LONG POND, PA – Team
Flowmaster driver Dale Earnhardt Jr. wheeled his Hendrick Motorsports Chevy SS to victory in Sunday’s GoBowling.com 400 at Pocono Raceway. Combined with his win at the track in June it marks the first time since 2006 that a driver has won both races at the “Tricky Triangle.”
“We definitely went home from the last race and made our car better,” said Earnhardt Jr. “That’s what I’m proud of this team for.”
As often is the case a Pocono, teams used a variety of strategies throughout the 400-miles, and it was a gamble by Earnhardt’s crew chief Steve Letarte that got him close to the front of the field. On a late race restart, with 14 laps to go, he was able to wrestle the lead away from Greg Biffle and held on for victory.
“It takes a really, really smart guy to understand what to do to take those gambles,” said Earnhardt of his crew chief. “We had a fast car all day. Steve’s strategy was perfect at the end. I don’t know if anyone knew what was going on there, but it was pretty awesome.
“Sometimes they pay off, sometimes they don’t,” summed up the victor.
It was Earnhardt’s third win of the season and his 22nd career victory. His three wins this year tie him with Brad Keselowski and Jimmie Johnson with the most. The win was Hendrick Motorsports fifth consecutive at Pocono.
Kevin Harvick gave Earnhardt a challenge on the final restart of the race but settled for second. Joey Logano was third, Clint Bowyer fourth and Team
Flowmaster driver Greg Biffle was fifth, his third top-five finish of the season.
Flowmaster is the Exclusive Performance Exhaust of NASCAR and many of the top teams in the sport have the company’s decal on the side of their car. Gordon’s win is the 16th by Team
Flowmaster drivers in the 21 races this season.
Top 10 Finishers:
1. Dale Earnhardt Jr.**
2. Kevin Harvick**
3. Joey Logano
4. Clint Bowyer
5. Greg Biffle**
6. Jeff Gordon**
7. Jamie McMurray**
8. Ryan Newman**
9. Denny Hamlin**
10. Kasey Kahne**
**Indicates Team
Flowmaster Driver
Next Race: Cheez-It 355, Watkins Glen (N.Y.) International
Sunday, August 10, 2014