Best of the Rest: Pocono Weekend

The mountains of Pocono rumbled with the noise of engines last weekend, as all three of NASCAR’s top series arrived at the track known as “The Tricky Triangle” or Pocono Raceway last weekend.

From someone throwing a blue shell in the truck race and causing a large wreck, to the fuel-mileage gamble of the Cup cars, these are the underdogs who shown bright.

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Craftsman Trucks | MillerTech Battery 200

#1 Brandon Jones:  Xfinity Series regular Jones jumped behind the wheel of TRICON Garage’s Toyota in a rare Truck Series appearance. Carrying sponsor Spectracide on the hood, Jones qualified 9th and finished 4th. Having made seven starts so far in 2025 behind the wheel of TRICON’s #1 entry, this was Jones’ best finish since a 6th in Kansas.

#81 Connor Mosack: Mosack moved to the trucks in 2025 with McAnally-Hilgemann Racing to drive their Chevrolets after a promising limited schedule last season. While 2025 has not been overly kind to Mosack, the MHR driver had a gem day in Pocono. Mosack started 12th and finished just shy of the top five in 6th. Mosack has one other top ten in Rockingham (finishing 9th).

#66 Luke Baldwin: The son of legendary crew chief and owner Tommy Baldwin, Luke showed he belonged racing in a top tier series easily in Pocono. While ThorSport Racing has struggled as a group this season, Baldwin’s #66 Ford showed speed all race, and finished 12th after starting 17th. Baldwin has three other starts thus far in 2025, with Pocono being his best showing yet.

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Xfinity Series | Explore the Pocono Mountains 250

#27 Jeb Burton: Burton and his #27 Jordan Anderson Racing Chevrolet crew have been quietly putting together a solid mid-season run, which continued in Pocono. With Volpi Foods on the 27 that Saturday, Burton finished 11th after starting his Chevrolet in 20th. Burton currently sits 8th in points, and has been in the top ten since Rockingham.

#42 Anthony Alfredo: Joining Young’s Motorsports to drive their Chevrolet in 2025, the team has had a few growing pains, but Alfredo has a reputation for out performing his equipment season after season. This was true in Pocono yet again, as Alfredo finished 13th. The Young’s Motorsports driver has one top ten thus far, which came at Talladega (6th).

#45 Mason Massey: Both part-time in their own right, Alpha Prime Racing’s #45 Chevrolet and driver Mason Massey made the most of their Pocono start. Qualifying 29th, Massey stayed within the top twenty most of the race, and finished on the lead lap in 20th.

Massey earned the #45 Alpha Prime team’s best finish since a 13th by Caesar Bacarella in Daytona. Pocono was only Massey’s eighth Xfinity series start this season as well.

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Cup Series | The Great American Getaway 400

#19 Chase Briscoe: Holding true to the “Getaway” in the race’s title sponsor, Briscoe finally scored a long awaited first win with his #19 Joe Gibbs Racing crew. Putting his Toyota up front for 72 laps, Briscoe held off teammate Denny Hamlin in a fuel-mileage battle score his third career Cup Series win.

#42 John Hunter Nemechek: The increase in performance of Legacy Motor Club in recent weeks has been heavily noted already, but Nemechek and his #42 Toyota had a banner day at the triangle-shaped track. Following a top five qualifying effort, Nemechek brought his Toyota home 6th. Pocono was Nemechek sixth top ten finish this season already.

#43 Erik Jones: Following in LMC teammate Nemechek’s footsteps, veteran Jones’ #43 team has also begun to pick up speed. Pocono was a decent day for the revamped Toyota team this season. Rolling off just shy of the top ten in 13th, Jones survived the late race fuel-mileage gambles and finished a solid 11th. Jones has 14 career Cup starts at Pocono with an average finish of 13.5 dating back to 2017.