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Pennsylvania 400 Race Report

08.01.16

Pennsylvania 400 Race Report

Date: Aug. 1, 2016
Event: Pennsylvania 400 (Round 21 of 36)
Series: NASCAR Sprint Cup Series
Location: Pocono (Pa.) Raceway (2.5-mile oval)
Start/Finish: 26th /22nd (Running, completed 138 of 138 laps)
Point Standing: 24th (392 points)
Winner: Chris Buescherof Front Row Motorsports (FORD)


Danica Patrick and the No. 10 Mobil 1 Chevrolet SS team for Stewart-Haas Racing (SHR) finished 22nd in Monday’s rain-shortened Pennsylvania 400 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race at Pocono (Pa.) Raceway.

“Overall we had a decent day, but I really wanted to make those final 22 laps,” Patrick said after earning her 19th top-25 finish of the season. “We worked all weekend on getting more stability in the front end, and the tough part here is that the car reacts differently in each of the three corners. I’m proud of the effort of all the guys on the Mobil 1 team today. We had a little issue with a pit-road speeding violation but were able to overcome that and hang around the top-20 for most of the race.”

Patrick started 26th in the race, which was scheduled for 160 laps, and crew chief Billy Scott made an early call on the competition yellow for right-side tires only. During the ensuing run, Patrick remained consistent and climbed from 21st on lap 35 to 18th on lap 47. Scott called for Patrick to pit near lap 50, so she relinquished 10th position to get four tires and fuel.

Unfortunately, the No. 10 Mobil 1 Chevrolet was penalized for pit-road speeding, and Patrick was forced to make a pass through. As a result, Patrick went down a lap to the leader, but she received the wave-around following a lap-66 caution flag. Two laps later, Patrick pitted and Scott called for four tires and a full load of fuel.


Patrick returned to action in 28th and reached 25th on lap 80. Scott followed the lead of a number of other teams when the race was slowed again by another caution on lap 85 electing to keep Patrick out to gain track position. He reminded his driver to continue conserving fuel whenever the opportunity presented itself. Patrick restarted 13th but wasn’t able to hold off the drivers behind her that were on newer tires, and by lap 120 she was running 22nd.


Following another stop on lap 125, Patrick clocked her best lap of the race at 51.366 seconds. She was consistently posting top-three lap times before the race was halted because of visibility issues caused by a heavy fog and moisture in the air. The field made a number of laps under caution before pulling down pit road under the red flag. NASCAR officials called the race official approximately 25 minutes later with 138 laps complete.

Patrick’s teammate, Kevin Harvick, driver of the No. 4 Mobil 1 Chevrolet SS, led the four-car Stewart-Haas Racing (SHR) contingent by finishing fourth. It was Harvick’s ninth top-five this season and his eighth top-five in 32 career Sprint Cup starts at Pocono.


Tony Stewart, driver of the No. 14 Mobil 1 Chevrolet SS for SHR, finished fifth. It was his fourth top-five this season and his 13th top-five in 36 career Sprint Cup starts at Pocono.


Kurt Busch, driver of the No. 41 Monster Energy/Haas Automation Chevrolet SS for SHR, finished 10th. It was his 16th top-10 this season and his 18th top-10 in 31 career Sprint Cup starts at Pocono.


Chris Buescher won the Pennsylvania 400 to score his first career Sprint Cup victory. Buescher is the first Rookie of the Year contender to win a Sprint Cup Series race since Joey Logano in 2009.

Brad Keselowski finished in the runner-up spot, while Regan Smith, Harvick and Stewart rounded out the top-five. Kyle Larson, Denny Hamlin, Carl Edwards, Kyle Busch and Kurt Busch comprised the remainder of the top-10.


There were seven caution periods for 31 laps, with three drivers failing to finish the 138-lap race around the 2.5-mile triangle, which was shortened from its scheduled 160-lap distance due to heavy fog and mist.


With round 21 of 36 complete, Harvick continues to lead SHR and the series in the championship standings. He remains first with 709 points, 22 ahead of second-place Keselowski. Busch is third with 658 points, 51 behind Harvick. Patrick is 24th with 392 points, 111 ahead of 31st-place Buescher. Stewart is 27th with 353 points, 72 ahead of 31st.


Harvick, Busch and Stewart are all eligible to compete in the 16-driver, 10-race Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup, which begins after the Sept. 10 race at Richmond (Va.) International Raceway. All have won a race this season and are among the top-30 in points, the two requirements necessary to secure a spot in the Chase. Patrick can also earn a Chase berth by winning a race and staying inside the top-30. Five races remain before the Chase begins Sept. 18 at Chicagoland Speedway in Joliet, Illinois.


The next event on the Sprint Cup schedule is the Cheez-It 355k at The Glen on Sunday, Aug. 7, at Watkins Glen (N.Y.) International. The race begins at 2:30 p.m. EDT with live coverage provided by USA.