BfloGirlTravel: Pocono Raceway – 7/29-30/16

It’s been a couple of big weeks of photography for me, having visited Pocono Raceway July 29-30 and Watkins Glen International on August 7, plus throwing in a race at Lancaster National Speedway for good measure. Pocono is a trip I look forward to because you can get up close with the cars and the stars behind the wheel. Here are a few of my photos from the weekend – more can be found at paulathompsonfreelance.com and its associated Facebook page.

Chase Elliott 

Danica Patrick

Tyler Reddick and Daniel Hmeric

Kyle Busch

Ryan Newman

Tommy Baldwin

Regan Smith

AJ Allmendinger

Tony Stewart

Pocono Raceway in pictures - July 31st-August 1st, 2015

This was the 14^th year I’ve been to Pocono Raceway in Pennsylvania for the second Cup Series race – when I started going there it was still the WINSTON Cup Series! I’ve said it before and I’ll continue to say it forever – if you go to Pocono, GET THE PIT/PADDOCK PASS!! It’s well worth the $50 to see what goes on in the garage area, from crews at work and drivers clowning around to tech inspections and standing behind the pit wall during practice and qualifying. Here are a few of my photos from the “other side.”

On the grandstand side, I was able to get some great photos of Kyle Busch’s post-race smoke show – i.e. victory burnout! 

yes, I did crop this! :)

all photos: paulathompsonfreelance.com

It’s Tricky: NASCAR at Pocono Raceway

I know a lot of people think Pocono Raceway is a has-been, needs fewer races, needs to be gone – I’m not one of those people.

Kasey Kahne on pit road

I love this place! I’m not sure if it’s because of all the racing – of course, the Truck Series race at Pocono is pretty awesome! – but it’s definitely because of the pit/paddock pass.

Jennifer Jo Cobb in "The Zoo"

Head over to the garage area – which I refer to as “The Zoo” – and watch the teams prep the cars; sometimes you get lucky and find a driver or two.

Dave Blaney

Head out to pit road and watch your favorite drivers wheel around the 2.5-mile “Tricky Triangle.”

Tony Stewart

Head back to the garage area and see the cars going through tech.

The tech area

What’s really cool about the pass is the price - $50 for the weekend (plus your grandstand tickets). 

That’s right – three days of getting that close to the action. There are other tracks that offer pit/paddock passes, but not for that price.

How close to the action can you get? Here are some more photos from this August:

Tire test - Darrell Wallace Jr.

Ron Hornaday Jr.

Marcos Ambrose

all photos: paulathompsonfreelance.com

2015 Chevrolet Colorado at Pocono Raceway

I am a long-time small truck girl – after my first car (1988 Ford Escort wagon), I’ve had trucks ever since – five Chevy S-10s, one Chevy Colorado and two GMC Canyons…then they were discontinued L

I’ve loved my three GMC Terrains, but I’m still a truck girl at heart – so I was overjoyed to hear the Colorado and Canyon were being re-introduced.

I was even more overjoyed when I got to see one up close.

Chevrolet has a HUGE display that goes around to race tracks, and they’re always at Pocono Raceway in the Fan Fair area. I was hoping – but not expecting – that they would have a Colorado. My father rounded the corner of the display before I did, stopped, turned around to me and said “Take deep breaths and don’t drool.”

Thanks Dad J

Dad checking out the Colorado

That truck was awesome! I think I took more pictures of it than of certain cars on the track – here are a few more shots of the new model:

rear seat area

front seat area

While I really liked the Colorado, I’m still going to go for the GMC (I just like the grill more – it’s beefier looking). I can’t wait to check them both out at the local dealers!

all photos: paulathompsonfreelance.com