LONG POND - The sun began to set on the 2.5-mile Pocono Raceway Friday evening, and the ARCA Menards Series race was called due to darkness on lap 64 of 80 in the 200-mile scheduled race.

Taylor Gray was leading at the moment of caution when officials decided to end the event 16 laps from the final distance. Gray led 38 of the race’s 64 laps and making it back-to-back wins in the ARCA Menards Series.

His last win came at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course.

“Definitely a pretty eventful one,” Gray said. “I wasn’t in the main pack up front there for a little bit, so I don’t know how racy it was up there. I know I was trying like hell to get back up there. We went a lap down there at our modified pit stop and (crew chief) Chad Johnston made a really good call when we went a lap down to come back down pit road and make sure we were topped off to finish the rest of the race out.

“Great call by them and I can’t thank all my guys enough from David Gilliland Racing for bringing me a really fast race car.”

The Ford Mustang made its debut in the ARCA Menards Series earlier this season, and Gray’s No. 17 David Gilliland Racing Ford took off at the start of the General Tire Delivers 200. Pole-sitter Sammy Smith fell back in the first few laps and rebounded back to second before a flat tire took the No. 18 Kyle Busch Motorsports Toyota out of winning contention.

Rev Racing driver Nick Sanchez finished second after being fastest in Thursday’s pre-race ARCA practice at Pocono. Brandon Jones finished third in the No. 81 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota and also ended a two-race series winning streak for the NASCAR XFINITY Series driver.

Rajah Caruth and Daniel Dye completed the top-five in the darkness-shortened General Tire Delivers 200.

Rain plays a factor in Friday schedule

A thunderstorm hit the track right after the conclusion of ARCA Menards Series practice, and the starting lineup was based on the session’s practice speeds, handing the General Tire Pole Award to Smith. Eventual race winner Gray started alongside the No. 18 Toyota on the front row.

Practice and qualifying for the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series was washed out and the starting lineup for Saturday’s CRC Brakleen 150. Points leader Zane Smith starts on pole and looks to wrap up the Truck Series regular season championship for Front Row Motorsports. Smith has emerged as the championship favorite and defending Pocono Truck winner John Hunter Nemechek starts 12th.

Todd Bodine makes his 800th and final start in NASCAR in Saturday’s CRC Brakleen 150 for Halmar-Friesen Racing and rolls off 34th.

Saturday is a full day of racing action, starting with practice and qualifying for the NASCAR XFINITY Series at 9:35 a.m., followed by the Truck race at noon ET on FOX. The return of practice and qualifying for the NASCAR Cup Series at Pocono Raceway takes place at 2:35 p.m., sandwiched in between the Truck and XFINITY races at the track.

The Explore the Pocono Mountains 225 caps off Saturday’s racing action at Pocono Raceway at 5 p.m. on USA Network. This year’s Daytona 500 winner Austin Cindric is the defending winner of the race. JR Motorsports is on a roll in XFINITY by winning the series last race at New Hampshire Motor Speedway last weekend with Justin Allgaier. JRM will be searching for another win come Saturday afternoon.

Sunday tickets remain

Grandstand tickets for the 200 level are available for purchase for Sunday’s M&M’s Fan Appreciation 400 at Pocono Raceway. The race features NASCAR’s Next Gen Cup car.