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Pocono Raceway
The Tricky Triangle
LocationLong Pond Road and Andretti Road,
Long Pond, Pennsylvania, 18334
Time zoneUTC−5 / −4 (DST)
Capacity76,812
OwnerMattco Inc.
OperatorIgdalsky and Mattioli families
Address1234 Long Pond Road
Blakeslee, PA 18610
Broke ground1968
OpenedJuly 3, 1971[1]
ArchitectRodger Ward
Former namesPocono International Raceway (1968–1987)
Major eventsCurrent:
NASCAR Cup Series
The Great American Getaway 400 (1971–present)
Pocono Organics CBD 325 (1982–2021)
Former:
IndyCar Series
ABC Supply 500
(2013–2019)
Triangle Oval (1971–present)
SurfaceAsphalt
Length2.500 miles (4.023 km)
Turns3
BankingTurn 1: 14°
Turn 2: 8°
Turn 3: 6°
Race lap record40.9009 (220.045 mph) (Australia Ryan Briscoe, Dallara DW12, 2014, IndyCar)
Road Course (1985–present)
SurfaceAsphalt
Length2.500 miles (4.023 km)
Turns7
BankingTurn 1: 14°
Turn 2: 8°
Race lap record1:15.440 (United States Al Holbert, Porsche 962, 1985, IMSA GTP)
Road Course (1973–1984)
SurfaceAsphalt
Length2.800 miles (4.506 km)
Turns8
BankingTurn 1: 14°
Turn 2: 8°
Race lap record1:20.200 (United States Danny Ongais/Australia Vern Schuppan, Lola T332C/Eagle 755, 1976, F5000)
Short Road Course (1969–1984)
SurfaceAsphalt
Length1.800 miles (2.897 km)
Turns7
BankingTurn 3: 6°
Race lap record54.344 (Canada Eppie Wietzes, Lola T330, 1973, F5000)
Original Short Oval (1968–1970)
SurfaceAsphalt
Length0.750 miles (1.207 km)
Turns4

Pocono Raceway (formerly Pocono International Raceway), also known as The Tricky Triangle, is a superspeedway located in the Pocono Mountains in Long Pond, Pennsylvania. It is the site of three NASCAR national series races: a Cup Series race with support events by the Xfinity Series and Truck Series. From 1971 to 1989, and from 2013 to 2019, the track also hosted an IndyCar race, last sanctioned by the IndyCar Series. Additionally, from 1982 to 2021, it hosted two NASCAR Cup Series races, with the traditional first date being removed in 2022.

History

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An aerial view of Pocono Raceway taken from a passing jetliner in late March 2014
 
Al Unser Jr. (No. 7) and Chet Fillip (No. 38) racing at Pocono in 1984
 
An SCCA T-2 Camaro goes clockwise on the Pocono Raceway's front stretch, 1999
 
John Andretti at Pocono Raceway, 1998
 
Victory Lane at Pocono during pre-race ceremonies at the 2005 Pocono 500

Pocono Raceway's plot of land started out as a spinach farm in the 1940's.[2]

Track configuration

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The track was designed by 1959 and 1962 Indianapolis 500 winner Rodger Ward.[3] Pocono Raceway has a unique design, as each turn is modeled after a turn at a different track.

The circuit is sometimes considered a tri-oval, but the turns are much more severe than those of a more typical tri-oval such as Daytona and other intermediate speedways. An additional complication is that the three turns are in no way the same, nor are any of the three straights identical in length. The banking of each turn is considerably less than on many other long superspeedways.

Although the track is long 2.500 mi (4.023 km), the sharp nature of the turns and the low banking tend to make the average speeds on NASCAR racecars lower than at other tracks of similar lengths. Because of its unique characteristics, Pocono is sometimes referred to as a roval (an oval track that behaves like a road course). Others refer to Pocono as a modified road course, due to the use of shifting gears to handle the range between the slowest turn and the fastest straightaway.

IndyCar races at Pocono

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Main article: Pocono 500 (IndyCar)

From 1971 to 1989, first USAC and then the CART IndyCar World Series held a 500-mile (800 km) race at Pocono as part of the IndyCar 500-mile Triple Crown. In 1989, Emerson Fittipaldi set a qualifying track record of 211.715 mph (340.722 km/h). Following the 1989 race, however, the track was criticized for its roughness, lack of catch fencing and runoff areas. After continuing squabbles between the management and the sanctioning body, it was removed from the IndyCar schedule.

 
Scott Dixon talks to the press after winning the Pocono IndyCar 400 in 2013.

In the wake of a meeting between Pocono CEO Brandon Igdalsky and IndyCar CEO Randy Bernard at the 2012 Honda Grand Prix of St. Petersburg, speculation developed throughout 2012 regarding the possibility of a 2013 IndyCar Series race at Pocono Raceway. On the September 30, 2012, edition of Speed Channel's WindTunnel with Dave Despain, Bernard officially confirmed that the IndyCar Series would return to Pocono with a 400-mile race on July 7, 2013. Further acknowledging Pocono's place in IndyCar history, Bernard also announced that from 2013, the Indianapolis 500, Pocono IndyCar 400 and MAVTV 500 at California's Auto Club Speedway would mark a revival of IndyCar's all-oval Triple Crown. A $1 million bonus will be paid to a driver who wins all three races in a single season. Thanks to the popularity of their return to Pocono, they announced that they would lengthen the race to its original distance of 500-miles/200-laps. The 2014 event marked the first 500-mile IndyCar race at Pocono since 1989. It also became the fastest 500-mile race in motorsports history as Juan Pablo Montoya completed the race at an average speed of 202.402 MPH, breaking Mark Martin's record that he established at Talladega Superspeedway in May 1997.

During the 2015 ABC Supply 500, Andretti Autosport driver Justin Wilson was struck in the head by Sage Karam's nose cone after he crashed in turn 1 late in the race. Wilson died from his injuries on August 24, 2015, the day after the race, at Lehigh Valley Hospital–Cedar Crest in Allentown, Pennsylvania. On lap 7 of the 2018 edition, Ryan Hunter-Reay and rookie Robert Wickens collided at the exit of the Tunnel Turn while battling for 3rd, that saw Wickens' car fly into the catch fence, necessitating a lengthy red flag. Wickens survived the crash, but was paralysed from the waist down. In 2019, racing driver Felix Rosenqvist was hospitalised following a five-car collision, resulting in calls by Wickens for IndyCar to remove Pocono from the schedule.[4] In their post-race press conference, Scott Dixon, Will Power, and Simon Pagenaud spoke in defense of returning to Pocono.[5]

Races

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Paul Menard races William Byron during the 2019 Pocono 400

Current

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Tim Steele at the Pocono ARCA race in June 1996. Steele, a 3-time ARCA Champion, would win 9 ARCA races at Pocono, the most by a driver in a single series at the track.

Former

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Records

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Lap Records

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As of July 2022, the fastest official race lap records at Pocono Raceway are listed as:

Category Time Driver Vehicle Event
Triangular Oval: 4.023 km (1971–present)[10][11]
IndyCar 0:40.9009 Ryan Briscoe Dallara DW12 2014 Pocono IndyCar 500
Indy Lights 0:47.8590[12] Gabby Chaves Dallara IPS 2013 Pocono Indy Lights round
NASCAR Cup 0:51.298[13] Kyle Busch Toyota Camry 2017 Overton's 400
NASCAR Xfinity 0:53.455[14] Christopher Bell Toyota GR Supra NASCAR 2019 Pocono Green 250
NASCAR Truck 0:53.609[15] Sheldon Creed Chevrolet Silverado 2021 CRC Brakleen 150
Road Course: 4.023 km (1985–present)[10]
IMSA GTP 1:15.440[16] Al Holbert Porsche 962 1985 Grand Prix at Pocono
IMSA GTO 1:23.080[16] Craig Carter Chevrolet Camaro 1985 Grand Prix at Pocono
IMSA GTP Lights 1:24.940[16] Kelly Marsh Argo JM16 1985 Grand Prix at Pocono
IMSA GTU 1:30.030[16] Bob Earl Pontiac Fiero 1985 Grand Prix at Pocono
Road Course: 4.506 km (1973–1984)[10][11]
F5000 1:20.200[17] Danny Ongais[a]
Vern Schuppan[a]		 Lola T332C[a]
Eagle 755[a]		 1976 Pocono F5000 round
IMSA GTP 1:23.280[18] Sarel van der Merwe March 84G 1984 Grand Prix at Pocono
IMSA GTX 1:26.940[19] Jim Adams Lola T600 1981 Kenwood Stereo 500
IMSA GTO 1:30.800[20] David Hobbs BMW 320i Turbo 1977 Pocono Carquest Twin Grand Prix
Trans-Am 1:34.000[21] Al Holbert Porsche 934 1976 Pocono Trans-Am round
IMSA GTU 1:36.280[18] Elliot Forbes-Robinson Porsche 924 Carrera 1984 Grand Prix at Pocono
Short Road Course: 2.897 km (1969–1984)[10][11]
F5000 0:54.344[22] Eppie Wietzes Lola T330 1973 Pocono F5000 round

See also

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Notes

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  1. ^ a b c d Both drivers take the same lap time independently.

References

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  1. ^ "50 Years of The Tricky Triangle- The 1970's". December 27, 2021. Retrieved October 15, 2024.
  2. ^ "Pocono Organics market to target NASCAR fans, ski tourists". December 11, 2018. Retrieved October 15, 2024.
  3. ^ Reph, Liz (May 25, 2016). "Pocono Raceway". Lehigh Valley Marketplace. Retrieved June 6, 2016.
  4. ^ "'It's a toxic relationship'". BBC Sport.
  5. ^ "'Dixon, Power, Pagenaud defend Pocono after crashes'". Motorsport.
  6. ^ "Montoya wins IndyCar pole at Pocono". ESPN News Services. Long Pond, Pennsylvania: ESPN Internet Ventures. Associated Press. July 6, 2014. Retrieved January 19, 2016.
  7. ^ Cite error: The named reference ESPN was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  8. ^ Pocono IndyCar 500#Past winners
  9. ^ "ARCAracing.com Asks, 'Where Are They Now?'; Like Dad, Like Daughter, a Steele Family Tradition". ARCA. November 24, 2009. Retrieved April 27, 2010.
  10. ^ a b c d "Pocono Raceway - Racing Circuits". RacingCircuits.info. Retrieved May 31, 2022.
  11. ^ a b c "Pocono - Motor Sport Magazine". Motor Sport Magazine. Retrieved May 26, 2022.
  12. ^ "2013 Pocono Indy Lights". Motor Sport Magazine. July 6, 2013. Retrieved May 30, 2022.
  13. ^ "2017 NASCAR Cup Series Overton´s 400". July 30, 2017. Retrieved October 3, 2024.
  14. ^ "NASCAR Xfinity 2019 - Pocono - Race - Fastest Laps". June 1, 2019. Retrieved October 4, 2024.
  15. ^ "2021 NASCAR Truck Series CRC Brakleen 150". June 26, 2021. Retrieved October 3, 2024.
  16. ^ a b c d "Pocono 500 Kilometres 1985". September 8, 1985. Retrieved May 31, 2022.
  17. ^ "1976 Pocono F5000". Motor Sport Magazine. May 9, 1976. Retrieved June 2, 2022.
  18. ^ a b "Pocono 500 Kilometres 1984". September 9, 1984. Retrieved May 30, 2022.
  19. ^ "Pocono 500 Miles 1981". September 27, 1981. Retrieved May 30, 2022.
  20. ^ "Pocono 100 Miles 1977". August 14, 1977. Retrieved May 30, 2022.
  21. ^ "Trans-Am Pocono 1976". May 9, 1976. Retrieved May 30, 2022.
  22. ^ "1973 Pocono F5000". Motor Sport Magazine. September 3, 1973. Retrieved June 2, 2022.
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41°03′19″N 75°30′41″W / 41.05539°N 75.51152°W / 41.05539; -75.51152


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