The only sounds heard off Long Pond Road on Tuesday were a trickling waterfall and chatty Pocono Raceway employees getting ready for the weekend.
Come Friday, the area around the track in Monroe County will transform into a small city of NASCAR fans and drivers and their crews. The roar of Chevy, Ford and Toyota stock cars tackling the infamous "Tricky Triangle" will be heard from 1.5 miles away.
"We are just this little small family business, which always sounds really funny to say, right, when you think about a global, you know, an international sport," said Ben May, president of the track in Blakeslee. "The reality is, it's who we are, and so we think it's just really special that the show that we put on here and the support we get from our fans and partners is just massive for this region."
NASCAR's Pocono Race weekend begins Friday at the track. This is the raceway’s 52nd year on the NASCAR Cup series circuit. Over 100,000 people will visit the racetrack over the weekend to cheer on drivers in three event, and 60% of those fans will come from the 49 other states and 13 countries, said May, adding that the NASCAR weekend infuses $100 million into the local economy.
"They're staying in our hotels. They're at our restaurants, they're at our bars, they're shopping at the Crossings [now Pocono Premium Outlets]. They're doing everything that comes with that," he said.
What makes the triangle tricky?
The track is one of three independently owned raceways in the country that are part of the NASCAR circuit, May said. The raceway is also the only track in the circuit with three turns. That’s where it gets its "Tricky Triangle" nickname. The middle of the triangle will be full of RVs and infield parking for fans.
Each turn has a different degree of banking and each straightaway is a different length, he said. The turns are also designed after different racetracks.
"So the challenge of it, which is why it's the Tricky Triangle, is ... that you're not going to be fast everywhere, right? You're going to pick and choose," May said.
Stock cars can reach speeds of 200 miles per hour.
May said the track tends to favor veteran drivers.
Denny Hamlin drives the No. 11 Toyota Camry XSE for Joe Gibbs Racing. He is the all-time wins leader at Pocono. In 2023, he beat the record of NASCAR Hall of Famer Jeff Gordon.
Ryan Blaney drives the No. 12 Ford Mustang Dark Horse for Team Penske. He won the Great American Getaway 400 at the raceway in 2024.
Both Hamlin and Blaney are scheduled to be back in the Poconos this weekend.
Drivers do not race in all three events.
‘A dentist and a podiatrist from Philadelphia’ invested in the Pocono Mountains
The Pocono Raceway is a Pennsylvania story.
May said NASCAR made the Pocono Raceway what it is today. The first race on the Tricky Triangle was in 1971.
"The history of it is, is that a dentist and a podiatrist from Philadelphia invested in the Pocono Mountains and in this region and in businesses and over time ... their families built this place to what it is today, and it's still family owned and family operated," he said.
He’s talking about Drs. Joseph and Rose Mattioli, who turned the former spinach farm into a 2.5-mile track in 1968.
It’s still a family business. Dr. Joseph Mattioli was 87 when he died in 2012. His grandson Brandon Igdalsky is now CEO and his daughter is chair of the board.
Sunday's 400-mile race is presented by VISITPA.com. This is the second year Gov. Josh Shapiro's administration has partnered with the raceway.
"Our agreement with those two partners is to make sure we use our platform and our, you know, our database and everything, to make sure people know what's happening in Pennsylvania and what they can do while they're here," May said.
The winners of each race will take home trophies that pay homage to the region’s history. An eagle, wings outstretched, perches on top a pile of coal. Behind the bird is an American flag encompassed by the track.
Tricky weekend
May said with thousands of people visiting the track this weekend, expect traffic. Pennsylvania State Police partners with the raceway to help with the flow of vehicles.
Stock car racing is dangerous, and the raceway has its own fire department. NASCAR provides medical personnel and Lehigh Valley Health Network also partners with the raceway. Two care centers are set up throughout the weekend for drivers and their crews and fans.
While the three races may be the main attraction, there also are driver appearances, practice and qualifying events plus a fan fair with live music, vendors and displays. There also will be a kids' zone and carnival rides.
May has worked at the track since 2001. He said the sport saw growth in the late '90s and early 2000s but there was a dip in interest and sponsorships for drivers after the 2008 financial crisis.
Then the pandemic happened. For most sports, it was detrimental, but with NASCAR pit crews were able to stay separated. The sport is outside and drivers are alone, suited up and wearing a helmet in their cars.
"And NASCAR saw a lot of growth from that, from being the first one back," he said.
May added that NASCAR has done a great job at evolving.
"I think NASCAR is in as good of a place as I've ever seen it," said May.
WEEKEND LINEUP:
- MillerTech Battery 200 – NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series- Race (80 Laps/200 Miles), Friday, 5 p.m.
- Explore the Pocono Mountains 250 – NASCAR Xfinity Series Race (100 Laps/250 Miles), Saturday, 3:30 p.m.
- The Great American Getaway 400 Presented by VISITPA – NASCAR Cup Series Race (160 Laps/400 Miles), Sunday, 2 p.m.
