LONG POND, Pa. (June 4, 2016) – Kyle Larson, in the No.42 Ganassi Racing Chevrolet, won the inaugural NASCAR XFINITY Series race at Pocono Raceway, the Pocono Green 250. Larson ran past Erik Jones in the No. 20 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota to win the rain-shortened event.
NASCAR awarded the checkered flag in the Pocono Green 250 to Larson when the race was red-flagged after 53 of 100 scheduled laps and then called because of persistent rain.
The victory was Larson’s first of the season and fourth in the series, but it was a source of frustration to runner-up Jones, who arguably had the fastest car and was closing rapidly on Larson when a rain shower blew in from the west and stopped the action.
Ty Dillon finished third, followed by Kyle Busch and Joey Logano. Ninth-place finisher Daniel Suarez maintained an 11-point lead in the series standings over Elliott Sadler, who ran sixth.
The caution flag flew for the fifth time on Lap 52, when a stormed cell drenched Turn 3 and began to move over the entire track. Another shower followed and then a steady rain, forcing NASCAR to shorten the race.
Larson likely was the only driver in the field who welcomed the downpour.
“I’m happy with it,” Larson said. “Now that the race is over and we got the win, it can clear out so we can race (on Sunday) for the (NASCAR Sprint) Cup race … I had kept a gap on him (Jones) for about four laps when he was in second.
AXALTA “WE PAINT WINNERS” 400 FINAL PRACTICE: The NASCAR Sprint Cup series had its final practice for the Axalta “We Paint Winners” Saturday morning. Kyle Busch, in his No. 18 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota, set the fastest lap at 176.901mph. Busch was followed by his older brother, Kurt Busch, who recorded a lap of 176.800 mph in his No. 41 Stewart-Haas Chevrolet. The top five for the final practice included Jimmie Johnson, Martin Truex Jr, and Kevin Harvick. Pole-sitter, Brad Keselowski, just missed the top five finishing in sixth position.
AXALTA “WE PAINT WINNERS” 400: Charlie Shaver, Chairman & CEO of Axalta Coating Systems, will serve as Grand Marshal for the Axalta “We Paint Winners” 400 at Pocono Raceway Sunday, June 5. Shaver, his daughter Caroline and Axalta Coating Systems Senior Vice President and Chief Human Resources Officer Joe McDougall, as well as his daughter Julia, will give the “start your engines” command.
The Air Force Rock Band will perform the National Anthem prior to the race.
The Green Flag is scheduled to drop at 1:00 p.m.
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