Entry List

The official 2022 Explore The Pocono Mountains 225 NASCAR XFINITY Series entry list features top NASCAR drivers set to compete at Pocono Raceway, highlighting the full lineup of race participants and teams.

Explore The Pocono Mountains 225

Saturday, July 23rd, 2022

Pocono Raceway, Long Pond, PA

  • 27 Chevrolet
  • 7 Toyota
  • 5 Ford

  • Pocono Raceway
  • 7th Annual Explore the Pocono Mountains 225
  • Pole Winner: Justin Allgaier
  • Age: 36
  • Team : No. 7 - Hellmann's Chevrolet
  • Owner: JR Motorsports
  • Crew Chief: Jason Burdett
  • Justin Allgaier won the Pole Award for the 7th Annual Explore the Pocono Mountains 225 with a lap of 53.359 seconds, 168.669 mph.
  • This is his seventh pole in 391 NASCAR Xfinity Series races.
  • This is his first pole and 12th top-10 start in 2022.
  • This is his first pole in seven races at Pocono Raceway. He becomes the fourth different driver in the NASCAR Xfinity Series to win a pole at Pocono Raceway.
  • Ty Gibbs (second) posted his 14th top-10 start of 2022 and his first in two races at Pocono Raceway.
  • Brandon Jones (third) posted his fifth top-10 start at Pocono Raceway. It is his 13th in 19 races this season.
  • Sheldon Creed (sixth) was the fastest qualifying rookie.

  • Saturday, July 23rd, 2022
  • NASCAR Wire Service - Holly Cain
Gragson holds off Gibbs to win wild Xfinity race at Pocono

Two of the most determined, talented, young drivers in NASCAR put on a show for the ages in the closing laps of Saturday’s Explore the Pocono Mountains 225 at Pocono (Pa.) Raceway with 24-year-old Noah Gragson ultimately holding off Ty Gibbs, 19, by the blink of an eye to take the victory.

Gragson’s No. 9 JR Motorsports Chevrolet crossed the finish line at the storied 2.5-mile track by a mere .281-seconds ahead of Gibb’s No. 54 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota – the last 15 laps the duo staying within .3-seconds of one another.

Gibbs earned three of his four race wins this season on a last lap pass, but Gragson didn’t allow it Saturday – so happy with the effort he climbed out of his car and joined his team scaling the fencing in front of a boisterous and approving crowded frontstretch grandstand.

“That was probably the best I’ve ever driven there," said the Las Vegas native Gragson, whose three wins this season already ties his single season high mark. “I’m worn out. Working my ass off out there to keep the 54 back. He’s pretty fast.

“I had to work for it," Gragson said still catching his breath from climbing the fence. “It was tough. Kept getting tight, tight, tight and with 15 to go I didn’t think I could hold him off. But we just keep digging."

That summed up a dramatic ending to an action-packed day.

Gragson’s JR Motorsports teammate Justin Allgaier started from pole position and led the first 23 laps to win Stage 1. Gragson was seventh and Gibbs’ fourth in the opening run. But Gragson took the lead on the ensuing pit stop and won Stage 2 – his seventh and the JR Motorsports series’ best 21st stage win of the year.

Ultimately, good pit strategy made the difference for Gragson, whose Chevrolet was able to benefit from a four-tire and gas stop with 38 laps to go. He re-started sixth – behind Gibbs’ who did not take tires – and worked his way forward, taking the lead for good with 22 laps to go.

“It definitely hurt us giving him a tire advantage," Gibbs said. “But I was so surprised to be able to hang with the 9 (car) when he was on [fresh tires]. Had a great car, just didn’t put it together. I just made some mistakes and we’ll come back next weekend."

Gragson’s teammate Berry finished third, followed by Xfinity Series driver standings leader Kaulig Racing’s A.J. Allmendinger and Richard Childress Racing's rookie Sheldon Creed.

Two more JR Motorsports drivers, Sam Mayer and Allgaier finished sixth and seventh – a particularly impressive comeback for Allgaier who was penalized for speeding on pit road during his last pit stop.

RCR’s Austin Hill, Kaulig’s Daniel Hemric and NASCAR Cup Series regular Cole Custer rounded out the top 10.

It was a dramatic race from start to finish, including a red flag period during Stage 2 for a for a high-speed accident involving five cars. Santino Ferrucci’s car got loose exiting Turn 3 and was hit from behind by Ricky Stenhouse Jr. whose car catapulted toward the pit road wall, colliding with Jeb Burton’s car, spinning and flipping Burton’s car over on its hood.

The NASCAR AMR Safety Crew immediately responded, checked that Burton was okay and then carefully right-sided his car back onto its tires. Burton climbed out un-assisted and the wreckage was cleaned up. The red flag lasted a little more than eight minutes and the race resumed.

“Man, that was not good," said Burton, driver of the No. 27 Our Motorsport Chevrolet. “Hate if for my guys, those guys work hard on these race cars.

“But appreciate the safety crew, they got to me fast," he added. “It’s been a tough year, but we’ll keep digging.”

Gragson’s victory marked the seventh win in the last 11 races for JR Motorsports, which is enjoying a summer of success. And Allmendinger now leads Allgaier by 16 points atop the series driver standings.

  • Drivers Entered: 39 (1 drivers will not make the race)
  • Laps Scheduled: 90
  • Margin of Victory: 0.281 Seconds
  • Time of Race: 1 Hours 49 Minutes 22 Seconds
  • Average Speed: 123.438
  • Cautions: 5 for 18 laps
  • Lead Changes: 9
  • Green Flag Passes: 1,022 (14.2 passes per green flag lap)

  • Pocono Raceway
  • 7th Annual Explore the Pocono Mountains 225
  • Race Winner: Noah Gragson
  • Age: 24
  • Team : No. 9 - Bass Pro Shops/TrueTimber/BRCC Chevrolet
  • Owner: JR Motorsports
  • Crew Chief: Lucas Lambert
  • Noah Gragson won the 7th Annual Explore the Pocono Mountains 225, his eighth victory in 121 NASCAR Xfinity Series races.
  • This is his third victory and 13th top-10 finish in 2022.
  • This is his first victory and third top-10 finish in four races at Pocono Raceway.
  • Ty Gibbs (second) posted his second top-10 finish in two races at Pocono Raceway. It is his 11th top-10 finish in 2022.
  • Josh Berry (third) posted his second top-10 finish in two races at Pocono Raceway.
  • Sheldon Creed (fifth) was the highest finishing rookie.
  • AJ Allmendinger leads the point standings by 16 points over Justin Allgaier.
Austin Cindric celebrates with a burnout
Long Pond, Pennsylvania - June 27, 2021 : Austin Cindric, driver of the #22 Car Shop Ford, celebrates with a burnout after winning the NASCAR Xfinity Series Pocono Green 225 Recycled by J.P. Mascaro & Sons at Pocono Raceway on June 27, 2021 in Long Pond, Pennsylvania.
James GilbertGetty Images
Explore The Pocono Mountains 225 at Pocono Raceway Entry List
ENTRY # DRIVER HOMETOWN DOB AGE MAKE SPONSOR TEAM CREW CHIEF
1 16 AJ Allmendinger Los Gatos, CA Dec 16, 1981 40 Chevrolet Action Industries Kaulig Racing Bruce Schlicker
2 66 JJ Yeley Phoenix, AZ Oct 5, 1976 45 Toyota Unsponsored Motorsports Business Management George Church
3 10 Landon Cassill Cedar Rapids, IA Jul 7, 1989 33 Chevrolet Carnomaly Kaulig Racing Jason Trinchere
4 08 David Starr Houston, TX Nov 11, 1967 54 Ford TicketSmarter SS-GLR w/Jeff Lefcourt Jason Miller
5 48 Ricky Stenhouse Jr Olive Branch, MS Oct 2, 1987 34 Chevrolet Big Machine Spiked Coolers Big Machine Racing Patrick Donahue
6 13 Timmy Hill Port Tobacco, MD Feb 25, 1993 29 Toyota Unsponsored Motorsports Business Management Jason Houghtaling
7 7 Justin Allgaier Riverton, IL Jun 6, 1986 36 Chevrolet Hellmann's JR Motorsports Jason Burdett
8 02 Brett Moffitt Grimes, IA Aug 7, 1992 29 Chevrolet Half Off Wholesale Our Motorsports Kris Bowen
9 27 Jeb Burton Halifax, VA Aug 6, 1992 29 Chevrolet Puryear Tank Lines Our Motorsports Chad Walter
10 39 Ryan Sieg Tucker, GA Jun 20, 1987 35 Ford A-GAME RSS Racing Kevin Starland
11 11 Daniel Hemric Kannapolis, NC Jan 27, 1991 31 Chevrolet AG1 - Athletic Greens Kaulig Racing Alex Yontz
12 47 Brennan Poole Sacramento, CA Apr 11, 1991 31 Chevrolet Unsponsored Mike Harmon Racing Ryan Bell
13 07 Cole Custer Ladera Ranch, CA Jan 23, 1998 24 Ford G Coin SS-GLR w/Jeff Lefcourt Joe Williams
14 4 Bayley Currey Driftwood, TX Oct 29, 1996 25 Chevrolet Alka-Seltzer JD Motorsports Wayne Carroll Jr
15 36 Alex Labbe Saint-Albert, Canada Apr 29, 1993 29 Chevrolet Unsponsored DGM Racing Nathan Kennedy
16 21 Austin Hill Winston, GA Apr 21, 1994 28 Chevrolet Global Industrial Richard Childress Racing Andy Street
17 68 Brandon Brown Woodbridge, VA Sep 14, 1993 28 Chevrolet Brandonbilt Foundations Brandonbilt Motorsports Doug Randolph
18 19 Brandon Jones Atlanta, GA Feb 18, 1997 25 Toyota Menards\Pelonis Joe Gibbs Racing Jeff Meendering
19 51 Jeremy Clements Spartanburg, SC Jan 16, 1985 37 Chevrolet Fly & Form Concrete Structures Jeremy Clements Racing Mark Setzer
20 78 Josh Williams Port Charlotte, FL Aug 3, 1993 28 Chevrolet Alloy Employer Services BJ McLeod Motorsports Mike Tyska
21 31 Myatt Snider Charlotte, NC Dec 30, 1994 27 Chevrolet Bommarito Automotive Group Jordan Anderson Racing Shane Whitbeck
22 9 Noah Gragson Las Vegas, NV Jul 15, 1998 24 Chevrolet Bass Pro Shops TrueTimber BRCC JR Motorsports Luke Lambert
23 98 Riley Herbst Las Vegas, NV Feb 24, 1999 23 Ford Monster Energy Stewart-Haas Racing Richard Boswell
24 91 Mason Massey Douglasville, GA Jan 24, 1997 25 Chevrolet Rich Mar Florist DGM Racing Mario Gosselin
25 23 Anthony Alfredo Ridgefield, CT Mar 1, 1999 23 Chevrolet John Civetta & Sons Our Motorsports Pat Tryson
26 34 Jesse Iwuji Carrollton, TX Aug 12, 1987 34 Chevrolet Equity Prime Mortgage Jesse Iwuji Motorsports Dan Stillman
27 35 Patrick Emerling Orchard Park, NY Sep 19, 1992 29 Toyota Kitty Kat Coin Emerling Gase Motorsports Rick Bourgeois
28 77 Ronnie Bassett Jr Winston-Salem, NC Dec 21, 1995 26 Chevrolet Jerry Hunt Supercenter Bassett Racing TBA
29 6 Ryan Vargas La Miranda, CA Sep 23, 2000 21 Chevrolet KSDT JD Motorsports Kase Kallenbach
30 5 Stefan Parsons Cornelius, NC Jun 15, 1998 24 Chevrolet Kelly BJ McLeod Motorsports David Ingram
31 2 Sheldon Creed Alpine, CA Sep 30, 1997 24 Chevrolet Whelen Richard Childress Racing Jeff Stankiewicz
32 8 Josh Berry Hendersonville, TN Oct 22, 1990 31 Chevrolet Tire Pros JR Motorsports Mike Bumgarner
33 54 Ty Gibbs Charlotte, NC Oct 4, 2002 19 Toyota Monster Energy Joe Gibbs Racing Chris Gayle
34 26 Santino Ferrucci Woodbury, CT May 31, 1998 24 Toyota Freedom Alliance Sam Hunt Racing Allen Hart
35 38 Kyle Sieg Tucker, GA Apr 16, 2001 21 Ford US Hydrations/ Sparkling Ice RSS Racing Steve Addington
36 1 Sam Mayer Franklin, WI Jun 26, 2003 19 Chevrolet Accelerate Pros Talent JR Motorsports Taylor Moyer
37 45 Sage Karam Nazareth, PA Mar 5, 1995 27 Chevrolet CRC Brakleen Alpha Prime Racing Frank Kerr
38 44 Rajah Caruth Atlanta, GA Jun 11, 2002 20 Chevrolet Martin De Porres Alpha Prime Racing Michael Brandt
39 18 Sammy Smith Johnston, IA Jun 4, 2004 18 Toyota Pilot Flying J Joe Gibbs Racing Jason Ratcliff