Briscoe Secures Victory at Pocono Raceway Amid Fuel Strategy Drama
Chase Briscoe triumphed in The Great American Getaway 400 at Pocono Raceway on Sunday, claiming his first victory with Joe Gibbs Racing. Briscoe’s race was marked by a critical miscommunication during a pivotal pit stop on lap 120, where he left his stall early, resulting in insufficient fuel for the remainder of the race. However, he adeptly managed his fuel consumption to secure the win.
Briscoe reclaimed the lead on lap 137 after the majority of the field pitted under caution. He maintained his position despite expectations that his tank would run out two or three laps short. As the race resumed with 30 laps remaining, he artfully conserved fuel while fending off challenges from teammate Denny Hamlin.
“It was a lot,” Briscoe reflected on the pressure of leading while conserving fuel. "Amazing day for our race team. This is the first race we’ve executed well all year. To deliver a win for Toyota and Bass Pro Shops is an incredible feeling."
Briscoe led 72 laps of the 160-lap race, the most of any driver, while Hamlin, who started from pole and led 32 laps, finished second. Ryan Blaney, Chris Buescher, and Chase Elliott rounded out the top five. Notably, Brad Keselowski claimed ninth after recovering from an earlier pit strategy misstep.
The race featured 11 lead changes among nine drivers and seven caution flags. Briscoe’s win makes him the 11th different driver to secure victory in 17 races this season, clinching a spot in the postseason.
Race Results
- Chase Briscoe
- Denny Hamlin
- Ryan Blaney
- Chris Buescher
- Chase Elliott
- John Hunter Nemechek
- Kyle Larson
- Ryan Preece
- Brad Keselowski
- Austin Cindric
Christopher Bell and Kyle Busch had challenging outings, finishing 17th and 20th respectively after a multi-car incident on lap 83. The race also saw several drivers, including Michael McDowell and Bubba Wallace, retire due to brake issues, highlighting the mechanical challenges at Pocono.
