2008 Pocono 500
Race details
Race 14 of 36 in the 2008 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series season
2008 Pocono 500 program cover
2008 Pocono 500 program cover
Date June 8, 2008 (2008-June-08)
Official name Pocono 500
Location Pocono Raceway, Long Pond, Pennsylvania
Course Permanent racing facility
2.5 mi (4.023 km)
Distance 200 laps, 500 mi (804.672 km)
Weather Temperatures reaching up to 91.9 °F (33.3 °C); average wind speeds of 20 miles per hour (32 km/h)[1]
Average speed 125.209 miles per hour (201.504 km/h)
Pole position
Driver
Gillett Evernham Motorsports
Time 52.873
Most laps led
Driver Kasey Kahne Gillett Evernham Motorsports
Laps 69
Winner
No. 9 Kasey Kahne Gillett Evernham Motorsports
Television in the United States
Network TNT
Announcers Bill Weber, Kyle Petty and
Wally Dallenbach Jr.

The 2008 Pocono 500 was the fourteenth race of the 2008 NASCAR Sprint Cup schedule and was run on Sunday, June 8 at Pocono Raceway in Long Pond, Pennsylvania. The race was the first NASCAR telecast on TNT for the 2008 season starting at 12:30 PM US EDT and on radio via MRN and Sirius Satellite Radio at 1:15 PM US EDT.

Pre-race news

Qualifying

Jimmie Johnson started out on the pole position, but almost an hour later, Kasey Kahne bumped him. Dale Earnhardt, Inc. teammates Mark Martin and Regan Smith made up the second row, while Joe Nemechek and Carl Edwards made up their third row.

RANK[2] DRIVER NBR CAR TIME SPEED
1  Kasey Kahne 9 Dodge 52.873   170.219  
2  Jimmie Johnson 48 Chevrolet 52.986   169.856  
3  Mark Martin 8 Chevrolet 53.287   168.897  
4  Regan Smith 01 Chevrolet 53.335   168.745  
5  Joe Nemechek 78 Chevrolet 53.342   168.723   *
6  Carl Edwards 99 Ford 53.407   168.517  
7  Dale Earnhardt Jr. 88 Chevrolet 53.411   168.505  
8  A.J. Allmendinger 84 Toyota 53.419   168.479   *
9  Scott Riggs 66 Chevrolet 53.447   168.391   *
10  Kyle Busch 18 Toyota 53.527   168.139  
11  Kurt Busch 2 Dodge 53.532   168.124  
12  Tony Stewart 20 Toyota 53.554   168.055  
13  Matt Kenseth 17 Ford 53.581   167.970  
14  Dario Franchitti 40 Dodge 53.591   167.939   *
15  Brian Vickers 83 Toyota 53.602   167.904  
16  Denny Hamlin 11 Toyota 53.605   167.895  
17  Paul Menard 15 Chevrolet 53.623   167.838  
18  Elliott Sadler 19 Dodge 53.640   167.785  
19  Michael Waltrip 55 Toyota 53.655   167.738  
20  Jeff Burton 31 Chevrolet 53.656   167.735  
21  Juan Pablo Montoya 42 Dodge 53.742   167.467  
22  Jamie McMurray 26 Ford 53.752   167.436  
23  Travis Kvapil 28 Ford 53.774   167.367  
24  Patrick Carpentier 10 Dodge 53.781   167.345   *
25  Martin Truex Jr. 1 Chevrolet 53.787   167.327  
26  Jason Leffler 70 Chevrolet 53.809   167.258   *
27  Ryan Newman 12 Dodge 53.810   167.255  
28  Kevin Harvick 29 Chevrolet 53.883   167.029  
29  Bill Elliott 21 Ford 53.970   166.759   *
30  David Ragan 6 Ford 53.986   166.710  
31  Reed Sorenson 41 Dodge 53.993   166.688  
32  Dave Blaney 22 Toyota 54.006   166.648  
33  Greg Biffle 16 Ford 54.007   166.645  
34  Casey Mears 5 Chevrolet 54.020   166.605  
35  Clint Bowyer 07 Chevrolet 54.024   166.593  
36  David Reutimann 44 Toyota 54.025   166.590  
37  Bobby Labonte 43 Dodge 54.032   166.568  
38  Jeff Gordon 24 Chevrolet 54.069   166.454  
39  J.J. Yeley 96 Toyota 54.103   166.349   *
40  Michael McDowell 00 Toyota 54.127   166.276  
41  Terry Labonte 45 Dodge 54.127   166.276   PC
42  Robby Gordon 7 Dodge 54.259   165.871  
43  Sam Hornish Jr. 77 Dodge 54.522   165.071   OP
44  David Gilliland 38 Ford 54.555   164.971   OP

OP: qualified via owners points

PC: qualified as past champion

PR: provisional

QR: via qualifying race

* - had to qualify on time

Failed to qualify, withdrew, or driver changes:   J.J. Yeley (#96), Kenny Wallace (#87-WD)

Happy Hour

It was anything but happy for points leader Kyle Busch, attempting to race all three series in three days in three sites. His primary car crashed and will be forced to a back-up car and start from the rear as a result. Also going to the back of the field was Sam Hornish Jr. for the same reason. Carl Edwards ran the fastest lap of the session at 164.769 mph. Eventual race winner Kasey Kahne ran the second lap of the session, which was 0.6 seconds slower than Edwards lap.

Race

Car #21 pitting during the race

Information

  • Elapsed Time: 3:59:36
  • Average Speed: 125.209 mph
  • Margin of Victory: 3.702 sec
  • Cautions: 10 for 38 laps
  • Lead Changes: 23
  • Leaders: 12

The woes of the #18 team continued into the race, when Kyle Busch crashed into the wall early into the race, and had to replace the nose, finishing dead last in the 43-car field, changing a 142-point lead to a 21-point lead to Jeff Burton. Greg Biffle suffered a pit road speeding penalty late in the race under green, causing him to lose the race. Carl Edwards looked to be a favorite to win the race in the closing laps, but a flat tire under a caution with about 20 laps to go destroyed his chances, as there were 33 cars on the lead lap. As the green flag came out, polesitter Kasey Kahne took the lead with 15 laps remaining from Brian Vickers in the Team Red Bull #83 Toyota and won his second points race of the season within the last three weeks.

Results

POS[3] ST # DRIVER SPONSOR / OWNER CAR LAPS MONEY STATUS LED PTS
1 1 9   Kasey Kahne Budweiser   (Gillett Evernham Motorsports) Dodge 200 260866 running 69 195
2 15 83   Brian Vickers Red Bull   (Dietrich Mateschitz) Toyota 200 144425 running 18 175
3 16 11   Denny Hamlin FedEx Ground   (Joe Gibbs) Toyota 200 162866 running 17 170
4 7 88   Dale Earnhardt Jr. National Guard / AMP Energy   (Rick Hendrick) Chevrolet 200 121200 running 0 160
5 20 31   Jeff Burton AT&T Mobility   (Richard Childress) Chevrolet 200 143258 running 0 155
6 2 48   Jimmie Johnson Lowe's   (Rick Hendrick) Chevrolet 200 147586 running 59 155
7 13 17   Matt Kenseth DeWalt   (Jack Roush) Ford 200 130866 running 2 151
8 11 2   Kurt Busch Miller Lite   (Roger Penske) Dodge 200 87175 running 0 142
9 6 99   Carl Edwards Aflac   (Jack Roush) Ford 200 123700 running 2 143
10 3 8   Mark Martin Steak-umm Burgers   (Dale Earnhardt, Inc.) Chevrolet 200 114083 running 0 134
11 37 43   Bobby Labonte Cheerios / Betty Crocker   (Petty Enterprises) Dodge 200 121536 running 0 130
12 8 84   A.J. Allmendinger Red Bull   (Dietrich Mateschitz) Toyota 200 75200 running 0 127
13 28 29   Kevin Harvick Shell / Pennzoil   (Richard Childress) Chevrolet 200 118061 running 0 124
14 38 24   Jeff Gordon DuPont   (Rick Hendrick) Chevrolet 200 117711 running 0 121
15 33 16   Greg Biffle 3M   (Jack Roush) Ford 200 81175 running 4 123
16 42 38   David Gilliland FreeCreditReport.com   (Yates Racing) Ford 200 89583 running 0 115
17 25 1   Martin Truex Jr. Bass Pro Shops / Tracker Boats   (Dale Earnhardt, Inc.) Chevrolet 200 101808 running 2 117
18 27 12   Ryan Newman Kodak   (Roger Penske) Dodge 200 109350 running 0 109
19 36 44   David Reutimann UPS   (Michael Waltrip) Toyota 200 70225 running 0 106
20 22 26   Jamie McMurray Irwin Industrial Tools   (Jack Roush) Ford 200 80250 running 0 103
21 9 66   Scott Riggs State Water Heaters   (Gene Haas) Chevrolet 200 85708 running 6 105
22 32 22   Dave Blaney Caterpillar   (Bill Davis) Toyota 200 83408 running 1 102
23 23 28   Travis Kvapil Dish Network / Dish DVRs   (Yates Racing) Ford 200 97064 running 0 94
24 30 6   David Ragan AAA Insurance   (Jack Roush) Ford 200 76675 running 0 91
25 17 15   Paul Menard Menards / Pittsburgh Paints   (Dale Earnhardt, Inc.) Chevrolet 200 76450 running 0 88
26 34 5   Casey Mears Kellogg's / Carquest   (Rick Hendrick) Chevrolet 200 83800 running 0 85
27 39 00   Michael McDowell Champion Mortgage   (Michael Waltrip) Toyota 200 80808 running 0 82
28 4 01   Regan Smith Principal Financial Group   (Dale Earnhardt, Inc.) Chevrolet 200 73000 running 0 79
29 5 78   Joe Nemechek Furniture Row / Denver Mattress   (Barney Visser) Chevrolet 200 64850 running 0 76
30 43 45   Terry Labonte Paralyzed Veterans of America   (Petty Enterprises) Dodge 200 74747 running 0 73
31 29 21   Bill Elliott U.S. Air Force   (Wood Brothers) Ford 200 82895 running 0 70
32 24 10   Patrick Carpentier Charter Communications   (Gillett Evernham Motorsports) Dodge 200 64375 running 0 67
33 31 41   Reed Sorenson Target   (Chip Ganassi) Dodge 200 92339 running 0 64
34 18 19   Elliott Sadler Stanley   (Gillett Evernham Motorsports) Dodge 200 90320 running 6 66
35 12 20   Tony Stewart Home Depot   (Joe Gibbs) Toyota 199 112561 running 14 63
36 40 7   Robby Gordon Robby Gordon Motorsports   (Robby Gordon) Dodge 199 71600 running 0 55
37 19 55   Michael Waltrip NAPA Auto Parts   (Michael Waltrip) Toyota 199 63425 running 0 52
38 21 42   Juan Pablo Montoya Texaco / Havoline   (Chip Ganassi) Dodge 157 91208 crash 0 49
39 35 07   Clint Bowyer Jack Daniel's   (Richard Childress) Chevrolet 155 81175 running 0 46
40 26 70   Jason Leffler Haas Automation   (Gene Haas) Chevrolet 140 63025 crash 0 43
41 14 40   Dario Franchitti Target   (Chip Ganassi) Dodge 137 70880 crash 0 40
42 41 77   Sam Hornish Jr. Mobil 1   (Roger Penske) Dodge 130 108305 crash 0 37
43 10 18   Kyle Busch M&M's   (Joe Gibbs) Toyota 95 80999 crash 0 34
Failed to qualify, withdrew, or driver changes:
POS NAME NBR SPONSOR OWNER CAR
44 J.J. Yeley 96 DLP HDTV Jeff Moorad Toyota
WD Kenny Wallace 87 Furniture Row Barney Visser Chevrolet

Incidents

  • On lap 41, Kurt Busch would lose control of his car exiting turn 1, he slides into the grass and briefly becomes airborne due to the bumpiness of the infield. He would later recover with no significant damage and rally to an 8th-place finish.
  • Points leader Kyle Busch would hit the frontstretch wall after unsuccessfully trying to change lanes on lap 48, causing Jamie McMurray to make contact with the left rear corner of his car. The incident causes significant body damage on the entire right side of his car.
  • Patrick Carpentier and Sam Hornish Jr. make contact in turn 1 on lap 58, also collecting David Gilliland.
  • On lap 82, Clint Bowyer loses control of his car exiting turn 3. Juan Pablo Montoya has nowhere to go, and ends up hitting Bowyer behind the driver's door on the left side of the car. Bowyer spins and eventually finds the pit road wall where his car comes to a stop. Montoya's car is on fire and he limps to the end of pit road where he exits the car. Bowyer later returns to finish the race 45 laps down, and Montoya parks his car after 157 laps.
  • Michael Waltrip would hit the turn 1 outside retaining wall on lap 106.
  • Dario Franchitti would spin in turn 3 on lap 123.
  • Already nursing a damaged race car, Kyle Busch hits the curb in the famed tunnel turn causing him to spin during the cycle of the last green flag pit stops on lap 178. This spin would seal his 43rd-place finish in the event.

References

  1. ↑ "2008 Pocono 500 weather information". The Old Farmers' Almanac. Retrieved 2013-06-09.
  2. ↑ "Race Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved 2021-06-01.
  3. ↑ "Race Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved 2021-06-01.
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.