NASCAR starting lineup for Pocono Raceway
Next up, Pocono qualifying is on deck for the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series field. One timed lap with set the Pocono Raceway starting grid in Long Pond, Pennsylvania.
View full 2019 Pocono starting lineup below.
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Two groups of qualifying are set to take to the track. The first group is set of the bottom 20 qualifiers from last week at Charlotte. The second group will see the top 20 qualifiers. The order within each group is set by a random draw.
Two cars had inspection issues ahead of qualifying at Pocono Raceway. Erik Jones and Chris Buescher have been seen their car chief ejected ahead of this session.
Related: Car chiefs ejected at Pocono Raceway
Pocono
Qualifying Format
NASCAR is trying something new this week. As of a few weeks prior, single car qualifying was put into place for all races. That’s the first time NASCAR reverted to the old format in five years.
However, Pocono Raceway is a 2.5-mile triangle. With such a large track, single car qualifying is very time consuming.
As a result, NASCAR will send three cars to the track at a time. Yet, the entry to the track for all three will be be separated by 15 seconds.
With the new rules package, drafting would be an advantage in qualifying. NASCAR will not allow that in this session. If they feel a driver slows down to try and benefit from a draft, that drivers time will be disallowed in this session.
Pocono
Qualifying – Report
Quin Houff is around off turn two! Teams have been trying to hold it wide open through that corner. The back-end stepped out and Houff went for a long slide. He stopped just short of the inside wall.
NASCAR did not throw a caution as Houff was the last car in the group. The other two drivers were able to complete their laps without impediment.
Times after Group A: 1. Brad Keselowski; 2. Kyle Larson; 3. Chase Elliott; 4. Matt DiBenedetto; 5. Daniel Hemric; 6. Chris Buescher; 7. Ty Dillon; 8. Bubba Wallace; 9. David Ragan; 10. Michael McDowell;
Ryan Blaney is attempting a different strategy. He coasting super slow onto the race track. It’s a very long get up to speed lap. He’s attempting to put as little heat as possible in the engine before the green flag to begin his hot lap. Blaney bobbles off turn three on his lap and he losses a bit of time.
Kurt Busch is sideways through turn one on his lap. He hangs onto it and completes the lap but he now sits outside the top 10.
Same thing for Martin Truex Jr. Turn one is an issue late in this session for many.
William Byron is quickest overall with just a handful remaining in the session. He made up all his time on the field getting off the corner, specifically in turn one.
Joey Logano is the last car to the track, he’s the lone car left and has the track to himself. Logano hits the track and shuts off the engine, coasting through turn one. Ahead of turn two, he starts the engine again and he’s on the gas.
William Byron will start from the pole position in the Pocono 400!
View the full Pocono Raceway starting lineup for the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series below.
Pocono
Starting Lineup
June 2, 2019
Pos | Driver | Time
1. William Byron
51.875
2. Kyle Busch
52.135
3. Clint Bowyer
52.168
4. Erik Jones
52.201
5. Brad Keselowski
52.212
6. Denny Hamlin
52.344
7. Kyle Larson
52.359
8. Jimmie Johnson
52.369
9. Daniel Suarez
52.420
10. Austin Dillon
52.429
11. Kevin Harvick
52.438
12. Chase Elliott
52.442
13. Aric Almirola
52.454
14. Paul Menard
52.458
15. Alex Bowman
52.461
16. Joey Logano
52.518
17. Ryan Blaney
52.574
18. Ricky Stenhouse Jr
52.586
19. Ryan Newman
52.761
20. Martin Truex Jr
52.803
21. Kurt Busch
52.884
22. Matt DiBenedetto
52.910
23. Daniel Hemric
52.915
24. Chris Buescher
52.928
25. Ty Dillon
52.942
26. Bubba Wallace
53.189
27. David Ragan
53.373
28. Michael McDowell
53.434
29. Ryan Preece
53.711
30. Matt Tifft
53.862
31. Landon Cassill
53.905
32. Ross Chastain
54.063
33. Corey LaJoie
54.073
34. Bayley Currey
54.086
35. Reed Sorenson
54.982
36. Quin Houff
55.458
37. JJ Yeley
0.000
