Pocono Raceway

Pocono Raceway gives HPDE drivers a rare chance to lap NASCAR's famous "Tricky Triangle," a 2.5-mile tri-oval where each of the three banked turns was modeled after a different classic track: Turn 1 after Trenton Speedway, Turn 2 after Indianapolis, and Turn 3 after the Milwaukee Mile. Hooked On Driving calls Pocono its Northeast home track and runs its Mega Course configuration here, combining the full tri-oval with infield sections for a layout that mixes long straights, high-banked turns, technical sweepers, switchbacks, and flowing chicanes in a single lap. Run groups span Novice through Expert, with in-car coaching, classroom sessions, and download meetings built into the day. Few HPDE venues let drivers experience true NASCAR banking, so a day here is as much a bucket-list item as it is a skill-building one. Photo credit: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Pocono_Raceway_%2850485056457%29.jpg

Pocono Raceway broke ground in 1965 and opened in 1969, with the current tri-oval added in 1971 when Mark Donohue won the inaugural 500-mile race. NASCAR arrived in 1974 with a win for Richard Petty, and the track's survival through a rough 1970s is often credited to Philadelphia dentist Joseph Mattioli, who kept the facility afloat and later saw his family run it for decades. Because each of its three banked turns was modeled after a different track, drivers and media nicknamed it the "Tricky Triangle," a name that has stuck for more than 50 years. Pocono has also hosted IndyCar, IMSA, and AMA Superbike racing over the decades.

Pocono Raceway sits in the heart of the Pocono Mountains, about 90 minutes from both New York City and Philadelphia, so there's plenty to do before or after a track day. Camelback Resort is minutes away with a mountain coaster, ziplines, and Pennsylvania's largest outdoor waterpark, plus an indoor waterpark for rainy days. Hikers can head up Big Pocono State Park, atop Camelback Mountain, for trails and a scenic overlook stretching into New Jersey and New York on a clear day. For something track-adjacent, Pocono Outdoor Adventure Tours runs UTV rides along the raceway's back straight. History and TV fans can make the short drive to Scranton, home of "The Office." Between the mountains, the waterparks, and the racetrack, a Pocono weekend has something for the whole family.