So we had a whole evening to look forward to another ‘exciting, action-packed door-to-door’ race at the old tricky triangle after rain Sunday forced NASCAR to move the event until Monday.
Most fans will be stuck at their respective jobs on Monday when the green flag falls at 12:15 Eastern. And for most fans that’s probably a good thing when it comes to racing at Pocono. Let’s face it, not being able to sit through a four-hour race snoozefest at Pocono is most likely a relief for many. Better to read about the race and look at the highlights afterwards.
The question comes up every time NASCAR visits Pocono. Why? Why do we go there? Drivers say it’s the most unexciting race on the circuit, fans yawn and the weather proves to be more of a factor in the outcome then the actual racing.
The racing itself is usually another fuel mileage affair, one in a series already filled with fuel mileage affairs.
Sunday afternoon, while track personnel were working in vain to dry weepers on the Pocono surface, Tampa Bays Rays right-hander James Shields carried a no-hitter into the eighth inning. The Royals Brian Bannister had seven shutout innings and the score was 0-0. A good old-fashioned pitchers duel.
Shields lost his no-hitter when the Royal’s John Buck opened the eighth inning with a bloop single to right and the Rays fell apart soon after, losing to the Royals 4-1.
A pitchers duel in baseball is kind like a fuel mileage race in NASCAR. Not much action. The difference being that in baseball a pitchers duel doesn’t happen all that often, so when it does it’s an edge-of-the-seat affair. In NASCAR, however, it’s starting to seem like there’s a fuel mileage race every week.
Witness last week's visit to Indy. Not much passing, and pit strategy was the name of that game. Now thanks to a rainout, we get to wait a whole day to watch the same thing at Pocono; or thankfully for most, not.
NASCAR should have a few races where pit strategy determines the outcome. A good old-fashioned pitchers duel. Just not every week, and not at Pocono.
NASCAR has been racing at Pocono since the early 1970s. At the time and even through the years, the arguments for being there were valid. It’s the closest track to the New York area, a market NASCAR desperately wanted to tap. It drew fans from all over the Northeast, exposing them to the thrill of NASCAR racing.
Not to take away from the importance of what the Mattioli family has done for NASCAR. Certainly during NASCAR’s period of growth in the 1970s and '80s and even into the '90s, being in the market Pocono serves was instrumental. But that was during the time when television coverage for the sport was spotty at best.
But now with the proliferation of television coverage, if racecars are on the track live coverage can be found. With all that television coverage now it’s less important where the track is and more important that the racing on the track is worth watching. NASCAR needs to deliver a product worth watching.
And for the most part the product at Pocono isn’t usually worth watching.
It’s time to seriously consider the reasons NASCAR visits all the tracks that gives fans ‘pitching duels’. And Pocono with a surrounding area that seems to be stuck in 1975 and weather patterns that seem to influence the competition should be first on the list.
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Comments
Think Pocono is boring? Try watching an Orioles game. These bums should be kicked out of Major League Baseball.
Here I am agreeing with you again. The pitcher's duel analogy is spot on. A mileage race is o.k., just not every week. Do you think the CoT and place like O'Reilly and Iowa would mix? Now those were races!
OK I'm sick of hearing they shouldn't race at Pocono or Pocono is boring. NASCAR drivers currently drive a that make races at Bristol boring. Plus NASCAR already got rid of different or unique tracks such as North Wilksboro, Nazerath, Rockingham, and 1 race to Darlington. But me have 7 races at Charlotte (Atlanta and Texas same track) 4 races at Michigan (California's the same) 3 races at Las Vegas (Chicago and Kansas the same) and all those races really haven't been entertaining either. I know what you all are saying, all those tracks have different characteristics, but if you run good at one track odds are you just as good at the similar track. so if you think Pocono should lose one date or both who should get them, "Kentucky" same track as Las Vegas and the other two. NASCAR screwed up when they designed the COT. I'm all for a safer race car but they built a car the was more aero depended and that has made the racing suffer. We need new "DIFFERENT" tacks not the same COOKIE CUTTERS!
What a great argument for getting rid of Pocono and California. Neither one of them deserve a race date. Particularly in this day and age, NO track should have a Cup date if they don't have lights. I agree that Iowa should have a Cup date. The race on Sat night was one of the best races I have ever seen. Now, would an Iowa race with the COT be as good? I heard a commentator this weekend suggest that the Cup car should be switched from the COT to the Nationwide version. Would that help racing? Sure couldn't get much worse.
Everybody wants to dump on Pocono, yes just take the races away and give them to the cookie-cutter tracks, to make things more exciting!!! Morons, you need tracks with character, like North Wilkesboro, the Rock and such. Bring back the old days off starting the East coast races at 1:00 and screw the West coast, they don't care for NASCAR west of the Mississippi anyway. Drivers will whine about if things aren't on the same day or on the scheduled time,they are too sponsor driven these days, Elliott, Parsons and the rest just loved to race no matter what. Most of these guys wouldn't be here if they had to earn their way or work their way in it like Elliott, Rudd, Kulwicki did.
I'll tell you what wasn't boring, I'm not an IRL fan but wow! what a race Saturday night at Kentucky Speedway. If all IRL's races were like that, NASCAR would be in trouble.
I used to enjoy Greg Engle and listening to his radio show out of ESPN in Disney. But, Greg has taken cheap shots at Pocono every year. Fans want it (not 1.5 mile crap). It sells out or mostly sell out (even though Greg wrote an article last year it did not and was proved wrong).
NASCAR needs to fix the gear rule and allow shifting.
BTW - It is Ryan Newman favorite track.
Greg, I am disappointed in you. Norman
I like Pocono... It's the most unique track on the circuit.
Greg, let's use your logic.... with TV, it doesn't matter where they race. Great! Let's get rid of California, Chicago, Kansas; and while we're at it, Atlanta. Atlanta couldn't sell out a sporting event if every legend showed up (pick the sport). Want excitement? Bring back North Wilkesboro, add a 2nd race at Darlington. There are tracks that FANS love. MA$CAR is ruining this "sport".
Wow! I guess Jerry O does not agree with you but don't worry, yankeegranny sure does. Based on your conclusions, Greg, why don't you propose that the fans vote on the track that they think has the best racing and just hold all the races there. Think of the benefits: All the teams could relocate their shops to that area and eliminate all the travel expenses. Permanent souvenir vending stands could be constructed so all those souvenir rigs would not have to travel from track to track. One TV network could be awarded the rights to cover the events eliminating the need to set up,tear down and move to a new location each week. The sport would become much "greener" with a greatly reduced carbon footprint.If the stands had 125,000 seats, that would be enough to hold all the true "hard core" fans who would be willing to travel from throughout the world to see the events live. The rest could watch on TV. What a concept! Everyone will be happy. No more bitching.
Hey Greg, why is there a big picture of junior in this article? We're getting tired of having him shoved down our throats everywhere we look. Start using drivers who are actual racers to promote this sport.
I happen to like Pocono. But, then it has a nostalgic place in my heart. It was the first race I ever attended. There has been some great racing there over the years. Who can forget Mayfield's bump and run on Earnhardt Sr. and go on to win? Three, four and five wide racing down the front stretch into turn 1. Can't see that anywhere else. Then there's the bizarre. Where else can you see a bunny bring out the yellow flag? Or a half nude drunk run across the track? LOL
Exactly what makes a race exciting? Are passes exciting no matter how they are made? Daytona and Talladega have lots of lead changes even though 99% of the passes are due more to luck than driver skill. Bristol has lots of passes although most are due to wrecking competitors rather than making clean passes. It seems that race fans are really fans of luck and wrecks more than driver skill or superior car setup.
Pocono requires a good car and a driver skillful enough to set up his competitor and make a clean pass. Kinda like a pitcher's duel requires skillful pitching and good defense. No wonder most "fans" and Greg Engle find Pocono boring.
Pocono has been a loyal member of the Nascar family since the 70's, when they needed the exposure close to NYC. Dr Mattioli has made numerous improvements to the track and the facilities. It's not a cookie cutter track..racing there can be exciting. Shorten the distance to 400--450 miles and bring back
the special trannys to allow the crews to gear the cars for passing! Also the COT is part of the problem...just look at the racing at Indy...it STUNK!! If you want to take away boring racing look to take a race from California, New Hampshire or Infinion...leave Pocono alone!!
I have seen as good of race at Pocono than at Dover,New Hampshire, Martinsville, Chicago,Indy and especialy the 'Forced on Us" road courses each year at Watkins Glen, and Somona!No alot more need to go other than Pocono!
Yeah right, Pocono is the only track that many people from N.J. and N.Y. can get to. No way NASCAR will ever leave long pond until there is a new track up here. Do you even know the history of this track? Try doing research before writing a piece. Bill France himself told Pocono's track owners "They have a guarantee on two races a year."
Very poor article.
I happen to enjoy watching the races at Pocono, which I will admit are sometimes not the most exciting - but at least as good as Dover.
Besides the scenery, what I find so really terrific about Pocono is that the media dislikes it so much, but don't have the guts to come out and say they dislike it for how inconvenient it is for them.
Today, there was great racing! Exciting in the front, middle and back.
Attendence at Pocono on Monday was great, better than Chicagoland on Saturday night.
Hey Greg! How about a follow-up story. You were WRONG!!!
Well, this article turned out to be rather untimely. This had to be one of the most exciting races I've ever seen at Pocono. I believe the races and should be shortened to 400 miles, and possibly one of the dates should be dropped, but I wouldn't want to see Pocono off the schedule altogether. Considering the close relationship the track owner has with NASCAR I doubt even that will happen any time soon.
On any given Sunday afternoon, I would have agreed with Greg. Pocono along with some other normally boring tracks provide a great backdrop for my Sunday afternoon nap. However, the Pocono race was actually interesting this time around. Yes, I said it...Pocono was unseasonably good this year! Now where the heck is that pillow? Let's Go Racin!
to say that pocono is the only track providing pitching duels this days is just ignorant. i'd rather lose the cookie cutter tracks like chicago, california, michigan, and even texas and las vegas. they're providing fuel mileage races too.
and pocono isn't stuck in 1975...it's stuck in the dawn of the earth...which is why it's so beautiful. i feel bad for anyone who can't appreciate the scenery up there.
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