The 2024 Explore the Pocono Mountains 225 was the 19th stock car race of the 2024 NASCAR Xfinity Series, and the 30th iteration of the event. The race was held on Saturday, July 13, 2024, in Long Pond, Pennsylvania at Pocono Raceway, a permanent triangular-shaped racetrack. The race took the scheduled 90 laps to complete. In an action packed race, Cole Custer driving for Stewart–Haas Racing, would come out on top, earning his 14th career NASCAR Xfinity Series victory and Fords first win of the season. To fill out the podium, Justin Allgaier, driving for JR Motorsports, and William Byron, driving for Hendrick Motorsports, would finish 2nd and 3rd, respectively.

Report 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 driver who is ineligible for series driver points.

#DriverTeamMake00Cole CusterStewart–Haas RacingFord1Sam MayerJR MotorsportsChevrolet2Jesse Love (R)Richard Childress RacingChevrolet4Thomas AnnunziataJD MotorsportsChevrolet5Anthony AlfredoOur MotorsportsChevrolet07Patrick EmerlingSS-Green Light RacingChevrolet7Justin AllgaierJR MotorsportsChevrolet8Sammy SmithJR MotorsportsChevrolet9Brandon JonesJR MotorsportsChevrolet10Daniel Dye (i)Kaulig RacingChevrolet11Josh WilliamsKaulig RacingChevrolet14Mason Massey (i)SS-Green Light RacingChevrolet15Josh Berry (i)AM RacingFord16A. J. AllmendingerKaulig RacingChevrolet17William Byron (i)Hendrick MotorsportsChevrolet18Sheldon CreedJoe Gibbs RacingToyota19Taylor Gray (i)Joe Gibbs RacingToyota20Ryan TruexJoe Gibbs RacingToyota21Austin HillRichard Childress RacingChevrolet26Corey Heim (i)Sam Hunt RacingToyota27Jeb BurtonJordan Anderson RacingChevrolet28Kyle SiegRSS RacingFord29Blaine PerkinsRSS RacingFord31Parker RetzlaffJordan Anderson RacingChevrolet35Stephen Mallozzi (i)Joey Gase MotorsportsChevrolet38Matt DiBenedettoRSS RacingFord39Ryan SiegRSS RacingFord42Leland Honeyman (R)Young's MotorsportsChevrolet43Ryan EllisAlpha Prime RacingChevrolet44Brennan PooleAlpha Prime RacingChevrolet48Parker KligermanBig Machine RacingChevrolet51Jeremy ClementsJeremy Clements RacingChevrolet74Dawson Cram (i)Mike Harmon RacingChevrolet81Chandler SmithJoe Gibbs RacingToyota91Kyle WeathermanDGM RacingChevrolet92Josh BilickiDGM RacingChevrolet97Shane van Gisbergen (R)Kaulig RacingChevrolet98Riley HerbstStewart–Haas RacingFordOfficial entry list

Practice

The first and only practice session was held on Saturday, July 13, at 10:00 AM ET, and would last for 20 minutes. Ryan Sieg, driving for RSS Racing, would set the fastest time in the session, with a lap of 54.752, and a speed of .

Pos.#DriverTeamMakeTimeSpeed139Ryan SiegRSS RacingFord54.752164.408217William Byron (i)Hendrick MotorsportsChevrolet54.964163.74437Justin AllgaierJR MotorsportsChevrolet54.973163.717Full practice results

Qualifying

Qualifying was held on Saturday, July 13, at 10:30 AM ET. Standard intermediate track qualifying was in effect, although at Pocono and Indianapolis, a hybrid road course qualifying rule was used. The timing line was set in the North Straight, exiting Turn 2, where cars exited pit road, drove two-thirds of a lap, then took the green flag at the timing line exiting Turn 2, and completing their lap there the next time by. Teams then immediately pitted the car, meaning only two laps were run. In addition, up to three cars could be at the track at one time, separated by considerable intervals (about 20 seconds) to ensure drafting was prohibited.

Sheldon Creed, driving for Joe Gibbs Racing, would score the pole for the race, with a lap of 53.810, and a speed of .

Qualifying results Pos.#DriverTeamMakeTimeSpeed118Sheldon CreedJoe Gibbs RacingToyota53.810167.25529Brandon JonesJR MotorsportsChevrolet54.108166.33437Justin AllgaierJR MotorsportsChevrolet54.159166.177419Taylor Gray (i)Joe Gibbs RacingToyota54.180166.113581Chandler SmithJoe Gibbs RacingToyota54.305165.731617William Byron (i)Hendrick MotorsportsChevrolet54.331165.651739Ryan SiegRSS RacingFord54.362165.557800Cole CusterStewart–Haas RacingFord54.377165.51198Sammy SmithJR MotorsportsChevrolet54.380165.5021016A. J. AllmendingerKaulig RacingChevrolet54.457165.2681121Austin HillRichard Childress RacingChevrolet54.532165.041111Sam MayerJR MotorsportsChevrolet54.556164.9681231Parker RetzlaffJordan Anderson RacingChevrolet54.704164.5221315Josh Berry (i)AM RacingFord54.749164.3871448Parker KligermanBig Machine RacingChevrolet54.838164.120155Anthony AlfredoOur MotorsportsChevrolet54.839164.1171627Jeb BurtonJordan Anderson RacingChevrolet54.856164.0661798Riley HerbstStewart–Haas RacingFord54.881163.991192Jesse Love (R)Richard Childress RacingChevrolet54.892163.9582010Daniel Dye (i)Kaulig RacingChevrolet54.908163.9112191Kyle WeathermanDGM RacingChevrolet55.007163.6162211Josh WilliamsKaulig RacingChevrolet55.124163.2682338Matt DiBenedettoRSS RacingFord55.138163.2272451Jeremy ClementsJeremy Clements RacingChevrolet55.231162.9522526Corey Heim (i)Sam Hunt RacingToyota55.290162.7782697Shane van Gisbergen (R)Kaulig RacingChevrolet55.460162.2792744Brennan PooleAlpha Prime RacingChevrolet55.574161.9462842Leland Honeyman (R)Young's MotorsportsChevrolet55.713161.5422992Josh BilickiDGM RacingChevrolet55.793161.3113043Ryan EllisAlpha Prime RacingChevrolet55.902160.9963114Mason Massey (i)SS-Green Light RacingChevrolet55.911160.9703207Patrick EmerlingSS-Green Light RacingChevrolet55.944160.8753328Kyle SiegRSS RacingFord55.954160.846Qualified by owner's points3420Ryan TruexJoe Gibbs RacingToyota56.011160.6833529Blaine PerkinsRSS RacingFord56.483159.3403674Dawson Cram (i)Mike Harmon RacingChevrolet56.569159.098364Thomas AnnunziataJD MotorsportsChevrolet56.885158.2143735Stephen Mallozzi (i)Joey Gase MotorsportsChevrolet58.550153.715Official qualifying resultsOfficial starting lineup

Race results Stage 1 Laps: 20 Pos.#DriverTeamMakePts17Justin AllgaierJR MotorsportsChevrolet10200Cole CusterStewart-Haas RacingFord9381Chandler SmithJoe Gibbs RacingToyota8417William Byron (i)Hendrick MotorsportsChevrolet0516A. J. AllmendingerKaulig RacingChevrolet6621Austin HillRichard Childress RacingChevrolet5798Riley HerbstStewart-Haas RacingFord4839Ryan SiegRSS RacingFord398Sammy SmithJR MotorsportsChevrolet21018Sheldon CreedJoe Gibbs RacingToyota1 Stage 2 Laps: 20 Pos.#DriverTeamMakePts100Cole CusterStewart-Haas RacingFord10281Chandler SmithJoe Gibbs RacingToyota9321Austin HillRichard Childress RacingChevrolet8498Riley HerbstStewart-Haas RacingFord7539Ryan SiegRSS RacingFord6616A. J. AllmendingerKaulig RacingChevrolet5718Sheldon CreedJoe Gibbs RacingToyota488Sammy SmithJR MotorsportsChevrolet3926Corey Heim (i)Sam Hunt RacingToyota0107Justin AllgaierJR MotorsportsChevrolet1 Stage 3 Laps: 52 Pos.St.#DriverTeamMakeLapsLedStatusPts1800Cole CusterStewart-Haas RacingFord9025Running59237Justin AllgaierJR MotorsportsChevrolet9030Running463417William Byron (i)Hendrick MotorsportsChevrolet9016Running04118Sheldon CreedJoe Gibbs RacingToyota907Running385419Taylor Gray (i)Joe Gibbs RacingToyota900Running061016A. J. AllmendingerKaulig RacingChevrolet900Running4271121Austin HillRichard Childress RacingChevrolet901Running4381448Parker KilgermanBig Machine RacingChevrolet900Running29998Sammy SmithJR MotorsportsChevrolet900Running3310111Sam MayerJR MotorsportsChevrolet900Running27111798Riley HerbstStewart–Haas RacingFord900Running3712739Ryan SeigRSS RacingFord904Running341329Brandon JonesJR MotorsportsChevrolet900Running2414155Anthony AlfredoOur MotorsportsChevrolet900Running2315581Chandler SmithJoe Gibbs RacingToyota900Running39162526Corey Heim (i)Sam Hunt RacingToyota900Running0172010Daniel Dye (i)Kaulig RacingChevrolet900Running0182211Josh WilliamsKaulig RacingChevrolet900Running19193420Ryan TruexJoe Gibbs RacingToyota900Running18203328Kyle SiegRSS RacingFord900Running17211627Jeb BurtonJordan Anderson RacingChevrolet900Running1622192Jesse Love (R)Richard Childress RacingChevrolet907Running15232191Kyle WeathermanDGM RacingChevrolet900Running14242338Matt DiBenedettoRSS RacingFord900Running13252842Leland Honeyman (R)Young's MotorsportsChevrolet900Running12262744Brennan PooleAlpha Prime RacingChevrolet900Running11271315Josh Berry (i)AM RacingFord900Running028364Thomas AnnunziataJD MotorsportsChevrolet900Running9293114Mason Massey (i)SS-Green Light RacingChevrolet900Running0302451Jeremy ClementsJeremy Clements RacingChevrolet900Running7312697Shane van Gisbergen (R) Kaulig RacingChevrolet900Running6321231Parker RetzlaffJorden Anderson RacingChevrolet890Running 5333207Patrick EmerlingSS-Green Light RacingChevrolet890Running4343529Blaine PerkinsRSS RacingFord720Suspension3353735Stephen Mallozzi (i)Joey Gase MotorsportsChevrolet680Engine0363043Ryan EllisAlpha Prime RacingChevrolet470Accident1372992Josh BilickiDGM RacingChevrolet80Electrical1383474Dawson Cram (i)Mike Harmon RacingChevrolet10Accident0

Standings after the race

Drivers' Championship standings Pos Driver Points 1 Cole Custer 716 2 Justin Allgaier 665 (-51) 3 Chandler Smith 657 (–59) 4 Austin Hill 640 (–76) 2 5 A. J. Allmendinger 564 (–154) 1 6 Jesse Love 563 (–153) 2 7 Riley Herbst 560 (–156) 8 Sheldon Creed 543 (–173) 9 Parker Kligerman 524 (–192) 10 Sam Mayer 501 (–215) 1 11 Sammy Smith 488 (–228) 1 12 Ryan Sieg 466 (–250)Official driver's standings

Manufacturers' Championship standings Pos Manufacturer Points 1 Chevrolet 597 2 Toyota 574 (-23) 3 Ford 504 (–93) Note: Only the first 12 positions are included for the driver standings.

References