- Pocono Raceway is nestled in the hills of Long Pond, PA, several hours NNW of Philadelphia. The 2.5 mile tri-oval has three different turns, each with its own quirks.
- To win at Pocono, you have to have a car that is adept at handling. Typically, drivers that do well at Indy also do well at Pocono.
- Even though the races are only six weeks apart or so, the contrast is like night and day. The track is MUCH slicker in the summer race as compared to the late spring race. Grip is at a premium.
- I have LONG been in favor of Pocono losing a date. Either that, or reduce the race to 400 miles.
- One of the most spectacular wrecks in NASCAR history occurred at Pocono in the spring race of 2002. On Lap 1, Dale Earnhardt Jr and Steve Park, teammates with DEI at the time, hooked up for NASCAR's version of Mr. Toad's Wild Ride. Most of the inside guard rail was torn off in the wreck, and the race was red-flagged for just more than an hour while the guard rail was being replaced. Amazingly, Dale Jr was still running at the end of the race, although his #8 looked more like a dune buggy than a stock car.
- Thinking of you: Jimmy Spencer.
- Look for the usual suspects to do well at Pocono: Jeff Gordon, Jimmie Johnson, Tony Stewart, Denny Hamlin, Kurt Busch, Juan Pablo Montoya, and my dark horse, David Reutimann.
- The Roushkateers in Chase contention (Carl Edwards, Greg Biffle, and Matt Kenseth) need a strong run this week to bolster their chances of making the Chase. I'd say all three need AT LEAST a top 10.
Predicted Race Winner: Juan Pablo Montoya. He proves that Indy was no fluke and pulls away late to win his first oval race in NASCAR. He gets a bit of redemption for his gaffe at Indy.
6 comments:
Ah I had forgotten about that wreck involving Jr and Steve--oh I hated that one, two of my favs.
Let's see if you look like a genius again this Sunday!
Hey jon, great post man. I liked the way you provided information about the track and how the two races differ. As a novice to the sport any details are much appreciated.
Thanks a lot and have a great weekend.
oh come on, you can't possible say that winning at Pocono is the same as winning on an oval :P
Good points, Jon.
I'm thinking like Tez....If JPM wins at Pocono....he still hasn't won on an oval. LOL
I didn't think I could like Spencer any less when he drove....then he went on TV!
Kristen, that wreck came to mind as I was doing the Gas and Go. That was WILD. It was a miracle both Jr and Steve walked away. I hope I look like a genius--seems to me the HMS drivers are good at making me a genius!
Aero, thanks. It's amazing how much different the two races are, even though they're not that far apart in the calendar. The spring race has much more grip than the summer race. It's just starting to warm up there when the spring race comes to town.
Tez, winning at Pocono is a unique experience!
Gene, thanks. IF JPM wins, it's still a triangle! As for Spencer, could there be any more annoying TV personality?
I agree they need to either drop one of the Pocono races or deduct at least a 100 miles of it.
Looks like Stewart is going to the back once again. But I bet the outcome will not be the same. Jimmie Johnson will be looking for win no 4.
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