Pennsylvania 500 NASCAR race
Sunday July 23rd 2006.
Pocono Raceway. Long Pond, PA.




It's only been six weeks since the NASCAR Nextel Cup Series raced at Pocono Raceway, but the odds don't favor rookie Denny Hamlin -- who started from the pole en route to his first career victory -- to repeat. Only five drivers -- Jimmie Johnson in 2004, Bobby Labonte in 1999, the late Tim Richmond in 1986, Bill Elliott in 1985, and Bobby Allison in 1982 -- have swept races at the triangle-shaped, 2.5-mile track since it began hosting two Nextel Cup events in a season in 1982.

Pennsylvania 500 breakdown (updated thru July 7)

• Venue: Pocono raceway
• First race: 1974
• Distance 500 miles ( 805km)
• Number of laps: 200.
• Previous names: Miller 500(1996), Miller Genuine draft 500 (1991-1995), AC Spark Plug 500 (1988-1990), Summer 500 (1985-1987).
• Second of two stock car races held at the Pocono Raceway in Long Pond, Pennsylvania, on the NASCAR Nextel Cup schedule.
• Past winners: 2005 Kurt Busch, 2004 Jimmie Johnson, 2003 Ryan Newman.

Pocono raceway breakdown (updated thru July 7)

• Track facts
• banking/ turns: 14/8/6.
• distance: 2.5 miles.
• Shape: tri- oval.
• On the track, Bill Elliott, Rusty Wallace, the late Tim Richmond and Darrell Waltrip are among the track's standouts.