A Solid Run in Pocono Brings Another Top 20 for Gase

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In: Xfinity Series News

Joey Gase and Go Green Racing added another top 20 finish to their 2018 resume this weekend in Pocono. With the new aero package the series was running this weekend, Friday’s practice sessions were very valuable to gain information on how the car would travel. After final practice Joey and the team put together the 25th fastest lap time. Taking what they learned in practice, the team put together a solid qualifying run on Saturday morning and would start the Pocono Green 250 from the 24th position. 

The forecast wasn’t looking great when teams started to roll in to the track on Saturday morning. It was a cloudy morning with chances of rain all afternoon, but for once they lucked out and all the rain missed the track. Everything was on schedule and when the clock hit 1:30pm the green flag waved! A couple laps in to the race Gase relayed to Crew Chief Patrick Donahue that he was tight off of turn 3. Then with about 5 laps remaining in stage one he was starting to get free on entry in turn 1. Stage one was a fairly clean stage as they went green for the entire 25 laps. With the information Gase had given, CC Donahue called for a wedge adjustment and a couple of rounds in the right rear to help turns 1 & 3 in the second stage. After an awesome pit stop between stages, Gase gained 5 spots and would restart in 20th.

The restart of stage two would bring out the first caution of the afternoon as the #5 of Michael Annett went spinning in turn 1. That would be the only caution of the stage and they would stay under green for the remainder of stage two. Once the green white checkered came out to conclude stage two, Gase said that the tunnel turn was now worse and he needs to be freed up off but turn 3 was better. With that in mind, he would come down pit road to raise the track bar two rounds and add a pound in right rear tire. The pit crew did an awesome job again and Gase gained 5 spots and would restart 21st. 

After the final stage was under way, it only took 7 laps for the second caution to come out for the #60 of Chase Briscoe and #5 of Annett. Fuel mileage always plays a huge part into teams strategies at Pocono Raceway. With the early caution in the final stage CC Donahue called Gase to bring his Sparks Energy Chevrolet down pit road to top off on fuel and to raise the track bar two rounds. They went back to green with 40 laps remaining and after the restart Gase found himself up to 17th. Then #7 of Justin Allgaier went spinning and gathered up the #20 of Christopher Bell right in front of Joey to bring out our 3rd and final caution of the afternoon. Joey did an awesome job navigating through the wreckage. After the on track excitement Gase came over the radio and said with excitement “That’ll get your heart rate going!” Gase would restart the final 35 lap run in 19th and he would lock that position down for the remainder of the race. 

This weekend marked Gase’s third straight top 20 finish. Gase continues to add on to his best career start to a season and keeps inching his way closer to playoff contention. After the weekend he’s sitting 18th in driver points and 19th in owner points. Joey and Go Green Racing will pack up and head West to Michigan on Thursday.

Joey Gase PR

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