The Xfinity Series gets out on the track early on Saturday morning for practice and qualifying at Pocono Raceway before racing later in the day.
Thirty-eight teams brought cars to the “Tricky Triangle” for 38 starting spots Cup Series driver including Chase Elliott for the Enjoy the Pocono Mountains 250.
And sitting on the pit box of JR Motorsports driver Connor Zilisch this weekend is car owner Dale Earnhardt Jr himself; but not as just the owner…with crew chief Mardy Linley serving his one race suspension for lug nut violations at Nashville, Junior is stepping in to take over the crew chief duties of the 88 car.
The drivers have been divided into two groups for a 25 minute practice session.
The hood flew up on Kyle Sieg’s car. He had to work his way to pit road to get the hood pins replaced.
Justin Allgaier tops the leaderboard in Group 1 practice with Chase Elliott in second.
Austin Hill is the only driver in the field who has won at Pocono.
Coming in second overall, Brandon Jones tops the leaderboard in Group 2 practice.
The first car on the track to make a qualifying run is Dawson Cram who posted a time of 57.203 seconds around the 2.5 mile track.
Logan Bearden and Kyle Sieg will not be making a qualifying run but will start the race from the back of the field.
Leland Honeyman gets loose and spins out on his qualifying lap but keeps it off the wall.
Patrick Emerling is off the pace during his qualifying lap.
Justin Bonsignore got loose during his qualifying lap but saved the car.
With a time of 54.209, Chase Elliott wins the pole for today’s race with Brandon Jones starting alongside on the front row.
The starting lineup for the Explore the Pocono Mountains 250:
Chase Elliott
Brandon Jones
Nick Sanchez
William Sawalich
Ryan Sieg
Sam Mayer
Taylor Gray
Justin Allgaier
Connor Zilisch
Jesse Love
Matt DiBenedetto
Sheldon Creed
Sammy Smith
Austin Hill
Christian Eckes
Harrison Burton
Justin Bonsignore
Daniel Dye
Brennan Poole
Jeb Burton
Jeremy Clements
Carson Kvapil
Parker Retzlaff
Ryan Ellis
Dean Thompson
Josh Williams
Blaine Perkins
Anthony Alfredo
Mason Massey
Kris Wright
Josh Bilicki
Garrett Smithley
Carson Ware
Dawson Cram
Patrick Emerling
Leland Honeyman
Kyle Sieg
Logan Bearden
Stages one and two of the race are 25 laps each with stage three lasting 50 laps for a total of 100 laps around the 2.5 mile track.
Kyle Sieg, Harrison Burton, Patrick Emerling, and Logan Bearden will all start the race from the back of the field after crews made some unapproved adjustments to the car. Burton is the only driver who was not already at the back of the field.
Ryan Blaney joins Adam Alexander, and Jamie McMurray in the broadcast booth.
Chase Elliott brings the field down for the green flag start of the race with Brandon Jones alongside. Elliott edges out in front for the lead as the drivers begins to spread out three wide.
Lap two, drivers are three and four wide back in the field. Chase Elliott leads the race with Nick Sanchez in second; Ryan Sieg, Brandon Jones, and William Sawalich round out the top five.
Ryan Sieg passes Nick Sanchez for second.
Patrick Emerling gets into the wall but the track stays green. Several of the drivers were up against the wall.
The caution flag comes out on lap four when Daniel Dye spins out in turn three and gets into the grass.
Chase Elliott brings the field down for the green flag restart with Ryan Sieg alongside on lap seven. Chase Elliott takes the lead but Justin Bonsignore brings out the caution flag with a blown engine. There is a lot of fluid left out on the track to clean up.
Chase Elliott brings the field down for the green flag restart on lap 14 with Nick Sanchez alongside. Drivers spread out three and four wide with Chase Elliott out in front.
The top five are Chase Elliott, Nick Sanchez, Brandon Jones, Ryan Sieg, and Connor Zilisch.
Lap 15, Connor Zilisch passes Ryan Sieg for fourth.
William Sawalich passes Ryan Sieg for fifth.
Seven laps remain in stage one with Chase Elliott over a second out in front of Nick Sanchez; Brandon Jones, Connor Zilisch, and William Sawalich round out the top five.
Lap 21, chase Elliott has pulled out to a lead of over two seconds on Nick Sanchez.
Brandon Jones passes Nick Sanchez for second.
With three laps remaining in stage one, some of the drivers come down pit road to short pit the end of the stage including leader Chase Elliott. Brandon Jones takes the lead.
Brandon Jones wins stage one.
The top 10 at the end of stage one:
Brandon Jones
Nick Sanchez
Connor Zilisch
Ryan Sieg
Christian Eckes
William Sawalich
Sammy Smith
Sheldon Creed
Jeremy Clements
Austin Hill
Drivers who have not made a pit stop come down pit road for service. Dale Jr comes down off the pit box to catch a tire when the old tire is rolled to pit wall. Nick Sanchez edges out to win the race off of pit road.
After staying out on the track, Harrison Burton brings the field down for the green flag start of stage two on lap 32 with Chase Elliott alongside. Burton gets out in front for the lead with Justin Allgaier in second; Chase Ellott, Taylor Gray, and Nick Sanchez round out the top five.
Justin Allgaier passes Harrison Burton for the lead. Chase Elliott passes Harrison Burton for second.
The caution flag comes out on lap 33 when Brandon Jones spins out and collects several cars. Austin Hill, William Sawalich, and Daniel Dye were also involved.
Justin Allgaier brings the field down for the green flag start of the race on lap 37 with Taylor Gray alongside. Allgaier gets out in front for the lead.
Sheldon Creed has a heavily smoking car after slapping the wall hard. Creed brings his car down pit road with a flat tire.
Lap 39, Justin Allgaier leads the race with Chase Elliott just a third of a second behind; Connor Zilisch, Nick Sanchez, and Taylor Gray round out the top five.
Lap 40, Chase Elliott has caught leader Justin Allgier.
Leland Honeyman brings out the caution flag on lap 41 when he spins out and keeps the car off the wall.
Some of the drivers come down pit road for service including leaders Justin Allgaier and Chase Elliott.
William Sawalich was charged with having too many crew members over the pit wall and Dawson Cram was caught speeding on pit road. They will restart the race from the back of the field.
Connor Zilisch stayed out on the track and brings the field down for the green flag restart of the race on lap 46 with Nick Sanchez alongside. Zilisch gets out in front for the lead with nick Sanchez on his bumper; Taylor Gray, Ryan Sieg, and Jesse Love round out the top five.
Justin Allgaier restarted the race in 21st; with four laps remaining in stage two, he has moved up to10th place.
Connor Zilisch wins stage two for his third stage win of the season.
The top 10 at the end of stage two:
Connor Zilisch
Taylor Gray
Nick Sanchez
Jesse Love
Christian Eckes
Ryan Sieg
Justin Allgaier
Sammy Smith
Carson Kvapil
Jeb Burton
Several of the drivers come down pit road for service but leader Connor Zilisch stays out on the track.
Austin Hill was charged with coming down pit road while it was still closed and Daniel Dye was caught speeding on pit road. Both drivers will restart the race from the back of the field.
Connor Zilisch brings the field down for the green flag start of stage three with Jesse Love alongside on lap 57. Jesse Love and Connor Zilisch battle for the lead.
Connor Zilisch has never been on the track at Pocono…until today.
Dale Jr said that he is having a blast on the pit box today!
Lap 57, the top five are Connor Zilisch, Jesse Love, Justin Allgaier, Christian Eckes, and Chase Elliott.
Lap 58, Chase Elliott passes Christian Eckes for fourth.
Lap 59, Connor Zilisch has pulled out to a lead of over a second on Jesse Love. Justin Allgaier and Chase Elliott battle for third.
Lap 62, Connor Zilisch has pulled out to a two second lead on Jesse Love; Chase Elliott, Justin Allgaier, and Christian Eckes round out the top five.
Chase Elliott battles with Jesse Love for second.
With 36 laps remaining in the race, Justin Allgaier passes Jesse Love for third and Chase Elliott has closed the gap on leader Connor Zilisch to under two seconds.
Lap 66, Chase Elliott has closed the gap on leader Connor Zilisch to just one second.
The top five are Connor Zilisch, Chase Elliott, Justin Allgaier, Jesse Love, and Taylor Gray.
Lap 68, Chase Elliott is just half a second behind leader Connor Zilisch.
Lap 68, leader Connor Zilisch makes his green flag pit stop. Jesse Love comes down pit road as well. Chase Elliott is the new leader.
Thirty to go, Chase Elliott has a near two second lead on Justin Allgaier.
The caution flag comes out on lap 70 when Garrett Smithley gets loose and into the wall.
Drivers who have not made a pit stop come down pit road for service with Cody Ware winning the race off of pit road. Dean Thompson gets into his pit stall awkwardly.
Garrett Smithley was charged with pitting while pit road was closed. Dawson Cram was charged with having crew members come over the wall too soon.
Connor Zilisch brings the field down for the green flag restart with Jesse Love alongside on lap 75. Drivers spread out across the track with Chase Elliott making it three wide on the inside to take the lead.
The top five are Chase Elliott, Justin Allgaier, Jesse Love, Connor Zilisch, and Sammy Smith.
Jesse Love and Connor Zilisch battle for third.
The caution flag comes out on lap 79 for Ryan Ellis who spun out and backed into the wall after some on track contact.
Chase Elliott brings the field down for the green flag restart on lap 83 with Connor Zilisch alongside. Elliott edges out for the lead with drivers spreading out across the track. Nick Sanchez gets into the wall to bring out the ninth caution flag of the race. Sanchez also makes contact with Sheldon Creed.
Sheldon Creed was charged with crew members coming over the wall too soon and Nick Sanchez was charged with pitting while pit road was closed; both drivers will have to restart the race form the back of the field.
Chase Elliott brings the field down for the green flag restart with Justin Allgaier alongside with just 13 laps remaining in the race. Chase Elliott and Justin Allgaier make contact but Allgaier saved the car. Jesse Love takes the lead.
The top five are Jesse Love, Christian Eckes, Connor Zilisch, Sammy smith, and Sam Mayer. Chase Elliott is in ninth and Justin Allgaier is in tenth.
The record setting 10th caution flag comes out with eleven to go when Kyle Sieg spins out but keeps the car off the wall.
Sheldon Creed takes his car to the garage.
Jesse Love brings the field down for the green flag restart of the race with just six laps remaining in the race with Christian Eckes alongside. Drivers spread out three and four wide through the field. Jesse Love holds on to the lead with Connor Zilisch in second; Christian Eckes, Ryan Sieg, and Sam Mayer round out the top five.
In a side by side battle, Connor Zilisch takes the lead with four laps remaining in the race.
The top five are Connor Zilisch, Jesse Love, Christian Eckes, Ryan Sieg, and Carson Kvapil.
Carson Zilisch takes the white flag.
With boss man Dale Earnhardt Jr on the pit box as crew chief, Connor Zilisch wins his first race at Pocono for the second win of the year!
Connor comes out of the car through the roof hatch.
The unofficial results of the Explore the Pocono Mountains 250:
Connor Zilisch
Jesse Love
Chistian Eckes
Chase Elliott
Ryan Sieg
Carson Kvapil
Sam Mayer
Sammy Smith
Taylor Gray
Justin Allgaier
Jeb Burton
Jeremy Clements
Anthony Alfredo
Harrison Burton
Josh Williams
Brennan Poole
Dean Thompson
Brandon Jones
Matt DiBenedetto
Mason Massey
William Sawalich
Parker Retzlaff
Josh Bilicki
Leland Honeyman
Kyle Sieg
Garrett Smithley
Logan Bearden
Nick Sanchez
Blaine Perkins
Patrick Emerling
Daniel Dye
Ryan Ellis
Dawson Cram
Carson Ware
Austin Hill
Sheldon Creed
Kris Wright
Justin Bonsignore