Brian Vickers was the fastest in first practice with a time of 49.764 and a speed of 180.854 mph (291.056 km/h).

Pos No. Driver Team Manufacturer Time Speed
1 55Brian VickersMichael Waltrip RacingToyota49.764180.854
2 2Brad KeselowskiTeam PenskeFord49.938180.223
3 4Kevin HarvickStewart-Haas RacingChevrolet50.052179.813
Official first practice results

Qualifying

Denny Hamlin won the pole for the race with a time of 49.610 – a new track record – and a speed of 181.415 mph (291.959 km/h). "It's a tough balance, but we really just made the car a lot better," Hamlin said. "Each session our balance got a little bit better and we were able to get a little bit more speed out of it. That's kind of what you want to do, play it enough in the first few rounds to get to the final round where you go all out. Good job by our FedEx Ground Toyota team. We didn't test up here, we're one of the only teams that didn't test, but it's good to at least have a good Friday."[16]

Qualifying results

Pos No. Driver Team Manufacturer R1 R2 R3
1 11Denny HamlinJoe Gibbs RacingToyota50.36050.01049.610
2 41Kurt BuschStewart-Haas RacingChevrolet50.10449.70049.612
3 2Brad KeselowskiTeam PenskeFord50.43049.79849.637
4 4Kevin HarvickStewart-Haas RacingChevrolet50.19350.00149.770
5 24Jeff GordonHendrick MotorsportsChevrolet50.12350.08549.858
6 18Kyle BuschJoe Gibbs RacingToyota50.41849.90449.873
7 22Joey LoganoTeam PenskeFord50.25550.08950.048
8 88Dale Earnhardt, Jr.Hendrick MotorsportsChevrolet50.50750.17450.121
9 55Brian VickersMichael Waltrip RacingToyota49.99249.99950.126
10 99Carl EdwardsRoush Fenway RacingFord50.48150.11050.172
11 3Austin Dillon (R)Richard Childress RacingChevrolet50.42850.20150.188
12 14Tony StewartStewart-Haas RacingToyota50.20950.01450.244
13 16Greg BiffleRoush Fenway RacingFord50.37050.207—
14 42Kyle Larson (R)Chip Ganassi RacingChevrolet50.53650.215—
15 31Ryan NewmanRichard Childress RacingChevrolet50.29450.259—
16 10Danica PatrickStewart-Haas RacingChevrolet50.23350.265—
17 78Martin Truex, Jr.Furniture Row RacingChevrolet50.48550.286—
18 1Jamie McMurrayChip Ganassi RacingChevrolet50.34850.302—
19 15Clint BowyerMichael Waltrip RacingToyota50.47950.342—
20 48Jimmie JohnsonHendrick MotorsportsChevrolet50.15850.370—
21 47A. J. AllmendingerJTG Daugherty RacingChevrolet50.27950.480—
22 43Aric AlmirolaRichard Petty MotorsportsFord50.49450.521—
23 27Paul MenardRichard Childress RacingChevrolet50.52150.553—
24 51Justin Allgaier (R)HScott MotorsportsChevrolet50.52950.765—
25 13Casey MearsGermain RacingChevrolet50.549——
26 20Matt KensethJoe Gibbs RacingToyota50.571——
27 5Kasey KahneHendrick MotorsportsChevrolet50.588——
28 17Ricky Stenhouse, Jr.Roush Fenway RacingFord50.610——
29 9Marcos AmbroseRichard Petty MotorsportsFord50.801——
30 7Michael Annett (R)Tommy Baldwin RacingChevrolet51.047——
31 40Landon CassillCircle SportChevrolet51.129——
32 34David RaganFront Row MotorsportsFord51.159——
33 32Travis KvapilGo FAS RacingFord51.175——
34 23Alex Bowman (R)BK RacingToyota51.231——
35 38David GillilandFront Row MotorsportsFord51.249——
36 36Reed SorensonTommy Baldwin RacingChevrolet51.441——
37 98Josh WisePhil Parsons RacingFord51.503——
38 44J. J. YeleyXxxtreme MotorsportsChevrolet51.733——
39 66Timmy HillIdentity Ventures RacingToyota51.945——
40 26Cole Whitt (R)BK RacingToyota52.081——
41 83Ryan Truex (R)BK RacingToyota52.188——
42 33Alex KennedyCircle SportChevrolet53.037——
43 77Dave BlaneyRandy Humphrey RacingFord0.000——
Official qualifying results

Practice (post-qualifying)

Second practice

Kevin Harvick was the fastest in the second practice session with a time of 50.764 and a speed of 177.291 mph (285.322 km/h).

Pos No. Driver Team Manufacturer Time Speed
1 4Kevin HarvickStewart-Haas RacingChevrolet50.764177.291
2 2Brad KeselowskiTeam PenskeFord50.787177.211
3 55Brian VickersMichael Waltrip RacingToyota50.823177.085
Official second practice results

Final practice

Harvick was the fastest in the final practice session with a time of 51.251 and a speed of 175.606 mph (282.610 km/h). Aric Almirola had to change his transmission after fluid started leaking out of it with 15 minutes left in practice. It was initially thought that he lost an engine.[17]

Pos No. Driver Team Manufacturer Time Speed
1 4Kevin HarvickStewart-Haas RacingChevrolet51.251175.606
2 41Kurt BuschStewart-Haas RacingChevrolet51.269175.545
3 48Jimmie JohnsonHendrick MotorsportsChevrolet51.296175.452
Official final practice results

Race

First half

Start

Denny Hamlin led the field to the green flag at 1:20 p.m. but Brad Keselowski took the lead from him to lead lap one. The first caution of the day came out at lap 32 for a fire in the inside wall in turn 3. The fire apparently was in the area where pyrotechnics were launched during the pre-race ceremonies. After getting into the rear of Jamie McMurray and damaging the front of the car on the ensuing restart, points leader Matt Kenseth wound up going a lap down on lap 50. Keselowski led the first 57 laps until he came in to pit and Jeff Gordon took the lead for one lap before handing it to Tony Stewart.

The second caution of the race came out on lap 60 for debris in turn three in the middle of green flag stops. Debris on the back stretch, from J. J. Yeley's car, brought out the third caution of the race on lap 71. Stewart took the lead from Keselowski on the restart. A spin in turn 1 by Dave Blaney brought out the fourth caution on lap 81. Kurt Busch took the lead from Stewart on lap 85, before Stewart regained the lead from Busch five laps later. Rookie Kyle Larson led his first ever lap in Sprint Cup competition on lap 103, before Jimmie Johnson found his way to the lead for the first time at lap 110; he pitted not long after, ceding the lead to another rookie, Michael Annett.

Second half

Stewart re-took the lead on lap 114 after the green flag stops cycled through, while team-mate Kevin Harvick had a flat tire a lap later. The sixth caution of the race came out on lap 117 for fluid on the race track. Stewart was too fast entering pit road and had to serve a drive-through penalty, handing the lead to Keselowski. Justin Allgaier led his first ever lap on lap 135, before Danica Patrick brought out the seventh caution, by crashing at turn three. The eighth caution of the race came out with 18 laps to go. Kasey Kahne, Kyle Busch, Carl Edwards and Greg Biffle were involved.

Finish

Dale Earnhardt, Jr. took the lead from Brad Keselowski with five laps to go and took the checkered flag.[18] He inherited the lead after Keselowski dropped back to try and remove the piece of trash on his grill. "That's unfortunate for him," Earnhardt said. "He had me beat. I couldn't get to him. It's real hard to pass here. I've lost some in strange ways. It feels good to win one like that. Brad definitely had the better car. I'll own up to that, but we won the race." Keselowski stated that his car "was running really hot" and that he thought it "was going to blow up".[19]

Race results

Pos Grid No. Driver Team Manufacturer Laps Points
1 888Dale Earnhardt, Jr.Hendrick MotorsportsChevrolet16047
2 32Brad KeselowskiTeam PenskeFord16044
3 241Kurt BuschStewart-Haas RacingChevrolet16042
4 111Denny HamlinJoe Gibbs RacingToyota16041
5 1442Kyle Larson (R)Chip Ganassi RacingChevrolet16040
6 2048Jimmie JohnsonHendrick MotorsportsChevrolet16039
7 1531Ryan NewmanRichard Childress RacingChevrolet16037
8 524Jeff GordonHendrick MotorsportsChevrolet16037
9 1778Martin Truex, Jr.Furniture Row RacingChevrolet16035
10 181Jamie McMurrayChip Ganassi RacingChevrolet16034
11 1915Clint BowyerMichael Waltrip RacingToyota16033
12 618Kyle BuschJoe Gibbs RacingToyota16032
13 1214Tony StewartStewart-Haas RacingChevrolet16032
14 44Kevin HarvickStewart-Haas RacingChevrolet16030
15 2817Ricky Stenhouse, Jr.Roush Fenway RacingFord16029
16 1316Greg BiffleRoush Fenway RacingFord16028
17 113Austin Dillon (R)Richard Childress RacingChevrolet16027
18 3234David RaganFront Row MotorsportsFord16026
19 955Brian VickersMichael Waltrip RacingToyota16026
20 307Michael Annett (R)Tommy Baldwin RacingChevrolet16024
21 2147A. J. AllmendingerJTG Daugherty RacingChevrolet16023
22 2243Aric AlmirolaRichard Petty MotorsportsFord16022
23 2513Casey MearsGermain RacingChevrolet16021
24 299Marcos AmbroseRichard Petty MotorsportsFord16020
25 2620Matt KensethJoe Gibbs RacingToyota16019
26 2327Paul MenardRichard Childress RacingChevrolet16018
27 2451Justin Allgaier (R)HScott MotorsportsChevrolet16018
28 3538David GillilandFront Row MotorsportsFord16016
29 3332Travis KvapilGo FAS RacingFord16015
30 4026Cole Whitt (R)BK RacingToyota15914
31 3423Alex Bowman (R)BK RacingToyota15913
32 4183Ryan Truex (R)BK RacingToyota15912
33 3140Landon CassillCircle SportChevrolet1580
34 3636Reed SorensonCircle SportChevrolet15810
35 3798Josh WisePhil Parsons RacingFord1589
36 3966Timmy HillIdentity Ventures RacingToyota1588
37 1610Danica PatrickStewart-Haas RacingChevrolet1587
38 3844J. J. YeleyXxxtreme MotorsportsChevrolet1570
39 4233Alex KennedyCircle SportChevrolet1565
40 722Joey LoganoTeam PenskeFord1504
41 1099Carl EdwardsRoush Fenway RacingFord1433
42 275Kasey KahneHendrick MotorsportsChevrolet1422
43 4377Dave BlaneyRandy Humphrey RacingFord1421

Race statistics

  • Lead changes: 21 among different drivers
  • Cautions/Laps: 7 for 25
  • Red flags: 0
  • Time of race: 2 hours, 52 minutes and 7 seconds
  • Average speed: 139.440 miles per hour (224.407 km/h)
  • Dale Earnhardt, Jr. took home $198.965 in winnings

Media

Television

TNT Sports
Booth announcersPit reporters
Lap-by-lap: Adam Alexander
Color-commentator: Wally Dallenbach, Jr.
Color commentator: Kyle Petty		Matt Yocum
Marty Snider
Chris Neville
Ralph Sheheen

Radio

MRN Radio
Booth announcersTurn announcersPit reporters
Lead announcer: Joe Moore
Announcer: Barney Hall
Announcer: Jeff Striegle		Turn 1: Dave Moody
Turn 2: Mike Bagley
Turn 3: Buddy Long		Winston Kelly
Steve Post
Alex Hayden
Woody Cain

Standings after the race

References

  1. ↑ "2014 NASCAR Sprint Cup Schedule". ESPN. Retrieved 2014-06-03.
  2. ↑ Brown, Brian (2013-06-05). "The Pocono Party 400". Rotoworld.com. NBC Sports. Retrieved 2013-06-05.
  3. ↑ "Pocono Raceway". NASCAR.com. NASCAR Media Group, LLC. January 3, 2013. Retrieved June 2, 2014.
  4. ↑ "Entry List". NASCAR.com. NASCAR Media Group, LLC. June 4, 2014. Retrieved June 4, 2014.
  5. ↑ "First Practice Results". MRN.com. Motor Racing Network. June 6, 2014. Retrieved June 6, 2014.
  6. ↑ "Qualifying Results". MRN.com. Motor Racing Network. June 6, 2014. Retrieved June 7, 2014.
  7. ↑ "Second Practice Results". MRN.com. Motor Racing Network. June 7, 2014. Retrieved June 7, 2014.
  8. ↑ "Final Practice Results". MRN.com. Motor Racing Network. June 7, 2014. Retrieved June 7, 2014.
  9. ↑ "Pocono 400 Results". NASCAR.com. NASCAR Media Group, LLC. June 8, 2014. Retrieved June 9, 2014.
  10. ↑ "Points Standings". NASCAR.com. NASCAR Media Group, LLC. June 8, 2014. Retrieved June 9, 2014.
  11. ↑ Report, Staff (June 8, 2014). "Manufacturer Standings". NASCAR.com. NASCAR Media Group, LLC. Retrieved June 9, 2014.
  12. ↑ Paulsen (June 11, 2014). "Sprint Cup TV Ratings: TNT Starts Final Run With Season's First Increase". sportsmediawatch.com. Sports Media Watch. Retrieved June 12, 2014.
  13. ↑ Pistone, Pete (June 1, 2014). "Johnson on Dover Cloud Nine". MRN.com. Motor Racing Network. Archived from the original on 2014-06-05. Retrieved June 2, 2014.
  14. 1 2 "NASCAR TRACK: POCONO RACEWAY". Fox Sports. Retrieved 2013-06-05.
  15. 1 2 3 "Pocono Raceway". NBC Sports. Retrieved 2013-06-05.
  16. ↑ Long, Dustin (June 6, 2014). "Hamlin Powers to Pocono Pole". MRN.com. Motor Racing Network. Retrieved June 6, 2014.
  17. ↑ Report, Staff (June 7, 2014). "Harvick tops both Saturday Cup practices at Pocono". NASCAR.com. NASCAR Media Group, LLC. Retrieved June 7, 2014.
  18. ↑ Livingstone, Seth (June 8, 2014). "Earnhardt Jr. gets first win at Pocono". NASCAR.com. NASCAR Media Group, LLC. Retrieved June 8, 2014.
  19. ↑ Pistone, Pete (June 8, 2014). "First Pocono Win for Earnhardt". MRN.com. Motor Racing Network. Retrieved June 8, 2014.
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