Pocono Raceway

Track Info

Location	Long Pond, Pennsylvania
Type	Triangle (Superspeedway)
Length	2.5 miles (4.023 km)
Banking	Turn 1: 14 degrees, Turn 2: 8 degrees, Turn 3: 6 degrees
Surface	Asphalt
Capacity	~60,000
Opened	1968

Track Characteristics

Pocono Raceway is one of the most unique tracks in all of motorsport. Its triangular shape, with three distinct turns connected by long straightaways, earns it the nickname "The Tricky Triangle." Each corner is fundamentally different - Turn 1 (the Tunnel Turn) has 14 degrees of banking and is taken at high speed, Turn 2 has 8 degrees and is more of a medium-speed sweeper, and Turn 3 has just 6 degrees and requires heavy braking. It is essentially three different corners from three different racetracks combined into one circuit.

This variety makes car setup at Pocono a significant compromise. A setup that works perfectly for the fast Turn 1 may be terrible for the slow, flat Turn 3, and teams must find a balance that works reasonably well everywhere rather than perfectly anywhere. The long straightaways - the longest on any oval in NASCAR - produce high straightaway speeds and opportunities for drafting, but the low banking in Turns 2 and 3 means aerodynamic grip alone is not enough.

Pocono's location in the Pocono Mountains of northeastern Pennsylvania provides a scenic backdrop of forested hills. The track was built by Dr. Joseph Mattioli, who modeled each turn after a famous racetrack: Turn 1 after Indianapolis, Turn 2 after Trenton Speedway, and Turn 3 after the Milwaukee Mile. The result is a circuit that is unlike anything else in NASCAR and rewards complete, versatile race cars and drivers.

Getting There

Nearest Airport	Lehigh Valley International Airport (ABE) - approximately 45 miles south. Wilkes-Barre/Scranton International (AVP) is about 40 miles north. Newark (EWR) and Philadelphia (PHL) are each about 100 miles away.
Nearest City	Long Pond, PA. The Pocono Mountains resort area offers abundant hotels, resorts, and outdoor recreation options year-round.

Series That Race Here

• NASCAR Cup Series - One race per year
• NASCAR Xfinity Series
• NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series
• Historic: IndyCar raced at Pocono from 1971 to 1989 and again from 2013 to 2019

2026 NASCAR Event Info

Cup Race	Great Pocono Raceway 400
Date	July 19, 2026
TV	USA Network

Track Records

Qualifying Record	Tony Stewart - 172.391 mph (2012)
Race Record	Kyle Petty - 144.892 mph (1993)

Notable Past Races

• 1974: Richard Petty won the inaugural Pocono 500, establishing the track as a major stop on the Cup schedule in just its first Cup race.
• 2011: Jeff Gordon won at Pocono for the sixth time, more than any other active driver at the time, showcasing his mastery of the Tricky Triangle.
• 2019: Denny Hamlin swept both Pocono races in a single season, a rare feat that demonstrated his complete skill set at the demanding circuit.
• 2020: Kevin Harvick won the Pocono Organics 325, the first Cup race at Pocono to be shortened from 400 miles after the doubleheader format was introduced.
• 2024: Kyle Larson won at Pocono, continuing his run of victories at tracks that reward both speed and technical precision.

Track Facts

• Pocono's three turns were each modeled after a different famous racetrack: Turn 1 from Indianapolis, Turn 2 from Trenton, and Turn 3 from Milwaukee.
• The "Tunnel Turn" (Turn 1) gets its name from a tunnel that runs under the track, allowing access to the infield. It is the fastest and most banked of the three corners.
• Pocono is one of only two 2.5-mile tracks in NASCAR, sharing that length with Daytona and Indianapolis, but its triangular shape makes it completely different from both.
• The track is a certified carbon-neutral facility, powered in part by a solar farm visible from the grandstands, making it one of the most environmentally conscious venues in motorsport.
• Pocono hosted IndyCar races from 1971 to 1989 and again from 2013 to 2019, with the 2.5-mile layout providing high-speed open-wheel action similar to Indianapolis.

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