2020 schedule is out, no more Pocono! It made for great races but far too dangerous so the axe has fallen... https://www.indycar.com/News/2019/09/09-01-Cavin-Schedule-2020
'Not tryin' to start an argument, but using the same logic, we're gonna hafta take Indy off the calendar too as it's more costly than Pocono, eh? If you care to, check out the number of deaths, all racing at the tracks (which at Indy is far less) since 1969 (Pocono's debut). Indy 8, Pocono 1. 'Won't even get into massive injuries.....Indy hands down. 'None much safer than F1 circuits yet it sorrowfully happened this weekend in a F2 race. Racing is dangerous. The drivers know it and take the risk. Mark Donohue prolly rolled in his grave when his widow sued Goodyear. Mario testified at the trial that Mark knew the risks but it was his decision to take them.
It is not a great venue for the spectator, you are miles away from the action. It is a race better viewed on TV.
Disagree. The track isn't the problem. Poor driving is. As for the non return...I would say money more than the track. Sanction fee too high, track attendance too low. Makes for difficulties in profitability.
the facility is not particularly well kept or well run, and when they replace catch fencing with a section of a chain link gate, yes the track is a problem
Oh please . . . Every track suffers from the occasional (maybe frequent) poor driving. Pocono should be plowed under for farm land.
LOL... I asked a photo colleague of mine who covers the Indy Car races if Pocono is as big a dump as it looks on TV. His reply was "Worse, much much worse". That about sums it up. BHW
It would seem that money was more the problem than the track..https://motorsports.nbcsports.com/2019/09/02/pocono-was-on-2020-indycar-schedule-as-late-as-last-thursday/
+1000 I visited just once in 1990 when my compatriot Bertil Roos gave me some valuable advice about racing in the US - I had been racing in the UK-.Then we went out in one of his racing school 's road cars, a Saab I think, on the oval and infield. He let me drive, the car had rear suspension that toed out suddenly and massively when the onboard instructor triggered it... So I was a bit busy but still thought it looked like a dump.
https://www.citizensvoice.com/sports/mario-andretti-angry-disappointed-indycar-not-returning-to-pocono-in-2020-1.2528533 It still is the kids in the overpriced go karts that are the problem.
I did the Bertil Roos program at Pocono too, in 2001. Did not think the place was a dump so much as the possibility of slamming into a concrete barrier along the track at 120mph scared me ****less.
Spoken like a real racer. The place will intimidate you. Driven Pocono several times. Both oval and road course. If you are not 100 percent focused on driving the track, you will find the concrete. It lulls you into a false sense of security with the wide corners and the apron. Miss your apex, and the hard realities are your wake up call. But it is fun to drive.
On a humorous note. Simon Pagenaud received his Baby Borg trophy and put his loyal pup's face on it. Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login
Bertil's "slide car" concept, to train your eyes to look where you were heading! Never thought I'd hear about that again. I remember it from my first drivers' school there in 1982. Very cool to have someone like Bertil in the seat next to you giving helpful commentary, before my fist time in a formula Ford. Pocono was a fairly stark place, but at that time I was familiar with tracks like Nelson Ledges and Indianapolis Raceway Park, and none of them were anything like Mid-Ohio after Trueman bought it, or Barber today. Riverside, where I spent a little time in the mid-80s, was similarly sparse, even Laguna Seca at that time. At the time I wonder if society had not yet been conditioned to all the bells and whistles of accommodation for the affluent. The amateur SCCA fields for open wheel racing were fairly stout back then. I wasn't involved in the 1990-2010, but it seems like the division between the high end tracks and the local courses really took off, which is too bad. Although the FF revival in historic racing is nice to see. Regardless, I still would like to see Pocono on the calendar. I know it won't happen but even on TV you'd get a sense of how tentative the drivers had to be to really maximize their speed even if it was not wheel to wheel racing most of the time. It was one of those places that had the after the race sense of something extra accomplished, like Indy. I think the veteran IndyCar drivers seemed willing to face it for that reason.
Very nice post, yes Pocono is definitely awe inspiring despite the shabbiness. Bertil was very generous with his time that day, I really appreciated it. That school car that had a second personality as a shopping cart was fun and useful for tuition I would like to see Michigan return to the Indycar schedule....that would be something, I recall a great duel there between Montoya and Michael Andretti, fantastic race...
Absolutely Marc, that was a spectacular race. As I recall Michael was leading and he tried to box Montoya in behind a backmarker; Montoya slipstreamed the backmarker and shot past Andretti for the win.
'See you got around. 'Ever do the barren Bridge? (hampton) A nothing facility but oooohhhh what a circuit. My first road course spectating was the '69 Can Am and club raced there a couple of times in '77.
Indianapolis Raceway park God that brings back memories, I tested a Barber saab Pro series car there June 1990, bit of a basic track, I remember there were some major security issues , IIRC solid things meant for dragstrip use just sticking out on the road course with zero protection and a track management pick up truck crossing the track out of nowhere not far in front of me at top speed. I then went for a bite to eat at a little road side cafe with another driver and asked for a Perrier water (was new to America then sorry thought you could find it everywhere;-)! but I should have known they would not have it and the Hoosier waiter answered in a gruff voice: "A pair of what?!" Lol. That is the only circuit where four time Le Mans winner ex F1 driver Yannick Dalmas tested an Indycar: not a good day exactly....he ended up upside down with scratched helmet on a public road just beside the track...but unhurt.
