Hamlin Picks up Fifth Pocono Win

Originally written for CLNS Media.

Denny Hamlin won the Gander RV 400 from Pocono Raceway on Sunday afternoon.

Hamlin held off his Joe Gibbs Racing teammates Erik Jones and Martin Truex Jr. on the final restart, with fuel-mileage on everyone’s minds.

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The final round of pit stops caused most of the front-runners to stretch it on fuel, but two cautions late in the race allowed everyone to make it.  With everyone worried about fuel-mileage, Hamlin challenged Jones and Truex, hoping he could push them to run out of fuel.

Hamlin said he was worried that his team wouldn’t be able to make it to the end on fuel.

“I was really worried,” Hamlin said.  “We just did a great job with the car.  Once we lost track position there to [Truex] and [Jones], we weren’t able to pass them.”

Pocono staff put PJ1, a substance that adds grip to different grooves on the track, on the track before the race.  Hamlin said he was able to use the substance to his advantage to get to the lead.

“Thanks Pocono for putting in this PJ1, because I was able to use it there and get around those guys,” Hamlin said. 

Jones’ second-place finish was his third-consecutive top 3 finish.  Jones said he believes his team can break through and get a win before the playoffs.

“It’s a bummer, we’re close every week,” Jones said.  “It would sure be nice just to knock a win out, and when we’re just so close it stings a little bit more when you get that close.”

“We just have to break through and once we get one, I think we can knock a couple off.”

Unofficial results:

1. Denny Hamlin

2. Erik Jones

3. Martin Truex Jr.

4. William Byron

5. Kyle Larson

6. Kevin Harvick

7. Daniel Hemric

8. Brad Keselowski

9. Kyle Busch

10. Ryan Blaney

11. Clint Bowyer

12. Aric Almirola

13. Joey Logano

14. Ryan Newman

15. Jimmie Johnson

16. Chris Buescher

17. Matt DiBenedetto

18. Paul Menard

19. Austin Dillon

20. Alex Bowman

21. Ricky Stenhouse Jr.

22. Bubba Wallace

23. Matt Tifft

24. Daniel Suarez

25. Michael McDowell

26. Corey LaJoie

27. Kurt Busch

28. Landon Cassill

29. Ty Dillon

30. Ross Chastain

31. Quin Houff

32. Reed Sorenson

33. BJ McLeod

34. Austin Theriault

35. Josh Bilicki

36. David Ragan

37. Ryan Preece

38. Chase Elliott

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