Hamlin Takes Pocono Pole; Byron to Rear After Crash

Denny Hamlin, the all-time winningest driver at Pocono Raceway, secured pole position for Sunday's Great American Getaway 400 by edging Chris Buescher by 0.083 seconds, marking a strong return after missing the previous race for the birth of his son. Hamlin has seven career victories and five top-two finishes in the last eight Pocono races. The qualifying round saw championship leader William Byron crash, forcing him to start at the rear in a backup car, while Bubba Wallace and several others were unable to complete qualifying laps due to technical issues. Hamlin’s Joe Gibbs Racing teammates Chase Briscoe and Ty Gibbs qualified sixth and seventh, with Tyler Reddick of 23XI Racing starting eighth. Hamlin remains the betting favorite at +500 odds, reflecting his dominance at the track. The race will be nationally streamed on Amazon Prime Video, with additional coverage available via MAX and SiriusXM.