2019 Gander RV 400 (Pocono)

The 2019 Gander RV 400 was a Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series race held on July 28, 2019 at Pocono Raceway in Long Pond, Pennsylvania. Contested over 163 laps -- extended from 160 laps due to an overtime finish, on the 2.5 mi superspeedway, it was the 21st race of the 2019 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series season.

Entry list

 * (i) denotes driver who are ineligible for series driver points.
 * (R) denotes rookie driver.

First practice
Daniel Suárez was the fastest in the first practice session with a time of 52.169 seconds and a speed of 172.516 mph.

Final practice
Erik Jones was the fastest in the final practice session with a time of 52.290 seconds and a speed of 172.117 mph.

Qualifying
Kevin Harvick scored the pole for the race with a time of 51.707 and a speed of 174.058 mph.

Qualifying results

 * Note: Austin Dillon, Jimmie Johnson, William Byron, Michael McDowell, Ryan Blaney, Chris Buescher, Corey LaJoie, Ross Chastain, and Reed Sorenson all started at the back due to failing inspection and had their times disallowed and started based on owner points.

Stage 1
Harvick runs off into Turn 1 with the lead and is never seriously challenged, leading until he pits on Lap 38. Erik Jones(20) and Kyle Busch are running in the top 5 when they choose to pit early on Lap 20. Pit stop strategy is all over the board as teams seek an individual advantage.

After the Harvick pit stop, Kyle Busch cycles into the lead, followed by Joey Logano(22). Harvic works his way back to third as the 1st Stage comes to an end.

Stage 2
Harvick’s pit strategy puts him back in the lead as he does not pit during the Stage ending caution. Eight other drivers stay on the track including Denny Hamlin(11) in 2nd and Ryan Newman(6) in 3rd.

On Lap 69 Newman pits from the 2nd spot, Kyle Busch moves into the position. He takes the lead when Harvick pits 10 laps later. Chase Elliott(9) hits the wall hard out of Turn 3 as pits stops are continuing. The damage sends Elliott behind the wall. He was driving the team’s backup car after crashing his primary race car during practice.

With nine laps to go in Stage 2 the caution displays for rain. Fortunately, the shower just skirts the track and the race goes back to green with five laps to go in the Stage. Three-wide racing is trouble at Pocono. As drivers fight for positions and the potential for Stage points, Daniel Suarez(41) forces Blaney into the wall. Both drivers save their cars temporarily. Sensing a pending caution, some drivers are called to pit road setting up track position for the Final Stage. The caution comes out when Blaney can’t keep his car under control and spins out.

Popular Stage Winner
The scramble prior to the caution being displayed significantly changed the running order at the end of Stage 2. Much to the delight of the crowd, seven-time champion Jimmie Johnson won the Stage. It is only the 2nd Stage win of Johnson’s career.

The Final Stage
Harvick stays out during the Stage ending caution and resumes the lead. Hamlin also stays on the track and will restart in 2nd. The pair battle for the lead until Harvick gets loose and Hamlin moves to the front.

After a caution on Lap 114 for Ryan Preece(47) hitting the wall the restart again is a mad scramble. Joe Gibbs Racing’s cars end up as the top four on the track with Kyle Busch in 1st, Jones in 2nd, Hamlin 3rd, and Martin Truex Jr.(19) in 4th.

The race turns into a fuel mileage contest as teams try and stretch the final 36 laps out of their last fill-up during the caution.

Late Race Drama
Kyle Busch has to pit for fuel, Jones inherits the lead. But, he gives it up to Hamlin as he begins to ease off trying to conserve enough to make it to the end. With eight laps to go Josh Bilicki slows and he car stops on the track with a mechanical issue. The caution comes out setting up the potential for a wild finish.

Will the caution laps be enough to allow those close on fuel enough to save what they need to avoid running out? The race restarts with four laps to go. Before the field can complete a lap, Ricky Stenhouse Jr.(17) and Kurt Busch(1) tangle and the race goes back under caution.

Overtime
With the race going to overtime, it’s anyone’s guess as to who will have the fuel for a green-white-checker finish. Hamlin pulls away on the restart and amazingly no one wrecks as the final two laps play out. Hamlin wins, Michigan native Erik Jones takes 2nd and Truex finished in 3rd. Despite their early dominance Harvick finishes 6th and Kyle Busch 9th.

Playoff Implications
Only six races remain in the regular season and the last few playoff spots have turned into a tight race to qualify. The Monster Energy Cup standings show several drivers fighting to earn one of the 16 playoff positions.

Clint Bowyer(14) and Ryan Newman sit tied on the cut line with 532 points. Kyle Larson(42) is 25 points clear, and Jones with his 2nd place finish sits in 13th, 27 points up. Jimmie Johnson is 17th, only 12 points out. Suarez, Menard, and Stenhouse are 31, 68, and 88 points behind respectively.

Stage results
Stage One Laps: 50

Stage Two Laps: 50

Final stage results
Stage Three Laps: 60

Race statistics

 * Lead changes: 9 among 5 different drivers
 * Cautions/Laps: 7 for 24
 * Red flags: 0
 * Time of race: 2 hours, 59 minutes and 22 seconds
 * Average speed: 133.804 mph

Television
NBC Sports covered the race on the television side. NBC had a radio-style broadcast for the race similar to the Watkins Glen and Indianapolis races which had Rick Allen and Steve Letarte calling in the regular booth for the race; Motor Racing Network broadcaster Mike Bagley calling from Turn 1, Dale Earnhardt Jr. calling from Turn 2, and Jeff Burton calling from Turn 3. Dave Burns, Marty Snider and Kelli Stavast reported from pit lane during the race.

Radio
Motor Racing Network covered the radio call for the race, which was simulcast on Sirius XM NASCAR Radio. Jeff Striegle and A. J. Allmendinger called the race from the booth when the field raced down the front straightaway. Dave Moody called the action from turn 1, Kyle Rickey called the action when the field raced thru the tunnel turn, and Jason Toy called the action from turn 3. Winston Kelley, Steve Post, Kim Coon, & Glenn Jarrett will handle the pit road duties for MRN.

Standings after the race

 * Drivers' Championship standings


 * Manufacturers' Championship standings


 * Note: Only the first 16 positions are included for the driver standings.
 * . – Driver has clinched a position in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series playoffs.