2018 Pocono -- Gander Outdoors 400 - Pre-Race Thread

Johali

Johali

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THE RACE: Gander Outdoors 400

TRACK: Pocono Raceway

Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Race #21 of 36

Date: Sunday, July 29th, 2018 Long Pond, PA

Scheduled Green Flag (approx): 2:45 pm/et
=======================================

Friday, July 27
5:00 PM, NXS Iowa practice, NBCSN
6:30 PM, NXS Iowa final practice, NBCSN

Saturday, July 28
9:00 AM, MENCS Pocono practice, CNBC
10:00 AM, NCWTS Pocono qualifying, FS1
11:30 AM, MENCS Pocono final practice, CNBC
1:00 PM, NCWTS Pocono race, FS1
3:00 PM, NXS Iowa qualifying, NBCSN
4:00 PM, MENCS Pocono qualifying, NBCSN
5:00 PM, NXS Countdown to Green, NBCSN
5:30 PM, NXS Iowa race, NBCSN

Sunday, July 29
2:00 PM, MENCS Countdown to Green, NBCSN
2:30 PM, MENCS Pocono race, NBCSN
6:00 PM, MENCS Post Race, NBCSN

A Truck/Xfinity double header on Saturday. Yahoo. :booya:
 
I enjoy the 2Pocono races a year, IMO it’s a throwback to yesteryear. I’ll enjoy it because one of those races will probably be shifting to make way for some gimmick Roval or a road course in 2020.
 
Snappy D said:
I enjoy the 2Pocono races a year, IMO it’s a throwback to yesteryear. I’ll enjoy it because one of those races will probably be shifting to make way for some gimmick Roval or a road course in 2020.
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There was talk about Pocono losing a race in the late 90's, early 00's and it survived. There is suppose to be some scheduling resuffling when the 2020 TV contract is renewed. Pocono still does pretty well relative to most tracks with 2 dates. Plus its market/location can't be ignored. It will be interesting to see what happens.
 
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This used to be my favorite part of the season. New Hampshire, Pocono, Indy, Watkins Glen, Michigan, Bristol night, Southern 500. Now it's just a group of races before the playoff reset.
 
There's been flooding rains here in Eastern PA. Hopefully weepers aren't a major issue with the insanely high ground water level.

The good news is this stubborn tropical weather system will be out of here by the weekend.
 
I'm still bummed they made turn two so easy to get through. It used to be a really tight fast turn and if you go on the apron it cost you, now they just drive over the apron every lap.
 
Timmy Hill is driving this beauty this weekend. As a kid growing up I loved Phantoms games, back then they were the Philadelphia Phantom. Plus we got Bowman with the Eagles scheme

 
Larsonfan1995 said:
Looking to go back to back by attending Pocono and the Glen
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I have seriously considered doing it!! But haven't pulled the trigger! Pocono is 45 minutes away while the Glen is about 3 hours. I did the Dover/Pocono June back-2-back for a several years in the early to mid 2000's. I liked it better when there was at least a week between the Glen and Pocono. I also wish Michigan was a week later. I would consider going there again if it wasn't so close to Pocono. I did go in 2016 when Michigan was in late August. I just did Kentucky as it is. I like my NASCAR but there comes a point. Especially with football season coming up....
 
Phathoms just moved to the area I forget from where which explains when they need a sponsorship
 
I like Pocono because its different.I am beginning to like the oddball tracks more and more since the advent of the cookie cutter tracks.This a good stretch of tracks coming up just before football gets cranked up.Oops I guess I said a bad word,lol.
 
machinistman3 said:
I like Pocono because its different.I am beginning to like the oddball tracks more and more since the advent of the cookie cutter tracks
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I remember the first race I saw broadcast from Pocono, back around '96 or so. I thought it was the most wonderful, ridiculous, challenging, "What the Hell, it's a TRIANGLE!" layout on the planet. I still do.
 
KodiakRusty89 said:
I have seriously considered doing it!! But haven't pulled the trigger! Pocono is 45 minutes away while the Glen is about 3 hours. I did the Dover/Pocono June back-2-back for a several years in the early to mid 2000's. I liked it better when there was at least a week between the Glen and Pocono. I also wish Michigan was a week later. I would consider going there again if it wasn't so close to Pocono. I did go in 2016 when Michigan was in late August. I just did Kentucky as it is. I like my NASCAR but there comes a point. Especially with football season coming up....
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Both about 2 hours for me, but I've never even been to Watkins Glen. I'm making this the year.
 
4tires17gals said:
Phathoms just moved to the area I forget from where which explains when they need a sponsorship
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The Phantoms have been in the Leigh Valley for several years now after they had spent a few years as the Adirondack Phantoms, after a long history as the Philadelphia Phantoms people in the area know of them.
 
ReturnTrip said:
This used to be my favorite part of the season. New Hampshire, Pocono, Indy, Watkins Glen, Michigan, Bristol night, Southern 500. Now it's just a group of races before the playoff reset.
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There is nothing meh about Bristol and Darlington
 
People can say what they want about Pocono but to me there's nothing like being up toward the first several pit stalls (going into 1) in the grandstand when they come by in the first few laps after a re-start, wide open and roaring like hell. It's still a big rush for me. I remember a few years ago three guys sitting in front of us, the one guy was never at a race and when he saw all that metal and speed he was laughing like a little kid. He couldn't believe it. I'll be there Sunday with my son and a bunch of friends. We do this race together every year. Hope it's a good one but it's a blast no matter what. Oh, and the missus just booked us a hotel for Bristol! Just need tickets.
 
Bob said:
People can say what they want about Pocono but to me there's nothing like being up toward the first several pit stalls (going into 1) in the grandstand when they come by in the first few laps after a re-start, wide open and roaring like hell. It's still a big rush for me. I remember a few years ago three guys sitting in front of us, the one guy was never at a race and when he saw all that metal and speed he was laughing like a little kid. He couldn't believe it. I'll be there Sunday with my son and a bunch of friends. We do this race together every year. Hope it's a good one but it's a blast no matter what. Oh, and the missus just booked us a hotel for Bristol! Just need tickets.
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Yes it's so rare to have a track so large only 1-5 is visable
 
Actually I find that if you're in the 200 level or above you can see almost everything except the part of the short chute that's obstructed by campers. They also installed large fanavisions several years ago which help a great deal, but you are correct, the spotters can't even see everything there. I always thought they should put seats out in the tunnel turn so people could see two straights coming and going but things being how they are, I'm sure adding seats isn't happening anytime soon.
 
Bob said:
Actually I find that if you're in the 200 level or above you can see almost everything except the part of the short chute that's obstructed by campers. They also installed large fanavisions several years ago which help a great deal, but you are correct, the spotters can't even see everything there. I always thought they should put seats out in the tunnel turn so people could see two straights coming and going but things being how they are, I'm sure adding seats isn't happening anytime soon.
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One of the biggest myths in NASCAR is that you can't see at Pocono. You absolutely can if you sit high enough! There's 47 rows before you get to the covered section. Anything above row 30 is really good. Anything from 20-30 is solid. Unless you've been to Daytona, Talladega or Indy there's no fair comparison. Given Pocono's very fan friendly ticket prices I think you get a helluva view for your money relative to its superspeedway brethren.

I've sat in the same section, down by Turn 1, for the second Pocono race since 1997. That's when the upper level seats were expanded towards turn 1. I sat in Turn 3 from about 2007 until 2013 for the June race but didn't like it as much. The only advantage is you're closer to the parking lot...lol
 
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I watched some laps of an Indy race in turn 3 (you can basically sit wherever you want) for awhile and it was great...for a few laps. Just wanted to see what it was like up there. You're right, it's a hike back to your car if you're up into turn 1. You can see a good bit of the short chute if you sit at the top of the stretch. I actually had my fat butt right up against the fence in the bleachers to watch the Indy cars coming out of 3 just for the experience there. I would not want to sit there for a whole race though. But I did recall the days back in the early-mid 1990's when they banged the place out and thought about people watching a whole Cup race from that vantage point. Different times.
 
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