Pocono Raceway

Pocono Raceway (formerly known as Pocono International Raceway) is also known “The Tricky Triangle”. It is a superspeedway (Oval track racing is a form of closed-circuit motorsport that is contested on an oval- shaped race track) that is located in the Pocono Mountains in Long Pond, Pennsylvania.

History

The construction work to build the raceway commenced in 1969 and finally opened to host motorsports events in 1971. It was designed by 1959 and 1962 Indianapolis 500 winner Roger Ward. The Pocono Raceway is owned by Mattco Inc. and operated by the Igdalsky and Mattioli families. Apart from hosting NASCAR events, the race track is also used by the Sports Car Club of America (SCCA), motorcycle clubs, and racing schools.

Pocono Raceway is the site that held the four NASCAR (National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing) national series races. In addition, an ARCA (Automobile Racing Club of America) Menards Series event in June, a NASCAR Cup Series doubleheader with support events by the NASCAR Xfinity Series and NASCAR Camping World Truck Series.

From 1971 to 1989, and from 2013 to 2019, the track had also hosted IndyCar races that is currently sanctioned by the IndyCar Series.

Races of IndyCar at Pocono Raceway

From 1971 to 1989, first USAC (United States Auto Club) and then Champ Car World Series (“CCWS”) IndyCar World series held an 800 Km race at the Pocono Raceway as a part of IndyCar 500-mile Triple Crown.

In 1971 to 1991, Pocono Raceway hosted the Race of Champions Modified race. From 1977 to 1979, the race was held on the 2.5 mile (4.0 km) triangular superspeedway whereas from 1980 onward the three-quarter-mile infield oval was used. Moreover in 1989, Emerson Fittipaldi set a qualifying track record of 211.715 mph. (340.722 km/h).

The 2014 race event marked the first 500-mile IndyCar race at Pocono Raceway stadium after 1989. Juan Pablo Montoya completed the race with an average speed of 202.402 MPH, breaking the Mark Martin record.

Architectural Aspects

1) The Pocono Raceway has a tri-oval shape along with sharp turns. These sharp turns and banking make race cars slower than the other raceways. Because of these features, it is also known as roval. These turns made the drives slow down their cars, and some might turn into an accident.

2) The triangular track also has three separate infield sections of racetrack – (a) north course (b) the east course and (c) the south course.

3) Each of these infield sections use separate portions of the track or can be combined for longer tracks.

4) Overall the Pocono Raceway offers 22 different road courses ranging from 0.5 miles to 3.65 miles in length.

5) Moreover the infields section can be run either in clockwise or counter clockwise direction that doubles the 22 courses to 44 courses configurations.

6) Pocono Raceway each turn is modeled after a turn at a different track-

a) Turn one (14 degree banking) – modeled after Trenton Speedway

b) Turn two (8 degree banking) also known as “Tunnel Turn” is modeled after Indianapolis Motor Speedway

c) Turn three (6 degree banking) is modeled after the Milwaukee Mile

7) Although the stadium has a unique design for the drivers and crew to make adjustments more crucial, some of the drivers experimented with the shifting gears long the 3,470-foot front straight. The ratio was set for the third gear, and most circuits used it.

Significance

• American racecar driver Mark Donohue won the inaugural USAC Pocono 500, held here on 3rd July 1971.
• Bob Hope, the Jackson Five, Helen Reddy, Sammy Davis Jr., Johnny Cash, Mac Davis, Lawrence Welk, and other renowned stars performed at the raceway between 20th and 29th July 1973.
• It played host to the inaugural Pocono 500, which Richard Petty won on 4th August 1974.
• On 15th August 1982, the raceway hosted the CART Domino's Pizza Pocono 500, the first CART IndyCar-sanctioned race. American race car driver Rick Mears won it.
• The Camping World Truck Series was raced here for the first time, in the "Pocono Mountains 125" on 31st July 2010
• On 1^st August, 2014 Kyle Larson qualified NASCAR by setting a record of 183.438 mph (295.215 km/h
• On 12^th June 2011 Jeff Gordon in NASCAR race set a record of 145.384 mph (233.972 km/h)
• On 21^st July, 2012 Brennan Poole qualified ARCA by setting a record of 176.304 mph (283.734 km/h)
• On 3^rd June, 2013 Corey LaJoie set a record of 162.221 mph (261.069 km/h) in ARCA race
• In 1989, Danny Sullivan set a record of 170.720 mph (274.747 km/h) in CART race
• Juan Pablo Montoya, 223.871 mph (360.285 km/h), July 5, 2014 *Overall track record
• Juan Pablo Montoya qualified IndyCar race by setting an overall track record of  202.402 mph (325.734 km/h) on  6^th July 2014
• Most open-wheel wins record is set by  A. J. Foyt 4 in 1973,1975,1979 and 1981
• Most wins in one series record is set by Tim Steele, 9 in ARCA Racing Series