Pocono Raceway North South-Mega Course 5
Pocono Raceway is a motorsports facility located in Long Pond, Pennsylvania, 2 hours away from New York City. This track is a staple part of the NASCAR National Series, hosting events for the Nascar Cup Series, NASCAR Xfinity Series, NASCAR Camping World Truck Series, and ARCA Menard Series. For more than 40 years, the Pocono Raceway also hosted IndyCar Races regularly. The banked NASCAR layout marks the track's perimeter and possesses a curious tri-oval shape reminiscent of a triangle with rounded edges, hence its nickname: The Tricky Triangle. There are multiple possibilities to configure the infield of the tri-oval track into a road course with several independent layouts, some of which may run simultaneously.
Some of the alternative road course layouts of the Pocono Raceway include the clockwise 1.5-mile (2.41-km) North Road Course, the counterclockwise 1.37-mile (2.2-km) South-East Option 1, the 3.51-mile (5.66-km) Mega Course, the 2.26-mile (3.63-km) North-South Option 2, or the 2.53-mile (4.07-km) North-South Option 3. The average speed varies according to the layout used for racing, ranging between 66 to 88 mph (106 to 141 km/h). Motorsports fans are welcome to visit the track as spectators for any of the events of the Raceway's tight schedule, but open track days are rare.
The North South-Mega Course 5 at Pocono Raceway in Pennsylvania represents a specific extended infield road course variant utilizing the facility's systematic numerical designation. The North South-Mega designation indicates a comprehensive routing combining multiple sections creating substantial circuit length, with the 5 number specifying this particular configuration variant. This layout serves events requiring extended road course challenges at the facility famous for its triangular 2.5-mile superspeedway hosting NASCAR and IndyCar oval competition.
Operating the North South-Mega Course 5 showcases Pocono's versatility where the superspeedway's massive infrastructure accommodates multiple infield road course configurations serving diverse motorsport disciplines beyond the primary oval racing mission. Pennsylvania's climate creates seasonal racing windows with road course operations primarily April through October. The North South-Mega Course 5 demonstrates Pocono's comprehensive scope as Pennsylvania's premier motorsport venue utilizing unique triangular oval sections combined with purpose-built infield elements creating varied road racing experiences.
Class Podiums
Pocono Raceway North South-Mega Course 5 is 5.7 km, 19 turns, counter-clockwise. Fastest recorded lap: 2:26.690 (Dodge Viper TA Mk5 2014 (w/A7)).