The Pocono Raceway is not an easy track to race at and win. Through years of experience, Hamlin has become a master at taming it and takes pride in being the most successful driver on it. But on Sunday, a 30-year-old Indiana native beat him to Victory Lane and later rejoiced in the glory with the press.
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Joe Gibbs Racing’s No. 19 driver, Chase Briscoe, emerged as the winner of Sunday’s Cup Series race in Pocono. He beat Hamlin by a margin of 0.682 seconds and earned himself a spot in the playoffs. He told the press in the aftermath that it was extremely enjoyable to defeat a veteran driver who specialises in beating everyone at Pocono.
He said, “I mean, he is the greatest of all time here. Nobody will be able to do what he’s done here. To be able to beat him and honestly kind of maintain my composure, I am proud of the kind of work that I put in to be able to do that.” Briscoe feels like he has accomplished something big, particularly since Hamlin was on the same equipment that he was.
The final laps of the race had demanded much from Briscoe and his crew. The No. 19 Toyota had been running low on fuel while it had been in the lead. With Hamlin and Blaney breathing down his neck, Briscoe had to save fuel and keep his position through different techniques. Fortunately, he got the job done with help from his crew chief, James Small.
Hamlin’s impeccable record at the Pocono Raceway
Briscoe mentioned that nobody would be able to recreate what Hamlin has done at Pocono. What’s so great about his record at the Tricky Triangle? Hamlin’s first-ever victory in the Cup Series came at the Pocono Raceway back in 2006. From then on, he has recorded six more wins. No driver has been more successful than him at the track.
His most recent victory came in 2023. In 2024 and now in 2025, he finished as the runner-up. Replicating this amount of success will be a tall task for other drivers.
Hamlin said after the race, “Team did a great job, next best in line there of our strategy, it just didn’t work out. We’re really strong. Not showing up with any weaknesses right now. I’m really proud of the effort that we’ve put forth and yeah, just love to get more wins. But still it was a good overall solid day for us.”
The teammates will next face each other at the Atlanta Motor Speedway in Hampton, Georgia.
