Pocono/Mid-Ohio Recap

NASCAR
After an astounding 5th win at the Brickyard, Jeff Gordon had a chance to win back-to-back weeks in Pocono.  Instead, Gordon leads 63 laps and finishes in the top-10.  Dale Earnhardt, Jr., who won the June race at Pocono, sweeps the season at the track, leading the last 14 laps en route to his 3rd victory of the season, currently sitting in the 1st spot in NASCAR's newly revised Chase format. 

The race had multiple pit strategies in which drivers like Kurt Busch pitted early on, so most of the green-flag racing took place, drivers would hit pit road throughout the race.  However, the track wasn't nice to most of the favorites at all during the race.  First, Jimmie Johnson cut a tire in the opening laps and then forced to retire on Lap 113 due to a crash.  Then, Kyle Busch blew an engine on Lap 23 and retired the race with a 42nd place finish.  Danica Patrick was also involved in a crash.  The turning point of the race happened on a restart (Lap 118) in which 14 cars were involved in a wreck in turn 1, taking out Matt Kenseth, Tony Stewart, Brian Vickers, A.J. Allmendinger, Paul Menard, Martin Truex, Jr., and Carl Edwards.  Stewart, Edwards and Truex would return to the race laps down but Kenseth and Vickers forced to retire.  Then in the closing laps, Kurt Busch brushed the wall, resulting in a 13th place finish. 

With 5 races remaining to the Chase, 7 drivers have officially locked their spot, including Dale Jr., Gordon, Johnson, Edwards, Brad Keselowski, Joey Logano & Kevin Harvick.  Aric Almirola, Kyle Busch & Kurt Busch could also grab spots due to wins.  Drivers in the Top-16 that could make the Chase with no wins and good point standings include Kenseth & Ryan Newman, while drivers like Tony Stewart, Kyle Larson and Greg Biffle really need a win for hopes of making the Chase next month. 

Racing resumes this weekend at Watkins Glen, a fast road-course which anything could happen.


INDYCAR
The 2014 IndyCar series is winding down, but a stop in Mid-Ohio creates a 2-week gap until the sprint for the finish.  It's been a bad year for Ganassi Racing, with no wins on the season, but that changed during Sunday's race.  In a race slowed by 2 early cautions, Scott Dixon used that by gambling on pit strategy by pitting early, and that gamble paid off.  Dixon led 45 laps en route to his 5th victory at that track.  Sebastien Bourdais, who has been dominant in the last few races, finished 2nd and James Hinchcliffe 3rd.  Tony Kanaan, who has also been strong, was involved in a Lap 1 crash that also took out former teammate Marco Andretti.  Helio Castroneves, who led Will Power by 17 points heading into the event, had mechanical troubles before the green-flag dropped and finished 5 laps down.  Now, Castroneves trails Power by 4 points with only 3 races left.  Castroneves & Power are the favorites, but don't count Ryan Hunter-Reay or Simon Pagenaud out yet because the race in Fontana are points-doubled so if strategy does come into play, the title will be decided on the final lap.  Racing resumes August 17th on the Milwaukee Mile.