Pocono 400 facts for kids
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Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series | |
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Venue | Pocono Raceway |
Location | Long Pond, Pennsylvania, United States |
First race | 1982 |
Distance | 400 miles (643.738 km) |
Laps | 160 (Stage 1: 50 Stage 2: 50 Stage 3: 60) |
Previous names | Van Scoy Diamond Mine 500 (1982–1985) Miller High Life 500 (1986–1989) Miller Genuine Draft 500 (1990) Champion Spark Plug 500 (1991–1993) UAW-GM Teamwork 500 (1994–1996) Pocono 500 (1997–2009) Gillette Fusion ProGlide 500 (2010) 5-hour Energy 500 (2011) Pocono 400 Presented by #NASCAR (2012) Party in the Poconos 400 Presented by Walmart (2013) Pocono 400 (2014, 2018) Axalta "We Paint Winners" 400 (2015–2016) Axalta presents the Pocono 400 (2017) |
Most wins (driver) | Jeff Gordon (4) |
Most wins (team) | Hendrick Motorsports (11) |
Most wins (manufacturer) | Chevrolet (18) |
Circuit information | |
Surface | Asphalt |
Length | 2.5 mi (4.0 km) |
Turns | 3 |
The Pocono 400 is an exciting NASCAR car race. It happens every year at Pocono Raceway in Long Pond, Pennsylvania, United States. This race is one of two big NASCAR events held at this track each season.
The Pocono 400 is part of the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series. This is the highest level of professional stock car racing in the United States. It's usually the 14th race in the Cup Series season. Drivers race for 160 laps, covering a total distance of 400 miles (about 643 kilometers). The track at Pocono is unique because it has only three turns, unlike most oval tracks.
Race History
The Pocono 400 has been a regular part of the NASCAR Cup Series since 1982. Over the years, the race has had many different names. These names often changed based on which company was sponsoring the event. For example, it was once called the "Van Scoy Diamond Mine 500" and later the "Gillette Fusion ProGlide 500."
The race distance has also changed a bit. For many years, drivers raced 200 laps, covering 500 miles. However, since 2012, the race has been 160 laps, which is 400 miles. This makes it a faster-paced event.
Past Winners
Many famous drivers and teams have won the Pocono 400 over the years. The table below shows all the winners of this exciting race. It lists the year, the winning driver, their team, and the car manufacturer.
Year | Date | Driver | Team | Manufacturer | Laps | Miles |
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1982 | June 6 | Bobby Allison | DiGuard Motorsports | Buick | 200 | 500 miles (804.672 km) |
1983 | June 12 | Bobby Allison | DiGuard Motorsports | Buick | 200 | 500 miles (804.672 km) |
1984 | June 10 | Cale Yarborough | Ranier-Lundy | Chevrolet | 200 | 500 miles (804.672 km) |
1985 | June 9 | Bill Elliott | Meiling Racing | Ford | 200 | 500 miles (804.672 km) |
1986 | June 8 | Tim Richmond | Hendrick Motorsports | Chevrolet | 200 | 500 miles (804.672 km) |
1987 | June 14 | Tim Richmond | Hendrick Motorsports | Chevrolet | 200 | 500 miles (804.672 km) |
1988 | June 19 | Geoff Bodine | Hendrick Motorsports | Chevrolet | 200 | 500 miles (804.672 km) |
1989 | June 18 | Terry Labonte | Junior Johnson & Associates | Ford | 200 | 500 miles (804.672 km) |
1990 | June 17 | Henry Gant | Leo Jackson Racing | Oldsmobile | 200 | 500 miles (804.672 km) |
1991 | June 16 | Darrell Waltrip | Darwal, Inc. | Chevrolet | 200 | 500 miles (804.672 km) |
1992 | June 14 | Alan Kulwicki | AK Racing | Ford | 200 | 500 miles (804.672 km) |
1993 | June 13 | Kyle Petty | SABCO Racing | Pontiac | 200 | 500 miles (804.672 km) |
1994 | June 12 | Rusty Wallace | Penske Racing | Ford | 200 | 500 miles (804.672 km) |
1995 | June 11 | Terry Labonte | Hendrick Motorsports | Chevrolet | 200 | 500 miles (804.672 km) |
1996 | June 16 | Jeff Gordon | Hendrick Motorsports | Chevrolet | 200 | 500 miles (804.672 km) |
1997 | June 8 | Jeff Gordon | Hendrick Motorsports | Chevrolet | 200 | 500 miles (804.672 km) |
1998 | June 21 | Jeremy Mayfield | Penske Racing | Ford | 200 | 500 miles (804.672 km) |
1999 | June 20 | Bobby Labonte | Joe Gibbs Racing | Pontiac | 200 | 500 miles (804.672 km) |
2000 | Jeremy Mayfield | Penske Racing | Ford | 200 | 500 miles (804.672 km) | |
2001 | June 17 | Ricky Rudd | Robert Yates Racing | Ford | 200 | 500 miles (804.672 km) |
2002 | June 9 | Dale Jarrett | Robert Yates Racing | Ford | 200 | 500 miles (804.672 km) |
2003 | June 8 | Tony Stewart | Joe Gibbs Racing | Ford | 200 | 500 miles (804.672 km) |
2004 | June 13 | Jimmie Johnson | Hendrick Motorsports | Chevrolet | 510 miles (820.765 km) | |
2005 | June 12 | Carl Edwards | Roush Racing | Ford | 200 | 500 miles (804.672 km) |
2006 | June 11 | Denny Hamlin | Joe Gibbs Racing | Chevrolet | 200 | 500 miles (804.672 km) |
2007 | June 10 | Jeff Gordon | Hendrick Motorsports | Chevrolet | 265 miles (426.476 km) | |
2008 | June 8 | Kasey Kahne | Gillett Evernham Motorsports | Dodge | 200 | 500 miles (804.672 km) |
2009 | June 7 | Tony Stewart | Stewart-Haas Racing | Toyota | 200 | 500 miles (804.672 km) |
2010 | June 6 | Denny Hamlin | Joe Gibbs Racing | Toyota | 510 miles (820.765 km) | |
2011 | June 12 | Jeff Gordon | Hendrick Motorsports | Chevrolet | 200 | 500 miles (804.672 km) |
2012 | June 10 | Joey Logano | Joe Gibbs Racing | Toyota | 160 | 400 miles (643.738 km) |
2013 | June 9 | Jimmie Johnson | Hendrick Motorsports | Toyota | 160 | 400 miles (643.738 km) |
2014 | June 8 | Dale Earnhardt, Jr. | Hendrick Motorsports | Chevrolet | 160 | 400 miles (643.738 km) |
2015 | June 7 | Martin Truex Jr. | Furniture Row Racing | Chevrolet | 160 | 400 miles (643.738 km) |
2016 | Kurt Busch | Stewart Haas Racing | Chevrolet | 160 | 400 miles (643.738 km) | |
2017 | June 11 | Ryan Blaney | Wood Brothers Racing | Ford | 160 | 400 miles (643.738 km) |
2018 | June 3 | Martin Truex Jr. | Furniture Row Racing | Toyota | 160 | 400 miles (643.738 km) |
2019 | June 2 | 160 | 400 miles (643.738 km) |
Drivers with Multiple Wins
Some drivers have been very successful at the Pocono 400, winning the race more than once. The table below highlights these drivers and the years they won.
No. of wins | Driver | Years won |
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4 | Jeff Gordon | 1996, 1997, 2007, 2011 |
2 | Bobby Allison | 1982, 1983 |
Tim Richmond | 1986, 1987 | |
Terry Labonte | 1989, 1995 | |
Jeremy Mayfield | 1998, 2000 | |
Tony Stewart | 2003, 2009 | |
Denny Hamlin | 2006, 2010 | |
Jimmie Johnson | 2004, 2013 | |
Martin Truex Jr. | 2015, 2018 |
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Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Pocono 400 |
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