By: Zach Catanzareti, Staff Writer
For the second time in 2019, Kaulig Racing occupied two of the top-10 positions, as both Austin Dillon and full-time runner Justin Haley finished ninth and 10th in Saturday’s Pocono Green 250.
With Haley continuing his rookie season for Kaulig, the Indiana native scored his ninth top 10 of 2019 at Pocono Raceway, one week removed from his first top five at Charlotte.
Overall, consistency is the team’s strength through the opening third of the year.
“It was an up-and-down day, but overall solid,” Haley said of Saturday. “We keep running solid. We really haven
“It was just super tight. We didn’t have the raw speed that some of the other guys did. We were good in the first stage and fell off toward the end.”
For Dillon, the full-time Monster Energy Cup driver made his third start for Kaulig in 2019, coming home with his second top 10. However, it could have been better had it not been for a late caution.
“We were running third there, if it goes green, we run third,” Dillon said. “We didn’t need that last caution to come out. It is part of it. It’s just how it goes.”
Still, from the physical driving perspective, Dillon has noticed the improvement from the relatively new series team.
“We’re still learning but we’re getting it better and better,” he said. “I thought we learned a lot and took a step in the right direction this weekend for the balance of the racecar. We got in the race and we were pretty competitive.
“I’m having fun doing it right now.”
For Haley, having drivers like Dillon, Elliott Sadler and Ross Chastain run the team’s No. 10 car has given him experienced teammates to gel with. Dillon will be back with Kaulig at Watkins Glen in August.
“We’re working hard and getting better,” Haley said. “Having those guys come in, it definitely helps.”