Mayer Earns Fourth Top-10 at Pocono in Xfinity Series; Wins “Driving 4 a Difference” Challenge
Xfinity Series
Sam Mayer earned a seventh-place finish in Saturday’s NASCAR Xfinity Series race at Pocono Raceway, collecting his fourth career top-10 at the 2.5-mile track. In a race defined by frequent cautions and evolving strategy, Mayer and the No. 41 Audibel Ford team made steady gains throughout the afternoon, especially in the final stage.
“Today was definitely a hard fought top-10 result, but we stayed in the game and made the most of the day,” Mayer said. “I’m proud of these Haas Factory Team (HFT) guys and hopefully we keep rolling in a good direction.”
This weekend at Pocono marked the final race in the “Driving 4 a Difference presented by the Gene Haas Foundation,” a new in-season Ford tournament within the NASCAR Xfinity Series. Mayer won the inaugural Xfinity tournament with 117 points, followed by teammate Sheldon Creed (116), Ryan Sieg (101), Harrison Burton (93) & Kyle Sieg (37).
The opening stage featured two early cautions that allowed Mayer’s crew to short-pit before the segment ended, setting him up with favorable track position for Stage 2. Despite surrendering stage points, he was able to gain momentum heading into the midsection of the race.
Meanwhile, Creed ran the full opening stage and finished eighth, earning two stage points in the No. 00 Road Ranger Ford.
Stage 2 proved more challenging for Creed, who was forced into an incident with Nick Sanchez exiting turn two that forced him to make contact with the inside wall. Though both cars maintained competitive pace, the issues persisted for the No. 00, and Creed’s day came to an early end after being forced to retire on lap 88, resulting in a 36th-place finish.
The final stage saw Mayer charge from 19th into the top-10, capitalizing on late-race restarts and staying out of trouble as others faltered. He crossed the line in seventh, capping off a day of smart execution and persistence from the No. 41 team.
“Obviously not the day we were hoping for, but we’ll look ahead to next week at Atlanta and putting together a clean, solid race,” Creed said.
Cup Series
Custer Posts Season Best Qualifying Performance; Comes Home 22nd at Pocono
Cole Custer rolled off fifth for Sunday’s race at Pocono, his first Cup start inside the top-five since Martinsville in 2022. The HaasTooling.com Ford ran solidly inside the top 10 early, before the team made a bold call to pit on lap 27 to flip the stage. While it dropped Custer to 32nd at the end of the segment, the move set him up for a stronger position in Stage Two.
That strategy paid off as Custer restarted fourth to begin the second stage and remained competitive inside the top 10. A caution on lap 41 allowed the team to stay out and gain more track position, but a later four-tire stop and green-flag run shuffled him back. A two-tire call late in the stage helped him recover to 24th by the conclusion of Stage Two.
In the closing stage, Custer and the No. 41 team once again opted for fresh tires, giving them the best opportunity to move forward in the final run. After cycling through green-flag pit stops, he held steady in 22nd and showed consistency to the finish. Throughout the day Custer ran with confidence as the team employed bold strategy calls and finished 22nd.
Up Next The NASCAR Cup Series heads to EchoPark Speedway next weekend for the 18th points race on the NASCAR Cup Series/Xfinity schedule. Race coverage for the Xfinity series is set for 7:30 p.m. ET on Friday on the CW, and Saturday at 7 p.m. ET on Prime for the Cup Series.
About Haas Factory Team The Haas Factory Team is a NASCAR Cup and Xfinity program owned by Gene Haas, founder of Haas Automation. Beginning in 2025, the team will feature Cole Custer driving the No. 41 Ford Mustang Dark Horse in the NASCAR Cup Series, while Sheldon Creed and Sam Mayer take on the Xfinity Series in the No. 00 and No. 41 Ford Mustangs, respectively. Based in Kannapolis, North Carolina, the Haas Factory Team reflects a commitment to performance and engineering excellence, carrying forward Gene Haas’s commitment to motorsports.
Long Pond, Pa. (June 22, 2025) – The NASCAR Cup Series traveled to Pocono (Pa.) Raceway to tackle the track nicknamed “The Tricky Triangle” in the 2.5-mile track’s only race this season. LEGACY MOTOR CLUB teammates John Hunter Nemechek, driver of the No. 42 Pye-Barker Fire & Safety Toyota Camry XSE, and Erik Jones, driver of the No. 43 Family Dollar Toyota Camry XSE, were ready to leave road course racing behind to take on one of their best tracks on the schedule as they started near the front of the pack in fourth and 11th, respectively. It was Denny Hamlin leading the field to the green flag. At the end of the race, it was Chase Briscoe who took the checkered flag first.
Below is a look at how the LEGACY MOTOR CLUB entries fared:
JOHN HUNTER NEMECHEK NO. 42 PYE-BARKER FIRE & SAFETY TOYOTA CAMRY XSE RACE RECAP: START: 4th | FINISH: 6th | POINTS: 22nd John Hunter Nemechek started the Pocono 400 in the fourth position. He fell to 11th by Lap 10 and said the car was free off the corner in and tight in the middle. Making his way back up to tenth, Nemechek asked for a small adjustment to tighten up the No. 42 Pye-Barker Toyota Camry XSE on Lap 27 when he pitted for four tires and fuel. Nemechek finished Stage 1 in 33rd.
Because of the short pit before the stage, Nemechek would restart fifth. A caution on Lap 55 allowed the team to pit on Lap 57 for right side tires and fuel. After restarting on Lap 60 from the 15th position and moved up to 12th by the time a caution flag flew for debris on Lap 70. He said the car was ‘a little edgy in Turn 3’ but felt ok. The team opted to put on Lap 73 for right sides and fuel putting Nemechek ninth on the restart. Another strategy call came into play with four laps left in the stage where the Nos. 42 and 43 came down pit road for four tires and no fuel. The No. 42 finished Stage 2 in 31st.
The final stage started with Nemechek in 21st. Strategy came into play around Lap 120 when green flag stops for the field began. Nemechek was in fourth behind his teammate Jones who both pitted on Lap 92. He was running third when crew chief Travis Mack called him into the pits for two right side tires and fuel. While Nemechek was on pit road the caution came out and instead of the extended time on the track paying off, Nemechek would restart 14th. Once teams pitted the No. 42 moved up to eighth.
With 30 to go Nemechek moved from eighth to fifth in one lap. For the final 28 laps Nemechek was quiet on the radio and finished a solid sixth for the second week in a row.
JOHN HUNTER NEMECHEK QUOTE: How does it feels feel to bring home two straight top-10 finishes?
“Both cars had speed this weekend right off the truck and qualified really well. It was my best qualifying effort in the Cup series and we raced well also. I’m proud of everything they’ve put in at LEGACY MOTOR CLUB – all the men and women with all the effort they’ve been putting in. Looking forward to continuing to come to the racetrack when you have the speed. Just a testament to this 42 team. Travis Mack (crew chief), and I have been working really hard and we’ve been communicating well. Sydney, our primary engineer, Dex, Carl, Josh, and everyone who works on this thing. I’m just proud of the effort.”
ERIK JONES NO. 43 FAMILY DOLLAR TOYOTA CAMRY XSE RACE RECAP: START: 11th | FINISH: 13th | POINTS:18th After rain delayed the start of Sunday’s 160-lap race at Pocono (Pa.) Raceway, Jones rolled off 11th in the No. 43 Family Dollar Toyota Camry XSE. He fell back on the initial start but quickly found his pace to hold steady in 12th for the opening laps of the stage. Stage 1 at Pocono ran green from start to finish, and despite his car building tight, Jones was able to fight the handling, stay out until the stage break, and finish fifth in the opening stage. This earned him a valuable six stage points for the playoff battle.
Thanks to the quick work of his No. 43 pit crew during the stage break, Jones was able to gain two spots on pit road and restarted 11th behind the cars who pitted prior to the end of the stage. He struggled with passing his competitors during the first few laps of Stage 2 but found himself in 10th by the lap 55 caution. Throughout the rest of the stage, he ran well inside the top-12. He reported that he was trending two numbers too loose this time around. Crew chief Ben Beshore brought Jones down pit road when he was running sixth with three laps to go in Stage 2 for four tires and fuel. Although he finished the stage in 30th, he was then able to stay out during the stage break to restart in 20th.
When the final stage went green, Jones wasted no time in his pursuit forward. He was running 13th just six laps into the run and raced his way into the top-10 before green flag pit stops began on lap 119. He pitted from third on lap 124 before an untimely caution came out on lap 125 – dividing the field on strategy. Jones cycled through to 17th for the lap-131 restart. His car continued to build tight as the race continued under green though. In the end, Jones finished 13th.
ERIK JONES QUOTE:
“We had a really good No. 43 Family Dollar Toyota Camry XSE today, but it’s just frustrating how sometimes strategies can go your way and other times it doesn’t. Pocono is a track where strategy plays a big part in your finish more times than not. The team did a good job of bringing a car with a ton of speed, but that last caution caught us at a bad time in the middle of green flag pit stops. I think we were a top-five car, but we needed things to work out better. We’ll learn from it and move on to Atlanta.”
NEXT UP: The NASCAR Cup Series will race under the lights in a Saturday night battle at Atlanta Motor Speedway. The Atlanta 400 will take place on Saturday, June 28 at 8 p.m. EDT with coverage on TNT Sports, MAX, MRN and SiriusXM.
ABOUT LEGACY MOTOR CLUB: (LEGACY MC) is a premier auto racing organization co-owned by seven-time NASCAR Cup Series champion and 2024 NASCAR Hall of Fame inductee, Jimmie Johnson and Knighthead Capital Management, LLC. Drawing from a rich tradition of success, LEGACY MC is dedicated to pushing the boundaries of motorsport and setting new standards of excellence. The CLUB competes under the Toyota Gazoo Racing banner in the NASCAR Cup Series with the No. 43 Toyota Camry XSE piloted by Erik Jones and the No. 42 Toyota Camry XSE driven by John Hunter Nemechek. Johnson also races on a limited basis in the No. 84 Toyota Camry XSE. With NASCAR legend and Hall of Famer Richard Petty, “The King”, serving as CLUB Ambassador, LEGACY MC blends timeless racing traditions with a new forward-thinking vision. As an inclusive community for motorsport enthusiasts, LEGACY MC honors both its storied past and the promising future of its members, always striving for victory and championship glory at the pinnacle of NASCAR competition.
Before you start browsing used cars in Bridgewater, MA, it’s essential to define your vehicle needs and set a realistic budget. This first step helps narrow down your options and ensures you choose a car that suits both your lifestyle and financial situation. If you’re unsure about service costs or long-term maintenance planning, the best auto shop in Massachusetts can offer expert advice tailored to your situation.
Start by asking yourself a few key questions: How many passengers do you regularly drive? Will you need extra cargo space for work or travel? Are fuel efficiency and insurance costs major factors? Your answers will guide whether a compact sedan, mid-size SUV, or pickup truck is the right fit.
When it comes to budgeting, consider not just the purchase price, but also ownership costs like fuel, maintenance, insurance, registration, and future repairs. If financing is involved, determine how much you can afford to put down and what monthly payments fit comfortably within your income.
Being clear about what you need—and what you can afford—helps streamline the car buying process and leads to a decision you’ll feel good about for years to come.
Researching Vehicle History and Title Status
Understanding a vehicle’s history and title status is one of the most important steps when buying a pre-owned vehicle in Bridgewater, MA. These records reveal how the car was used, maintained, and whether it has any red flags that could affect its safety, value, or future reliability.
What to Check in a Vehicle History Report
Accident Records: Look for any history of collisions, especially those involving structural damage or airbag deployment.
Odometer Readings: Ensure the mileage is consistent and hasn’t been tampered with—mileage discrepancies are a serious warning sign.
Service and Maintenance Logs: A record of routine services such as oil changes and brake checks indicates responsible ownership.
Number of Previous Owners: Fewer owners typically means a more stable vehicle history, though this isn’t a hard rule.
Use Type: Was the vehicle used personally, commercially, or as a rental? Commercial or rental use often means higher wear and tear.
Understanding Title Types
Clean Title: The ideal status, indicating the car hasn’t been severely damaged or declared a total loss.
Salvage Title: Signals the vehicle was deemed a total loss by an insurance company—avoid unless professionally rebuilt and inspected.
Rebuilt or Reconstructed Title: The car has been repaired after a salvage declaration. Requires extra scrutiny and expert inspection.
Lien Title: The current owner still owes money on the vehicle. This needs to be resolved before the title can be transferred.
Always ask the seller for a vehicle history report from a trusted provider, such as Carfax or AutoCheck. If buying from a dealership, this report should be available upfront. Taking these steps will help you avoid hidden issues and feel confident in your purchase.
Inspecting Mechanical and Cosmetic Condition
Inspecting both the cosmetic and mechanical condition of a pre-owned vehicle is critical before making a purchase. While surface flaws may be cosmetic, mechanical problems can pose serious safety risks and lead to costly repairs. Taking a thorough and systematic approach ensures you’re investing in a dependable vehicle.
Mechanical Inspection Checklist
Engine Condition: Look for any unusual noises, leaks, or excessive exhaust smoke. The engine should start smoothly and idle consistently.
Transmission Function: During a test drive, check that the vehicle shifts smoothly without jerking or hesitation, especially in automatic models.
Brakes: The brakes should respond firmly and quietly, with no grinding sounds or vibrations when applied.
Suspension and Steering: Listen for clunks or rattles when going over bumps and ensure the vehicle handles predictably when turning.
Fluid Levels: Check oil, coolant, brake, and transmission fluid levels and conditions—they should be clean and at proper levels.
Cosmetic Condition Review
Exterior Body and Paint: Look for rust, dents, scratches, or mismatched paint that could suggest previous damage or repairs.
Windshield and Lights: Inspect for cracks, chips, and functioning headlights, taillights, and indicators.
Tires and Rims: Check for even tread wear, cracks, or damage to wheels which might indicate alignment issues.
Interior Upholstery and Dashboard: Ensure seats, controls, and infotainment systems are clean and fully functional. Water stains or musty odors may indicate leaks or flooding.
If you’re not confident in assessing a vehicle yourself, hiring a certified mechanic for a pre-purchase inspection is a worthwhile investment. Many local services in Bridgewater, including
Understanding Local Market Pricing in Bridgewater, MA
Before buying a pre-owned vehicle, it’s essential to know how local market pricing works in Bridgewater, MA. Prices for used cars can vary depending on regional demand, seasonal trends, and the availability of dealerships. Conducting thorough research helps ensure you receive a fair deal and avoid overpaying.
What Affects Vehicle Prices in Bridgewater?
Supply and Demand: Certain models, especially fuel-efficient cars and trucks with all-wheel drive (AWD), may be more expensive in New England due to seasonal demand.
Local Economy: Regional income levels, job markets, and fuel prices all influence what buyers are willing to pay and how sellers price their vehicles.
Dealer Inventory: Bridgewater dealerships with a high turnover of used vehicles may offer more competitive prices and promotions to attract buyers.
Seasonal Patterns: SUVs and trucks tend to be in higher demand (and priced higher) before winter, while convertibles may sell for less in colder months.
Tips for Evaluating Fair Market Value
Use tools like Kelley Blue Book (KBB), Edmunds, or NADA Guides to compare prices for similar vehicles based on year, mileage, trim, and condition.
Check local dealership websites to compare listing prices in real time.
Review recent sales listings on platforms like Craigslist or Facebook Marketplace to gauge pricing from private sellers.
Don’t forget to include taxes, registration fees, and documentation charges when creating your budget.
Understanding the local market enables you to identify good deals and provides leverage when negotiating. For a trusted starting point, check the current selection and service options at DriveMax MA, where local pricing often reflects what Bridgewater buyers are looking for.
Evaluating Financing and Warranty Options
When purchasing a pre-owned vehicle in Bridgewater, MA, it’s essential to review your financing and warranty options carefully. A well-structured loan and a solid warranty can make ownership more affordable and protect you from unexpected repair costs. Taking the time to understand these factors upfront can save you stress and money in the long run.
Understanding Financing Options
Dealer Financing: Many dealerships in Bridgewater offer on-site financing, including competitive rates for qualified buyers and special programs for those with limited credit history.
Bank or Credit Union Loans: Local banks and credit unions often offer lower interest rates and more flexible terms, especially to members or existing customers.
Online Auto Loans: Digital lenders allow you to pre-qualify and compare multiple offers, making it easier to find the best deal.
Down Payment and Loan Terms: A larger down payment can lower your monthly costs, while shorter loan terms usually reduce total interest paid.
Exploring Warranty Options
Manufacturer’s Warranty: Some used vehicles may still be covered under the original manufacturer’s warranty, depending on age and mileage.
Certified Pre-Owned (CPO) Warranty: CPO vehicles typically include extended coverage and pass rigorous inspections, offering more peace of mind.
Extended Warranty Plans: Offered by dealers or third-party providers, these plans can cover major repairs after the original warranty has expired, although terms vary widely.
Powertrain vs. Bumper-to-Bumper: Powertrain warranties cover major engine and transmission components, while bumper-to-bumper plans include a broader range of systems.
Be sure to read the fine print and ask questions about deductibles, exclusions, and coverage limits. If you’re shopping at a reputable dealer like DriveMax MA, they can help explain financing and warranty details clearly so you feel confident about your decision.
An auto history report is one of the most important tools you have in your arsenal when shopping for a used car. This extensive report is compiled after a Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) check and provides you with a car’s history —from accidents to ownership history, service records, and more. Knowing this information about a report can keep you out of trouble, and help you make a good decision prior to buying.
Here, we will explore how to read an auto history report and what each section means, so that you can approach a vehicle with confidence.
What is a VIN, and Why is it Important?
Every car has its own unique “fingerprint”, known as the Vehicle Identification Number (VIN). This 17-digit code is packed with data about the car’s make, model, year of production, country of origin, and more. It is embossed on the dashboard, near the windshield , and can also be found inside the driver’s side door frame.
With a VIN, services like Carfax, AutoCheck, and others can generate an auto VIN History Report that draws from insurance offices, DMVs, repair shops, and law enforcement databases. The payoff is a comprehensive history of the vehicle.
Important Elements That Appear on an Auto History Report
Here are the main parts you’ll see, and what to look for in each one:
1. Vehicle Specifications
This area contains the basic information of the car: make and model name, year, engine type, and body type, etc. Ensure that this corresponds to the seller’s description and the car’s title.
2. Title History
Title history shows how a vehicle is registered, and whether it has ever been issued a salvage, rebuilt, or flood title. Those designations can signal that the car has sustained significant damage, which can impact its performance, as well as its resale value. A clean title is usually the first indication.
3. Ownership History
This section displays the number of past owners, duration of ownership, and usage type (personal, business, rental, or lease). No guarantees, but numerous owners in the short term or frequent re-registration could be a warning sign of problems or dissatisfaction.
4. Accident and Damage Reports
Possibly the most important aspect of the auto history check, this item lists all insurance claims and police reports that have been filed against the vehicle. This could include the extent of the damages, the airbags deployed or whether the car was towed. A vehicle may look all right now, but previous large accidents can create long-term problems.
5. Service and Maintenance History
Here you’ll see records for oil changes, tire rotations, brake checks , and more — so long as the work was done by a shop that reports to the database. The extensive list can serve as a reliable indicator of a well-cared-for vehicle, while gaps can suggest an owner who has shown little care for the car over time.
6. Mileage Verification
One of the most prevalent types of used-car fraud is the odometer rollback. This section reveals reported mileage at various times, such as service visits, inspections, and title transfers. Discrepancies in mileage can also be a significant red flag.
7. Reminds and Special Service Campaigns
Many reports will include information about whether the car has been involved in recalls and whether any recall-related issues have been resolved. This allows you to verify that the car is safe and up to date with the manufacturer’s recalls.
How to Spot Red Flags
When it comes to the report, knowing how to read it is as important as having it. These are some red flags to look out for:
• Salvage or rebuilt titles: These mean the vehicle has been seriously damaged in the past.
• Odometer discrepancies: A sudden decrease in mileage could indicate tampering.
• Multipleaccidents: Past accidents, especially serious ones, can affect performance and safety.
• Multiple changes in ownership: If a car has passed from one owner to the next through a succession that appears excessively rapid, it might be worth more investigation into why that is the case.
The Importance of the Auto History Report
A Carfax report provides transparency into the vehicle’s history and minimizes the risk of buying a lemon. No report is bulletproof (for example, a few minor incidents might not be reported), but it gives you an accurate sense of what has been reported and how you can negotiate and ask questions more effectively.
If the car carries a salvage title but has been professionally repaired, for example, you might still consider it — but only at a steep discount. On the other hand, if the log is clean and supports the fatherly care, you may continue with peace of mind.
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Final Thoughts
It is essential for any second-hand car buyer to understand how to interpret a car history report from a VIN check. It provides you with truth, facts, and data to inform your decisions and thus avoid costly mistakes. Be sure to couple this report with a pre-purchase inspection from a reputable mechanic and a test drive to confirm that you get value and reliability.
When it comes to shopping for a used car, knowledge is power — and one of the best ways to arm yourself is to learn as much as you can about your next purchase before you buy it, which means checking out a vehicle history report.
Credit: LONG POND, PENNSYLVANIA - JUNE 22: NASCAR Cup Series The Great American Getaway 400 at Pocono Raceway on June 22, 2025 in Long Pond, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Jonathan Bachman/Getty Images)
Denny Hamlin remains at the top in this week’s edition of the NASCAR Top-10 Power Rankings at Pocono for the fourth consecutive week.
Note: The quotes in this article are fictional.
1. Denny Hamlin:
Hamlin started on the pole and finished second at Pocono.
“They call Pocono Raceway the ‘Tricky Triangle,'” Hamlin said. “They also call the parenting of three children the ‘Tricky Triangle.'”
2. William Byron:
Byron finished 27th at Pocono.
“I started at the back of the field after crashing in qualifying,” Byron said. “So, I basically took myself out of the race before it even started.”
3. Chase Briscoe:
Briscoe won Stage 2 and saved enough fuel down the stretch to hold off Denny Hamlin at Pocono to win the Great American Getaway 400.
“We almost blew it on our final pit stop,” Briscoe said, “by not getting enough fuel in the car. I guess we had more fuel than we were letting on. That would be called ‘tanking.'”
4. Chase Elliott:
Elliott charged late to finish fifth at Pocono.
“Kurt Busch served as the race’s grand marshal,” Elliott said. “Kurt will be inducted into the NASCAR Hall Of Fame in 2026. I can’t wait to hear Kurt’s speech. I’ll be much like Kurt before his 2006 surgery: all ears.”
5. Ryan Blaney:
Blaney, last year’s winner at Pocono, finished third in the Great American Getaway 400.
“Even though I started at the back,” Blaney said, “I still put myself in position to win the race. And at Pocono, ‘position to win’ means ‘waiting for someone to run out of gas.'”
6. Chris Buescher:
Buescher came home fourth in the Great American Getaway 400, posting his third top 5 of the season.
“Sunday’s race was delayed for two hours due to weather,” Buescher said. “That means even Mother Nature didn’t want to watch this race.”
7. Ross Chastain:
Chastain finished 26th in the Great American Getaway 400 at Pocono.
“Like many,” Chastain said, “I’ve had my issues with Carson Hocevar. So I can understand Ricky Stenhouse, Jr.’s frustration. If I could put myself in Ricky’s shoes, I would use his shoes to kick Hocevar’s butt.”
8. Christopher Bell:
Bell struggled at Pocono, his day slowed when he was caught up in an accident on lap 84. He finished 17th.
“On the plus side,” Bell said, “I’ve got three wins this season. On the negative side, you’d be hard pressed to believe that given my performance at Pocono.”
9. Alex Bowman:
Bowman just missed out on his ninth top-10 finish with an 11th-place finish in the Great American Getaway 400 at Pocono.
“Let’s be honest,” Bowman said. “The real ‘Great American Getaway’ was Carson Hocevar getting out of Mexico City alive.”
10. Joey Logano:
Logano finished 16th at Pocono.
“I appeared on ‘First Take,'” Logano said, “where I was interviewed by Stephen A. Smith. That was a bucket list item for me. Now, I never have to speak to Stephen A. ever again.”
LONG POND, PENNSYLVANIA - JUNE 22: Chase Briscoe, driver of the #19 Bass Pro Shops Toyota, poses with the winner sticker on his car in victory lane after winning the NASCAR Cup Series The Great American Getaway 400 at Pocono Raceway on June 22, 2025 in Long Pond, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Meg Oliphant/Getty Images).
Chase Briscoe gutted his way to his first NASCAR Cup Series victory of the 2025 season in The Great American Getaway 400 at Pocono Raceway on Sunday, June 22, following a late fuel-mileage battle with his Joe Gibbs Racing teammate Denny Hamlin.
The reigning Southern 500 champion from Mitchell, Indiana, led twice for a race-high 72 of 160 scheduled laps at Pocono. He started in sixth place and navigated his way through a series of pit strategies and seven caution periods, including stage break periods.
After finishing in fourth place in the first stage period and winning the second stage period, Briscoe led the field at the start of the final stage period with 60 laps remaining. Then, while executing his final green flag pit stop with approximately 40 laps remaining, Briscoe made an error. He left his pit stall too early, which drew concerns.
But he motored ahead with the lead for the final restart with 30 laps remaining. Briscoe had enough horsepower and fuel to fend off Hamlin. He achieved his first Cup Series victory of the 2025 season and his first driving for Joe Gibbs Racing.
On-track qualifying at Pocono determined the starting lineup on Saturday, June 21. Denny Hamlin secured his first Cup pole of the 2025 season with a lap at 172.599 mph in 52.144 seconds. Joining Hamlin on the front row was Chris Buescher with a qualifying lap at 172.325 mph in 52.227 seconds.
Prior to the event, the following names that included Ty Dillon, Ryan Blaney, Josh Berry, Bubba Wallace, William Byron, and Cody Ware dropped to the rear of the field due to unapproved adjustments to their respective entries.
Brennan Poole also dropped to the rear of the field due to multiple pre-race inspection failures to his No. 44 NY Racing Chevrolet entry. As a result of Poole’s inspection failures, his car chief, Mark Labretone, was ejected from the event. Poole was also assessed a drive-through penalty through pit road after taking the green flag.
When the green flag at Pocono waved and the event commenced, Denny Hamlin, who opted to start on the outside lane. He was in front of Toyota teammates John Hunter Nemechek and Chase Briscoe. Hamlin launched ahead of Chris Buescher through the frontstretch. Carson Hocevar made a three-wide move to overtake Buescher, Briscoe, and Nemechek. He tried to get to Hamlin’s left-rear quarter panel in the first turn, but Hamlin motored ahead through the first turn.
As the field jostled for early spots and fanned out to multiple lanes from the Long Pond Straightaway (in between Turns 1 and 2), the Tunnel Turn (a left-hand curve turn in Turn 2) and a straightaway from Turns 2 to 3 before making a left-curved turn through Big Bend prior to the frontstretch, Hamlin proceeded to lead the first lap over Buescher and Hocevar.
Over the next four laps, Hamlin maintained a steady advantage, as high as four-tenths of a second over Buescher. Hocevar maintained within reach and under a second of the two leaders in third place. Another lap later, Buescher attempted to make a move beneath Hamlin entering the first turn. But Hamlin maintained the top spot through the Long Pond straightaway that started from the exit of the first turn to the entrance of the second turn.
Through the first 10 scheduled laps, Hamlin continued to lead by a tenth of a second over Buescher. Hocevar, Tyler Reddick, and Chase Briscoe followed suit in the top five, respectively. Cole Custer occupied sixth place ahead of Daniel Suarez, Ty Gibbs, Christopher Bell, and John Hunter Nemechek, rounding out the top 10. Brad Keselowski, Zane Smith, Erik Jones, Ross Chastain, Joey Logano, Chase Elliott, Austin Dillon, Alex Bowman, William Byron, and Ryan Preece occupied the top-20 spots, respectively, in front of Austin Cindric, Kyle Larson, rookie Shane van Gisbergen, Justin Haley, and rookie Riley Herbst.
Ten laps later, Hamlin extended his advantage to eight-tenths of a second over Buescher despite Buescher’s earlier attempt to reel in to Hamlin’s rear bumper. Behind Reddick, who overtook Hocevar for third place two laps earlier, trailed the lead by four seconds. Meanwhile, Hocevar, who got sideways entering the frontstretch but managed to keep his car racing straight despite making light right-rear contact against the outside wall. He fended off Briscoe for fourth place as the latter two trailed the leader by five seconds.
On Lap 25, pit strategies ensued as Daniel Suarez pitted under green from 21st place. Two laps later, more drivers, including Hocevar, Keselowski, Custer, Ty Gibbs, and Bell, pitted their respective entries just before pit road became inaccessible due to the upcoming conclusion of the first stage period. By then, Hamlin, who was among many in the field who had yet to pit, retained the lead.
When the first stage period concluded on Lap 30, Hamlin cruised to his fourth Cup stage victory of the 2025 season. The veteran managed to lead every lap through the first stage period. Buescher settled in second ahead of Reddick, Briscoe, and Erik Jones. Zane Smith, Joey Logano, Chase Elliott, William Byron, and Alex Bowman scored in the top 10, respectively.
Stage 2
Under the stage break, nearly the entire field led by Hamlin pitted their respective entries while the rest, which included Michael McDowell, Keselowski, Hocevar, Gibbs, Custer, Nemechek, Bell, and Suarez, remained on the track. Following the pit stops, Buescher exited pit road first ahead of Hamlin while Erik Jones, Elliott, and Logano followed suit. Soon after, McDowell surrendered the lead to pit under caution. This allowed Keselowski to cycle to the lead.
The second stage period started on Lap 35 as Keselowski and Gibbs occupied the front row. At the start, Keselowski received a push from Hocevar to muscle ahead of Gibbs. He then led from the exit of the frontstretch through the Long Pong Straightaway. The field fanned out and jumbled up through the Tunnel Turn before they navigated back to the frontstretch unscathed.
Keselowski led the following lap over Hocevar, Gibbs, Nemechek, and Custer. Hamlin, who restarted in eighth place on his four fresh tires, was up to sixth place. Hamlin then proceeded to gain two additional spots and move up to fourth place by the Lap 40 mark. Keselowski retained the lead by four-tenths of a second over Hocevar.
On Lap 41, the caution returned. Riley Herbst, while racing in the top 30, blew a right-front tire exiting the frontstretch and went dead straight into the outside wall in Turn 1. The incident was due to a broken right-front hub. It resulted in Herbst sustaining terminal right-side damage to his No. 35 Monster Energy Toyota Camry XSE entry.
During the caution period, more mixed pit strategies within the field ensued. Multiple names including Buescher, Alex Bowman, Chase Briscoe, Ryan Blaney, Zane Smith, Bubba Wallace, Austin Dillon, Kyle Busch, Ricky Stenhouse Jr., Michael McDowell, AJ Allmendinger, Shane van Gisbergen, Todd Gilliland, Cody Ware, Ryan Preece, Justin Haley, Noah Gragson and Ty Dillon pitted their respective entries. Meanwhile, the rest, led by Hamli, remained on the track.
The event restarted under green on Lap 48. Keselowski fended off Hocevar to retain the lead through the first turn and the Long Pong Straightaway. Teammates Hamlin and Gibbs battled for third place in front of William Byron. Byron capitalized on both Hamlin and Gibbs going up the track in Turn 3 by assuming third place. Nemechek tried to get himself mixed in between Hamlin and Gibbs. Amid the battles within the field, Keselowski led at the Lap 50 mark while Hocevar trailed by half a second.
On Lap 54, the caution flew when Wallace, racing in 27th place, blew a right-front tire entering the Long Pond Straightaway. He went dead-straight into the outside wall. The incident was due to a broken brake rotor on the No. 23 McDonald’s Toyota Camry XSE entry. It eliminated Wallace from further competition, capping off a frustrating weekend for Wallace. A day earlier, Wallace was unable to post a qualifying lap due to his car having issues igniting during Saturday’s qualifying session. As a result, he was forced to start at the rear of the field.
During the caution period, Keselowski mistakenly surrendered the lead to pit when pit road was closed to the field. Amid the miscommunication, Keselowski had his car serviced while Hocevar cycled to the lead. When pit road became accessible, a majority of the field led by Hocevar pitted their respective entries. The rest, led by Logano, remained on the track. Those who also remained on the track included Cindric, Berry, Bowman, Briscoe, Stenhouse, Haley, Buescher, and McDowell. Hamlin, who was among those who pitted, exited pit road first ahead of Blaney and Ross Chastain.
The start of the next restart on Lap 60 featured the field fanning out through the frontstretch. Logano fended off teammate Cindric to maintain the lead through the first turn, the Long Pond Straightaway, and the Tunnel Turn. Bowman and Stenhouse would also overtake Cindric to move into the top-three spots while Logano proceeded to lead the following lap. As Logano led, Hamlin, who restarted in 11th place, was mired in 10th place. Hocevar, who restarted 19th, was up to sixth place.
At the Lap 65 mark, Bowman, who overtook Logano for the lead two laps earlier, led by eight-tenths of a second over Logano. Stenhouse, Hocevar, and Cindric followed suit in the top five, respectively. The remaining top-10 spots were occupied by Buescher, Berry, Hamlin, Haley, and Briscoe, respectively. Bowman extended his lead to more than a second by Lap 70.
Just past the Lap 70 mark, Michael McDowell, racing in 26th place, blew a right-front tire. The incident was due to a blown brake rotor entering the frontstretch. Despite McDowell’s incident, the race remained under green flag conditions. McDowell was able to limp his damaged No. 71 Gainbridge Chevrolet entry below the track for a full lap. He then steered his car behind the wall. As the event proceeded, some, including Berry and Briscoe, made strategic pit stops under green. Bowman continued to lead just past the Lap 75 mark.
The caution would then be thrown on Lap 78 due to debris on the frontstretch, remnants of McDowell’s incident on the frontstretch. During the caution period, multiple names led by Bowman pitted for service while the rest led by Stenhouse and Hocevar remained on the track.
When the race restarted under green at the halfway mark on Lap 80, Stenhouse, who led and shared the front row with Hocevar, received no drafting help from the outside lane. This allowed Hocevar to rocket ahead with a push from Briscoe through the frontstretch and the first turn before Briscoe drew alongside and overtook Hocevar for the lead through the Long Pond Straightaway. Briscoe would proceed to lead the following lap over Stenhouse and Hocevar while Byron navigated his way up to fourth place in front of Berry and Keselowski.
Then on Lap 82, the caution returned when Kyle Busch, who was battling Zane Smith for 24th place, got loose while rubbing fenders alongside Smith through the Tunnel Turn. Busch’s spin triggered a multi-car wreck that involved Bell, Ty Dillon, and van Gisbergen, who were all racing in the mid-pack region.
During the caution period, Reddick took his No. 45 The Beast Toyota Camry XSE entry to the garage due to a braking issue. It mirrored similar issues that eliminated his teammates, Wallace and Herbst, from contention. Compared to his teammates, Reddick lost a single lap in the process and was able to return to competition. Back on the track, select names that included Hocevar and Austin Dillon pitted their respective Chevrolets. The rest, led by Briscoe, remained on the track.
With the event restarting with eight laps remaining in the second stage period, Briscoe and Stenhouse battled for the lead in front of a stacked field. With multiple names barely making contact with the outside wall entering the frontstretch but keeping their respective entries racing straight and under green flag conditions, Briscoe maintained the lead over Berry and Stenhouse during the next lap while Byron and Keselowski were battling inside the top-five mark.
When the second stage period concluded on Lap 95, Briscoe captured his first Cup stage victory of the 2025 season. Berry followed suit in second while Elliott, Byron, Buescher, Hamlin, Cindric, Blaney, Larson, and Hocevar were scored in the top 10. Meanwhile, Erik Jones and Keselowski, both of whom strategically pitted under green with three laps remaining in the second stage period, were mired back in 29th and 30th, respectively.
Under the stage break, and with mixed pit strategies ensued. Some, including Byron, Stenhouse, and Daniel Suarez, pitted their respective entries while the rest, led by Brisco, remained on the track.
With 60 laps remaining, the final stage period commenced as Briscoe and Berry occupied the front row. At the start, Briscoe fended off Berry to lead through the frontstretch and the first turn while Buescher navigated his way into the runner-up spot. As the field roared through the Long Pong Straightaway, Hamlin overtook Berry for third place, and he pursued Buescher for the runner-up spot while Briscoe led the following lap. By then, Chase Elliott also marched his way into fourth place over Berry while Blaney, Larson, Cindric, Chastai,n and Ryan Preece were jostling in the top 10.
With less than 50 laps remaining, Briscoe maintained the lead by three-tenths of a second over Buescher while third-place Hamlin trailed by more than a second. As Briscoe continued to lead with 42 laps remaining, select names, including Berry, Cindric, and Bowman, pitted their respective entries under green before the leader, Briscoe, Larson, Preece, Hocevar, and Byron, all of whom pitted with 41 laps remaining. More names that included Hamlin, Elliott, Logano, Chastain, Gragson, Custer, Stenhouse, and Custer would pit with 40 laps remaining before Buescher, who assumed the lead when Briscoe pitted, pitted with 39 laps remaining.
By the time Buescher completed his pit service and returned to the track, both Briscoe and Hamlin had cycled ahead of Buescher. Meanwhile, Blaney, who was among 12 competitors who had yet to pit, was leading with 38 laps remaining while Keselowski, Erik Jones, John Hunter Nemechek, and Suarez were scored in the top five.
Blaney would then surrender the lead to pit with 36 laps remaining, along with Nemechek, Suarez, Bell, and Gibbs, before the caution flew due to van Gisbergen spinning in the first turn. At the moment of caution, Keselowski, who was among a select few who had yet to pit, was scored the leader ahead of Haley and Busch. During the caution period, some led by Keselowski pitted while the rest led by Briscoe remained on the track.
The start of the next restart, with 30 laps remaining, featured teammates Briscoe and Hamlin briefly dueling. Briscoe then received a push from Elliott on the outside lane to launch ahead entering the first turn. As Briscoe led, Hamlin was drawn in a side-by-side battle with Blaney through Long Pond Straightaway. Buescher, Elliott, and Larson battled in front of Nemechek for fourth place. With a series of battles within the field ensuing, Briscoe cycled back to the frontstretch and led the following lap over Hamlin.
Down to the final 25 laps of the event, Briscoe, who was reported to not have enough fuel to reach the event’s scheduled distance after he mistakenly left his pit box too soon during his latest green flag pit service, was leading by four-tenths of a second over teammate Hamlin. Blaney, Elliott, and Buescher trailed by as far back as two seconds in the top-five mark. Despite his fuel-shortage issue, Briscoe continued to multitask, conserving his fuel tank through every straightaway and turn while also maintaining the lead by half a second over Hamlin.
With 20 laps remaining, Briscoe’s lead stood at four-tenths of a second over Hamlin. Third-place Blaney was only two-tenths of a second behind Hamlin. Five laps later, Briscoe stabilized his lead to six-tenths of a second over Hamlin. Blaney trailed the lead by more than a second. Elliott and Buescher trailed in the top-five mark by two seconds while sixth-place Nemechek was six seconds behind the lead.
As the event reached its final 10-lap distance, Briscoe continued to lead by six-tenths of a second over Hamlin. Blaney trailed by a second in third place while Elliott and Buescher trailed by three seconds in the top five. Hamlin then started to try to reel in Briscoe, who led him by half a second with five laps remaining.
Chase Briscoe Wins
When the white flag waved and the final lap started, Briscoe, who maintained a reasonable advantage over Hamlin while continuing to conserve fuel, remained in the lead by seven-tenths of a second. Amid concerns that his engine would sputter on low fuel, Briscoe managed to maintain both enough horsepower and fuel in his low tank while also fending off Hamlin for a final cycle around the Tricky Triangle before he cruised back to the frontstretch and claimed his first elusive checkered flag of the 2025 Cup Series season.
With the victory, Briscoe notched his third career win in NASCAR’s premier series, his first at Pocono, his first since winning the Southern 500 at Darlington Raceway in September 2024, and his first driving the No. 19 Toyota entry for Joe Gibbs Racing. The victory was also the seventh of the 2025 season for both Joe Gibbs Racing and the Toyota nameplate.
As a bonus, Briscoe, who came into Pocono 39 points above the cutline to make the 2025 Cup Series Playoffs, solidified his spot in this year’s postseason battle to the series’ championship by becoming the 11th winner through the first 17 scheduled events of the 2025 season.
“[The pressure] was a lot,” Briscoe said on the frontstretch on Prime Video. “It was kind of weird. I wasn’t driving hard, so it’s not like I was on the ragged edge. It was just so hard to have a guy chasing you, especially the guy that’s probably the greatest of all time here. To be trying to save fuel and everything else. An amazing day for our race team.
This is really the first race we’ve executed, truthfully, all year long. To get Johnny Morris [and] Bass Pro Shops in Victory Lane, to get Toyota in Victory Lane. Joe Gibbs Racing, they took a big chance on me. I wasn’t everybody’s first choice, I think, but for me to be able to get here and finally deliver a win is just an awesome feeling.”
Denny Hamlin, who was pursuing an eighth Pocono victory, settled in second place as he fell short of a victory by six-tenths of a second. Amid the disappointment, Hamlin, who did not participate in last weekend’s Mexico City event due to the birth of his third child, was also pleased with the on-track performances and speed exhibited by his No. 11 team.
“The key moment with [Briscoe] and like three or four others pitted and then, that caution [with 36 laps remaining] came out and it leaped them in front of us,” Hamlin said. “At that point, we knew it was going to be really hard to pass those guys. The team did a great job. Next best in line there of our strategy. Just didn’t work out.”
Ryan Blaney, the reigning two-time Pocono winner, came home in third place while Chris Buescher and Chase Elliott finished in the top five. John Hunter Nemechek, Kyle Larson, Ryan Preece, Brad Keselowski, and Austin Cindric completed the top 10 in the final running order.
There were 11 lead changes for nine different leaders. The race featured seven cautions for 31 laps. In addition, 30 of 37 starters finished on the lead lap.
Following the 17th event of the 2025 Cup Series season, William Byron leads the regular-season standings by 54 points over teammate Kyle Larson, 78 over Denny Hamlin, 79 over Christopher Bell, and 80 over Chase Elliott.
Results:
1. Chase Briscoe, 72 laps led, Stage 2 winner 2. Denny Hamlin, 32 laps led, Stage 1 winner 3. Ryan Blaney, three laps led 4. Chris Buescher, two laps led 5. Chase Elliott 6. John Hunter Nemechek 7. Kyle Larson 8. Ryan Preece 9. Brad Keselowski, 27 laps led 10. Austin Cindric 11. Alex Bowman, 15 laps led 12. Josh Berry 13. Erik Jones 14. Ty Gibbs 15. Daniel Suarez 16. Joey Logano, five laps led 17. Christopher Bell 18. Carson Hocevar, two laps led 19. Justin Haley 20. Kyle Busch 21. AJ Allmendinger 22. Cole Custer 23. Noah Gragson 24. Austin Dillon 25. Zane Smith 26. Ross Chastain 27. William Byron 28. Todd Gilliland 29. Cody Ware 30. Ricky Stenhouse Jr., two laps led 31. Shane van Gisbergen, one lap down 32. Tyler Reddick, one lap down 33. Ty Dillon, 20 laps down 34. Brennan Poole – OUT, Drivetrain 35. Michael McDowell – OUT, Accident 36. Bubba Wallace – OUT, Accident 37. Riley Herbst – OUT, Accident
Next on the 2025 NASCAR Cup Series season is the series’ return to the newly named EchoPark Speedway (renamed from Atlanta Motor Speedway) for the Quaker State 400 and the first of five In-Season Tournament events. The event is scheduled to occur next Saturday, June 28, and air at 7 p.m. ET on TNT.
RICK WARE RACING The Great American Getaway 400 Date: June 22, 2025 Event: The Great American Getaway 400 (Round 17 of 36) Series: NASCAR Cup Series Location: Pocono Raceway in Long Pond, Pennsylvania (2.5-mile triangle) Format: 160 laps, broken into three stages (30 laps/65 laps/65 laps)
Race Winner: Chase Briscoe of Joe Gibbs Racing (Toyota) Stage 1 Winner: Denny Hamlin of Joe Gibbs Racing (Toyota) Stage 2 Winner: Chase Briscoe of Joe Gibbs Racing (Toyota)
RWR Finish:
● Cody Ware (Started 36th, Finished 29th / Running, completed 160 of 160 laps)
RWR Points:
● Cody Ware (36th with 109 points)
Race Notes:
● Chase Briscoe won The Great American Getaway 400 to score his third career NASCAR Cup Series victory, his first of the season and his first at Pocono. His margin over second-place Denny Hamlin was .682 of a second. ● There were seven caution periods for a total of 31 laps. ● All but seven of the 37 drivers in the race finished on the lead lap. ● William Byron remains the championship leader after Pocono with a 54-point advantage over second-place Kyle Larson.
Sound Bites:
“Today was just a positive day to build off of. The guys did an amazing job to get the car back together in one piece for today. We wouldn’t have even been able to have a lead-lap finish if it wasn’t for all the work they put in all day yesterday and into today after the wreck in practice. Shout out to Ford Performance. This Ford Mustang Dark Horse was solid. Costa Oil, Parts Plus and all these partners make it possible to be here.” – Cody Ware, driver of the No. 51 Parts Plus / Costa Oil – 10-Minute Oil Change Ford Mustang Dark Horse
Next Up:
The next event on the NASCAR Cup Series schedule is the Quaker State 400 on Saturday, June 28 at Atlanta Motor Speedway in Hampton, Georgia. The race begins at 7 p.m. EDT with live coverage provided by TNT and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio.
BRISCOE OUTLASTS HAMLIN TO BRING HOME TOYOTA 1-2 FINISH Briscoe saves enough fuel to bring home his first win for Toyota and Joe Gibbs Racing
POCONO, PA. (June 22, 2025) – Chase Briscoe and Denny Hamlin both managed to stretch their fuel to the finish, securing a 1-2 result for Joe Gibbs Racing and Toyota on Sunday evening at Pocono Raceway.
The win marked Briscoe’s first with Toyota and first for JGR since joining the team at the start of the 2025 season. It was also the third Cup Series victory of his career.
Both drivers pitted with 40 laps remaining, but Briscoe left his stall before his tank was full. Hamlin, meanwhile, took on a full load of fuel. Despite the short fill, Briscoe — with guidance from crew chief James Small — was able to conserve enough fuel while holding off Hamlin to take the checkered flag.
John Hunter Nemechek, driving for LEGACY MOTOR CLUB, joined the JGR Toyotas in the top 10 with a sixth-place finish.
Toyota GAZOO Racing Post-Race Recap NASCAR Cup Series (NCS) Pocono Raceway Race 17 of 36 – 400 miles, 160 laps
TOYOTA FINISHING POSITIONS
1st, CHASE BRISCOE 2nd, DENNY HAMLIN 3rd, Ryan Blaney* 4th, Chris Buescher* 5th, Chase Elliott 6th, JOHN HUNTER NEMECHEK 13th, ERIK JONES 14th, TY GIBBS 17th, CHRISTOPHER BELL 32nd, TYLER REDDICK 36th, BUBBA WALLACE 37th, RILEY HERBST *non-Toyota driver
TOYOTA QUOTES
CHASE BRISCOE, No. 19 Bass Pro Shops Toyota Camry XSE, Joe Gibbs Racing
Finishing Position: Winner
What does it mean to win in a fuel mileage situation there at the end and holding off Denny (Hamlin)?
“I was just making sure he didn’t get close enough to do something with me. It was hard because I was only running 50 percent. You are running hard to enough to maintain the lead, but also to save fuel. The truth is I’ve never been in that position before, it was kind of trial by fire. Amazing job by all the Bass Pro Shops guys, we had a really, really good car. I think I had James (Small, crew chief) was a bit worried when I went too early and I just did everything I could to make it back up and I’m glad we are finally in victory lane.”
How important was it to get a win at this point and solidify you with your new team at Joe Gibbs Racing?
“It’s huge. Anytime you go to a new team you want to show them why they picked you – especially with Christopher (Bell) and Denny (Hamlin) winning three races already this year. I’ve been kind of miserable the last two weeks and Marissa (wife) was asking me what was wrong, and I needed to win. I can’t miss the playoffs in this car, but to finally be able to win a race and lock ourselves into the playoffs is definitely a huge relief. Just a great day for us, just super thankful for everyone at Joe Gibbs Racing, Toyota, Johnny Morris and Bass Pro Shops who took a shot on me and I’ve finally been able to pay him back.”
DENNY HAMLIN, No. 11 Progressive Toyota Camry XSE, Joe Gibbs Racing
Finishing Position: 2nd
Describe the waning laps of the race and what you are trying to do to get around Chase?
“When five cars pitted and then the caution came and the 19 and a bunch of guys jumped in front of us, I knew it would be really hard to give that track position back. It was just so hard to pass, so we did all we could we were just next best in line.”
Were you just hoping to push the pace to run Chase out of fuel?
“It was the best option. It definitely was going to be difficult. There was a key moment when the 19 and some other guys pitted and the caution came out and leaped him in front of us. At that point, we knew it was going to be really hard to pass those guys back on the racetrack. Team did a great job, next best in line there of our strategy, it just didn’t work out. I want to send my condolences to the FedEx family and the Smith family for the loss of Fred Smith. He was such a big part of Joe Gibbs Racing’s since the inception of this 11 car and my career, so thank you to the FedEx family and Fred Smith’s family.”
JOHN HUNTER NEMECHEK, No. 42 Pie Barker Fire & Safety Toyota Camry XSE, LEGACY MOTOR CLUB
Finishing Position: 6th
How does it feels feel to bring home two straight top-10 finishes?
“Both cars had speed this weekend right off the truck and qualified really well. It was my best qualifying effort in the Cup series and we raced well also. I’m proud of everything they’ve put in at LEGACY MOTOR CLUB – all the men and women with all the effort they’ve been putting in. Looking forward to continuing to come to the racetrack when you have the speed. Just a testament to this 42 team. Travis Mack (crew chief), and I have been working really hard and we’ve been communicating well. Sydney, our primary engineer, Dex, Carl, Josh, and everyone who works on this thing. I’m just proud of the effort.”
BUBBA WALLACE, No. 23 McDonald’s Toyota Camry XSE, 23XI Racing
Finishing Position: 36th
What kind of feedback were you getting from the car?
“Nothing. I was going to battle the 17 (Chris Buescher) and the 2 (Austin Cindric) and by the time I was ready to touch the pedal it just went to the floor and the brakes exploded. I hate it, we’ve had two or three good races in-a-row and there goes the bad luck again. But MJ (Michael Jordan) told me there’s no such thing as bad luck, we create our own luck. I hate it for my guys. I hate it for McDonald’s. We knew it was going to be a grind and I was mentally prepared for that all day. As frustrating as it gets not being able to pass here in Pocono, we were going to just take our lumps and march our way through and set ourselves up for the end of the race, but the brakes just didn’t want to hang on that long.”
RILEY HERBST, No. 35 Monster Energy Toyota Camry XSE, 23XI Racing
Finishing Position: 37th
What happened during the incident in turn one?
“I don’t know. I’ve grown up watching these races at Pocono and seeing what happened to me happen to lot of other guys. It was a scary feeling for sure. I was just starting to get tight, just a bad adjustment on my part. Getting into (turn) one, the brakes just went to the floor. A brake rotor exploded and I was along for the ride with our Monster Energy Camry XSE.”
About Toyota
Toyota (NYSE:TM) has been a part of the cultural fabric in North America for nearly 70 years, and is committed to advancing sustainable, next-generation mobility through our Toyota and Lexus brands, plus our more than 1,800 dealerships.
Toyota directly employs nearly 64,000 people in North America who have contributed to the design, engineering, and assembly of nearly 49 million cars and trucks at our 14 manufacturing plants. In spring 2025, Toyota’s plant in North Carolina will begin to manufacture automotive batteries for electrified vehicles. With more electrified vehicles on the road than any other automaker, Toyota currently offers 31 electrified options.
Garcia, Sims finish second in GTD PRO for third time this season
WATKINS GLEN, N.Y. (June 22, 2025) – Antonio Garcia and Alexander Sims, Chevrolet and the No. 3 Corvette Z06 GT3.R squad moved into first place in the GTD PRO championship standings after a second-place finish Sunday in the Sahlen’s Six Hours of The Glen.
Sims drove the opening and closing stints with Garcia doing the work in the middle to net the fourth podium finish in the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship season for the No. 3 Corvette duo and third runner-up result of the season.
The No. 3 Corvette Racing by Pratt Miller Motorsports team weathered – literally (early on, at least) and figuratively – a race that featured 10 full-course yellow periods and sweltering heat in the race’s second half. In addition, Tommy Milner and Nicky Catsburg came home fifth in class with the No. 4 Corvette for the best finish of the season as the championship enters its critical summer stretch.
Eight full-course yellow periods in the first four hours didn’t do much to help teams get into any kind of racing rhythm. Starting drivers undoubtedly had the worst of it on the day as a heavy downpour soaked Watkins Glen. All four Corvettes made it through unscathed and worked toward setting up track position for the final hours.
In GTD PRO, the No. 3 Corvette moved toward the front with Garcia driving the middle portion. He took the class lead with 2:35 left – the first time the No. 3 led on pace since Sebring. Garcia turned the car back over to Sims for the final 70 minutes in third place but the straight-line pace of the Corvettes’ competitors made it difficult to hold position over the course of a stint.
Sims still was able to make a daring overtake for second place inside the final half-hour to net a precious position and valuable championship points.
Milner and Catsburg worked their way forward from ninth mid-race to their first top-five finish of the year. A late-race fuel save by Catsburg allowed him to attack in the closing stages and gain three spots in the final 45 minutes.
It appeared for most of the race that Corvettes would make the GTD podium as AWA and DXDT Racing challenged late for the race lead. Contact and a late penalty shuffled AWA’s No. 13 Corvette down the order and to a ninth-place class finish, and the No. 36 DXDT entry suffered a rear suspension issue late that ground the Corvette to a halt from second place with 10 minutes to go.
The next race for Corvette Z06 GT3.R teams in IMSA is the Chevrolet Grand Prix from Canadian Tire Motorsport Park on July 11-13.
CORVETTE Z06 GT3.R POST-RACE DRIVER QUOTES
ANTONIO GARCIA, NO. 3 CORVETTE Z06 GT3.R – SECOND IN GTD PRO: “Starting sixth in my stint, I was a little bit on the back foot there on track position. But overall we made no mistakes. Every stop or every strategy call, we kind of felt like we always went in the right direction. We got into the lead near half distance, so that felt really good. I felt I had the pace just to be there, and nobody seemed to be faster than us at least at that time. But the car felt really good. On the restarts, I didn’t expect the 48 and 1 to be that fast. Pretty much everyone was competitive. It was difficult to defend on restarts and so on. So I thought I had a really good run and the car felt really good. It’s a shame that we seem to be doing the laptime in different places than the others, but in a way I think we maximized whatever we had today. So fuel strategy, the race strategy, driver changes, everything worked really, really good. So I’m happy with that.”
ALEXANDER SIMS, NO. 3 CORVETTE Z06 GT3.R – SECOND IN GTD PRO: “That was a fantastic race… really exciting, really tough to do it completely trouble-free with such changing conditions at the start and then such warm conditions at the end. The tires were, I’m sure, screaming for everybody. This is such a high-speed, flowing track that it’s really hard to save the tires when they’re getting hot in these conditions. Plus we had to fuel-save until that last yellow which I guess saved everybody. But it was really frantic. I don’t think there was a full green stint out there. It’s why we love IMSA… the racing’s so hard, so close and changes all the time. So yes, I’m really pleased with the job that we did. The whole team at Pratt Miller Motorsports did a pretty flawless job. Every pit stop was executed really well. I don’t think we ever really lost out at any point. We played it smart when we needed to. Antonio did a phenomenal middle of the race. That really put us in a good position. and gave me a great chance at the end. I raced hard. Some things went my way, some things didn’t, but it was great fun. It’s just awesome to finish second again. Obviously we’d love to win, but with the pace that some of the other cars had in the first sector here, it was nigh-on impossible to stay ahead if we were ahead each time, so I’m really pleased to be here.”
TOMMY MILNER, NO. 4 CORVETTE Z06 GT3.R – FIFTH IN GTD PRO: “A lot of yellows obviously kept everybody close, for better or for worse. At times it helped us for sure and maybe not so good for us at other times. It’s tough out there. The class is competitive and with all the yellows everybody’s always there, no matter what. We continue to be hampered by having no straight-line speed. I’m sure overall that the laptimes are close but when it comes to racing and the way that the balance is between all the cars… it’s tough. To be honest, I’ve never seen such a disparity in cars. So for us, we have to drive like maniacs on restarts, and even that doesn’t really do anything for us. So that part’s frustrating. Otherwise, we do have some work to do on our side just to clean things up a little bit for us to get a good result. I think the car was in a good window this weekend. There are still some areas for me to improve, for us as the team to improve. So we’ll keep working on it.”
NICKY CATSBURG, NO. 4 CORVETTE Z06 GT3.R – FIFTH IN GTD PRO: “I feel like we didn’t do so many things wrong and we ended up in P5, which was okay. I think from a team point of view it was a good day with the No. 3 car in P2, but it would be nice to have a result with the No. 4 Corvette at some point. We didn’t make many mistakes. We do need to analyze where we lost time. Some of it is bad luck with the pit lane situation the way it is in IMSA and it’s not really anyone’s fault so we need to just keep grinding. Whenever we are ahead on track of the 3 car it gets tough in the pit lane. So sometimes it’s quite unrewarding because you feel like we’re doing well then the next pit stop and we’re not doing well anymore. So that’s frustrating. But other than that I would say a pretty solid day. We stayed out of trouble, the cars are in one piece, and it was a good job for the championship. So well done team.”
CHARLIE EASTWOOD, NO. 36 CORVETTE Z06 GT3.R – 15TH IN GTD: “What could have been again unfortunately for these guys. We were in a really good spot… P2 for most of the last stint and then actually the Lexus ran out of fuel in the last lap. Just 10 minutes to go and a rear-left failure potentially from some contact early in the race, but definitely not within the last three to four hours. So we just needed to diagnose what that was. But yeah, it was a super good weekend for us from start to finish and the team did a really good job. I tried to get these guys their first podium in IMSA, my own first podium in IMSA, but again it wasn’t to be today.”
Team Chevy high-resolution racing photos are available for editorial use.
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CHEVROLET IN NHRA 2025 AMERICAN REBEL LIGHT VIRGINIA NHRA NATIONALS VIRGINIA MOTORSPORTS PARK NORTH DINWIDDIE, VIRGINIA TEAM CHEVY RACE RECAP | NOTES & QUOTES JUNE 22, 2025
AUSTIN PROCK SCORES THIRD WIN OF 2025, CONTINUES TO LEAD FUNNY CAR POINT STANDINGS
Prock Wins in Virginia for Second Straight Year, Beats Teammate Beckman in Final
Notes:
Austin Prock qualified No. 2 in his Cornwell Tools John Force Racing (JFR) Chevrolet, going 4.004 at 320.36.
Prock defeated Cruz Pedregon (Rd1), Bob Tasca III (Rd 2) and JR Todd (Rd 3) to meet up with teammate Jack Beckman in the finals
Prock scored his third victory of the season in running a 4.061 at 318.02 versus Beckman’s 4.071 at 305.42
Brittany Force qualified No. 1 in her Chevrolet Accessories Top Fuel Dragster, but fell in round 1.
Jack Beckman behind the wheel of the Peak Performance JFR Chevrolet Funny Car qualified No. 1 on Saturday, his third No. 1 qualifying effort of the 2025 season.
WHAT THEY’RE SAYING:
AUSTIN PROCK, DRIVER OF THE CORNWELL TOOLS CHEVROLET SS FUNNY CAR FOR JOHN FORCE RACING: “We went through hell last year. There was a lot of uncertainty, and we had no idea which way all these events were going to go. We’re so blessed to have him back out here at the racetrack, healthy. And to win back-to-back for him, this trophy is definitely going to him as well. We battled through adversity here last year racing for him and this year obviously we wanted to win for him. We battled a lot of tough track conditions. A lot of people were struggling here, and my team just kept their heads
to the grindstone and got the job done. I had a feeling we were going to come in here and prove why we’re the points leaders and we did exactly that. We raced smart, we raced competitively, and I finally got my stuff together behind the wheel. Really proud of this win. I can’t wait to get back and see my family, see John Force, and celebrate big tonight.”
JACK BECKMAN, DRIVER OF THE PEAK PERFORMANCE CHEVY SS FUNNY CAR: “So I said our goal is to qualify on the opposite side of the ladder of the Cornwell car and race them which means it’s a final round; and we did all of that. History will make it seem like this was scripted but the reality is, it was a miserably hot weekend. My hats off to the Cornwell Car, and my hats off to the PEAK squad. Everybody did everything through a nasty 102-degree heat index day to get those two cars into the final round and put on a great show for the fans. We were actually ahead by four-thousandths of a second before we
started spinning the tires. And that is not a would’ve, could’ve, should’ve. The Cornwell team did a better job than the PEAK team today. The PEAK team has got a car that will run in the heat and were going to be running in the heat for the next couple of months. Can’t wait for next weekend.”
BRITTANY FORCE, DRIVER OF CHEVROLET ACCESSORIES CHEVROLET DRAGSTER: “Tough weekend here in Virginia for our Chevrolet Accessories team. It’s difficult returning to this track after everything that happened last season. But overall to be able to come back with my dad is a very positive note. We qualified No. 1 which is outstanding for this team. We made two solid passes in the heat on Saturday and unfortunately, we just got out run first round against Tony Stewart. But again, we’re learning things every weekend, especially on these hot racetracks. We’ll pack up and go to Norwalk sporting our Chevrolet colors once again and try and fight for a win there.”
UP NEXT:
The 11th round of the 2025 NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series takes place June 26th to June 29th, 2025 at The Summit Racing Equipment Raceway Park in Norwalk, Ohio. The Summit Racing Equipment NHRA Nationals finals can be seen on Sunday, June 29th starting at 2:00 p.m. ET on FOX. Coverage airs throughout the weekend with NHRA on FOX and NHRA.tv (subscription), streaming available via AppleTV, Android TV, and Roku devices.
About General Motors
General Motors (NYSE:GM) is driving the future of transportation, leveraging advanced technology to build safer, smarter, and lower emission cars, trucks, and SUVs. GM’s Buick, Cadillac, Chevrolet, and GMC brands offer a broad portfolio of innovative gasoline-powered vehicles and the industry’s widest range of EVs, as we move to an all-electric future. Learn more at GM.com.
