UPDATE: Disqualification of Gibbs-Toyota duo Denny Hamlin and Kyle Busch after 1-2 win at Pocono Raceway – Chase Elliott inherits victory
UPDATE Monday, 2:45 a.m. CEST: The only race of the 2022 NASCAR Cup Series at three-turn Pocono Raceway initially saw a third win of the season for Denny Hamlin (Gibbs-Toyota) on Sunday. The (supposed) triumph for Hamlin came after a spin in Stage 2 and contact in Stage 3 with Ross Chastain (Trackhouse-Chevrolet), with whom he had tangled several times in St. Louis almost two months ago.
18 Toyota Camry (Busch) were faulted. This involved a material that is not permitted in the area where it was used.
Chase Elliott (Hendrick-Chevrolet), who had actually finished third, inherits the Pocono win. For him, it is the fourth win of the 2022 season and the first at the green table.
Short-term Cup debut for Ty Gibbs – replacing Kurt Busch
Denny Hamlin’s employee Kurt Busch had to refrain from participating in the race at short notice as he was diagnosed with a concussion after a crash in qualifying (Saturday). Due to the veteran’s absence, Ty Gibbs – 19-year-old grandson of Joe Gibbs – made his Cup debut in Busch’s 45 23XI Toyota without further ado.
Meanwhile, 23XI co-owner Hamlin started a race from the pole for the third time this season in his 11 Gibbs Toyota. However, Hamlin clipped the wall right off Turn 1 of the first lap and immediately dropped to the back of the top 5. Nevertheless, a Gibbs driver was recorded as the first leader in the race: Kyle Busch.
At the first restart (after a spin by Penske driver Austin Cindric), Kyle Busch suffered a similar fate as Hamlin at the start of the race. In Turn 1, he came way too far up in the lead and lost several positions. The new leader was Kyle Larson (Hendrick-Chevrolet).
Stage wins for Kyle Larson and Kyle Busch
After Austin Cindric spun at the start of Stage 1 at the beginning of the start/finish straight and triggered the first yellow phase, such a spin also happened to Aric Almirola (Stewart/Haas-Ford) at the same point shortly before the stage flag. Therefore, the first of three race segments ended under yellow: Larson had the nose in front of Hendrick team mate Chase Elliott and in front of pole setter Hamlin.
In Stage 2, it was Hamlin, among others, who spun (in Turn 2) and thus brought out a yellow. Apart from that, Corey LaJoie (Spire-Chevrolet) and Ty Dillon (Petty/GMS-Chevrolet) also spun. In the end, Kyle Busch took the stage win ahead of Ross Chastain (Trackhouse-Chevrolet) and Ryan Blaney (Penske-Ford). Blaney, however, didn’t get too much further.
From bad, to worse. @Blaney‘s day done on a hard hit. pic.twitter.com/fm5wuM26SJ
– NASCAR (@NASCAR) July 24, 2022
The final race segment initially under green for a long time including pit stops. With 23 laps to go, however, a crash by Ryan Blaney on the start/finish straight caused a yellow period. At the restart after this, Ross Chastain led ahead of Denny Hamlin. And just one corner later, Chastain promptly found himself in the wall.
Fight for the win: Denny Hamlin pushes Ross Chastain away
In the duel for the lead, Hamlin had allowed himself to be carried to the outside while driving on the inside lane. Chastain ran out of room. He was unable to avoid the outside wall. On his way back into the field, Chastain crossed the path of Kevin Harvick (Stewart/Haas-Ford), whereupon he also hit the inside track barrier and was out of the race.
CHASTAIN INTO THE WALL! pic.twitter.com/WWZmlpQYGi
– NASCAR (@NASCAR) July 24, 2022
The following restart remained the last. Gibbs teammates Hamlin and Kyle Busch took it from the front row. Lurking on the second row were Hendrick driver Chase Elliott and Loudon winner Christopher Bell in another Gibbs Toyota.
Bell fell out of the top 5 on the final laps, but Hamlin and Kyle Busch remained in command. Hamlin raced to his third win of the 2022 season, seventh Pocono victory and 49th Cup win overall, all of which was later revised. Asked about the scene with Chastain, Hamlin said with a grin, “What was I supposed to do?”
Incidentally, 19-year-old Cup debutant Ty Gibbs finished a strong 18th in Kurt Busch’s 23XI Toyota.
Next stop Indianapolis circuit
With only five races remaining until the playoffs begin (September 4 at Darlington), it’s worth taking a look at the current standings. There have been 14 season winners in the 21 races so far: Chase Elliott has now won four times after the result correction, William Byron, Ross Chastain, Denny Hamlin and Joey Logano twice each, Austin Cindric, Kyle Larson, Alex Bowman, Chase Briscoe, Kyle Busch, Kurt Busch, Daniel Suarez, Tyler Reddick and Christopher Bell once each.
Ryan Blaney and Martin Truex Jr. are currently in a virtual playoff spot without a win this season. The regular season continues next Sunday (31 July) on the Indianapolis circuit. The day before, the IndyCar Series will hold its race on the same track. In the IndyCar Series, seven-time NASCAR champion Jimmie Johnson achieved his best result to date on Sunday.
