2017 Axalta presents the Pocono 400

File:Pocono Raceway.svg, the track where the race was held.]]

The race was held at Pocono Raceway, which is a three-turn superspeedway located in Long Pond, Pennsylvania. The track hosts two annual Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series races: the Axalta presents the Pocono 400 and the Pennsylvania 400, as well as one Xfinity Series and Camping World Truck Series event. Since 2013, the track is also host to a Verizon IndyCar Series race.

Pocono Raceway is one of a very few NASCAR tracks not owned by either Speedway Motorsports, Inc. or International Speedway Corporation. It is operated by the Igdalsky siblings Brandon, Nicholas, and sister Ashley, and cousins Joseph IV and Chase Mattioli, all of whom are third-generation members of the family-owned Mattco Inc, started by Joseph II and Rose Mattioli.

Outside of the NASCAR races, the track is used throughout the year by Sports Car Club of America (SCCA) and motorcycle clubs as well as racing schools and an IndyCar race. The triangular oval also has three separate infield sections of racetrack – North Course, East Course and South Course. Each of these infield sections use a separate portion of the tri-oval to complete the track. During regular non-race weekends, multiple clubs can use the track by running on different infield sections. Also some of the infield sections can be run in either direction, or multiple infield sections can be put together – such as running the North Course and the South Course and using the tri-oval to connect the two.

Kyle Larson was the fastest in the first practice session with a time of 50.758 seconds and a speed of {{Convert|177.312|mph|km/h|abbr=on}}.{{cite web|last=Spencer|first=Lee|title=Larson tops first Pocono practice as Dale Jr. encounters engine issues|url=https://www.motorsport.com/nascar-cup/news/larson-tops-first-pocono-practice-as-dale-jr-encounters-engine-issues-916116/|website=Motorsport.com|publisher=Motorsport Network|access-date=June 9, 2017|location=Long Pond, Pennsylvania|date=June 9, 2017}}

File:Kyle Busch 2017 NASCAR Media Tour.jpg scored the pole position.]]

Kyle Busch scored the pole for the race with a time of 50.237 and a speed of {{Convert|179.151|mph|km/h|abbr=on}}.{{cite news|last=Gelston|first=Dan|title=Kyle Busch turns fastest lap at Pocono for 2nd straight pole|url=http://racing.ap.org/article/kyle-busch-turns-fastest-lap-pocono-2nd-straight-pole|access-date=June 9, 2017|work=Associated Press|agency=Associated Press|publisher=AP Sports|date=June 9, 2017|location=Long Pond, Pennsylvania|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170723141313/http://racing.ap.org/article/kyle-busch-turns-fastest-lap-pocono-2nd-straight-pole|archive-date=July 23, 2017|url-status=dead}}

File:2017 Pocono 400 final practice.jpg

Kyle Busch was the fastest in the final practice session with a time of 51.305 seconds and a speed of {{Convert|175.421|mph|km/h|abbr=on}}.{{cite web|last=Spencer|first=Lee|title=Kyle Busch leads final practice at Pocono|url=https://www.motorsport.com/nascar-cup/news/kyle-busch-leads-final-practice-at-pocono-916736/|website=Motorsport.com|publisher=Motorsport Network|access-date=June 10, 2017|location=Long Pond, Pennsylvania|date=June 10, 2017}}

Kyle Busch led the field to the green flag at 3:22 p.m. Aside from an unscheduled pit stop by Joey Logano for a flat left-rear tire on the sixth lap, nothing unusual happened in the early stage of the race.{{cite news|last=Horrow|first=Ellen|title=Ryan Blaney holds off Kevin Harvick at Pocono for first career Cup win|url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/nascar/2017/06/11/ryan-blaney-first-career-victory-pocono-cup-race/102688134/|access-date=June 15, 2017|work=USA Today|publisher=Gannett Company|date=June 11, 2017|location=Long Pond, Pennsylvania}} It proceeded in an orderly fashion, only interrupted by a cycle of green flag stops on lap 14. Busch pitted from the lead on lap 18, followed by Kyle Larson pitted the next lap, and the lead moved to Erik Jones. He pitted on lap 36 and the lead cycled back to Busch. During the pit cycle, Ryan Newman and Darrell Wallace Jr. were handed pass through penalties for speeding on pit road.{{cite news|last=Gelston|first=Dan|title=Wallace falls behind, falls ill in milestone 1st Cup start|url=http://racing.ap.org/article/wallace-falls-behind-falls-ill-milestone-1st-cup-start|access-date=June 15, 2017|work=Associated Press|agency=Associated Press|publisher=AP Sports|date=June 11, 2017|location=Long Pond, Pennsylvania|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170620181615/http://racing.ap.org/article/wallace-falls-behind-falls-ill-milestone-1st-cup-start|archive-date=June 20, 2017|url-status=dead}} Both served them, but Wallace was hit with a second penalty – a stop and go – for speeding while completing his pass through.{{cite web|last=Spencer|first=Lee|title=Darrell Wallace Jr. endures challenges Sunday at Pocono Raceway|url=https://www.motorsport.com/nascar-cup/news/darrell-wallace-jr-endures-challenges-sunday-at-pocono-raceway-917826/|website=Motorsport.com|publisher=Motorsport Network|access-date=June 15, 2017|location=Long Pond, Pennsylvania|date=June 12, 2017}}

Busch drove on to win the first stage and caution flew for the first time in the race on lap 50 for the culmination of the stage. Ricky Stenhouse Jr. took the lead under the caution by opting not to pit when the leaders did.

When the race returned to green on lap 57, Jones – on fresher tires – took the lead from Stenhouse driving down the Long Pond Straightaway. At the start/finish line the following lap, Dale Earnhardt Jr.'s engine blew up as a result of a mis-shift and transmission failure.{{cite web|last=Davis|first=K. Lee|title=Dale Earnhardt Jr.'s Pocono race ends early because of broken transmission|url=http://www.espn.com/racing/nascar/cup/story/_/id/19608528/dale-earnhardt-jr-pocono-race-ends-early-due-broken-transmission|website=ESPN.com|publisher=ESPN Inc.|access-date=June 15, 2017|location=Long Pond, Pennsylvania|date=June 11, 2017}} Moments later, Clint Bowyer tagged the wall with his right-rear corner exiting Turn 1. After those two events and Busch retaking the lead on lap 62, however, the second stage continued just as the first did. It was only broken up by a cycle of green flag stops on lap 91 when Busch pitted from the lead. Teammate Denny Hamlin followed suite the subsequent lap, giving the lead to Larson. On the 96th lap, Jimmie Johnson – running seventh – suffered brake failure hurdling down the frontstretch.{{cite web|last=White|first=Tucker|title=Wreck ends day for Johnson and McMurray at Pocono|url=http://www.speedwaymedia.com/?p=124427|website=SpeedwayMedia.com|publisher=Speedway Media|access-date=June 15, 2017|date=June 11, 2017}} He turned his car down into the grass to bleed off speed, which then turned up the track and slammed the wall hard in Turn 1.{{cite news|last=Horrow|first=Ellen|title=Johnson, McMurray walk away from scary Pocono crashes|url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/nascar/2017/06/11/pocono-crashes-jimmie-johnson-jamie-mcmurray/102757058/|access-date=June 15, 2017|work=USA Today|publisher=Gannett Company|date=June 11, 2017|location=Long Pond, Pennsylvania}} Moments later, Jamie McMurray suffered a similar brake failure going into Turn 1 and also pounded the Turn 1 wall.{{cite web|last=Cain|first=Holly|title=Hard shot, big fire end race for Johnson, McMurray|url=http://www.nascar.com/news-media/2017/06/11/pocono-wreck-jimmie-johnson-jamie-mcmurray/|website=NASCAR.com|publisher=NASCAR Digital Media, LLC.|access-date=June 15, 2017|location=Long Pond, Pennsylvania|date=June 11, 2017}} His car continued rolling down the Long Pond Straightaway when it caught fire in the engine compartment, prompting McMurray to park it on the apron and quickly exit the burning vehicle.{{cite web|last=Knight|first=Chris|title=Jimmie Johnson and Jamie McMurray walk away from violent crashes after brake failures|url=http://www.catchfence.com/260020/jimmie-johnson-jamie-mcmurray-walk-away-violent-crashes-brake-failures|website=Catchfence.com|publisher=Catchfence|access-date=June 15, 2017|location=Long Pond, Pennsylvania|date=June 11, 2017}} These two events brought out the second caution, as well as a 23-minute and 25-second red flag to facilitate cleanup.

Rather than run out the remaining four laps of the stage under caution, NASCAR decided to run a one-lap shootout to end it. It restarted on lap 99, Larson won the second stage and caution flew for the third time for the conclusion of the stage. Busch bypassed pit road under the caution, having just pitted a few laps prior, and took back the lead.

File:Ryan blaney victory lane (34426642474).jpg scored his first career win.]]

Back to green with 55 laps to go, the race settled into an orderly procession. As was the case in the first and second stage, the race was only broken up when race leader Busch commenced a cycle of green flag stops with 36 to go. Martin Truex Jr. did so as well four laps later, handing the lead to Brad Keselowski. He stayed out for 12 laps hoping to catch a caution, but didn't, pitted with 20 to go. Kasey Kahne suffered brake failure the following lap and belted the wall in Turn 1, bringing out the fourth caution.{{cite news|last=Kivak|first=Rebecca|title=POCONO: Three plagued by brake issues|url=http://thetimes-tribune.com/sports/pocono-three-plagued-by-brake-issues-1.2205134|access-date=June 15, 2017|work=The Scranton Times-Tribune|publisher=Times-Shamrock Communications|date=June 11, 2017|location=Long Pond, Pennsylvania}} Busch opted not to pit and took the lead, as did Keselowski, while rest of the field pitted and Jones exited pit road first by taking two tires, followed by Ryan Blaney and everyone else taking 4 tires.{{cite web|last=Spencer|first=Lee|title=Ryan Blaney and the Wood Brothers win at Pocono in thrilling finish|url=https://www.motorsport.com/nascar-cup/news/ryan-blaney-and-the-wood-brothers-win-at-pocono-in-thrilling-finish-917605/|website=Motorsport.com|publisher=Motorsport Network|access-date=June 15, 2017|location=Long Pond, Pennsylvania|date=June 11, 2017}}

File:Ryan blaney victory lane (35140262041).jpg celebrating in Victory Lane after the race.]]

On the ensuing restart with 13 to go, Busch bolted ahead as Keselowski faltered. Blaney quickly pounced on and took second from Keselowski.{{cite web|last=Courson|first=Daniel|title=Blaney holds off former champions to capture first career victory|url=http://theracingexperts.com/blaney-captures-first-career-win.php|website=TheRacingExperts.com|publisher=The Racing Experts|access-date=June 15, 2017|location=Long Pond, Pennsylvania|date=June 11, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170825064546/http://theracingexperts.com/blaney-captures-first-career-win.php|archive-date=August 25, 2017|url-status=dead}} Blaney on his fresher tires closed the gap to Busch on worn tires coming to 10 to go. After crossing the start/finish line, Blaney dropped down to the bottom of the track to pass to give himself the preferred groove going into Turn 1, but Busch blocked his move on the frontstretch and the battle continued.{{cite web|last=Crandall|first=Kelly|title=Blaney charges to first Cup win at Pocono|url=http://www.racer.com/nascar/item/141376-blaney-charges-to-first-cup-win-at-pocono|website=Racer.com|publisher=Racer Media & Marketing, Inc.|access-date=June 15, 2017|location=Long Pond, Pennsylvania|date=June 11, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170615114120/http://www.racer.com/nascar/item/141376-blaney-charges-to-first-cup-win-at-pocono|archive-date=June 15, 2017|url-status=dead}} Blaney got to Busch's inside exiting Turn 1 and made contact going down the Long Pond Straightaway, even took the battle onto the apron.{{cite web|last=Spencer|first=Reid|title=Ryan Blaney makes late pass, holds off Harvick for thrilling win|url=http://www.nascar.com/news-media/2017/06/11/who-won-monster-energy-race-pocono-ryan-blaney/|website=NASCAR.com|publisher=NASCAR Wire Service|access-date=June 15, 2017|location=Long Pond, Pennsylvania|date=June 11, 2017}} Blaney backed out going into Turn 2, but Busch left the bottom open, letting Blaney get back to his inside exiting Turn 2 and lost the lead to him on the Short Chute.{{cite web|last=White|first=Tucker|title=Blaney gets maiden victory with late pass at Pocono|url=http://www.speedwaymedia.com/?p=124410|website=SpeedwayMedia.com|publisher=Speedway Media|access-date=June 15, 2017|date=June 11, 2017}} Blaney spent the remaining nine laps holding off a charging Kevin Harvick to score his first ever victory and first for the Wood Brothers since Trevor Bayne winning the Daytona 500 in 2011.{{cite news|last=Gelston|first=Dan|title=Blaney wins 1st career NASCAR Cup race at Pocono Raceway|url=http://racing.ap.org/article/blaney-wins-1st-career-nascar-cup-race-pocono-raceway|access-date=June 11, 2017|work=Associated Press|agency=Associated Press|publisher=AP Sports|date=June 11, 2017|location=Long Pond, Pennsylvania|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170825063553/http://racing.ap.org/article/blaney-wins-1st-career-nascar-cup-race-pocono-raceway|archive-date=August 25, 2017|url-status=dead}}

Stage 1

Laps: 50

Stage 2

Laps: 50

Stage 3

Laps: 60

• Lead changes: 9 among different drivers
• Cautions/Laps: 4 for 18
• Red flags: 1 for 23 minutes and 25 seconds
• Time of race: 2 hours, 48 minutes and 40 seconds
• Average speed: {{convert|142.292|mph|km/h}}

Fox NASCAR televised the race in the United States on FS1 for the third consecutive year. Mike Joy was the lap-by-lap announcer, while six-time Pocono winner, Jeff Gordon and four-time winner Darrell Waltrip were the color commentators. Jamie Little, Chris Neville and Matt Yocum reported from pit lane during the race.

Radio coverage of the race was broadcast by Motor Racing Network (MRN) and simulcasted on Sirius XM NASCAR Radio. Joe Moore, Jeff Striegle and four-time Pocono winner Rusty Wallace announced the race in the booth while the field was racing on the front stretch. Dave Moody called the race from atop a billboard outside of turn 1 when the field was racing through turn 1 while Mike Bagley called the race from a billboard outside turn 2 when the field was racing through turn 2. Kyle Rickey reported the race from a billboard outside turn 3 when the field was racing through turn 3. Alex Hayden, Winston Kelley and Steve Post reported from pit lane during the race.

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;Drivers' Championship standings

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;Manufacturers' Championship standings

• Note: Only the first 16 positions are included for the driver standings.
• . – Driver has clinched a position in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series playoffs.

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{{Reflist}}

{{NASCAR next race

| Series = Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series

| Monsteryear = 2017

| Previous_race = 2017 AAA 400 Drive for Autism

| Next_race = 2017 FireKeepers Casino 400

}}

{{2017 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup}}

Axalta presents the Pocono 400

Axalta presents the Pocono 400

Axalta presents the Pocono 400

Category:NASCAR races at Pocono Raceway