The Overton’s 400 at Pocono Raceway got off to a rough start with an eight-car wreck on the first lap in Turn 3.
The wreck began when Matt Kenseth made slight contact with the left-rear quarter panel of Jimmie Johnson, got loose and spun.
Kenseth caused a chain reaction as cars began slowing to avoid him. The wreck included Aric Almirola, Austin Dillon, Chris Buescher, Michael McDowell, Danica Patrick, Paul Menard and Matt DiBenedetto.
Almirola and DiBenedetto were eliminated from the race.
“My feelings are hurt, my back is fine,” Almirola told NBCSN. Almirola missed seven points races and the All-Star Race earlier in the season for a back injury sustained in a wreck at Kansas Speedway.
“Our Smithfield Ford Fusion was really good to start off there,” Almirola said. “I had passed about seven cars the first two corners. I was making a lot of progress and then we got to Turn 3 and everybody just stacked up. I saw some smoke. I saw some cars stopped. I got piled in from behind and just drove into the accident. I haven’t seen a replay and have no idea what caused the wreck. Sort of a bummer not to even make a whole lap. Not our day.”
The race went back to green on Lap 8.
