JR Motorsports Race Report
Saturday, July 23, 2022
Race 19 of 33: Explore the Pocono Mountains 225 at Pocono Raceway
Track Specs: 2.5-mile triangular-oval / 90 laps
Race Winner: Noah Gragson
Mayer’s finish: 6th
Points position: 8th (-204)
Sam Mayer battled through two flat right rear tires during Saturday evening’s NASCAR Xfinity Series Event at Pocono Raceway to finish in the sixth position. The Wisconsin native battled all day – coming back from one lap down during Stage Two to finish inside the top 10 for the 10th time this season in the Accelerate Professional Talent Solutions No. 1 Chevrolet.
Race Rundown
Mayer started the 90-lap event in 12th following Saturday morning’s qualifying session, but had to pit from that position during the first caution of the day due to having a flat right rear tire. Mayer came out of the pits in 34th, but quickly picked his way through the field, finishing Stage One twelfth.
During the stage break, the Accelerate Pros team went to work on the rear of the car as they attempted to fix the issue causing the tire to go down. Mayer exited the pits in the 17th position and again started charging through the field, working his way to 11th before he felt his right rear going down once again on lap 28.
The young driver brought his Accelerate Professional Talent Solutions Camaro to pit road under green and the crew once again went to work to fix the problem. Mayer returned to the racetrack in the 36thposition and scored one lap down. He would finish Stage Two there and become the beneficiary of the free pass, getting back on the lead lap for the final stage.
Mayer restarted the final stage in the 33rd position and was running 27th when the red flag was displayed on lap 48. Crew chief Taylor Moyer called Mayer to pit road to put on a set of scuffs and fill up with fuel. Mayer remarked that the car was very free on the scuff tires, and Moyer brought him back to pit road on lap 53 to fill up with fuel and as they were inside their window. The fuel-only stop allowed the No. 1 team to pick up 10 positions and line up seventh for what would be the final restart.
From there, Mayer raced hard for the last green-flag run, making his way up to sixth when the checkered flag waved on lap 90 to earn his 10th top-10 finish of the 2022 season.
Sam Mayer, driver No. 1 Accelerate Professional Talent Solutions Chevrolet team “That race felt like what walking uphill to school both ways would be like. We had some issues with right rear tires going down a couple of times during the race, but we were able to get back on the lead lap and drive up through the field. I’m super proud of our Accelerate Professional Talent Solutions team as they fought against adversity and got us back in the race.”