The “Tricky Triangle” is a trip home for several Hendrick Motorsports team members.
The Nos. 5, 24 and 48 teams each have members who call the Keystone State home. Family, childhood memories and a desire to earn a trip to Victory Lane in front of their hometown crowds all add to the excitement of competing at their home track, Pocono Raceway, this weekend.
Josh Noll, race engineer on the No. 5 Farmers Insurance Chevrolet SS, is from Southhampton, Pennsylvania, which is located approximately 250 miles southwest of Long Pond, Pennsylvania. Noll is in his first season with Hendrick Motorsports and started attending races at Pocono when he was in high school.
"I enjoy racing at Pocono and seeing some people I used to race with back in Pennsylvania," the rookie team member said. "It's always fun to race in your home state."
Several teammates on the No. 24 NAPA AUTO PARTS team will head home to the state of Pennsylvania including car chief Josh Kirk. Kirk hails from Chambersburg, Pennsylvania, 165 miles southwest of the raceway. Kirk, a longtime Hendrick Motorsports employee, is looking forward to heading to his home track, recalling past victories in front of his hometown crowd and special memories growing up.
“I’m very excited to go back to Pennsylvania,” Kirk reminisced. “It’s where I’m from and I grew up there. It always brings back good memories. It’s fun to get back up there especially with friends and relatives that come up to see you. We’ve won there in the past and are looking to do that again this weekend. It’s special to go back to your home track.”
In addition to Kirk, No. 24 NAPA AUTO PARTS hauler driver, Heath Edler, will also be returning home this weekend. He grew up just under 100 miles away from the “Tricky Triangle” in Williamsport, Pennsylvania. Additionally, Matt Barndt, race engineer on the No. 24 Chevrolet, will make a close return to his home town located a mere 40 miles from the three-turn track.
“It's always nice going back to Pennsylvania to race close to home and getting to spend time with family and friends,” said Barndt, who started racing quarter midgets when he was just five years old. “Those who were involved with my racing career growing up get to see where their time and effort advanced me in my career in the sport outside of the seat.”
Two members of the No. 48 Lowe’s Chevrolet SS team have connections to Pennsylvania -- engine tuner John Boydston hails from Oswego, New York, but attended Luzerne County Community College in nearby Nanticoke, Pennsylvania while shock specialist Mike Ellershaw is from Levittown, Pennsylvania, 105 miles south of the track near Philadelphia.
