The 2022 Explore the Pocono Mountains 225 was the 19th stock car race of the 2022 NASCAR Xfinity Series, and the seventh iteration of the event. The race was held on Saturday, July 23, 2022, in Long Pond, Pennsylvania at Pocono Raceway, a permanent triangular-shaped racetrack. The race took the scheduled 90 laps to complete. Noah Gragson, driving for JR Motorsports, held off Ty Gibbs in an outstanding battle with 22 laps to go, and earned his eighth career NASCAR Xfinity Series win, and his third of the season. Gragson would also dominate most of the race, leading 43 laps. To fill out the podium, Josh Berry, driving for JR Motorsports, would finish 3rd, respectively.
The race was marred by a wreck on lap 45. Santino Ferrucci would get spun coming out of turn 3. Ricky Stenhouse Jr., with nowhere to go, would t-bone the side of Ferrucci's car. Stenhouse came back down onto the racetrack, as everyone was attempting to make it through the wreck. Jeb Burton had attempted to go lower down the track to avoid the wreck, but was unsuccessful. Burton would clip the front of Stenhouse's car, causing him to flip on his roof, in turn becoming the 500th confirmed flip in NASCAR history. His car would come to rest right after the start-finish line. Ronnie Bassett Jr. and Jeremy Clements would also be involved in the crash. All drivers were released from the infield care center several minutes later.
Background Pocono Raceway (formerly Pocono International Raceway), also known as The Tricky Triangle, is a superspeedway located in the Pocono Mountains in Long Pond, Pennsylvania. It is the site of three NASCAR national series races and an ARCA Menards Series event in July: a NASCAR Cup Series race with support events by the NASCAR Xfinity Series and NASCAR Camping World Truck Series. From 1971 to 1989, and from 2013 to 2019, the track also hosted an Indy Car race, currently sanctioned by the IndyCar Series. Additionally, from 1982 to 2021, it hosted two NASCAR Cup Series races, with the traditional first date being removed for 2022.
Pocono is one of the few NASCAR tracks not owned by either NASCAR or Speedway Motorsports, the dominant track owners in NASCAR. Pocono CEO Nick Igdalsky and president Ben May are members of the family-owned Mattco Inc, started by Joseph II and Rose Mattioli.Pocono Raceway Staff Mattco also owns South Boston Speedway in South Boston, Virginia.
Outside NASCAR and IndyCar Series races, Pocono is used throughout the year by the Stock Car Experience, Bertil Roos Driving School, Sports Car Club of America (SCCA) as well as many other clubs and organizations. The triangular track also has three separate infield sections of racetrack – the north course, east course and south course. Each of these infield sections use separate portions of the track or can be combined for longer and more technical course configurations. In total Pocono Raceway has offers 22 different road course configurations ranging from .5 miles to 3.65 miles in length. During regular non-race weekends, multiple clubs or driving schools can use the track simultaneously by running on different infield sections. All of the infield sections can also be run in either clockwise or counter clockwise direction which doubles the 22 course configuration to 44 total course options.
Entry list
#DriverTeamMake1Sam MayerJR MotorsportsChevrolet02Brett MoffittOur MotorsportsChevrolet2Sheldon Creed (R)Richard Childress RacingChevrolet4Bayley CurreyJD MotorsportsChevrolet5Stefan Parsons (i)B. J. McLeod MotorsportsChevrolet6Ryan VargasJD MotorsportsChevrolet07Cole Custer (i)SS-Green Light RacingFord7Justin AllgaierJR MotorsportsChevrolet08David StarrSS-Green Light RacingFord8Josh BerryJR MotorsportsChevrolet9Noah GragsonJR MotorsportsChevrolet10Landon CassillKaulig RacingChevrolet11Daniel HemricKaulig RacingChevrolet13Timmy Hill (i)MBM MotorsportsToyota16A. J. AllmendingerKaulig RacingChevrolet18Sammy SmithJoe Gibbs RacingToyota19Brandon JonesJoe Gibbs RacingToyota21Austin Hill (R)Richard Childress RacingChevrolet23Anthony AlfredoOur MotorsportsChevrolet26Santino FerrucciSam Hunt RacingToyota27Jeb BurtonOur MotorsportsChevrolet31Myatt SniderJordan Anderson RacingChevrolet34Kyle WeathermanJesse Iwuji MotorsportsChevrolet35Patrick EmerlingEmerling-Gase MotorsportsFord36Alex LabbéDGM RacingChevrolet38Kyle SiegRSS RacingFord39Ryan SiegRSS RacingFord44Rajah Caruth (i)Alpha Prime RacingChevrolet45Sage KaramAlpha Prime RacingChevrolet47Brennan Poole (i)Mike Harmon RacingChevrolet48Ricky Stenhouse Jr. (i)Big Machine RacingChevrolet51Jeremy ClementsJeremy Clements RacingChevrolet54Ty GibbsJoe Gibbs RacingToyota66J. J. YeleyMBM MotorsportsFord68Brandon BrownBrandonbilt MotorsportsChevrolet77Ronnie Bassett Jr.Bassett RacingChevrolet78Josh WilliamsB. J. McLeod MotorsportsChevrolet91Mason MasseyDGM RacingChevrolet98Riley HerbstStewart-Haas RacingFordOfficial entry list
Practice The only 30-minute practice session was held on Saturday, July 23, at 9:30 AM EST. Brandon Jones, driving for Joe Gibbs Racing, was the fastest in the session, with a lap of 54.339, and an average speed of . Pos.#DriverTeamMakeTimeSpeed119Brandon JonesJoe Gibbs RacingToyota54.339165.627254Ty GibbsJoe Gibbs RacingToyota54.383165.493398Riley HerbstStewart-Haas RacingFord54.409165.414Full practice results
Qualifying Qualifying was held on Saturday, July 23, at 10:00 AM EST. Since Pocono Raceway is a tri-oval track, the qualifying system used is a single-car, single-lap system with only one round. Whoever sets the fastest time in the round wins the pole.
Justin Allgaier, driving for JR Motorsports, scored the pole for the race, with a lap of 53.359, and an average speed of . Pos.#DriverTeamMakeTimeSpeed17Justin AllgaierJR MotorsportsChevrolet53.359168.669254Ty GibbsJoe Gibbs RacingToyota53.470168.319319Brandon JonesJoe Gibbs RacingToyota53.588167.948416A. J. AllmendingerKaulig RacingChevrolet53.604167.898518Sammy SmithJoe Gibbs RacingToyota53.620167.84862Sheldon Creed (R)Richard Childress RacingChevrolet53.642167.77978Josh BerryJR MotorsportsChevrolet53.911166.942821Austin Hill (R)Richard Childress RacingChevrolet53.984166.71699Noah GragsonJR MotorsportsChevrolet54.235165.9451048Ricky Stenhouse Jr. (i)Big Machine RacingChevrolet54.270165.8371126Santino FerrucciSam Hunt RacingToyota54.293165.767121Sam MayerJR MotorsportsChevrolet54.329165.6571311Daniel HemricKaulig RacingChevrolet54.366165.5451498Riley HerbstStewart-Haas RacingFord54.380165.5021539Ryan SiegRSS RacingFord54.471165.2261607Cole Custer (i)SS-Green Light RacingFord54.489165.1711702Brett MoffittOur MotorsportsChevrolet54.508165.1131851Jeremy ClementsJeremy Clements RacingChevrolet54.693164.5551927Jeb BurtonOur MotorsportsChevrolet54.759164.3572038Kyle SiegRSS RacingFord54.775164.3092110Landon CassillKaulig RacingChevrolet54.907163.9142236Alex LabbéDGM RacingChevrolet54.919163.878234Bayley CurreyJD MotorsportsChevrolet54.950163.7852423Anthony AlfredoOur MotorsportsChevrolet55.032163.5412534Kyle WeathermanJesse Iwuji MotorsportsChevrolet55.120163.2802668Brandon BrownBrandonbilt MotorsportsChevrolet55.127163.2592745Sage KaramAlpha Prime RacingChevrolet55.281162.8052831Myatt SniderJordan Anderson RacingChevrolet55.346162.6132991Mason MasseyDGM RacingChevrolet55.352162.596305Stefan Parsons (i)B. J. McLeod MotorsportsChevrolet55.362162.5663177Ronnie Bassett Jr.Bassett RacingChevrolet55.366162.5553244Rajah Caruth (i)Alpha Prime RacingChevrolet55.368162.5493378Josh WilliamsB. J. McLeod MotorsportsChevrolet55.590161.900Qualified by owner's points3408David StarrSS-Green Light RacingFord55.659161.699356Ryan VargasJD MotorsportsChevrolet55.762161.4003635Patrick EmerlingEmerling-Gase MotorsportsFord55.920160.9443713Timmy Hill (i)MBM MotorsportsToyota56.212160.1083866J. J. YeleyMBM MotorsportsFord - -Failed to qualify3947Brennan Poole (i)Mike Harmon RacingChevrolet - -Official qualifying resultsOfficial starting lineup
Race results Stage 1 Laps: 20 Pos.#DriverTeamMakePts17Justin AllgaierJR MotorsportsChevrolet10219Brandon JonesJoe Gibbs RacingToyota9316A. J. AllmendingerKaulig RacingChevrolet8454Ty GibbsJoe Gibbs RacingToyota752Sheldon Creed (R)Richard Childress RacingChevrolet668Josh BerryJR MotorsportsChevrolet579Noah GragsonJR MotorsportsChevrolet4818Sammy SmithJoe Gibbs RacingToyota3911Daniel HemricKaulig RacingChevrolet21021Austin Hill (R)Richard Childress RacingChevrolet1 Stage 2 Laps: 20 Pos.#DriverTeamMakePts19Noah GragsonJR MotorsportsChevrolet10254Ty GibbsJoe Gibbs RacingToyota9319Brandon JonesJoe Gibbs RacingToyota842Sheldon Creed (R)Richard Childress RacingChevrolet758Josh BerryJR MotorsportsChevrolet667Justin AllgaierJR MotorsportsChevrolet5716A. J. AllmendingerKaulig RacingChevrolet4810Landon CassillKaulig RacingChevrolet3911Daniel HemricKaulig RacingChevrolet21021Austin Hill (R)Richard Childress RacingChevrolet1 Stage 3 Laps: 50 Fin.St#DriverTeamMakeLapsLedStatusPts199Noah GragsonJR MotorsportsChevrolet9043Running542254Ty GibbsJoe Gibbs RacingToyota903Running51378Josh BerryJR MotorsportsChevrolet909Running454416A. J. AllmendingerKaulig RacingChevrolet900Running45562Sheldon Creed (R)Richard Childress RacingChevrolet900Running456121Sam MayerJR MotorsportsChevrolet900Running31717Justin AllgaierJR MotorsportsChevrolet9022Running458821Austin Hill (R)Richard Childress RacingChevrolet904Running3191311Daniel HemricKaulig RacingChevrolet900Running32101607Cole Custer (i)SS-Green Light RacingFord900Running0112110Landon CassillKaulig RacingChevrolet900Running29121498Riley HerbstStewart-Haas RacingFord904Running25132668Brandon BrownBrandonbilt MotorsportsChevrolet900Running24142831Myatt SniderJordan Anderson RacingChevrolet900Running23151539Ryan SiegRSS RacingFord900Running22162423Anthony AlfredoOur MotorsportsChevrolet903Running2117319Brandon JonesJoe Gibbs RacingToyota900Running37181702Brett MoffittOur MotorsportsChevrolet902Running19192534Kyle WeathermanJesse Iwuji MotorsportsChevrolet900Running18202745Sage KaramAlpha Prime RacingChevrolet900Running17213378Josh WilliamsB. J. McLeod MotorsportsChevrolet900Running16222038Kyle SiegRSS RacingFord900Running1523305Stefan Parsons (i)B. J. McLeod MotorsportsChevrolet900Running0242991Mason MasseyDGM RacingChevrolet900Running1325356Ryan VargasJD MotorsportsChevrolet890Running1226234Bayley CurreyJD MotorsportsChevrolet890Running11273408David StarrSS-Green Light RacingFord890Running10283866J. J. YeleyMBM MotorsportsFord890Running9293635Patrick EmerlingEmerling-Gase MotorsportsFord890Running8303713Timmy Hill (i)MBM MotorsportsToyota890Running031518Sammy SmithJoe Gibbs RacingToyota530Accident9321851Jeremy ClementsJeremy Clements RacingChevrolet480Accident5331927Jeb BurtonOur MotorsportsChevrolet460Accident4341048Ricky Stenhouse Jr. (i)Big Machine RacingChevrolet450Accident0351126Santino FerrucciSam Hunt RacingToyota450Accident2363177Ronnie Bassett Jr.Bassett RacingChevrolet450Accident1372236Alex LabbéDGM RacingChevrolet10Accident1383244Rajah Caruth (i)Alpha Prime RacingChevrolet10Accident0Official race results
Standings after the race
Drivers' Championship standings Pos Driver Points 1 A. J. Allmendinger 747 2 Justin Allgaier 731 (-16) 3 Ty Gibbs 725 (-22) 4 Josh Berry 660 (-87) 5 Noah Gragson 657 (-90) 6 Austin Hill 600 (-147) 7 Brandon Jones 574 (-173) 8 Sam Mayer 543 (-204) 9 Riley Herbst 518 (-250) 10 Daniel Hemric 497 (-250) 11 Ryan Sieg 461 (-286) 12 Landon Cassill 451 (-296)Official driver's standings
Note: Only the first 12 positions are included for the driver standings.
References