CONCORD, N.C. – For the second time this season, NASCAR Sprint Cup drivers will take on the “Tricky Triangle” in the heart of the Pocono Mountains.
Hendrick Motorsports has been racing at Pocono Raceway since 1984 and over the years the organization has accumulated 17 wins at the 2.5-mile triangle.
But before the engines are fired and race around the track with three turns instead of four, let’s take a look back at three very memorable Hendrick Motorsports moments from Pocono.
June 14, 1987 – Tim Richmond was in his final season driving in NASCAR and although he ran only eight races that year, he won two of them, including Pocono. When the green flag dropped he was third, and by the fifth lap he was leading the race. Richmond went on to lead 82 laps and win the event, which lasted more than four hours.
June 16, 1996 – Jeff Gordon’s weekend at Pocono was filled with many firsts. He started off by earning his first “Tricky Triangle” pole award after posting a speed of more than 169 miles per hour. After leading the field to green, Gordon led 94 laps of the race and pulled into Victory Lane to add another first win to the books. He ended the season with 10 victories, which started a three-year streak of double-digit wins.
June 9, 2013 – After a rained-out qualifying session, Jimmie Johnson rolled off the grid first to lead the field. And from there he dominated the three-turn track. Johnson could not be stopped as he led 128 of the 160-lap race. He crossed the finish line first to capture his third checkered flag at the 2.5-mile track. Johnson finished the 2013 season by bringing home his sixth championship.
