M&M’s may be leaving NASCAR at the end of the season, but before they go, they have chosen to sponsor the Fan Appreciation 400 at Pocono Raceway.

The drivers have been divided into two groups with each group getting 20 minutes of practice before making a single lap qualifying run.  The top five from each group will move on to round two to determine who will sit on the pole.

Always a tricky track to tame, the crews will be facing a bigger challenge this year with the new Next Gen car on the track for the first time.

Just six races remain in the regular season.  So far this season there has been 14 different winners with Chase Elliott leading the way with three wins.

With a two and a half mile track, NASCAR is sending out three drivers at a time 15 seconds apart to make their qualifying runs.

BJ McLeod is the first driver on the track to make a qualifying run and posts a time of 55.625 seconds.

Kyle Busch, Chris Buescher, Kyle Larson, Ryan Blaney, and Martin Truex Jr will all move on to round two of qualifying.

In Group B, Josh Bilicki is the first car on the track and posts a time of 54.639 seconds.

Denny Hamlin, Bubba Wallace, Kurt Busch, Daniel Suarez, and Chase Elliott will move on from Group B to round two of qualifying.

Coming to the green flag for his qualifying run, Kurt Busch slammed the back of his car into the wall hard.  The hit was hard enough that it turned the car around and got the front of the car as well.  Busch walked to the ambulance for the mandatory ride to the infield car center.  There is significant damage to the car and the crew may have to move to the backup car. 

After round tow of qualifying, Denny Hamlin runs a lap time of 52.944 seconds to put his number eleven Joe Gibbs Racing car on the pole.  Team mat Kyle Busch will start alongside on the front row.

The starting lineup for the M&M’s Fan Appreciation 400:
Denny Hamlin
Kyle Busch
Chase Elliott
Kyle Larson
Chris Buescher
Ryan Blaney
Bubba Wallace
Martin Truex Jr
Daniel Suarez
Kurt Busch
Christopher Bell
Aric Almirola
Chase Brisoce
Joey Logano
Austin Dillon
Tyler Reddick
Alex Bowman
William Byron
Ricky Stenhouse Jr
Austin Cindric
Ross Chastain
Noah Gragson
Corey LaJoie
Kevin Harvick
Michael McDowell
Brad Keselowski
Ty Dillon
Harrison Burton
Todd Gilliland
Justin Haley
Josh Bilicki
Cole Custer
JJ Yeley
Erik Jones
BJ McLeod
Cody Ware

Since the drivers qualified on Saturday afternoon, it has been a busy past 24 hours that are affecting several of the Cup Series drivers.

During qualifying Kurt Busch het the wall hard and has not been cleared by medical personnel.  Busch notes that he has been experiencing “concussion like” symptoms.  As a result, Ty Gibbs – who has never driven a Next Gen car – will take over the driving duties for the race.

NASCAR issued a statement saying, “this morning, Kurt Busch met with doctors in the infield care center for further evaluation following his accident during yesterday‘s qualifying session. Following the evaluation, Kurt Busch has not been cleared to race in today‘s NASCAR Cup Series event at Pocono Raceway.”

Kurt Busch also issued a statement saying that he respected the medical personnel and would follow their advice; adding that he is looking forward to racing at Indianapolis.

During the pre-race inspection process several teams faced issues.  Both of the Petty GMS Racing cars are facing serious penalties related to violations of the NASCAR rule book on rock box assemblies.

As a result, the number 42 car driven by Ty Dillon and the number 43 car driven by Erik Jones have been docked 35 owner and 35 driver points each; as well as, both crew chiefs – Jerame Donley and David Elenz – have been ejected for the race.

In addition, Ty Dillon’s team also failed the inspection process twice; along with the number eleven car driven by Denny Hamlin, the number 17 car driven by Chris Buescher, the number 77 car driven by Josh Bilicki, and the number seven car driven by Corey LaJoie.  As a result, the teams will lose a crew member for the race but will maintain their starting positions.

With the driver change, the number 45 car with Ty Gibbs driving will have to move to the back of the field.  Ross Chastain, William Byron, Erik Jones, Cody Ware, and Justin Haley also will have to move to the back of the field after the crew made some unapproved adjustments to the cars.

Stage one is 30 laps, stage two and three is 65 laps for a total of 160 laps around the two and a half mile track.

Denny Hamlin brings the field down for the green flag start of the race before a packed house and scrapes the wall on turn one.  Kyle Busch leadsrace.

Lap two, Kyle Busch has a lead of over half a second on Chase Elliott, Kyle Larson, Ryan Blaney, and Denny Hamlin round out the top five.

Lap five, Kyle Busch has pulled out to a lead of over two seconds on Chase Elliott; Kyle Larson, Denny Hamlin, and Ryan Blaney round out the top five.

Lap seven, Austin Cindric brings out the first caution flag of the race when he gets loose and into the wall with flat tires.  Cindric gets a tow back to pit road, dragging the rear diffuser as he goes.

Austin Cindric is back on pit road for repairs.  He is on the “crash clock” and must have all repairs completed within six minutes and make minimum speed.  If the clock runs out, the driver is out of the race.

Kevin Harvick is reporting a very loose condition.

A few of the drivers came down pit road for service.  Joey Logano is reporting no grip anywhere.  William Byron is reporting a tight condition.

Kyle Busch brings the field down for the green flag restart from the outside lane on lap 13 and jumps out in front for the lead.  Drivers fan out across the track.

Kyle Busch got way up the race track and falls back on the field.

Going three wide, Kyle Larson takes the lead.  Kyle Busch is in seventh place.

Lap 13, Kyle Larson has a half second lead on Chase Elliott; Denny Hamlin, Ryan Blaney, and Daniel Suarez round out the top five.

Austin Cindric is the only car not on the lead lap.

Lap 15, Kyle Larson has the lead with Chase Elliott in second; Denny Hamlin, Ryan Blaney, and Daniel Suarez round out the top five.

Lap 17, Kyle Larson has a lead of over half a second on Chase Elliott; Denny Hamlin, Ryan Blaney, and Daniel Suarez round out the top five with Kyle Busch in sixth over three seconds behind the leader.

Lap 21, Austin Dillon makes a pit stop.

Lap 23, Kyle Larson has a half second lead on Chase Elliott; Denny Hamlin, Ryan Blaney, and Kyle Busch round out the top five.

Austin Cindric returns to the track five laps down.

Lap 25, Kyle Busch and Daniel Suarez pass Ryan Blaney with Busch taking fourth, Suarez in fifth, and Blaney in sixth.

Driver back in the field come down pit road short pitting before the end of the stage.

Aric Almirola brings out the caution flag with flat tires after getting loose.  Pitting while pit road was closed, he enters pit road backwards; reporting that he could not have made it around the track.  NASCAR has charged Almirola with a commitment cone violation and he will have to restart the race from the end of the longest line.

Kyle Larson wins stage one under caution.

The top 10 at the end of stage one:
Kyle Larson
Chase Elliott
Denny Hamlin
Kyle Busch
Daniel Suarez
Ryan Blaney
Erik Jones,
William Byron
Martin Truex Jr
Kevin Harvick

Drivers come down pit road for service with Kyle Larson winning the race off of pit road.

Harrison Burotn brings the field down for the green flag start of stage two after staying out on the track with Joey Logano alongside.  Burton edges out for the lead as drivers spread out four and five wide across the track.

Lap 35, Christopher Bell and Harrison Burton battle for the lead; Bubba Wallace, Joey Logano, and Kyle Busch round out the top five.

Josh Bilicki brings out the third caution flag of the race after getting loose and hitting the wall.  Smoke comes out of the rear of the car just before he got loose.  Bilicki is out of the car and walks to the ambulance for the ride to the infield care center.

Denny Hamlin reports a bit of a “wobble” but the crew says all the tires are tight.

Christopher Bell brings the filed down for the green flag restart from the outside lane on lap 41.  Drivers quickly fan out four and five wide across the track.  Christopher Bell has the lead with Harrison Burton in second.

Kenny Hamlin spins out and brings out the fourth caution flag of the race.  Hamlin is lost in a cloud of smoke as he spins out.

Lap 42, Christopher Bell has the lead with Harrison Burton in second; Bubba Wallace, Kyle Busch, and Ross Chastain round out the top five.

Christopher Bell brings the field down for the green flag restart from the outside lane on lap 45.  Drivers spread out four and five wide across the track.

Corey LaJoie spins out and brings out the fifth caution flag of the race.

Christopher Bell holds on to the lead with Bubba Wallace in second and Kyle Busch in third.

Christopher Bell brings the field down for the green flag restart from the outside lane with Kyle Busch alongside on lap 49.  Kyle Busch edges out to take the lead from the inside lane with Christopher Bell in second; Bubba Wallace, Kyle Larson, and Ross Chastain round out the top five.

Ross Chastain gets up the track and makes contact with Kyle Larson but the track stays green.

Lp 50, Kyle Busch has a half second lead on Christopher Bell; Bubba Wallace, Kyle Larson, and Wiliam Byron round out the top five.  Josh Bilicki is the only driver out of the race and Austin Cindric is the only driver on the track not on the lead lap – four laps down.

On old tires, he hasn’t made a pit stop since lap 10, Harrison Burton is falling through the field and is now out of the top 10.

Lap 52, Kyle Busch has pulled out to a lead of over a second on Christopher Bell.

Lap 55, Kyle Busch has a lead of over a second on Christopher Bell; Bubba Wallace, Kyle Larson, and William Byron round out the top five.

Lap 56, Joey Logano comes down pit road for a green flag pit stop.  Logano continues to report no grip.

Lap 58, Harrison Burton and Bubba Wallace make green flag pit stops.

Lap 59, Alex Bowman makes his green flag pit stop.

Kyle Busch leads the race with Christopher Bell in second; Kyle Larson, William Byron, and Martin Truex Jr round out the top five.

Lap 61, Kyle Busch has a lead of nearly three seconds on Christopher Bell; Kyle Larson, Martin Truex Jr, and Ross Chastain round out the top five.  More drivers come down pit road for green flag pit stops.

Lap 64, Kyle Busch has a lead os six seconds on Martin Truex Jr; Ross Chastain, Tyler Reddick, and Ryan Blaney round out the top five.

Sixteen laps of green flag racing is the longest stretch of green flag laps in the race so far.

Lap 65, Kyle Busch gives up a lead of over five seconds to make a green flag pit stop.  Martin Truex Jr is the new leader.  Busch returns to the track in 20th place.

Martin Truex Jr makes his green flag pit stop and gives the lead to Ryan Blaney.

Lap 73, Erik Jones battles with Ryan Blaney for the lead; Denny Hamlin, Austin Dillon, and Ty Dillon round out the top five.

Lap 74, Kyle Busch has entered the top 10.

Lap 74, Erik Jones passes Ryan Blaney for the lead.

Lap 77, Erik Jones has a lead of nearly a second on Denny Hamlin; Ryan Blaney, Austin Dillon, and Ty Dillon round out the top five.

Lap 80, Erik Jones has a near one second dlead on Denny Hamlin; Ryan Blaney, Austin Dillon, and Ricky Stenhouse Jr round out the top five with Kyle Busch in sixth.

Lap 82, Ryan Blaney is the first of the top drivers to come down pit road.  He had begun to sputter when he came down pit road.

Lap 83, Ty Dillon brings out the caution flag when he gets loose and gets into the wall.  Dillon gets the car moving again and brings it down pit road.

Drivers come down pit road for service including leader Erik Jones.  Kyle Busch wins the race off of pit road with Ross Chastain in second.

There is some inclement weather in the area.

After staying out on the track, Bubba Wallace is the leader and brings the field down for the green flag restart from the outside lane on lap 88 with Ryan Blaney on the inside.  With a push from Kyle Busch, Bubba takes the lead.

Kyle Busch comes up on the inside and passes Bubba Wallace for the lead.

Kyle Busch leads the race with Ryan Blaney in second; Ross Chastain, Bubba Wallace, and Erik Jones round out the top five.

Ross Chastain passes Ryan Blaney for second with six laps to go in stage two.

Lap 89, Bubba Wallace and boss man Denny Hamlin battle for fifth with Hamlin taking the spot.  Wallace is on old tires.

Lap 90, Kyle Busch has a lead of over half a second on Ross Chastain; Ryan Blaney, Erik Jones, and Denny Hamlin round out the top five.

Kyle Busch has been very quiet on the radio.

With three laps remaining in stage two, Bubba Wallace makes his green flag pit stop.  He reports a tight condition in the car.

With a lead of over a second and a half, Kyle Busch wins stage two.

The top 10 at the end of stage two:
Kyle Busch
Ross Chastain
Ryan Blaney
Erik Jones
Denny Hamlin
Kevin Harvick
William Byron
Daniel Suarez
Chase Elliott
Kyle Larson

Some of the drivers come down pit road for service; leaders stay out.

Kyle Busch brings the field down for the green flag start of stage three from the outside lane on lap 101 with Ross Chastain on the inside.  Drivers spread out back in the field.  Kyle Busch gets out in front for the lead with Ross Chastain in second.  Ryan Blaney and Denny Hamlin battle for third with Erik Jones in fifth.

There are 32 cars on the lead lap; Josh Bilicki is the only driver out of the race.

Lap 102, Kyle Busch has a  half second lead on Ross Chastain; Denny Hamlin, William Byron, and Ryan Blaney round out the top five.

Lap 104, Kyle Busch holds a half second lead on Ross Chastain; Denny Hamlin, William Byron, and Ryan Blaney round out the top five.

Lap 108, Ryan Blaney blows a tire and gets up against the wall but the track stays green as Blaney limps his way around to pit road.

With 52 laps remaining in the race, Ross Chastain has closed the gap on leader Kyle Busch to just a quarter of a second; Denny Hamlin, William Byron, and Christopher Bell rounds out the top five.

Lap 112, Kyle Busch and Ross Chastain have broken away from the field.

Lap 114, Kyle Busch has a lead of over half a second on Ross Chastain with Denny Hamlin over two and a half seconds back in third; William Byron and Christopher Bell round out the top five.

Lap 117, Christ Buescher begins the cycle of green flag pit stops.

Lap 121, Ross Chastain has caught up to leader Kyle Busch and is challenging for the lead.

Lap 122, pit road is getting very busy as drivers make their green flag pit stops.

Kyle Busch has a third of a second lead on Ross Chastain; Denny Hamlin, Christopher Bell, and William Byron round out the top five.

Lap 123, Kyle Busch comes down pit road for his green flag pit stop and gives the lead over to Ross Chastain.

Lap 124, Ross Chastain brings his car down pit road for service and gives the lead over to Denny Hamlin.

Lap 126, Denny Hamlin leads the race with Bubba Wallace in second; Michael McDowell, Harrison Burotn, and Joey Logano round out the top five.

Leader Denny Hamlin cones down pit road; Chris Buescher spins out coming to pit road but the track stays green.

William Byron was charged with an equipment interference penalty during his pit stop and will have to serve a pass through penalty.

Lap 127, leader Bubba Wallace comes down pit road for service and gives the lead over to Ross Chastain with Kyle Busch in second.

Lap 128, the top five are Ross Chastain, Kyle Busch, Denny Hamlin, Ty Gibbs, and Cole Custer.  Gibbs and Custer have yet to make their pit stops.

Lap 130, Denny Hamlin passes Kyle Busch for second with Ross Chastain a second out in front for the lead.

Lap 134, Denny Hamlin’s crew reports that he does not have enough fuel to make it to the end of the race.  They said that he is about two and a half laps short.

Lap 136, Ross Chastain has a half second lead on Denny Hamlin; Kyle Busch, Kevin Harvick, and Christopher Bell round out the top five.

Lap 138, Ryan Blaney gets into the wall head on and brings out the caution flag.  Unlike his fellow drivers, Blaney is stopped on the track.  He gets out of the car and walks to the ambulance for the ride to the infield car center.

Some of the drivers come down pit road for service; leaders stay out.

Ross Chastain brings the field down for the green flag restart from the outide lane with Denny Hamlin on the inside with just 12 laps remaining in the race.  Ross Chastain gets a push from Kyle Busch and goes nose to nose with Denny Hamlin.  Hamlin and Chastain make contact, sending Chastain into the wall.  Kevin Harvick and Christopher Bell are also involved with Bell getting into the wall.   Chastain is out of the race with his car on the tow truck.  There has been much speculation about a feud between Chastain and Denny Hamlin over previous encounters.

Denny Hamlin brings the field down for the green flag restart from the outside lane on lap 147 with Kyle Busch on the inside.  Weather is on its way.  Denny Hamlin gets out in front for the lead with Kyle Busch in second and Chase Elliott in third.

Ten to go, Denny Hamlin has a lead of over half a second on Kyle Busch; Chase Elliott, Tyler Reddick, and Christopher Bell round out the top five.

Out of the infield care center, Ross Chastain that he was probably owed that for several months now.

With eight laps to go, there are 29 cars in the lead lap with three drivers out of the race.

Five to go, Denny Hamlin has a lead of over half a second on Kyle Busch; Chase Elliott, Tyler Reddick, and Daniel Suarez round out the top five.

If Denny Hamlin can hold on to win the race he will break the tie of six career wins at Pocono.

Denny Hamlin takes the white flag.

Short on fuel, two caution flags helped Denny Hamlin holds on to win the race for win number seven for the winningest driver at Pocono, ties with Tony Stewart for 49 career wins, and wins his third race of the season to put him in second place behind Chase Elliott in the playoffs.

The unofficial results of the M&M’s Fan Appreciation 400:
Denny Hamlin
Kyle Busch
Chase Elliott
Tyler Reddick
Daniel Suarez
Christopher Bell
Kyle Larson
Michael McDowell
Martin Truex Jr
Bubba Wallace
Erik Jones
Austin Dillon
Alex Bowman
William Byron
Aric Almirola
Brad Keselowski
Chase Briscoe
Ty Gibbs
Cole Custer
Ricky Stenhouse Jr
Corey LaJoie
Joey Logano
Justin Haley
Ty Dillon
Harrison Burton
Noah Gragson
Todd Gilliland
Cody Ware
Kevin Harvick
JJ Yeley
Chris Buescher
BJ McLeod
Austin Cindric
Ross Chastain
Ryan Blaney
Josh Bilicki