Nascar Pocono 2026 | Schedule & Sessions | MotorSportRadar

Nascar Cup - Pocono

Dunlaing Watches
Event Start

Pocono

Dunlaing Watches
0 D
0 H
0 M
0 S

14 - 15 Jun

Pocono Raceway

Pocono Raceway

Some session times for Nascar Pocono 2026 have not yet been finalised, they represent possible times in which each race session could occur. Please check back later for more accurate times.

Practice*
01:00 - Sun, 14 Jun
Qualifying*
03:30 - Sun, 14 Jun
Race
04:00 - Mon, 15 Jun

Where To Watch Nascar in United States

Where To Watch Nascar in United States
Prime Video United States exclusive streaming home for five mid-season Cup Series races and much of early-season practice and qualifying.
TNT Sports / WBD United States summer partner for five Cup Series races on TNT Sports / Warner Bros. Discovery platforms.
NordVPN
Stream Nascar securely from anywhere with NordVPN Traveling abroad or using public Wi-Fi? Protect your connection and access your usual coverage more securely.

Upcoming in Nascar

Upcoming in Nascar
Texas
3 - 4 May
Watkins Glen
10 - 11 May
All-Star Dover
17 - 18 May
View More

Track Info

Pocono Raceway - Long Pond, Pennsylvania, USA

The Tricky Triangle - 2.5 mi / 4.02 km tri-oval with 3 unique turns - T1 14° - T2 (Tunnel Turn) 8° - T3 6° - frontstretch 3,740 ft - Long Pond straight 3,055 ft - short chute 1,780 ft

First Race
Jul 3, 1971
USAC IndyCar 500-miler won by Mark Donohue (Team Penske). First NASCAR Cup race followed on Aug 4, 1974, won by Richard Petty.
Circuit Length
2.5 mi / 4.02 km
Three distinct corners modeled after Trenton (T1), Indianapolis (T2), and Milwaukee (T3).
Turns
3
Banking: 14° - 8° - 6° across T1 - T2 - T3 respectively.
Lap Records
IndyCar 0:40.9009 - Ryan Briscoe (2014) • NASCAR Cup 0:51.298 - Kyle Busch (2017)
Outright tri-oval race-lap standards by series. IndyCar qualifying record: 223.92 mph - Juan Pablo Montoya (2014). NASCAR Cup qualifying best: 183.438 mph - Kyle Larson (2014).
Straights
Front 3,740 ft - Back 3,055 ft - Short chute 1,780 ft
Among the longest straights in NASCAR, driving high entry speeds and heavy braking.

When was the track built?

Plans date back to the early 1960s; the 2.5 mi layout was completed in 1971. Designer and Indy 500 champion Rodger Ward shaped three different corners to echo classic US circuits, creating a one-of-a-kind setup challenge.

When was its first race?

The venue’s first race was the 1971 Pocono 500 (USAC), won by Mark Donohue on July 3, 1971. The first NASCAR Cup race came on August 4, 1974, won by Richard Petty.

What's the circuit like?

  • Three turns, three personalities: T1’s Trenton-inspired 14° banking needs entry commitment; the flat, fast Tunnel Turn (8°) punishes mistakes; T3’s 6° exit sets the run to the line.
  • Long straights: 3,740 ft frontstretch and 3,055 ft backstretch make gear ratios, drag and draft management crucial.
  • Multi-discipline DNA: Pocono also features multiple infield road-course configurations used by IMSA historically and for club events today.
  • Benchmark pace: Montoya’s 223.92 mph IndyCar pole and Larson’s 183.438 mph Cup pole frame the modern one-lap ceiling by series.

Lap records and benchmarks (tri-oval)

  • IndyCar - race lap: 0:40.9009 - Ryan Briscoe, 2014 Pocono IndyCar 500.
  • NASCAR Cup - race lap: 0:51.298 - Kyle Busch, 2017 Overton’s 400.
  • IndyCar - qualifying record: 223.92 mph - Juan Pablo Montoya, 2014.
  • NASCAR Cup - qualifying record: 183.438 mph (49.063 s) - Kyle Larson, 2014.

Fun fact: the 2014 Pocono IndyCar 500 averaged 202.402 mph, fastest 500-mile race in Indy car history.

Why go?

Pocono mixes superspeedway straights with road-course nuance. You get draft slingshots into T1, bravery through the Tunnel Turn, and strategy as teams trade short-run grip for long-run exit off T3. The infield vantage points give sweeping views across all three corners.

Where's the best place to watch?

  • Start/finish grandstands: Launches into T1 and pit-road strategy with the longest frontstretch in NASCAR.
  • Tunnel Turn suites or hillside: Watch commitment laps decided at 180+ mph corner entry.
  • Inside of Turn 3: See who nails exit to win the drag race down the frontstretch.

Not just one series - headline moments at Pocono

NASCAR Cup: Summer 400-miler is a calendar staple with frequent fuel-mileage drama.

IndyCar legacy: 1971 inaugural 500, 1980s CART classics, and the record-fast 2014 edition.

Hotels & Accommodation

Never Miss Lights Out

Get alerts before every race, across all major series.

Email reminders • Calendar sync • Push notifications