Pocono restart trigger sparks huge Cup Series wreck

A multi-car crash on Lap 47 at Pocono Raceway collected several drivers near the postseason cutoff, including Brad Keselowski, Bubba Wallace, Joey Logano, Noah Gragson, Josh Berry and Connor Zilisch. The wreck brought out the third caution in the NASCAR Cup Series race and quickly became the defining early moment of the event.

The incident came shortly after a restart as the field raced three-wide exiting Turn 3 and headed toward the frontstretch. Accounts of the trigger differed: one version said Austin Hill moved underneath Shane van Gisbergen and made contact, while another said van Gisbergen and Josh Berry touched three-wide off Turn 3, Berry hit the wall and bounced back into van Gisbergen, setting off the chain reaction.

Keselowski’s No. 6 RFK Racing Ford suffered heavy front-end damage and went to the garage under NASCAR’s damaged vehicle policy, and Gragson’s No. 4 also went behind the wall for repairs. Wallace, Logano and van Gisbergen stayed on track after the crash, while Christopher Bell also made contact with the outside wall. Before the race, Bell, Wallace, van Gisbergen, Keselowski and Logano were within or near the provisional playoff spots, and Logano entered the race three points behind teammate Austin Cindric for the final playoff berth.