The 2021 Explore the Pocono Mountains 350 was a NASCAR Cup Series race held on June 27, 2021, at Pocono Raceway in Long Pond, Pennsylvania. Contested over 140 laps on the triangular racecourse, it was the 19th race of the 2021 NASCAR Cup Series season.
Entry list (R) denotes rookie driver. (i) denotes driver who are ineligible for series driver points.
Driver Team Manufacturer 00 Quin Houff StarCom Racing Chevrolet 1 Kurt Busch Chip Ganassi Racing Chevrolet 2 Brad Keselowski Team Penske Ford 3 Austin Dillon Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 4 Kevin Harvick Stewart-Haas Racing Ford 5 Kyle Larson Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 6 Ryan Newman Roush Fenway Racing Ford 7 Corey LaJoie Spire Motorsports Chevrolet 8 Tyler Reddick Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 9 Chase Elliott Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 10 Aric Almirola Stewart-Haas Racing Ford 11 Denny Hamlin Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 12 Ryan Blaney Team Penske Ford 14 Chase Briscoe (R) Stewart-Haas Racing Ford 15 James Davison Rick Ware Racing Chevrolet 17 Chris Buescher Roush Fenway Racing Ford 18 Kyle Busch Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 19 Martin Truex Jr. Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 20 Christopher Bell Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 21 Matt DiBenedetto Wood Brothers Racing Ford 22 Joey Logano Team Penske Ford 23 Bubba Wallace 23XI Racing Toyota 24 William Byron Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 34 Michael McDowell Front Row Motorsports Ford 37 Ryan Preece JTG Daugherty Racing Chevrolet 38 Anthony Alfredo (R) Front Row Motorsports Ford 41 Cole Custer Stewart-Haas Racing Ford 42 Ross Chastain Chip Ganassi Racing Chevrolet 43 Erik Jones Richard Petty Motorsports Chevrolet 47 Ricky Stenhouse Jr. JTG Daugherty Racing Chevrolet 48 Alex Bowman Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 51 Cody Ware (i) Petty Ware Racing Chevrolet 52 Josh Bilicki Rick Ware Racing Ford 53 Garrett Smithley (i) Rick Ware Racing Chevrolet 66 Timmy Hill (i) MBM Motorsports Toyota 77 Justin Allgaier (i) Spire Motorsports Chevrolet 78 B. J. McLeod (i) Live Fast Motorsports Ford 99 Daniel Suárez Trackhouse Racing Team ChevroletOfficial entry list
Qualifying Chris Buescher was awarded the pole for the race as determined by the top 20 from Saturday's finishing order inverted.
Starting Lineup Pos Driver Team Manufacturer 1 17 Chris Buescher Roush Fenway Racing Ford 2 34 Michael McDowell Front Row Motorsports Ford 3 19 Martin Truex Jr. Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 4 20 Christopher Bell Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 5 10 Aric Almirola Stewart-Haas Racing Ford 6 47 Ricky Stenhouse Jr. JTG Daugherty Racing Chevrolet 7 23 Bubba Wallace 23XI Racing Toyota 8 99 Daniel Suárez Trackhouse Racing Team Chevrolet 9 9 Chase Elliott Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 10 8 Tyler Reddick Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 11 2 Brad Keselowski Team Penske Ford 12 5 Kyle Larson Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 13 4 Kevin Harvick Stewart-Haas Racing Ford 14 22 Joey Logano Team Penske Ford 15 1 Kurt Busch Chip Ganassi Racing Chevrolet 16 12 Ryan Blaney Team Penske Ford 17 11 Denny Hamlin Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 18 24 William Byron Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 19 18 Kyle Busch Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 20 48 Alex Bowman Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 21 3 Austin Dillon Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 22 43 Erik Jones Richard Petty Motorsports Chevrolet 23 37 Ryan Preece JTG Daugherty Racing Chevrolet 24 14 Chase Briscoe (R) Stewart-Haas Racing Ford 25 51 Cody Ware (i) Petty Ware Racing Chevrolet 26 38 Anthony Alfredo (R) Front Row Motorsports Ford 27 77 Justin Allgaier (i) Spire Motorsports Chevrolet 28 15 James Davison Rick Ware Racing Chevrolet 29 53 Garrett Smithley (i) Rick Ware Racing Chevrolet 30 78 B. J. McLeod (i) Live Fast Motorsports Ford 31 00 Quin Houff StarCom Racing Chevrolet 32 21 Matt DiBenedetto Wood Brothers Racing Ford 33 42 Ross Chastain Chip Ganassi Racing Chevrolet 34 52 Josh Bilicki Rick Ware Racing Ford 35 66 Timmy Hill (i) MBM Motorsports Toyota 36 7 Corey LaJoie Spire Motorsports Chevrolet 37 6 Ryan Newman Roush Fenway Racing Ford 38 41 Cole Custer Stewart-Haas Racing FordOfficial starting lineup
Race
Stage Results
Stage One Laps: 30
Pos Driver Team Manufacturer Points1 19 Martin Truex Jr. Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 102 10 Aric Almirola Stewart-Haas Racing Ford 93 2 Brad Keselowski Team Penske Ford 84 12 Ryan Blaney Team Penske Ford 75 23 Bubba Wallace 23XI Racing Toyota 66 34 Michael McDowell Front Row Motorsports Ford 57 47 Ricky Stenhouse Jr. JTG Daugherty Racing Chevrolet 48 8 Tyler Reddick Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 39 99 Daniel Suárez Trackhouse Racing Team Chevrolet 210 22 Joey Logano Team Penske Ford 1Official stage one results
Stage Two Laps: 55
Pos Driver Team Manufacturer Points1 24 William Byron Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 102 11 Denny Hamlin Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 93 2 Brad Keselowski Team Penske Ford 84 20 Christopher Bell Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 75 9 Chase Elliott Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 66 19 Martin Truex Jr. Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 57 18 Kyle Busch Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 48 5 Kyle Larson Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 39 10 Aric Almirola Stewart-Haas Racing Ford 210 42 Ross Chastain Chip Ganassi Racing Chevrolet 1Official stage two results
Final Stage Recap And Results
Before the final stage break at lap 74's pit stop it was discovered that Kyle Busch got stuck in 4th gear. During the stage break pit stop his team discovered he had lost his clutch so he was forced to leave it in 4th gear for the remainder of the race. With one lap before the restart he topped off on fuel, gambling that there would be no further caution flags to the end, however there was one final caution on lap 94 for debris with the final restart on lap 96. This led to a 44 lap green flag run. Kyle Busch was able to get enough good fuel milage to win the race, passing the leader, teammate Denny Hamlin who was coming to pit lane for fuel as they were about to take the white flag.
Stage Three Laps: 55
Pos Grid Driver Team Manufacturer Laps Points1 19 18 Kyle Busch Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 140 442 12 5 Kyle Larson Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 140 383 11 2 Brad Keselowski Team Penske Ford 140 504 13 4 Kevin Harvick Stewart-Haas Racing Ford 140 335 7 23 Bubba Wallace 23XI Racing Toyota 140 386 16 12 Ryan Blaney Team Penske Ford 140 387 20 48 Alex Bowman Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 140 308 23 37 Ryan Preece JTG Daugherty Racing Chevrolet 140 299 10 8 Tyler Reddick Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 140 3110 14 22 Joey Logano Team Penske Ford 140 2811 3 19 Martin Truex Jr. Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 140 4112 18 24 William Byron Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 140 3513 21 3 Austin Dillon Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 140 2414 17 11 Denny Hamlin Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 140 3215 8 99 Daniel Suárez Trackhouse Racing Team Chevrolet 140 2416 5 10 Aric Almirola Stewart-Haas Racing Ford 140 3217 2 34 Michael McDowell Front Row Motorsports Ford 140 2518 32 21 Matt DiBenedetto Wood Brothers Racing Ford 140 1919 1 17 Chris Buescher Roush Fenway Racing Ford 140 1820 15 1 Kurt Busch Chip Ganassi Racing Chevrolet 140 1721 24 14 Chase Briscoe (R) Stewart-Haas Racing Ford 140 1622 37 6 Ryan Newman Roush Fenway Racing Ford 140 1523 36 7 Corey LaJoie Spire Motorsports Chevrolet 139 1424 38 41 Cole Custer Stewart-Haas Racing Ford 139 1325 27 77 Justin Allgaier (i) Spire Motorsports Chevrolet 139 026 33 42 Ross Chastain Chip Ganassi Racing Chevrolet 139 1227 9 9 Chase Elliott Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 139 1628 25 51 Cody Ware (i) Petty Ware Racing Chevrolet 139 029 30 78 B. J. McLeod (i) Live Fast Motorsports Ford 138 030 28 15 James Davison Rick Ware Racing Chevrolet 137 731 22 43 Erik Jones Richard Petty Motorsports Chevrolet 136 632 4 20 Christopher Bell Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 135 1233 31 00 Quin Houff StarCom Racing Chevrolet 135 434 26 38 Anthony Alfredo (R) Front Row Motorsports Ford 134 335 34 52 Josh Bilicki Rick Ware Racing Ford 132 236 29 53 Garrett Smithley (i) Rick Ware Racing Chevrolet 122 037 35 66 Timmy Hill (i) MBM Motorsports Toyota 113 038 6 47 Ricky Stenhouse Jr. JTG Daugherty Racing Chevrolet 111 5Official race results
Race statistics Lead changes: 12 among 10 different drivers Cautions/Laps: 4 for 15 Red flags: 0 Time of race: 2 hours, 26 minutes and 49 seconds Average speed:
Media
Television NBC Sports covered the race on the television side. Rick Allen, Jeff Burton, Steve Letarte and Dale Earnhardt Jr. called the race from the broadcast booth. Dave Burns, Marty Snider and Kelli Stavast handled the pit road duties from pit lane. Jac Collinsworth handled the features from the track.
NBCSNBooth announcersPit reportersFeatures reporter Lap-by-lap: Rick AllenColor-commentator: Jeff BurtonColor-commentator: Steve LetarteColor-commentator: Dale Earnhardt Jr. Dave BurnsMarty SniderKelli Stavast Jac Collinsworth
Radio MRN had the radio call for the race which was also simulcast on Sirius XM NASCAR Radio. Alex Hayden and Jeff Striegle called the race in the booth when the field raced through the tri-oval. Dave Moody called the race from the Sunoco spotters stand outside turn 2 when the field raced through turns 1 and 2. Mike Bagley called the race from a platform inside the backstretch when the field raced down the backstretch. Kyle Rickey called the race from the Sunoco spotters stand outside turn 4 when the field raced through turns 3 and 4. Steve Post and Kim Coon worked pit road for the radio side.
MRN RadioBooth announcersTurn announcersPit reporters Lead announcer: Alex HaydenAnnouncer: Jeff Striegle Turns 1 & 2: Dave MoodyBackstretch: Mike BagleyTurns 3 & 4: Kyle Rickey Steve PostKim Coon
Standings after the race
Drivers' Championship standings Pos Driver Points 1 Denny Hamlin 761 2 Kyle Larson 759 (–2) 3 William Byron 690 (–71) 4 Joey Logano 651 (–111) 1 5 Kyle Busch 650 (–112) 1 6 Chase Elliott 633 (–128) 7 Martin Truex Jr. 606 (–155) 1 8 Ryan Blaney 586 (–175) 1 9 Kevin Harvick 585 (–176) 10 Brad Keselowski 569 (–192) 11 Alex Bowman 543 (–218) 12 Austin Dillon 518 (–243) 13 Tyler Reddick 470 (–291) 14 Kurt Busch 430 (–331) 1 15 Chris Buescher 427 (–334) 1 16 Christopher Bell 424 (–337)Official driver's standings
Manufacturers' Championship standings Pos Manufacturer Points 1 Chevrolet 702 2 Ford 655 (–47) 3 Toyota 650 (–52)
Note: Only the first 16 positions are included for the driver standings. . – Driver has clinched a position in the NASCAR Cup Series playoffs.
References