For the second consecutive year, the distance from the Nascar Craftsman Truck Series race in Pocono Raceway is being increased.
Friday, June 20, the truck race will be 200 miles – 80 laps around the 2.5 mile triangular track in Long Pond. Last year, the race was 70 rpm and 175 miles and won by Corey Heim.
“Nascar knows that we love more tricks. Everything we can do to add more tricks, more action, more track activities for fans, our partners, sponsors, we are all about it, “said Pocono Raceway president, Ben May. “Nascar came to us and said,” What do you think of going to 200 (miles for trucks)? ” And we said, “Great, count us. Especially Friday, with Just Truck Practice, the qualifications and the race, you do not get out of the cup guys. So, everything we can do on Friday to give fans to fans more and more for their money, so we will absolutely do it.
“Give us more, we will take it. Give us less, so we will have a conversation. »»
In addition to the truck race, the Nascar Xfinity Series event in Pocono on Saturday June 21 is also in the process of 90 rpm and 225 miles at 100 towers and 250 miles.
There is no change in the Nascar Cup Series race on Sunday June 22. There are 160 laps and 400 miles left.
“This Xfinity race has been incredible in the past two years,” said May. “This xfinity car takes place well at all the tracks to which they go. So, if you tell us that we can do more for our fans and that we do not change the prices of tickets in a case like this, it is a win-win. “”
During the first four years of the Truck series in Pocono (2010-13), the races were 125 miles. They were 150 miles from 2014 to 2023 before increasing to 175 miles last year.
A possible concern to add distance to the truck race is the start time. It is scheduled for 5 p.m. and Pocono has no lights. The sunset is fixed at 8:38 p.m.
However, May does not think it will be a problem.
“If we can’t do this thing in three hours, we have bigger problems,” said May. “It should be a lot of time.”
The Xfinity series has been in competition each year in Pocono since 2016. It started at 250 miles in the first four years, but has been 225 miles since 2020.
This year’s NASCAR weekend in Pocono is three weeks earlier than last year. Despite the date of June, May said that things were trendy again in a positive direction. Sales of camping land on Infield increased by 19%, motorhomes have increased by 5%and Sunday tribune tickets increased by 5%. For the first time, business suites were exhausted before Daytona 500.
Each of the last two years, on Sunday, has presented a closed window crowds.
“The answer we obtained was incredible,” said May. “I continue to be humiliated, proud, the whole shooting match with regard to the answer we have obtained. We believe that we offer a big show here in terms of experience according to fans – the upgrades of Victory Lane, The Paddock, the observation platform, our fan zone, the appearances of the pilot. We believe that we have a really neat mixture and it resonates with our customers, our customers and our partners. This is good news.
The Nascar TripleHeader of Pocono weekends includes series of truck series, qualifications and the race on Friday, June 20. On Saturday June 21, there will be training and qualifying for the XFINITY series and the XFINITY CUTTER at 3:30 p.m. on Sunday June 22, the series. The CUP series race is planned to get the green flag at 3.30 p.m.
The NASCAR campaign in 2025 begins this weekend with the exhibition conflict at the Bowman Gray Stadium in Winston-Salem, in North Carolina, Sunday evening at 8. The regular season opens on February 16 with Daytona 500 at 2:30 p.m.
