Saturday, July 23
Track: Pocono Raceway, 2.5-mile tri-oval
Race: 16 of 23
Event: CRC Brakleen 150 (60 laps, 150 miles)
Hailie Deegan, No. 1 Wastequip Ford F-150
Start: 19th
Stage 1: 20th
Stage 2: 12th
Finish: 33rd
Following Friday’s inclement weather, Hailie Deegan would start 19th by virtue of the rulebook. The No. 1 Wastequip Ford F-150 fell to 22nd on the initial start, fighting tightness in the corners. A stop-and-go first stage due to several cautions would see Deegan finish 20th. A miscommunication on the next pitstop would cost the 21-year-old a few more positions, falling to 27th for the start of Stage 2. A strategy call to stay out during green flag pit stops on lap 27 gave Deegan favorable track position, reaching a race-high 12th place. Unfortunately, bad luck would strike in the final stage as Deegan would suffer a blown right front tire on Lap 45, halting her momentum and rendering her to the back of the pack. The damage sustained by the flat would end her afternoon, limping home to a 33rd place finish at Pocono Raceway.
Tanner Gray, No. 15 Ford Performance F-150
Start: 18th
Stage 1: 11th
Stage 2: 32nd
Finish: 10th
Tanner Gray started 18th per the rulebook after qualifying was cancelled due to rain on Friday afternoon. In the caution-filled first stage, the Ford driver made his way forward to ninth before falling back to 11th and finishing the stage there. The No. 15 stayed out at the stage break and short-pitted the second stage on lap 27 for four tires and trackbar adjustments. After ending Stage 2 in 32nd, Gray restarted the final stage in eighth and maintained inside the top-10 for the duration of the final stage. The finish was his first top-10 since Charlotte in May.
Ryan Preece, No. 17 RaceChoice.com Ford F-150
Start: 22nd
Stage 1: 12th
Stage 2: 25th
Finish: 2nd
Ryan Preece fired off 22nd for the CRC Brakleen 150 and methodically worked his way to 12th with the few green flag laps that were completed in Stage 1. With eight laps to go in Stage 2, the No. 17 RaceChoice Ford was into the top-five within striking distance of the leaders. On lap 27, Chad Johnston called the truck down pit road for service to short pit the stage break and they would take 25th in Stage 2 as a result. Preece restarted second for the final stage and took the lead on the start, but a yellow soon after brought the field back together and the veteran driver couldn’t snag the lead on the next restart. Preece battled hard to return to the lead, but passing proved too difficult and he settled for a second-place effort.
Next event: TSport 200 at Lucas Oil Raceway Park in Indianapolis, Indiana on July 29 at 9:00 p.m. ET.
