The 2023 HighPoint.com 400 was a NASCAR Cup Series race held on July 23, 2023, at Pocono Raceway in Long Pond, Pennsylvania. Contested over 160 laps on the speedway, it was the 21st race of the 2023 NASCAR Cup Series season.
Report
Background
Pocono Raceway is a oval speedway located in Long Pond, Pennsylvania, which has hosted NASCAR racing annually since the early 1970s. Nicknamed "The Tricky Triangle", the speedway has three distinct corners and is known for high speeds along its lengthy straightaways.
From 1982 to 2019, the circuit had two race weekends. In 2020, the circuit was reduced to one race meeting of two races. The first race was moved to World Wide Technology Raceway near St. Louis starting in 2022.
Entry list (R) denotes rookie driver. (i) denotes the driver ineligible for series driver points.
Driver Team Manufacturer 1 Ross Chastain Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet 2 Austin Cindric Team Penske Ford 3 Austin Dillon Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 4 Kevin Harvick Stewart-Haas Racing Ford 5 Kyle Larson Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 6 Brad Keselowski RFK Racing Ford 7 Corey LaJoie Spire Motorsports Chevrolet 8 Kyle Busch Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 9 Chase Elliott Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 10 Aric Almirola Stewart-Haas Racing Ford 11 Denny Hamlin Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 12 Ryan Blaney Team Penske Ford 14 Chase Briscoe Stewart-Haas Racing Ford 15 J. J. Yeley (i) Rick Ware Racing Ford 16 A. J. Allmendinger Kaulig Racing Chevrolet 17 Chris Buescher RFK Racing Ford 19 Martin Truex Jr. Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 20 Christopher Bell Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 21 Harrison Burton Wood Brothers Racing Ford 22 Joey Logano Team Penske Ford 23 Bubba Wallace 23XI Racing Toyota 24 William Byron Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 31 Justin Haley Kaulig Racing Chevrolet 34 Michael McDowell Front Row Motorsports Ford 38 Todd Gilliland Front Row Motorsports Ford 41 Ryan Preece Stewart-Haas Racing Ford 42 Noah Gragson (R) Legacy Motor Club Chevrolet 43 Erik Jones Legacy Motor Club Chevrolet 45 Tyler Reddick 23XI Racing Toyota 47 Ricky Stenhouse Jr. JTG Daugherty Racing Chevrolet 48 Alex Bowman Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 51 Cole Custer (i) Rick Ware Racing Ford 54 Ty Gibbs (R) Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 77 Ty Dillon Spire Motorsports Chevrolet 78 B. J. McLeod Live Fast Motorsports Chevrolet 99 Daniel Suárez Trackhouse Racing ChevroletOfficial entry list
Practice Tyler Reddick was the fastest in the practice session with a time of 53.382 seconds and a speed of .
Practice results
Pos Driver Team Manufacturer Time 1 45 Tyler Reddick 23XI Racing Toyota 53.382 168.596 2 8 Kyle Busch Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 53.418 168.483 3 24 William Byron Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 53.445 168.397 Official practice results
Qualifying William Byron scored the pole for the race with a time of 52.746 and a speed of .
Qualifying results
Pos Driver Team Manufacturer 1 24 William Byron Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 52.865 52.746 2 19 Martin Truex Jr. Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 52.962 52.868 3 5 Kyle Larson Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 53.014 52.918 4 4 Kevin Harvick Stewart-Haas Racing Ford 52.857 53.019 5 20 Christopher Bell Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 53.085 53.052 6 22 Joey Logano Team Penske Ford 53.403 53.106 7 45 Tyler Reddick 23XI Racing Toyota 52.804 53.141 8 11 Denny Hamlin Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 53.023 53.106 9 2 Austin Cindric Team Penske Ford 53.293 53.410 10 23 Bubba Wallace 23XI Racing Toyota 52.823 0.000 11 54 Ty Gibbs (R) Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 53.150 — 12 7 Corey LaJoie Spire Motorsports Chevrolet 53.197 — 13 6 Brad Keselowski RFK Racing Ford 53.410 — 14 12 Ryan Blaney Team Penske Ford 53.425 — 15 34 Michael McDowell Front Row Motorsports Ford 53.524 — 16 16 A. J. Allmendinger Kaulig Racing Chevrolet 53.527 — 17 99 Daniel Suárez Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet 53.588 — 18 17 Chris Buescher RFK Racing Ford 53.691 — 19 31 Justin Haley Kaulig Racing Chevrolet 53.699 — 20 48 Alex Bowman Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 53.718 — 21 1 Ross Chastain Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet 53.754 — 22 47 Ricky Stenhouse Jr. JTG Daugherty Racing Chevrolet 53.777 — 23 3 Austin Dillon Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 53.823 — 24 43 Erik Jones Legacy Motor Club Chevrolet 53.864 — 25 8 Kyle Busch Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 53.873 — 26 21 Harrison Burton Wood Brothers Racing Ford 53.886 — 27 10 Aric Almirola Stewart-Haas Racing Ford 53.920 — 28 15 J. J. Yeley (i) Rick Ware Racing Ford 54.039 — 29 14 Chase Briscoe Stewart-Haas Racing Ford 54.224 — 30 78 B. J. McLeod Live Fast Motorsports Chevrolet 54.315 — 31 51 Cole Custer (i) Rick Ware Racing Ford 54.324 — 32 42 Noah Gragson (R) Legacy Motor Club Chevrolet 54.358 — 33 77 Ty Dillon Spire Motorsports Chevrolet 54.563 — 34 41 Ryan Preece Stewart-Haas Racing Ford 54.586 — 35 9 Chase Elliott Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 0.000 — 36 38 Todd Gilliland Front Row Motorsports Ford 0.000 —Official qualifying results
Race
Race results
Stage results
Stage One Laps: 30
Pos Driver Team Manufacturer Points1 22 Joey Logano Team Penske Ford 102 19 Martin Truex Jr. Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 93 11 Denny Hamlin Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 84 45 Tyler Reddick 23XI Racing Toyota 75 16 A. J. Allmendinger Kaulig Racing Chevrolet 66 34 Michael McDowell Front Row Motorsports Ford 57 23 Bubba Wallace 23XI Racing Toyota 48 31 Justin Haley Kaulig Racing Chevrolet 39 17 Chris Buescher RFK Racing Ford 210 43 Erik Jones Legacy Motor Club Chevrolet 1Official stage one results
Stage Two Laps: 65
Pos Driver Team Manufacturer Points1 5 Kyle Larson Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 102 77 Ty Dillon Spire Motorsports Chevrolet 93 24 William Byron Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 84 11 Denny Hamlin Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 75 48 Alex Bowman Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 66 45 Tyler Reddick 23XI Racing Toyota 57 54 Ty Gibbs (R) Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 48 12 Ryan Blaney Team Penske Ford 39 23 Bubba Wallace 23XI Racing Toyota 210 19 Martin Truex Jr. Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 1Official stage two results
Final Stage results
Stage Three Laps: 65
Pos Grid Driver Team Manufacturer Laps Points1 8 11 Denny Hamlin Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 160 552 7 45 Tyler Reddick 23XI Racing Toyota 160 473 2 19 Martin Truex Jr. Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 160 444 4 4 Kevin Harvick Stewart-Haas Racing Ford 160 335 11 54 Ty Gibbs (R) Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 160 366 5 20 Christopher Bell Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 160 317 22 47 Ricky Stenhouse Jr. JTG Daugherty Racing Chevrolet 160 308 26 21 Harrison Burton Wood Brothers Racing Ford 160 299 24 43 Erik Jones Legacy Motor Club Chevrolet 160 2910 35 9 Chase Elliott Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 160 2711 10 23 Bubba Wallace 23XI Racing Toyota 160 3212 27 10 Aric Almirola Stewart-Haas Racing Ford 160 2513 21 1 Ross Chastain Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet 160 2414 1 24 William Byron Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 160 3115 36 38 Todd Gilliland Front Row Motorsports Ford 160 2216 13 6 Brad Keselowski RFK Racing Ford 160 2117 16 16 A. J. Allmendinger Kaulig Racing Chevrolet 160 2618 18 17 Chris Buescher RFK Racing Ford 160 2119 15 34 Michael McDowell Front Row Motorsports Ford 160 2320 3 5 Kyle Larson Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 160 2721 25 8 Kyle Busch Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 160 1622 32 42 Noah Gragson (R) Legacy Motor Club Chevrolet 160 1523 9 2 Austin Cindric Team Penske Ford 160 1424 20 48 Alex Bowman Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 160 1925 31 51 Cole Custer (i) Rick Ware Racing Ford 160 026 28 15 J. J. Yeley (i) Rick Ware Racing Ford 160 027 12 7 Corey LaJoie Spire Motorsports Chevrolet 160 1028 33 77 Ty Dillon Spire Motorsports Chevrolet 160 1829 29 14 Chase Briscoe Stewart-Haas Racing Ford 160 830 14 12 Ryan Blaney Team Penske Ford 160 1031 34 41 Ryan Preece Stewart-Haas Racing Ford 159 632 30 78 B. J. McLeod Live Fast Motorsports Chevrolet 159 533 19 31 Justin Haley Kaulig Racing Chevrolet 153 734 23 3 Austin Dillon Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 105 335 6 22 Joey Logano Team Penske Ford 48 1236 17 99 Daniel Suárez Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet 37 1Official race results
Race statistics Lead changes: 14 among 9 different drivers Cautions/Laps: 11 for 44 laps Red flags: 0 Time of race: 3 hours, 21 minutes, and 4 seconds Average speed:
Media
Television USA covered the race on the television side. Rick Allen, Jeff Burton, Steve Letarte, and Dale Earnhardt Jr. called the race from the broadcast booth. Kim Coon, Parker Kligerman and Marty Snider handled the pit road duties from pit lane.
USABooth announcersPit reporters Lap-by-lap: Rick AllenColor-commentator: Jeff BurtonColor-commentator: Steve LetarteColor-commentator: Dale Earnhardt Jr. Kim CoonParker KligermanMarty Snider
Radio Radio coverage of the race was broadcast by Motor Racing Network (MRN) and was also simulcast on Sirius XM NASCAR Radio. Alex Hayden, Jeff Striegle, and Todd Gordon called the race in the booth when the field raced through the tri-oval. Dave Moody called the race from the Sunoco spotters stand outside turn 2 when the field raced through turns 1 and 2. Mike Bagley called the race from a platform inside the backstretch when the field raced down the backstretch. Kyle Rickey called the race from the Sunoco spotters stand outside turn 3. Steve Post, Brienne Pedigo, and Jason Toy worked pit road for MRN.
MRN RadioBooth announcersTurn announcersPit reporters Lead announcer: Alex HaydenAnnouncer: Jeff StriegleAnnouncer: Todd Gordon Turns 1 & 2: Dave MoodyBackstretch: Mike BagleyTurn 3: Kyle Rickey Steve PostBrienne PedigoJason Toy
Standings after the race
Drivers' Championship standings Pos Driver Points 1 Martin Truex Jr. 711 2 William Byron 681 (–30) 1 3 Denny Hamlin 656 (–55) 1 4 Christopher Bell 636 (–75) 1 5 Ross Chastain 613 (–98) 1 6 Kyle Busch 608 (–103) 1 7 Kyle Larson 601 (–110) 1 8 Kevin Harvick 601 (–110) 2 9 Ryan Blaney 591 (–120) 10 Joey Logano 575 (–136) 2 11 Tyler Reddick 563 (–148) 1 12 Brad Keselowski 560 (–151) 1 13 Chris Buescher 549 (–162) 14 Ricky Stenhouse Jr. 494 (–217) 15 Bubba Wallace 465 (–246) 16 Michael McDowell 455 (–256)Official driver's standings
Manufacturers' Championship standings Pos Manufacturer Points 1 Chevrolet 786 2 Toyota 729 (–57) 3 Ford 704 (–82)
Note: Only the first 16 positions are included for the driver standings. . – Driver has clinched a position in the NASCAR Cup Series playoffs.
References