NASCAR takes on the Tricky Triangle and The Great American Getaway 400. (Photo Credit: Pocono Raceway | X)

The Great American Getaway 400

Denny Hamlin secured the pole for The Great American Getaway 400. The race was moved up two hours in an attempt to beat inclement weather moving into the area.

Stage 1

At the drop of the green flag, Kyle Larson stole the lead and set sail. Within three laps, he had put a full second on the field. As the race neared the halfway point of the opening stage, he had added another second to his lead. The tables turned as the stage neared the end. With nine to go, Hamlin was on Larson’s bumper. Four laps later, Hamlin took the lead when green flag pit stops started, and the No. 11 won the stage.

Stage 2

John Hunter Nemechek and Tyler Reddick remained on track and started the second stage on the front row. Behind them, the field stacked three-wide, but drivers kept it green. Behind the leaders, Zane Smith sat, waiting for the opportune moment. Before Smith could pounce, Ryan Blaney put his name in the hat in P3.

Lap 41 brought the first caution for an incident as Smith went for a spin and slammed the inside wall. The restart camp on Lap 45 with Reddick and Hamlin in the lead, however, Nemechek beat out the No. 11 for P2. Two laps later, chaos ensued as a multi-car pile-up brought out the caution.

The restart saw JHN and Chase Briscoe out front, and the No. 42 of Nemechek started to put a solid lead on the field. With 20 to go in the stage, green-flag stops began. Todd Gilliland stayed out and stole a stage win from Briscoe.

Stage 3

Briscoe and Nemechek led the field to green with a four-wide race behind them. Once things had settled, JHN resumed his position as race leader. On Lap 106, the caution waved as Casey Mears lost a wheel. Lap 111 brought the next restart with JHN and Hamlin out front, with the No. 11 winning out.

From there, Hamlin quickly put nearly two seconds on the field. In no time at all, it was a three-second lead.

With 42 to go, green flag stops started, which allowed Hamlin to extend his lead to eight seconds until he took to the pits.

Before Hamlin resumed the lead, Christopher Bell had a 10-second lead. With six to go, Hamlin was closing in on his teammate. Two laps later, Hamlin passed Bell. Behind him, William Byron and Reddick attempted to make gains on the No. 11.

Ultimately, Hamlin won his third race in a row for the first time in his career.

Rich MARvelous Move of the Race

When it came to the Rich MARvelous Move of the Race, it wasn’t one single move that caught our attention. It was the fact that there were numerous strategies at play in The Great American Getaway 400.

The Rich MARvelous Move of the Race is voted on by the Pit Pass Network staff following the NASCAR Cup Series race.

John Hunter Nemechek short-pitted in the opening stage. This put him in a prime position for the rest of the day, allowing him to spend 42 laps out front.

(Photo Credit: Legacy Motor Club | X)

Zane Smith was another short pitter. Unfortunately, his day ended early after a Stage 2 wreck.

Speaking of Stage 2, Todd Gilliland’s team opted to stay on track during green-flag stops. During this time, he took over the lead and went on to win his first-ever stage in the NASCAR Cup Series.

(Photo Credit: Front Row Motorsports | Facebook)

The impending weather and track position played into these strategies, providing for some not-often-talked-about teams to be out front.

Shout Out

We wanted to give a special shout-out to Pocono Raceway for going above and beyond in remembering Kyle Busch.

(Photo Credit: David Jensen | Getty Images)

While the NASCAR community continues to surround the Busch family, tracks are making sure Rowdy’s legacy carries on.

Let us know who caught your eye in The Great American Getaway 400!

As always, we want to extend a huge thank you to Rich Mar Florist for their continued sponsorship of the Rich MARvelous Move of the Race into the 2026 NASCAR Cup Series season.

Make sure to give them a follow across social media (Facebook, Instagram, X) to stay up-to-date with all the Team Rich Mar NASCAR happenings! And check out their website for all your floral needs, no matter where you are located!