Pocono Raceway News

More: Pocono Raceway Information

Monday, June 14, 2010

Pocono considering safety improvements: Robin Pemberton, NASCAR vice president of competition, said Pocono Raceway officials are looking at possible safety improvements in light of last weekend's crash by Kasey Kahne, where he nearly climbed over a cement wall that had no catchfence above it.(Roanoke Times)

Tuesday, December 15, 2009

Could Kentucky Speedway land Pocono's Cup date? NASCAR isn't about to make a date out of thin air and hand it to Kentucky Speedway. With 36 races on the schedule now, that time has long passed. No, another track will have to lose one of its races before thunder rolls in the Bluegrass. There are only four Cup dates that aren't controlled by ISC or SMI after the consolidation wave a decade ago erased North Wilkesboro and Rockingham in North Carolina from the calendar and took a date away from Darlington, S.C. There are the two races at Dover, Del., and the two events at Pocono Raceway in Long Pond, Pa. Speculation has long held Bruton Smith would buy Pocono and transfer one of its dates to Sparta. There's just one problem. Pocono is owned by the Mattioli family, a clan that owes its existence to NASCAR's late founder Bill France Sr., and takes its loyalty to the France family seriously. (ThatsRacin)

Tuesday, Aug. 4, 2009

Impressive crowd at Pocono: Attendance was impressive for a Monday. The grandstand, which is said to seat 60,000, was about two-thirds full. With the infield population down to perhaps one-third of its usual collection of RVs and fans, an estimated 50,000 fans total were present. (Philadelphia Daily News)

For some Cup drivers Pocono reminded them of Talladega: With race cars frequently three-wide on the track, the situation reminded some observers of racing at Talladega. Explaining a couple of late-race multicar wrecks, Jeff Gordon, who finished eighth, said: "I can't explain to you how insane it was out there. I mean it was just nuts. I saw so many guys rubbing, banging, smokin' sideways, three-wide, four-wide, and I was right in the middle of it at times." (Philadelphia Daily News)

Friday, July 31, 2009

Pocono Raceway plans to create solar power project: Pocono Raceway, which hosts two Nascar Sprint Cup races each year, plans to construct the world's largest solar energy project at a sports facility. Track officials said they would announce the project with a groundbreaking ceremony on Friday, two days before the Sunoco Red Cross Pennsylvania 500 at the track in Long Pond, Pa. (New York Times)

Thursday, July 30, 2009

Pocono Raceway preps for Sprint Cup race weekend: The excitement of the Sunoco Red Cross Pennsylvania 500 on August 2nd at Pocono Raceway is fast approaching. Sunday's NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race and Saturday's ARCA RE/MAX Series race, the Pennsylvania 200, will showcase the greatest race car drivers and race teams in the nation. The atmosphere, drama and excitement of major league stock car racing are unparalleled in sports. NASCAR fans are the most loyal and passionate fans in the world of sports and taking care of our fans is a top priority at Pocono Raceway. Listed below is information that will help our fans while at the Raceway. The weekend schedule of racing activities is also included. Grandstand gates open at 8:00am Friday and Saturday, 9:00am Sunday. Grandstand parking lots open at 5:00am Sunday. If fans need assistance at any time during their visit, simply contact Fan Assistance at (570) 643-7184, help@poconoraceway.com or text SOS then "your message" to 84444. Remember that Pocono Raceway fans may stay in all camping areas and the grandstand parking lots until noon on Monday at no additional charge. For Pocono Raceway ticket information, call toll free 1-800-RACEWAY or visit poconoraceway.com and choose the convenient print at home option.

Monday, June 8, 2009

Pocono owner not shortening race or selling track: Joseph Mattioli understands that Pocono Raceway has an unusual place on the NASCAR circuit -- and that's just the way the outspoken track owner likes it. The track's two races will always be 500 miles long, even as drivers and critics beg for 100 miles to be sliced off each. And those names, the Pocono 500 and Pennsylvania 500, will remain traditional and eschew corporate sponsorship. The track is a 2.5-mile triangle and boasts the longest straightaway (3,740 feet) in the series. And with a fourth-generation of Mattiolis in line to run the raceway, Pocono will never be for sale. Not to Bruton Smith. Not anyone. "If Bruton comes down Gasoline Alley with a wheelbarrow with a billion dollars, he wouldn't get borscht from me," the 84-year-old Mattioli said. "I have enough money, we don't owe any money and all three generations are working and a fourth is waiting to start. It would be like selling part of your family." (Pocono Record)

Few empty seats at Pocono: Race attendance was estimated at 90,000, about 10,000 below Pocono's usual crowds for Sprint Cup races. The infield was not as heavily populated as usual. (Philadelphia Daily News)

Saturday, June 6, 2009

Logano wins at Pocono: Joey Logano turned his test and tune day Saturday afternoon at Pocono Raceway into an ARCA RE/MAX Series triumph. Logano, in the Venturini Motorsports-prepared Home Depot Toyota, entered the Pocono ARCA 200 to get seat-time for the next-day Pocono 500 Cup race. The Middletown, Connecticut driver got that and plenty more as he led the most laps en route to his second series victory in his fourth series start.(ARCARacing.com)

June 14, 2007

Two annual Pocono Cup races generate $363 Million dollars into economy: The report released Wednesday by the Legislative Budget and Finance Committee is viewed by tourism officials as ammunition in continuing efforts to keep the Pocono 500 unday, and Pennsylvania 500 both on the NASCAR schedule. “The result of this is to show how important it is that we keep both races,” said Robert Uguccioni, director of the Pocono Mountains Vacation Bureau. “It’s not only important to the Pocono Mountains, but to the commonwealth itself.” NASCAR officials announced after a weekend meeting with Pocono CEO Dr. Joseph Mattioli that both races would be held at Pocono Raceway in Long Pond next year, said Mr. Uguccioni, but he noted scheduling is done on a year-by-year basis, so much uncertainty remains about the long-term future. About 150,000 spectators attend each race at Pocono Raceway. Prepared by consultant Buchart Horn Inc., of York, the report is the first economic impact analysis of the two races done in 15 years, said Mr. Uguccioni. (The Times-Tribune)

June 6, 2006:

Chef Batali honorary starter of Pocono: Who's the biggest racing fan? It's Iron Chef host Mario Batali and he has a new cookbook, "Mario Tailgates NASCAR Style." He'll be signing books this weekend at Pocono Raceway and dropping the flag on the race Sunday. Details in Pocono Life on Wednesday. (PR)

Pocono Traffic alerts: Folks who signed up for our text-message traffic alerts were some of the first to know about the road closing. To subscribe, go to: www.poconorecord.com/textalerts (Visit Pocono Record)

May 10, 2006:

Pocono Raceway to build resort: The owner of Pocono Raceway, who scrapped plans for a slot-machine casino near the track, said he now plans a $50 million resort to cater to racing fans in the summer and skiers in winter. "Raceway Village" would have up to 250 two-story rental units on 125 acres across Long Pond Road from the raceway, Joseph Mattioli told Tunkhannock Township supervisors at a work session. "The prices will be high," Mattioli said. He said the 1,200-square foot units will be designed to attract a well-heeled clientele wanting to stay a few days or a few weeks during NASCAR races at Pocono Raceway in June or July or during the ski season in the winter. (Centre Daily Time)

April 11, 2006:

Bruton looking at Pocono: There is another report that Bruton Smith is making a play for Pocono Raceway, one of the few tour tracks that is still privately owned and not under the control of either the France family or Smith. The Mattioli family have faced such reports occasionally for years, and each time they have vigorously insisted that their track - 90 minutes from Manhattan - isn't for sale. And they say they have put the track into a trust fund, which would make it difficult to sell anyway. Three weeks ago, Smith said he was very interested in buying a track in order to get a second Cup date for Las Vegas. (Salem-Journal)

Feb. 4 2005:

Pocono not selling date: Don't place much stock in rumors about the world of stock car racing. That's the message from Dr. Joseph Mattioli, owner of Pocono Raceway in Long Pond, Tunkhannock Township, PA, on Friday dismissed published reports that he is considering selling the NASCAR track or the rights to either or both of the two Nextel Cup races it hosts each year. A column published this week on the Internet in Yahoo Sports  noted that Bruton Smith, owner of Las Vegas Motor Speedway in Nevada, might try to buy Pocono Raceway from Mattioli. The reasoning runs that owning two racetracks would give Smith more options to schedule races and other events. Las Vegas Motor Speedway hosts just one Nextel Cup race per year. Mattioli said no one has approached him recently and in any case he's not interested in selling the raceway. "No, I've never heard of that and no one has discussed it with me," Mattioli said Friday. "Why would I do that?" he added, chuckling. "It makes no sense." Speculation that Smith or other rival track owners might try to buy Pocono Raceway has persisted for years. Published reports from 1999 describe almost the same scenario that was mentioned in the online column this week. Renewed speculation on the future of the raceway ran rampant among the Poconos' political and business communities after the Yahoo column appeared this week. (Pocono Record)

Dec. 6, 2005:

Pocono Speedway has no plans for slot machines: Pocono Raceway is out of the running for a slots license. Joseph Mattioli, chief executive of the family-owned racetrack, announced Monday that he has decided against applying for a license to operate a slot-machine parlor at the track. Pocono Raceway had previously announced plans for a $300 million slots/hotel complex at the site. Mattioli said in a statement that the project "would have to depend on many outside professionals and that our family would have little or no involvement. To invest $300 million in a project, no matter how lucrative, would be contrary to all our family investment models that have been so successful for 45 years. (Penn Live)

July 25, 2005

Pocono Safe? Speaking of Pocono and its fans, there was another packed house of more than 100,000 for this race, just six weeks after the June date. For the foreseeable future, forget all that talk about only one Nextel Cup race per year here.  (Yahoo! Sports)

July 19, 2005

Pocono removes rumble strips: During the Cup race at Pocono in June, several drivers suffered tire failures when they ran over the rumble strips placed on the inside of the turns. Because of the extra stress being placed on tires due to aggressive front suspension setups, driving those rumble strips can be extremely dangerous. For the upcoming race at Pocono Raceway, those strips have been removed. But the Indianapolis Motor Speedway also has uncompromising rumble strips, most noticeably in Turn 1. Hitting them will definitely pose a problem. "Just don't hit them and you'll be all right," Baldwin said. "But I've seen some guys with their valances and their fenders pushed in, so obviously they're running over them." Gustafson admitted that Busch told him he had to try out the rumble strips "just once" to see what they would do." (Yahoo! Sports)

June 27, 2005

Environmental Protection Agency at Pocono: The Environmental Protection Agency was reported to be at Pocono Raceway two weeks ago. It is unclear what its inspectors might have been interested in. The EPA would like NASCAR to switch to unleaded gasoline, which Formula One runs on. And NASCAR has had engine builders experiment with engines using unleaded gas, but there has been no timetable for any changeover. However Canadian law would require NASCAR to run unleaded gasoline in any race north of the border, which NASCAR has listed as its next frontier. (Salem-Journal)

June 25, 2005

Rumble strips problem at Pocono: A postrace review of the racing surface at Pocono, where more than 20 left-front tires went flat in the tunnel turn during the race two weeks ago, shows that the track is probably to blame for the tire problems. So the tunnel turn will be repaved, and the controversial rumble-strips on the inside edge will be redone. Some of those rumble strips, upon closer examination, showed sharp edges, which cut the tires. Plus, asphalt patches in the tunnel turn were poorly done, creating bad bumps, which accentuated tire/chassis problems. Goodyear will apparently not be changing the tire compounds for the race at Pocono in July. (Salem-Journal)

June 19, 2005

Pocono Changes: Pocono Raceway will make changes made to the track after a series of tire problems in last weekend's race, a NASCAR official said Saturday. The series returns there July 24. Robin Pemberton, NASCAR vice president of competition, said the patches in the track's second turn will be redone. One patch had been put in a couple of months before the race and contributed to some of the tire issues. Pemberton also said that the apron will be redone and the rumble strips will be put further back on the inside of the track surface. (News & Record)

June 12 2005

Pocono not for Sell: The offers keep rolling in — one, sometimes two a year. They broke $100 million in 2001 and, lately, they've been between $200 and $300 million. But Doc Mattioli — builder, owner and patriarch of Pocono Raceway — isn't selling. ''No way!'' he says for the umpteenth time. ''I don't need to sell. I don't need the money. What am I going to do with it? I tell 'em money doesn't mean anything to me, but some of them just keep calling.'' That's because Mattioli is sitting on a gold mine. (Allentown Morning Call)

June 8 2005

Good News for Pocono Race Traffic: Race fans driving to this weekend's Pocono 500 will get a break from road construction.  Road work along Interstate 80 and I-380 will be halted from 6 a.m. Friday to 6 p.m. Monday due to the expected increase in traffic from the NASCAR event, the state Department of Transportation said.  "We understand the need to keep traffic flowing for major events like this, and are happy to adjust our schedule for the tens of thousands of race fans who will meet in Long Pond this week," PennDOT District Executive Amar C. Bhajandas said.  PennDOT said construction work will also be halted on secondary roads in Monroe and Carbon counties, include routes 115, 209, 534, 903, Long Pond Road and Kuhnenbeaker Road. (Philly.com)

May 27 2005

Casinos at Pocono? Anticipates 2 Dates: Dr. Joseph Mattioli, board chairman and CEO of Pocono Raceway, plans to apply for a casino/slots parlor license. The casino would be on the race track's grounds in Long Pond, Pa., which hosts two Nextel Cup races annually. Mattioli's project involves a convention center and shops. The proposed casino would be built behind the track's grandstands. The state Gaming Control Board is expected to award seven licenses to horse-racing tracks, five to stand-alone slot parlors and two to resorts. "We have the land, water, sewer and parking, and people know where we are," Mattioli said recently. "We're only 3 miles off the interstate [Route 80]. It's a gamble, but it's not as big a gamble as building [the raceway] was 40 years ago." Although the attendance at both Pocono Cup races each year is very good, speculation persists that the track eventually will lose one of its races. Whenever I ask Mattioli about this, he pretends he can't hear me. Finally, Mattioli said that he "anticipates" having two races next year. (Philadelphia Daily News)

July 29, 2004

SAFER barriers installation complete at Pocono: SAFER barriers installation was recently completed in Pocono Raceway's turns 2 and 3 in time for this weekend's Pennsylvania 500 at the 2.5-mile triangular track. When the series was here in June for the Pocono 500, only turn 1 had the SAFER walls. (Scranton Times)