Indycar Pocono 500 2017

Will Power came from a lap down to win the Pocono 500 after holding off teammate Josef Newgarden in the final laps.

Takuma Sato started on pole for the second time this year but quickly dropped toward the back as the Indycars ran 6 wide on the front straightaway.  Ryan Hunter Reay and Helio Castroneves quickly sliced their way through the field after starting in the back due to qualifying crashes on Saturday.

There were a mesmerizing 590 passes including 42 lead changes among 10 drivers (7 Hondas and 3 Chevys), but in the end it was two of the Chevy powered Penske drivers going for the win.

 

 

 

  

TOP 10

1.  Will Power: His second win in a row at the Tricky Triangle.
2. Josef Newgarden: Couldn't quite get his third win in a row, but extended his points lead with three races to go.

3. Alexander Rossi: His second podium in last three races moved up to 8th in season points.
4. Simon Pagenaud: Only driver to have completed all the laps so far this season.

5. Tony Kanaan: His third Top 5 this season.

6. Scott Dixon: Has finished out of the Top 5 in 6 of the last 7 races, but is still 2nd in points.

7. Helio Castroneves: He has only finished out of the Top 10 once this season.

8. Ryan Hunter Reay: Cleared to drive on race morning after spending the night in the hospital after a hard crash in qualifying, RHR impressed by charging to the front and leading the race.

9. Graham Rahal: Has finished in the Top 10 in the last 8 races, and had a exciting back and forth battle with Tony Kanaan for the lead during the race.

10. Carlos Munoz:  His first Top 10 since the Indy 500.  The second race in a row one of the A.J. Foyt cars finished in 10th.

Different Teams: 5  (Penske (4), Andretti (2), Ganassi (2), RLL, A. J. Foyt)

Different Countries: 6   Australia, USA (4), France, Brazil, (2) New Zealand, Colombia

5 Chevys  5 Hondas

  

FUN FACTS

 Average Speed:  183.737 mph

Time: 2 hour 43 minutes 17 seconds

Margin of Victory:  0.5268 seconds

Lead Changes:  42 among 10 drivers
Dixon (51), Rossi (44), Power (34), Kanaan (32), Hunter-Reay (12), Rahal (9), Andretti (9), Newgarden (4), Hinchcliffe (3), Hildebrand (2)

Total Passes: 590 total 524 for position

Fastest Lap:  218.325 by Tony Kanaan

3 Cautions for 17 Laps

Most Improved: Helio Castroneves 13 positions

Penalties:: 3
James Hinchcliffe (Pit Safety Infraction), Max Chilton (Work in a Closed Pit), Conor Daly (Full Service in a closed pit)

Josef Newgarden update Pocono 2016

Josef finished fourth after starting second at Pocono Raceway after spending most of the day in the Top 3.

 

He did really good on restarts, but on longer runs he wasn't able to really contend for the lead.  The good news is that he moved to third in the Indycar season points standings!
 

Tough, long race today with the @ECRIndy crew. Ended up a bit shy with P4. Congrats to the podium gang, they were all solid today! #IndyCar

— Josef Newgarden (@josefnewgarden) August 22, 2016

And it looked like Josef had a fun weekend! 

It was a bit weird before driver intros today w @josefnewgarden @ConorDaly22 @Hinchtown @poconoraceway pic.twitter.com/MZGR7ZqaYu

— The Rain King (@bigdalsky) August 21, 2016

And Josef and Conor Daly had a little fun on Hinch's weekly podcast. 

 

Missed @Hinchtown's live podcast at @poconoraceway? Listen here: https://t.co/z624Gi9XSN

Thanks for hosting us @PainTour1911! #INDYCAR

— IndyCar Series (@IndyCar) August 23, 2016

Unfortunately Josef won't be racing this weekend at Texas, since he and Conor crashed out way back in June when the race started. 

So we have to wait till Labor Day weekend to see Josef race at Watkins Glen! 

 

posted by Alexandra (age 9)

Race Day Recap and Photo Gallery

The ABC Supply 500 was a super exciting, if windy, race!  Pocono Raceway has always been a great track to be at, and we put together a race day recap that summed up our day at the track

 

 

 

 

 

 

...And a few extra pictures

 



Indycar Pocono 500 2016

 
The rain got its hat trick on Sunday, as Pocono Raceway encountered it's third rain delayed race in three tries this season. 
 
Race day:
 Monday was a beautiful, but windy, day as Will Power and his team worked on improving the #12 car all afternoon until he found himself outclassing the field and getting his 4th win in the last six Indycar races.  Polesitter Mikhail Aleshin looked strong all day, but just couldn't catch Power at the end and instead ended the day runner-up (His best Indycar finish ever).

Defending race winner Ryan Hunter Reay started last after a crash in practice, but then flew through the field and into the lead by lap 49.  His car lost power on lap 164 and he coasted around to the pits before he could get it refired.  He went a lap down but a late race caution for debris allowed him to get his lap back.  Once again he charged through the field, passing Josef Newgarden for third on the final lap.  Given a few more laps, he may have had a chance at catching Power. 
 
Power walked away from the Monday race just 20 points back of his teammate Simon Pagenaud in the season championship, after Pagenaud uncharacteristically crashed on Lap 158.

 

 

Had the car & the drive to win today. Unbelievable. Electrical issue shut the car off while leading. Its just been one of those seasons.

— Ryan Hunter-Reay (@RyanHunterReay) August 22, 2016

 

      

 

Top Ten

1. Will Power Closed to within 20 points of leader Simon Pagenaud in the Indycar championship.
2. Mikhail Aleshin  Led the most laps (87) on route to his career best Indycar finish.
3. Ryan Hunter Reay  Came through the field twice to get on the podium.
4. Josef Newgarden Led 15 laps and ran in the Top 3 all day.
5. Sebastien Bourdais  His best finish on an oval since coming back to Indycar.
6. Scott Dixon  Started 19th and led 3 laps.
7. Carlos Munoz  Ran strong all day but faded at the end.
8. Juan Pablo Montoya  His first Top Ten in the last four races.
9. Tony Kanaan  Led 1 lap while finishing where he started.
10. James Hinchcliffe  His best finish in 3 starts at Pocono.


Different Teams: 6   Penske, Schmidt Peterson, Andretti, Ed Carpenter Racing, KV Racing, Ganassi

Different Countries: 8   Australia, Russia, USA(2), France, New Zealand, Columbia (2), Brazil, Canada

It may have been ANOTHER longer than expected weekend, but it was another great race. Congrats @12WillPower pic.twitter.com/RXpLl6P9uf

— The Rain King (@bigdalsky) August 22, 2016

Fun Facts

 

 Average Speed:  180.198 mph

 

 Time: 2 hour 46 Minutes

 

4 Cautions for 20 Laps

 

Fastest Lap:  218.499 by Will Power

 

 

Lead Changes: 29 among 9 drivers

(Mikhail Aleshin, Will Power, Ryan Hunter Reay, Josef Newgarden, Alexander Rossi, Sebastien Bourdais, Scott Dixon, Tony Kanaan, Simon Pagenaud)



So glad to see Helio Castroneves uninjured after a scary pit road accident that left Alexander Rossi driving over his head.

Tributes to Justin Wilson and Bryan Clauson made the weekend special.    We saw so many people wearing Wilson shirts and socks, and watched Conor Daly drive around each lap in that #88 car.  It was sad but really special.

 

 

 

 

5 Days till Pocono!!!

There's only 5 Days left till the

ABC Supply 500 at Pocono Raceway!!!

We're getting really, really excited!

 

The #5 car will be driven by Ryan Briscoe
who finished 4th in last year's Pocono race after starting 10th.
 

Top 6 Reasons we love Pocono Raceway

With just 6 days left till the Indycars

race at Pocono Raceway

(and there is no #6 car in this year's Indycar field)

we decided to list our

Top Six Reasons we love Pocono Raceway

1. Brandon Igdalsky is the coolest Indycar track president
(the track was built by his grandparents, Joe and Rose Mattioli in the early 1970's)

2.  It's the Tricky Triangle...there's only 3 turns!!!
(the turns were patterned after 3 great Indycar tracks. Turn 1, Trenton; Turn 2, Indianapolis; and turn 3, the Milwaukee Mile)

3.  We have 2 Local Drivers who could win the race at their home track,  Marco Andretti and Sage Karam!

4.  They're 'green' and they rent sheep to come mow their solar farm (How cool is that...they're really cute)

5.  Four and Five wide on the Front Stretch!!

6.  And it's this much fun...

What Indycar drivers think of Turn 1 at Pocono.

 

9 Days till Pocono

9 days remain until the
ABC Supply 500 at Pocono Raceway!

#9 Scott Dixon has two Top Fives

in his two visits to the Tricky Triangle in Pennsylvania.

 

A first in 2013 that turned his season around and began his successful run at his third Indycar Series title and a fifth in 2014.

 

 

 

Dixon still has a great shot at winning his 4th Series title.

He currently sits 3rd in points and
is 34 points back from leader Juan Montoya.


We can't wait to see how Dixon does this year at Pocono!

10 Days Till Pocono

In just 10 Days

#10 Indycar Driver Tony Kanaan

will be driving in his 309th Indycar race

when the green flag flies at Pocono Raceway.

 

He led the most laps (78) in the 2014 race at the Tricky Triangle, until he had to pit with just a few laps remaining. 

He ended up finished 11th.

 

He also led 15 laps in the 2013 race before finishing 13th.

 

 

 

 

With consistency and 5 Top Five finishes this season, can Kanaan avoid pitfalls at this year's ABC Supply 500 to get the 18th Indycar victory of his career?

Indycars at Pocono in 11 Days

Only 11 days until the ABCSupply Pocono 500!!

Sebastien Bourdais, #11, currently sits 6th in Indycar season points.  With 2 wins and 8 Top 10's he's having his best season since Champ Car in 2007.
With two races to go can he finish the Indycar season in the Top 5?

Bourdais has been consistent at Pocono...
unfortunately, it had not been in a good way. 
He has finished 16th in his previous two attempts at the Tricky Triangle.
 

Splash of fuel at the very end puts the @hydroxycut #SHATTER car 16th (started 18th) #Pocono500

— Sébastien Bourdais (@BourdaisOnTrack) July 6, 2014

 

 

 

14 Days till Pocono

Only 14 days left until ABC Supply 500

at Pocono Raceway!

 

Can #14 Takuma Sato

get his first oval victory in an Indycar?

 

He has qualified well at the track, 7th in 2013 and 4th in 2014 but he needs to stay in the race till the end.

 

Takuma Sato signing autographs at Pocono in 2014.

 

 

He finished 22nd in 2013

after a pit road incident with Ryan Hunter Reay,

and he finished 21st in 2014 with an electrical problem.

 

 

 

 

58 Days till Indycars at Pocono Raceway

We're counting the days till the Indycars invade Pocono for the ABC Supply 500.

 

 Just 58 Days to go!

The number 58 car was driven by Eldon Rasmussen in the 1976 Schaeffer 500 at Pocono Raceway.

 

 

In 1976 Eldon Rasmussen lined up between George Snider and Sheldon Kinser in Row 9 of the Schaeffer 500 at Pocono. 

 He finished 20th.

 

He raced in a chassis he built himself and he called it the 'Rascar'.

 

Signing autographs at Indianapolis in 2014. 

 He raced in  three Indy 500's from 1975 to 1979 and his best finish was 13th.

 

His Indycar career spanned from 1973 to 1979 with a best finish of 7th in the California 500 at Ontario Speedway in 1975.

 

 

Originally from Alberta, Canada,

Eldon Rasmussen was inducted into

the Canadian Motorsport Hall of Fame in 2001.

 

 

66 Days till Indycars at Pocono

Just 66 Days till Indycar
takes over Pocono Raceway
in the ABC Supply 500 on August 23rd!

 

In 1986 Ed Pimm started

the #66 car

from the middle of the 3rd row and finished 24th.
(The race was won by Mario Andretti.)

Ed Pimm at the 1986 Indy 500.
 

 

Starting Lineup from the 1986 Domino's Pizza 500

 

 

Ed made 42 Indycar starts in his career from 1984-1988 with a best finish of 3rd at Michigan in 1985.


 

 

 

Tricky at Pocono Raceway

 

Tricky the Fox

 

Tricky is Pocono Raceway's mascot

  

Tricky lives at the track and goes around in Trickys Kit Kamp, the Kids Zone, Victory Lane and basically all over.

  

We see him a lot, and trust us, he loves hugs!

(and kids and having fun)

 

 

 

So when you're at Pocono Raceway, look for Tricky,

although most likely Tricky will find you first!

 

 This is the stuffed Tricky kids will get when they join the Kids Club

 

 

Trickys Kit Kamp has play tents, campfires, and animals.

(including a fox, you can't forget the fox) 

 

 

We Love Tricky!!!
 

Indycar Pocono 500 in Photos

The Pocono Indycar 500 was fantastic!!

 



Drivers, start your engines!
 A great day for racing, upper 70's and sunny. 
Missed having rookie Jack Hawksworth in the field after he bruised his heart
in a vicious 100G crash in practice on Saturday.



Let's go racing!

And the winner is... Juan Pablo Montoya!
What an exciting finish with Josef Newgarden & Tony Kanaan both leading late but having to stop for fuel, and front runner Will Power falling back after getting a penalty for blocking his teammate Helio.

 

The top 6.
Montoya, Castroneves, Carlos Munoz, Ryan Briscoe,
Scott Dixon and Simon Pagenaud

  

Hinch signing autographs....
Why does he always look like he's about to get into trouble?



We ran into Robin Miller!
(We'll have to thank Alex for that, we were
 hanging around the garages to watch Josef)




Cheering Josef on in qualifying
(that didn't go so well when he crashed in turn 2 and had to start last)

 

Your pole sitter and eventual winner
(being interviewed in The Fan Zone before the race)

Carlos Munoz taking a post-race bike ride
after another very successful 500 mile race.



The obligatory 'Josef' photo with Alex
(We honestly don't stalk him. 
We were getting off the van in the paddock and he walked behind it.)