The NASCAR Cup Series’ first-ever double-header was ordered up when the 2020 schedule was released last season. Pocono Raceway was named the venue and Ty Dillon and the GEICO team descended upon the Poconos Mountains over the weekend to double down on racing action.
Known for his intense physical training regimen, Dillon would reap the rewards of his hard work when he arrived at the Tricky Triangle for back-to-back days of intense racing action in the summer heat.
Dillon began Saturday’s Pocono Organics 325 from the 34th position after a random draw determined his fate. When the green flag signaled the start of 130-laps of racing, Dillon quickly wheeled the No. 13 GEICO Camaro ZL1 1LE forward, gathering five positions in the opening two laps. He continued to make progress and broke into the top-20 on lap 25.
The GEICO machine was fast as it methodically made its way through the field. Unfortunately, Dillon sustained damage to the left rear fender of the car on lap 39. The damage hindered his straightaway speed and left the driver to battle an angry racecar for the balance of the event. Despite the setback, Dillon managed to hustle the GEICO Camaro to a 26th place finish.
NASCAR required teams to run the same racecar in both events. Given the damage to the No. 13 entry, the Germain Racing crew worked late into the night to prepare the GEICO Camaro for Sunday’s Pocono 350. Crew chief, Matt Borland, and company worked magic and had Dillon’s ride ready to roll when they took to the starting grid the next day.
Dillon and the No. 13 GEICO Camaro started 26th when part two of the ‘Pocono Double’ got underway on Sunday. The green flag waved and Dillon charged forward, collecting five spots and landing in the 21st position on the opening lap. The GEICO driver was fast throughout the day and charged up the leaderboard during various points of the 140-lap event. Strategies varied up and down pit road and Borland was among the players, often having Dillon pit opposite of the leaders in the hope of catching a break late in the race that would have the GEICO Camaro out front.
Any damage from Saturday’s race had a minimal effect, as Dillon and the No. 13 GEICO Camaro were quick during the Pocono 350, while the Germain Racing pit crew worked efficiently on pit road during each stop. When the checkered flag began waving yesterday, Dillon out-hustled Joey Logano to the stripe to score a 23rd place finish.
“Our GEICO team made the most of what we had this weekend,” Dillon said. “The guys worked hard last night to fix the left rear damage and turn our car around. In today’s race, our Camaro would get tight on the long green flag runs and there at the end, I picked up a chatter which may have been a chorded tire. We will keep digging and working to make our program better. I’m looking forward to getting to Indy next week.”
Next up for Germain Racing is a trip to the Racing Capital of the World for the first-ever ‘Brickyard Doubleheader’, where the NASCAR Cup Series and IndyCar Series will share the historic venue in a much-anticipated, long-awaited racing event.
Of note, Ty Dillon earned his first NASCAR Xfinity Series victory at the Brickyard on July 26, 2014, when he held off Kyle Busch, Matt Kenseth and Kevin Harvick to collect the win.
Ty Dillon and the No. 13 GEICO Camaro ZL1 1LE will hit the track at Indianapolis Motor Speedway on Sunday, July 5th, for the Big Machine Hand Sanitizer 400. The race will be televised live on NBC beginning at 4 PM (ET). The IMS Radio Network will carry the live radio broadcast, along with SiriusXM NASCAR Radio, channel 90.
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