Latest NASCAR news
Reddick (704 pts) leads Hamlin (685 pts) by just 19 -- down from 129 after Watkins Glen. Bubble: Wallace +43, SVG +10, Jones +4, Cindric +4 in; Keselowski -4, Logano -21 out. 10 regular-season races remain. (@bobpockrass)
Frankie Muniz earned a GT4 America podium at Road Atlanta -- P3 in the AM class with TechSport Racing / Ford Racing. His son was there for the celebration. "He says the trophy is going in his play room!!" (@frankiemuniz)
Wallace (13th, +43 to cutline), Logano (18th, -21) and Keselowski (outside top 16) combined for just 4 top 10s and a 24.8 avg finish over 7 races -- then collided together at Pocono. Next up: Coronado, Sonoma, Chicago, Atlanta, North Wilkesboro, Indy.
"After what happened in Phoenix, you either pick yourself up and you respond or you fold. We'll find out," Michael Jordan told 23XI in the off-season. Hamlin, after win No. 4 in five starts and the three-peat at Pocono: "He's finding out." Now 19 points behind Reddick with 10 to go.
Reddick earns the No. 1 seed, Hamlin No. 2. Bowman squeaks in as No. 32 via tiebreaker over Custer. First-round matchups: Reddick vs. Bowman, Hamlin vs. T. Dillon, Wallace vs. McDowell. Opens June 28 at Sonoma, 3:30pm ET on TNT/HBO Max.
Jeff Gluck and Jordan Bianchi are live right now on The Teardown breaking down Hamlin's three-peat, Bell's last-lap fuel drama, and everything else from Pocono. Watch on Dirty Mo Media.
Heather Gibbs, post-race: "We're trying to think how to keep (Hamlin) longer. At this rate and what he's producing out there...if it works out and he's still producing and still wants to...it's hard when you dangle checkered flags in front of him." (@jeff_gluck)
Bell ran out of gas with 4 to go, handing Hamlin the lead and his 64th career win -- breaking a tie with Kyle Busch for sole possession of 9th all-time. Hamlin's 8th at Pocono, his most at any track, and his first career three-peat. P2: Reddick. P3: Byron.
Todd Gilliland wins Stage 2 at Pocono via fuel mileage -- his 1st career Cup stage win and the 39th driver to win one since 2017. Stage 2 order: Gilliland, Briscoe, JHN, Jones, Stenhouse, Chastain, Hocevar, Suarez, Hamlin, Elliott; Reddick 11th. (@SethEggert91, @bobpockrass)
Lap 47 wreck collects multiple Chase contenders at Pocono: Berry and SVG contact off Turn 3, Austin Hill went 3-wide and the chain reaction sent Logano into Wallace's No. 23. Keselowski took race-ending damage and is behind the wall with Gragson. Wallace, Bell, SVG and Logano continuing.