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Crazy end to Pocono race? It’s nothing new for winner Chris Buescher

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Chris Buescher celebrates Pennsylvania 400 win in a makeshift victory lane at Pocono Raceway.

LONG POND, Pa. — Never seen anything like Monday’s Sprint Cup race at Pocono Raceway with a race called after fog rolled in?

Winner Chris Buescher has.

“Exact same thing at the exact same track,’’ Buescher told NBC Sports after his Sprint Cup win.

But fog cost him that time.

Five years ago in the June ARCA race at Pocono Raceway, Buescher lost a chance to win because fog “twice as thick” as what led to the end of Monday’s Cup race covered the track.

“We couldn’t see a thing,’’ Buescher recalled. “We tried to get going. We got by a couple of guys on a restart as it was rolling in and getting bad. We pulled up under the leader, and the caution fell. We were inches away from a victory. It was the first race I’ve ever seen called due to fog.’’

Buescher finished second to Tim George Jr., a development driver at the time for Richard Childress Racing.

“Then we come here, and that fog rolled in,’’ Buescher said. “I said ‘Hmm, this might be our chance for a little bit of payback from Pocono Raceway.’

“It sure was. It wasn’t near as thick as what I remember in that ARCA race, so I figured it would roll in and roll out.

“As we were sitting there on the pit wall during the red flag, some of the local fans were over there behind me. They said, ‘Man this is it, this is over.’ I’m like, ‘I’m not getting my hopes up.’ (One local fan said) ’You don’t understand. I’ve lived here my whole life. When this fog rolls in, it doesn’t leave.’

Said Buescher: “That’s exactly what I was hoping to hear.’’

After reports of lightning in the area, NASCAR called the race, and Buescher had his first Sprint Cup victory.

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