Pocono 500: Mattioli's Mountain Marathon

Okay, so it's been a while since I my last post. I expect no one has lost any sleep over it. On with the show.



Pocono Raceway: Long Pond, Pennsylvania
Course: 2.5-Mile, Triangular Superspeedway
Surface: Asphalt

Pocono Raceway is unique in its design, in that each turn was constructed to resemble the turns at three famous race tracks. Turn One, with 14 degrees of banking, was modeled after the old Trenton Speedway in New Jersey. Turn Two, the "Tunnel Turn" was designed to mimic Indianapolis Motor Speedway (9 degree banking). And, the Milwaukee Mile was the example for Turn 3 (6 degree banking). The 3470-foot long front straightway, at Pocono, is the longest in NASCAR. The second straightway (between turns 1 and 2), named the "Long Pond Straightway", after the nearby town of Long Pond, Pa, is 3055-feet long. Straightway three, the "North Straight", is a mere 1780-feet (one-third of a mile).


The first NASCAR Sprint Cup Series (NSCS) race, contested at Pocono Raceway, was held on August 4, 1974, and was won by Richard Petty. The 2009 races will mark the 63rd and 64th NSCS races at Pocono.


Bill Elliott has the most NSCS wins (5) and the most pole positions won (5)at Pocono. His last win there was in 2002.


Interesting statistic: 35% (22 of 62) of the NSCS race winners at Pocono have started in the front row, while 73% (45 of 62) started in the top-10.

2009 POCONO 500
Forty-six drivers will attempt to qualify for the 43 starting spots. With a 72% chance off rain on qualifying day, it doesn't look good for three drivers. If qualifying is rained out, Derrike Cope, Daxter Bean and Tony Raines will not race. Those drivers, outside of the top-35 in owners points, that would make the race include: Sterling Marlin, Patrick Carpentier, Mike Wallace, Dave Blaney, David Gilliland, Regan Smith Scott Speed and Joe Nemechek. Trevor Boys has withdrawn his entry.

The race is scheduled for June 7th, with raceday coverage beginning at 12:30pm on TNT, and the green flag dropping at approximately 2:16pm.

Special Paint Schemes
A.J. Almendinger - No. 44 Stanley Tools Dodge
Jaimie McMurray - No. 26 IRWIN Vise-Grips Ford
Martin Truex, Jr. - No. 1 TomTom Chevrolet
Reed Sorenson - No. 43 Valvoline Engine Guarantee Dodge
Ryan Newman - No. 39 Haas Automation Demo Day Chevrolet

Veteran Victory

It was 'Senior Night' at Darling Raceway, on May 9, 2009, as Mark Martin claimed his second NASCAR Sprint Cup (NSCS) victory of 2009. The 50-year old Martin drove his No. 5 Cheez-It Chevy Impala SS into the lead, passing Tony Stewart on lap 122, and led the final 46 (of 367) laps of the Southern 500. Greg Biffle led the most laps (117), followed by Martin Truex, Jr. (61 laps led) and Ryan Newman (48 laps led). Rookie of the Year contender Joey Logano led 19 laps, on his way to his second top-10 finish of the young 2009 NSCS schedule.

The win was the 37th in Martin's Hall-of-Fame worthy career, in which he has 733 NSCS race starts. Martin now has six top-10 finishes, and two wins, in 11 starts this season. He now holds the 11th position in the drivers points chase. His bank account grew another $295,150, and raised his season winnings to $1,677,827 for the year. Mark's first NSCS win came at Rockingham Speedway, in 1989, in the AC Delco 500. That first win came in his second year with Roush Racing, in the No. 6 Stroh's Light Ford Thunderbird, which earned Martin $52,800.

This weekend, the NSCS teams head to Lowe's Motor Speedway, for the non-points Sprint All-Star XXV weekend of racing. Practices and qualifying for the All-Star weekend races will be held on Friday, May 14th. The All-Star competitions will be run Saturday night, May 15th, beginning around 6:20pm, with the Victory Challenge burnout contest. The Sprint Showdown begins around 7:30pm. The Sprint Showdown race winner, race runner-up, and All-Star Fan-Vote winner will advance to compete in the prestigious Sprint All-Star Challenge XXV race, which will begin around 9:00pm.

For more information, and you chance to cast your Fan-Vote, visit: http://www.nascar.com/promos/allstar/.

Another Out-of-Towner Week

I will, again, be out of town this week, for an Office of Surface Mining course. This time, it's another good subject, Acid Forming Materials (concerning acid mine drainage from coal mining). I may get online this week and throw something together. If not, I think my two followers will get along fine without my ramblings. Have a great week.

I love you, Cathy!

RIR, The Big Little Track

Measuring 0.75-mile in distance, a lap at Richmond International Raceway (RIR) is said to be a nice combination of short-track and speedway racing. Most drivers say that they love RIR, for exactly that combination of racing feel. The NASCAR Nationwide Series (NNS) and NASCAR Sprint Cup Series (NSCS) will compete this weekend at RIR, on Friday and Saturday night, respectively. I love night racin'!

(Photo by Streeter Lecka/Getty Images North America)

In the late 1980s and early 1990s, I attended 5 races at RIR, and I absolutely loved it. No matter where you are seated, you can see at least 90 per cent of the track. And, then there is the feel of the race, especially if you stand close to the track. You feel the building thunder of 800 horsepower (x43) as the cars draw nearer. Then, as the cars go by, you experience a ground-shaking quake; you are buffeted by a rush of wind and the flying specks of rubber tap your arms and face; and you smell the hot rubber and engine exhaust. The wave of sensations ebb as the pack races to the other side of the track. Seconds later, a few other cars, off the pace, vrrrrrroom... vrrroom... vroom by. Here's a link to show you a quick example... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=41v_k3y-lLs. Repeat the lap cycle 400 times (300 miles), and you have witnessed nearly non-stop action. I love that the track workers will let you walk along the fence, as long as you keep moving. A walk around the RIR circuit, during the race, is an absolute must. RIR has the feel of a local short track, but the power of big-time auto racing.

DAVID POOLE TRIBUTE

Some NSCS teams will carry logos honoring the late David Poole, this weekend, at RIR. Each of the Hendrick Motosports cars will sport a "DCP" logo (David Carl Poole), which is in Carolina blue. DP's alma mater is the University of North Carolina. Stewart-Haas Racing cars will are also honor DP, with a decal reading “In Memory of David Poole 1959-2009”, which includes images of a fountain pen and a microphone. Roush Fenway Racing, Penske Racing and Richard Childress Racing are among other race teams carrying tribute decals.

TELEVISION COVERAGE SCHEDULE
NNS Qualifying: 4:10pm, on SPEED
NSCS Qualifying: 5:40pm, on SPEED
NNS Lipton Tea 250: 7:00pm on ESPN2
NSCS Crown Royal presents the Russ Freidman 400: 7:00pm on FOX

2009 CROWN ROYAL 400 SPECIAL PAINT SCHEMES
A. J. Allmendinger - No. 44 Kings Cup Karting for a Cause/PVA Dodge
Clint Bowyer - No. 33 BB&T Chevy
Dale Earnhardt, Jr. - No. 88 National Guard-Drive the Guard Chevy
David Ragan - No. 6 UPS Freight Ford
David Stremme - No. 12 Star Trek Ford
Jeff Burton - No. 31 Prilosec OTC Chevy
Kyle Busch - No. 18 Combos Toyota
Marcos Ambrose - No. 47 Bush's Best Baked Beans Toyota
Mark Martin - No. 5 Cheez-It Chevy
Michael Waltrip - No. 55 NAPA Adaptive One Brake Pads Toyota
Reed Sorenson - No. 43 McDonald's McCafe Dodge

Robby Gordon - No. 7 Energizer Toyota

RIR RACE STATS
*May 2008 Race Winner - Clint Bowyer (Avg. Speed 95.786mph, started 31st)
*May 2008 Pole Setter - Denny Hamlin (126.198mph, finished 24th)

*The furthest back in the field that a race winner started was 31st, by Clint Bowyer May 2008
*11 of the past 12 races have been won from the top 10
*60 of 105 races at Richmond have been won from the top five starting positions, including 21 from the pole
*The first race under permanent lights was held Sept. 7, 1991

*45 Cars Entered, 2 will not race
*There is 30% chance of a thunderstorm at qualifying time. If qualifying is rained out, Tony Raines and Trevor Boys will not race. Those outside the top-35 that would make the race include: Brad Keselowski, Scott Speed, David Gilliland, Joe Nemechek, Scott Riggs, Jeremy Mayfield and Todd Bodine.