2017 Overton's 400

File:Aerial view of Pocono Raceway.JPG

Pocono Raceway (formerly Pocono International Raceway), also known as the Tricky Triangle, is a superspeedway located in the Pocono Mountains of Pennsylvania at Long Pond. It is the site of two annual NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races held just weeks apart in early June and late July/early August, one NASCAR Xfinity Series event in early June, one NASCAR Camping World Truck Series event in late July/early August, and two ARCA Racing Series races in early June and late July/early August. From 1971 to 1989, and again since 2013, the track has also hosted an Indy Car race, currently sanctioned by the IndyCar Series and run in August.

Pocono is one of a very few NASCAR tracks not owned by either Speedway Motorsports, Inc. or International Speedway Corporation, the dominant track owners in NASCAR. It is run by the Igdalsky siblings Brandon and Nicholas, both of whom are third-generation members of the family-owned Mattco Inc, started by Joseph II and Rose Mattioli. Mattco also owns South Boston Speedway in South Boston, Virginia.

Outside of the NASCAR races, Pocono is used throughout the year by Sports Car Club of America (SCCA) and motorcycle clubs as well as racing schools. 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.

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Matt Kenseth was the fastest in the first practice session with a time of 51.114 seconds and a speed of {{Convert|176.077|mph|km/h|abbr=on}}.{{cite web|last=Spencer|first=Lee|title=Matt Kenseth leads opening Cup practice from Pocono|url=https://www.motorsport.com/nascar-cup/news/matt-kenseth-leads-opening-cup-practice-from-pocono-936020/|website=Motorsport.com|publisher=Motorsport Network|access-date=July 29, 2017|location=Long Pond, Pennsylvania|date=July 29, 2017}}

Kyle Busch was the fastest in the final practice session with a time of 50.898 seconds and a speed of {{Convert|176.824|mph|km/h|abbr=on}}.{{cite web|last=Spencer|first=Lee|title=Kyle Busch tops final Cup practice at Pocono|url=https://www.motorsport.com/nascar-cup/news/kyle-busch-tops-final-cup-practice-at-pocono-936166/|website=Motorsport.com|publisher=Motorsport Network|access-date=July 29, 2017|location=Long Pond, Pennsylvania|date=July 29, 2017}}

Kyle Busch scored the pole for the race with a time of 50.175 and a speed of {{Convert|179.372|mph|km/h|abbr=on}}.{{cite news|title=Kyle Busch wins pole for NASCAR Cup race at Pocono Raceway|url=http://racing.ap.org/article/kyle-busch-wins-pole-nascar-cup-race-pocono-raceway|access-date=July 30, 2017|work=Associated Press|agency=Associated Press|publisher=AP Sports|date=July 30, 2017|location=Long Pond, Pennsylvania|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170731071656/http://racing.ap.org/article/kyle-busch-wins-pole-nascar-cup-race-pocono-raceway|archive-date=July 31, 2017|url-status=dead}}

Kyle Busch led the field to the green flag at 3:20 p.m. The field didn't complete a full lap when rounding the third turn, Matt Kenseth got loose and spun, triggering an eight-car wreck that brought out the first caution.{{cite web|last=Knight|first=Chris|title=Eight-car crash ignites to start Overton's 400 at Pocono Raceway|url=http://www.catchfence.com/261980/eight-car-crash-ignites-start-overtons-400-pocono-raceway|website=Catchfence.com|publisher=Catchfence|access-date=August 3, 2017|location=Long Pond, Pennsylvania|date=July 30, 2017}} Aric Almirola took the worst damage on his way to a last-place finish.{{cite web|last=Jensen|first=Tom|title=5 Takeaways from the Overton's 400 at Pocono Raceway|url=http://www.popularspeed.com/5-takeaways-from-the-overtons-400-at-pocono-raceway/|website=PopularSpeed.com|publisher=POPULAR SPEED|access-date=August 3, 2017|location=Long Pond, Pennsylvania|date=July 30, 2017}}

Back to green on the eighth lap, cars started hitting pit road to short-pit the first stage on Lap 15. Busch pitted from the lead on Lap 22, as did Erik Jones after a four-lap stint in front. Ricky Stenhouse Jr. led the next 11 circuits, before diving onto pit road on Lap 37, cycling the lead to Kenseth. He didn't hold the lead for long, however, as Busch passed him going into Turn 1 to take the lead on Lap 42 and drove on to win the first stage that concluded on Lap 51. He opted to pit under the stage break, while Kenseth stayed out to retake the lead. Teammate Denny Hamlin restarted from the tail-end of the field for speeding.

On fresher tires, Busch powered by the outside of Kenseth in Turn 3 to return to the lead on the Lap 56 restart. When the field came back through Turn 3 a lap later, Jimmie Johnson spun, after contact with teammate Kasey Kahne, and hit the wall, bringing out the third caution.{{cite web|last=Spencer|first=Reid|title=Jimmie Johnson's hex at Pocono holds with DNF|url=http://www.nascar.com/news-media/2017/07/30/jimmie-johnsons-hex-at-pocono-holds-with-DNF/|website=NASCAR.com|publisher=NASCAR Wire Service|access-date=August 3, 2017|location=Long Pond, Pennsylvania|date=July 30, 2017}}

The race restarted on Lap 62. A drive-shaft piece that came from Kyle Larson's car brought out the fourth caution on Lap 70. Hamlin stayed out to get the race lead, but was relegated to second on the restart, bumping up Austin Dillon, for not maintaining pace car speed.

It made no difference, however, as Hamlin regained the lead going into Turn 1 on the Lap 75 restart. He led the next 15 laps, before Martin Truex Jr. got to his inside exiting Turn 1 and took the lead heading down the Long Pond Straightaway. Truex was among a slew of cars that opted to short-pit for the position to win towards the end of the second stage on Lap 98, handing the lead to Clint Bowyer, who won the stage on Lap 101. Truex resumed his place up front when Bowyer pitted.

The race restarted on Lap 106. Cars started hitting pit road for their final pit stop with 37 laps to go.{{cite news|last=Walsh|first=Scott|title=Kyle Busch finally wins at Pocono, takes Overton's 400|url=http://thetimes-tribune.com/sports/nascar-kyle-busch-finally-wins-at-pocono-takes-overton-s-400-1.2224727|access-date=August 3, 2017|work=The Scranton Times-Tribune|publisher=Times-Shamrock Communications|date=July 30, 2017|location=Long Pond, Pennsylvania}} Race leader Truex pitted with 34 to go, handing the lead to Busch, who had yet to pit. He did so with 25 to go, handing the lead to Brad Keselowski.{{cite news|last=Stumiolo|first=Zach|title=Busch finally able to solve Pocono|url=http://www.poconorecord.com/sports/20170730/busch-finally-able-to-solve-pocono|access-date=August 3, 2017|work=Pocono Record|publisher=GateHouse Media|date=July 30, 2017|location=Long Pond, Pennsylvania}} When he stopped five laps later, the lead cycled to Hamlin. During the cycle, Joey Logano was hit with a pass through penalty for speeding, and a stop and go penalty for pitting to service his car during his pass through.{{cite news|last=James|first=Brant|title=As Kyle Busch finally seals a win at Pocono, Joey Logano in precarious spot|url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/nascar/columnist/brant-james/2017/07/31/pocono-overtons-400-kyle-busch-joey-logano/524212001/|access-date=August 3, 2017|work=USA Today|publisher=Gannett Company|date=July 30, 2017|location=Long Pond, Pennsylvania}}

With 17 to go, Kevin Harvick took the lead from Hamlin going into Turn 1.{{cite web|last=Courson|first=Matt|title=Kyle Busch ends longest race-winless streak of career in the Poconos|url=http://theracingexperts.com/2017-pocono-ii-recap.php|website=TheRacingExperts.com|publisher=The Racing Experts|access-date=August 3, 2017|location=Long Pond, Pennsylvania|date=July 30, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170804014553/http://theracingexperts.com/2017-pocono-ii-recap.php|archive-date=August 4, 2017|url-status=dead}} But Busch caught Harvick going into Turn 3, bumped him out of the racing groove and drove on to victory.{{cite news|last=Gelston|first=Dan|title=Kyle Busch ends winless season with Cup victory at Pocono|url=http://racing.ap.org/article/kyle-busch-ends-winless-season-cup-victory-pocono|access-date=July 30, 2017|work=Associated Press|agency=Associated Press|publisher=AP Sports|date=July 30, 2017|location=Long Pond, Pennsylvania|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170804013100/http://racing.ap.org/article/kyle-busch-ends-winless-season-cup-victory-pocono|archive-date=August 4, 2017|url-status=dead}}

File:Kyle Busch Victory Lane Pocono 2017.jpg

Stage 1

Laps: 50

Stage 2

Laps: 50

Stage 3

Laps: 60

• Lead changes: 9 among different drivers
• Cautions/Laps: 5 for 21
• Red flags: 0
• Time of race: 2 hours, 50 minutes and 7 seconds
• Average speed: {{convert|141.080|mph|km/h}}

NBC Sports covered the race on the television side. Rick Allen and Dale Jarrett had the call from the regular booth for the race. Jeff Burton and Steve Letarte had the call in the new NBC's stock car smarts booth for the race. Dave Burns, Marty Snider and Kelli Stavast reported from pit lane during the race.

Motor Racing Network had the radio call for the race, which was simulcast on Sirius XM NASCAR Radio.

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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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{{DEFAULTSORT:Overton's 400}}

2017 Overton's 400

Category:2017 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series

Category:2017 in sports in Pennsylvania

Category:July 2017 sports events in the United States