Ryan Blaney bests Hamlin and Bowman for win

Blaney was among a group of drivers to pit before the break between Stages 2 and 3 which left him close on fuel when he made his final stop under caution on lap 117 of 160.

He came off pit road second after the stop but actually inherited the lead when Kyle Larson – who was first off pit road – was among four drivers penalized for speeding.

Three cautions in the final 40 laps helped Blaney save plenty of fuel and he held off a late charge by Denny Hamlin by 1.312 seconds to win Sunday’s race at Pocono Raceway.

The win is the second of the season for the reigning series champion and 12th of his career. It’s also his second career win on the 2.5-mile triangular-shaped track, which was the site of his first career win in 2017.

Team Penske has now won four of the last seven races with all three of its drivers locked in the 16-driver playoff field.

Last week’s race winner Alex Bowman finished third, William Byron fourth and Joey Logano rounded out the top five.

Completing the top 10 were Tyler Reddick, Brad Keselowski, Martin Truex Jr., Chase Elliott and Bubba Wallace.

Stage 1

While several drivers elected to pit before the break, Truex stayed out and cruised to a 1.345-second Stage 1 win over Hamlin. Reddick was third, Byron fourth and Elliott ended up fifth.

Stage 2

Again, several drivers pit before the end of the stage, but Hamlin remained on track and cruised to the Stage 2 win by 5.707 seconds over Elliott. Keselowski was third, Byron fourth and Erik Jones fifth.

Ross Chastain slammed into the Turn 3 wall on lap 53, which did serious damage to his No. 1 Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet and knocked him out of the race. Chastain is in danger of missing the playoffs without a win yet this season.

“I just flat spun out. We were all sliding around, but I just spun out,” Chastain said. “It felt like it happened in slow motion. Yeah, obviously frustrated with myself, but can’t take it back now.”

Stage 3

Following the break between Stages 2 and 3, most of the lead lap cars pit, with Reddick first off pit road among those who stopped. Chris Buescher stayed out and inherited the lead when the race resumed with 60 laps remaining.

Todd Gilliland appeared to blow a brake rotor and hit the wall in Turn 1 on lap 115 which brought out a caution right on the edge of the fuel window to make it to the end of the race.

All of the lead lap cars pit…