# 2013 Party in the Poconos 400

The 2013 Party in the Poconos 400 was a NASCAR Sprint Cup Series stock car race held on June 9, 2013, at Pocono Raceway in Long Pond, Pennsylvania, United States. Contested over 160 laps on the 2.5–mile (4 km) triangular superspeedway, it was the fourteenth race of the 2013 Sprint Cup Series championship. Jimmie Johnson of Hendrick Motorsports won the race, his third win of the 2013 season, while Greg Biffle finished second. Dale Earnhardt Jr., Tony Stewart, and Ryan Newman rounded out the top five.
This was the final NASCAR race for Jason Leffler before his death in a sprint car crash on June 12, 2013.

## Report
### Background

Pocono Raceway is a three-turn superspeedway that is 2.5 miles (4.0 km) long. The track's turns are banked differently; the first is banked at 14°, the second turn at 8° and the final turn with 6°. However, each of the three straightaways are banked at 2°. The front stretch at Pocono Raceway is 3,740 feet long, the longest at the track. The back stretch, is 3,055 feet long, while the short stretch, which connects turn two with turn three, is only 1,780 feet long. Joey Logano was the defending race winner after winning the race in 2012.
Before the race, Johnson was leading the Drivers' Championship with 473 points, while Carl Edwards stood in second with 443 points. Clint Bowyer followed in the third with 423, 24 points ahead of Matt Kenseth and Kevin Harvick in fourth and fifth. Dale Earnhardt Jr., with 398, was in sixth; six ahead of Kasey Kahne, who was scored seventh. Eighth-placed Kyle Busch was three points ahead of Paul Menard and five ahead of Brad Keselowski in ninth and tenth. Jeff Gordon was eleventh with 361, while Aric Almirola completed the first twelve positions with 354 points. In the Manufacturers' Championship, Chevrolet was leading with 92 points, eight points ahead of Toyota. Ford was third after recording only 64 points before the race.

### Entry list

(R) - Denotes rookie driver.
(i) - Denotes driver who is ineligible for series driver points.
| No. | Driver | Team | Manufacturer | Sponsor |
| 1 | Jamie McMurray | Earnhardt Ganassi Racing | Chevrolet | Banana Boat |
| 2 | Brad Keselowski | Penske Racing | Ford | Miller Lite |
| 5 | Kasey Kahne | Hendrick Motorsports | Chevrolet | HendrickCars.com |
| 7 | Dave Blaney | Tommy Baldwin Racing | Chevrolet | Tommy Baldwin Racing |
| 9 | Marcos Ambrose | Richard Petty Motorsports | Ford | DeWalt / Stanley Tools |
| 10 | Danica Patrick (R) | Stewart–Haas Racing | Chevrolet | GoDaddy.com |
| 11 | Denny Hamlin | Joe Gibbs Racing | Toyota | FedEx Ground |
| 13 | Casey Mears | Germain Racing | Ford | GEICO |
| 14 | Tony Stewart | Stewart–Haas Racing | Chevrolet | Mobil 1 / Bass Pro Shops |
| 15 | Clint Bowyer | Michael Waltrip Racing | Toyota | RK Motors Charlotte |
| 16 | Greg Biffle | Roush Fenway Racing | Ford | 3M |
| 17 | Ricky Stenhouse Jr. (R) | Roush Fenway Racing | Ford | Valvoline |
| 18 | Kyle Busch | Joe Gibbs Racing | Toyota | M&M's |
| 19 | Jason Leffler | Humphrey Smith Racing | Toyota | Plinker Tactical / Hampton Inn |
| 20 | Matt Kenseth | Joe Gibbs Racing | Toyota | The Home Depot / Husky Tools |
| 22 | Joey Logano | Penske Racing | Ford | Shell / Pennzoil |
| 24 | Jeff Gordon | Hendrick Motorsports | Chevrolet | Axalta |
| 27 | Paul Menard | Richard Childress Racing | Chevrolet | Quaker State / Menards |
| 29 | Kevin Harvick | Richard Childress Racing | Chevrolet | Rheem |
| 30 | David Stremme | Swan Racing | Toyota | Lean1 / Swan Energy |
| 31 | Jeff Burton | Richard Childress Racing | Chevrolet | Caterpillar |
| 32 | Timmy Hill (R) | FAS Lane Racing | Ford | OXY Water |
| 33 | Landon Cassill (i) | Circle Sport | Chevrolet | Little Joe's Autos |
| 34 | David Ragan | Front Row Motorsports | Ford | Taco Bell |
| 35 | Josh Wise (i) | Front Row Motorsports | Ford | MDS Transport |
| 36 | J. J. Yeley | Tommy Baldwin Racing | Chevrolet | Tommy Baldwin Racing |
| 38 | David Gilliland | Front Row Motorsports | Ford | Long John Silver's |
| 39 | Ryan Newman | Stewart–Haas Racing | Chevrolet | Haas Automation |
| 42 | Juan Pablo Montoya | Earnhardt Ganassi Racing | Chevrolet | Target |
| 43 | Aric Almirola | Richard Petty Motorsports | Ford | Smithfield |
| 44 | Scott Riggs | Xxxtreme Motorsports | Ford | Brabble |
| 47 | Bobby Labonte | JTG Daugherty Racing | Toyota | Clorox |
| 48 | Jimmie Johnson | Hendrick Motorsports | Chevrolet | Lowe's / Kobalt Tools |
| 51 | A. J. Allmendinger | Phoenix Racing | Chevrolet | Phoenix Construction |
| 55 | Mark Martin | Michael Waltrip Racing | Toyota | Aaron's Dream Machine |
| 56 | Martin Truex Jr. | Michael Waltrip Racing | Toyota | NAPA Auto Parts |
| 78 | Kurt Busch | Furniture Row Racing | Chevrolet | Furniture Row / Denver Mattress |
| 83 | David Reutimann | BK Racing | Toyota | Burger King / Dr Pepper |
| 87 | Joe Nemechek (i) | NEMCO-Jay Robinson Racing | Toyota | NEMCO-Jay Robinson Racing |
| 88 | Dale Earnhardt Jr. | Hendrick Motorsports | Chevrolet | National Guard |
| 93 | Travis Kvapil | BK Racing | Toyota | Burger King / Dr Pepper |
| 98 | Michael McDowell | Phil Parsons Racing | Ford | Phil Parsons Racing |
| 99 | Carl Edwards | Roush Fenway Racing | Ford | Kellogg's / Cheez-It |
| Official entry list |||||

### Practice and qualifying

Three practice sessions were held before the race. The first session, scheduled on June 7, 2013 for 90 minutes, was canceled because of rain showers. The second and third, held a day later on June 8, 2013, were 50 and 60 minutes long.
Forty-three cars were entered for qualifying. However, wet weather soaked the track, therefore canceling the session and making the owner's points championship determine the qualifying grid. Johnson, whose owner was first in the owner's championship before the race, was rewarded the pole position. He was joined on the front row of the grid by Edwards. Bowyer was third, Kenseth took fourth, ahead of Earnhardt Jr. who started fifth. Kahne, Kyle Busch, Menard, Keselowski and Gordon rounded out the first ten positions.
In the Saturday morning session, Johnson was quickest, ahead of Edwards and Kurt Busch in second and third. Marcos Ambrose and Harvick followed in the fourth and fifth positions. Kyle Busch, Tony Stewart, Earnhardt Jr., Keselowski, and Juan Pablo Montoya rounded out the first ten positions. In the final practice session for the race, Kurt Busch was quickest with a time of 51.331 seconds. Johnson followed in second, ahead of Edwards and Stewart in third and fourth. Ryan Newman, who was fifteenth quickest in second practice, managed fifth.

## Results
### Qualifying

| Grid | No. | Driver | Team | Manufacturer | Time | Speed |
| 1 | 48 | Jimmie Johnson | Hendrick Motorsports | Chevrolet | — | — |
| 2 | 99 | Carl Edwards | Roush Fenway Racing | Ford | — | — |
| 3 | 15 | Clint Bowyer | Michael Waltrip Racing | Toyota | — | — |
| 4 | 20 | Matt Kenseth | Joe Gibbs Racing | Toyota | — | — |
| 5 | 29 | Kevin Harvick | Richard Childress Racing | Chevrolet | — | — |
| 6 | 88 | Dale Earnhardt Jr. | Hendrick Motorsports | Chevrolet | — | — |
| 7 | 5 | Kasey Kahne | Hendrick Motorsports | Chevrolet | — | — |
| 8 | 18 | Kyle Busch | Joe Gibbs Racing | Toyota | — | — |
| 9 | 27 | Paul Menard | Richard Childress Racing | Chevrolet | — | — |
| 10 | 2 | Brad Keselowski | Penske Racing | Ford | — | — |
| 11 | 24 | Jeff Gordon | Hendrick Motorsports | Chevrolet | — | — |
| 12 | 43 | Aric Almirola | Richard Petty Motorsports | Ford | — | — |
| 13 | 16 | Greg Biffle | Roush Fenway Racing | Ford | — | — |
| 14 | 55 | Mark Martin | Michael Waltrip Racing | Toyota | — | — |
| 15 | 56 | Martin Truex Jr. | Michael Waltrip Racing | Toyota | — | — |
| 16 | 17 | Ricky Stenhouse Jr. | Roush Fenway Racing | Ford | — | — |
| 17 | 11 | Denny Hamlin | Joe Gibbs Racing | Toyota | — | — |
| 18 | 51 | A. J. Allmendinger | Phoenix Racing | Chevrolet | — | — |
| 19 | 14 | Tony Stewart | Stewart-Haas Racing | Chevrolet | — | — |
| 20 | 78 | Kurt Busch | Furniture Row Racing | Chevrolet | — | — |
| 21 | 22 | Joey Logano | Penske Racing | Ford | — | — |
| 22 | 1 | Jamie McMurray | Earnhardt Ganassi Racing | Chevrolet | — | — |
| 23 | 39 | Ryan Newman | Stewart-Haas Racing | Chevrolet | — | — |
| 24 | 31 | Jeff Burton | Richard Childress Racing | Chevrolet | — | — |
| 25 | 42 | Juan Pablo Montoya | Earnhardt Ganassi Racing | Chevrolet | — | — |
| 26 | 9 | Marcos Ambrose | Richard Petty Motorsports | Ford | — | — |
| 27 | 13 | Casey Mears | Germain Racing | Ford | — | — |
| 28 | 34 | David Ragan | Front Row Motorsports | Ford | — | — |
| 29 | 47 | Bobby Labonte | JTG Daugherty Racing | Toyota | — | — |
| 30 | 10 | Danica Patrick | Stewart-Haas Racing | Chevrolet | — | — |
| 31 | 38 | David Gilliland | Front Row Motorsports | Ford | — | — |
| 32 | 7 | Dave Blaney | Tommy Baldwin Racing | Chevrolet | — | — |
| 33 | 30 | David Stremme | Swan Racing | Toyota | — | — |
| 34 | 83 | David Reutimann | BK Racing | Toyota | — | — |
| 35 | 36 | J. J. Yeley | Tommy Baldwin Racing | Chevrolet | — | — |
| 36 | 35 | Josh Wise | Front Row Motorsports | Ford | — | — |
| 37 | 33 | Landon Cassill | Circle Sport | Chevrolet | — | — |
| 38 | 32 | Timmy Hill | FAS Lane Racing | Ford | — | — |
| 39 | 93 | Travis Kvapil | BK Racing | Toyota | — | — |
| 40 | 87 | Joe Nemechek | NEMCO-Jay Robinson Racing | Toyota | — | — |
| 41 | 98 | Michael McDowell | Phil Parsons Racing | Ford | — | — |
| 42 | 19 | Jason Leffler | Humphrey Smith Racing | Toyota | — | — |
| 43 | 44 | Scott Riggs | Xxxtreme Motorsports | Ford | — | — |
| Source: |||||||

### Race results

| Pos | Grid | No. | Driver | Team | Manufacturer | Laps | Led | Points |
| 1 | 1 | 48 | Jimmie Johnson | Hendrick Motorsports | Chevrolet | 160 | 128 | 48 |
| 2 | 13 | 16 | Greg Biffle | Roush Fenway Racing | Ford | 160 | 0 | 42 |
| 3 | 6 | 88 | Dale Earnhardt Jr. | Hendrick Motorsports | Chevrolet | 160 | 0 | 41 |
| 4 | 19 | 14 | Tony Stewart | Stewart-Haas Racing | Chevrolet | 160 | 0 | 40 |
| 5 | 23 | 39 | Ryan Newman | Stewart-Haas Racing | Chevrolet | 160 | 19 | 40 |
| 6 | 8 | 18 | Kyle Busch | Joe Gibbs Racing | Toyota | 160 | 0 | 38 |
| 7 | 20 | 78 | Kurt Busch | Furniture Row Racing | Chevrolet | 160 | 0 | 37 |
| 8 | 17 | 11 | Denny Hamlin | Joe Gibbs Racing | Toyota | 160 | 0 | 36 |
| 9 | 5 | 29 | Kevin Harvick | Richard Childress Racing | Chevrolet | 160 | 0 | 35 |
| 10 | 21 | 22 | Joey Logano | Penske Racing | Ford | 160 | 0 | 34 |
| 11 | 24 | 31 | Jeff Burton | Richard Childress Racing | Chevrolet | 160 | 0 | 33 |
| 12 | 11 | 24 | Jeff Gordon | Hendrick Motorsports | Chevrolet | 160 | 0 | 32 |
| 13 | 22 | 1 | Jamie McMurray | Earnhardt Ganassi Racing | Chevrolet | 160 | 0 | 31 |
| 14 | 25 | 42 | Juan Pablo Montoya | Earnhardt Ganassi Racing | Chevrolet | 160 | 0 | 30 |
| 15 | 3 | 15 | Clint Bowyer | Michael Waltrip Racing | Toyota | 160 | 0 | 29 |
| 16 | 10 | 2 | Brad Keselowski | Penske Racing | Ford | 160 | 4 | 29 |
| 17 | 26 | 9 | Marcos Ambrose | Richard Petty Motorsports | Ford | 160 | 0 | 27 |
| 18 | 2 | 99 | Carl Edwards | Roush Fenway Racing | Ford | 160 | 9 | 27 |
| 19 | 14 | 55 | Mark Martin | Michael Waltrip Racing | Chevrolet | 160 | 0 | 25 |
| 20 | 39 | 93 | Travis Kvapil | BK Racing | Toyota | 160 | 0 | 24 |
| 21 | 12 | 43 | Aric Almirola | Richard Petty Motorsports | Ford | 160 | 0 | 23 |
| 22 | 27 | 13 | Casey Mears | Germain Racing | Ford | 160 | 0 | 22 |
| 23 | 15 | 56 | Martin Truex Jr. | Michael Waltrip Racing | Toyota | 160 | 0 | 21 |
| 24 | 31 | 38 | David Gilliland | Front Row Motorsports | Ford | 160 | 0 | 20 |
| 25 | 4 | 20 | Matt Kenseth | Joe Gibbs Racing | Toyota | 160 | 0 | 19 |
| 26 | 16 | 17 | Ricky Stenhouse Jr. | Roush Fenway Racing | Ford | 160 | 0 | 18 |
| 27 | 29 | 47 | Bobby Labonte | JTG Daugherty Racing | Toyota | 160 | 0 | 17 |
| 28 | 33 | 30 | David Stremme | Swan Racing | Toyota | 160 | 0 | 16 |
| 29 | 30 | 10 | Danica Patrick | Stewart-Haas Racing | Chevrolet | 160 | 0 | 15 |
| 30 | 9 | 27 | Paul Menard | Richard Childress Racing | Chevrolet | 160 | 0 | 14 |
| 31 | 32 | 7 | Dave Blaney | Tommy Baldwin Racing | Chevrolet | 160 | 0 | 13 |
| 32 | 34 | 83 | David Reutimann | BK Racing | Toyota | 159 | 0 | 12 |
| 33 | 18 | 51 | A. J. Allmendinger | Phoenix Racing | Chevrolet | 158 | 0 | 11 |
| 34 | 36 | 35 | Josh Wise | Front Row Motorsports | Ford | 157 | 0 | – |
| 35 | 38 | 32 | Timmy Hill | FAS Lane Racing | Ford | 156 | 0 | 9 |
| 36 | 7 | 5 | Kasey Kahne | Hendrick Motorsports | Chevrolet | 141 | 0 | 8 |
| 37 | 28 | 34 | David Ragan | Front Row Motorsports | Ford | 121 | 0 | 7 |
| 38 | 37 | 33 | Landon Cassill | Circle Sport | Chevrolet | 70 | 0 | – |
| 39 | 35 | 36 | J. J. Yeley | Tommy Baldwin Racing | Chevrolet | 39 | 0 | 5 |
| 40 | 41 | 98 | Michael McDowell | Phil Parsons Racing | Ford | 33 | 0 | 4 |
| 41 | 43 | 44 | Scott Riggs | Xxxtreme Motorsports | Ford | 28 | 0 | 3 |
| 42 | 40 | 87 | Joe Nemechek | NEMCO-Jay Robinson Racing | Toyota | 11 | 0 | – |
| 43 | 42 | 19 | Jason Leffler | Humphrey Smith Racing | Toyota | 8 | 0 | 1 |
| Source: |||||||||

#### Notes

^1 Points include 3 Chase for the Sprint Cup points for winning, 1 point for leading a lap, and 1 point for most laps led.

## Standings after the race

| | Pos | Driver | Points |
| | 1 | Jimmie Johnson | 521 |
| | 2 | Carl Edwards | 470 (–51) |
| | 3 | Clint Bowyer | 452 (–69) |
| 2 | 4 | Dale Earnhardt Jr. | 439 (–82) |
| | 5 | Kevin Harvick | 434 (–87) |
| 2 | 6 | Matt Kenseth | 418 (–103) |
| 1 | 7 | Kyle Busch | 412 (–109) |
| 1 | 8 | Kasey Kahne | 400 (–121) |
| 1 | 9 | Brad Keselowski | 398 (–123) |
| 3 | 10 | Greg Biffle | 395 (–126) |
| | 11 | Jeff Gordon | 393 (–128) |
| 3 | 12 | Paul Menard | 385 (–136) |
| Pos | Manufacturer | Points |
| 1 | Chevrolet | 101 |
| 2 | Toyota | 90 (–11) |
| 3 | Ford | 68 (–33) |