The Pocono Raceway team mascot is known as Tricky the Fox. Tricky is a beloved figure at the racetrack and is always seen entertaining and interacting with fans. The main idea is that Tricky acts as a representative of the raceway and helps create a fun and lively atmosphere for everyone attending the races. Tricky can often be found roaming around the raceway, engaging in playful antics and entertaining the crowd. The mascot's main role is to keep the energy high and bring a smile to everyone's face. One of the main responsibilities of Tricky is to interact with fans of all ages.
HENDRICK MOTORSPORTS
The only tracks where Hendrick Motorsports has been more successful are Martinsville Speedway 28 wins , Dover Motor Speedway 22 wins and Charlotte Motor Speedway 21 wins. Additionally, Jake s Golf Carts will continue to provide the Raceway with golf carts for usage around the facility during the Pocono 400, Gander Outdoors 400 and ABC Supply 500 race weekends.
One of the main responsibilities of Tricky is to interact with fans of all ages. Whether it's taking pictures with children or engaging in playful banter with adults, Tricky knows how to connect with people and make their raceway experience more memorable. Tricky also participates in various activities and events at the raceway.
William Byron and RaptorTough.com No. 24 team look to rebound in Pocono
EYE ON THE PRIZE: With six races left in the regular season, William Byron is second in the NASCAR Cup Series driver points standings, just 17 markers behind the leader. The Charlotte, North Carolina, native is looking for his first Cup Series regular-season championship and the extra 15 playoff points that come with it. To this point, Byron leads the series in wins (four), average running position (9.10), laps led (750), laps run in the top five (2,577) and stage wins (seven). His 750 laps led mark a new season-high for the 25-year-old driver in that category. In addition, Byron is second in top-10 finishes (eight) to Hendrick Motorsports teammate Kyle Larson (nine), has run the second-most laps in the top 10 (3,397) and has collected the second-most points (208) over the last six races.
TWO-FOUR: The No. 24 has scored the win at Pocono Raceway six times – tied for the fifth-most wins by a car number at “The Tricky Triangle,” all coming with Jeff Gordon. If Byron were to end up in victory lane Sunday, the No. 24 would be tied for the second-most wins at Pocono with the Nos. 9, 18 and 88. A win would also move the iconic number into a tie with the No. 2 for the third-most Cup Series wins by car number at 102. Earlier this month, Byron’s triumph at Atlanta Motor Speedway placed the No. 24 in a tie for the fourth-most wins by car number with the No. 3 at 101.
PREVIEWING POCONO: In his nine Cup Series starts at the Long Pond, Pennsylvania, track, Byron has one pole award (June 2019), two top-five finishes, five top 10s and 70 laps led. He holds the top average finish (9.40) among drivers in Sunday’s race, with his track-best finish of third coming in the first race of the June 2021 doubleheader. In the last four Pocono races, Byron has an average finish of 8.50 – third-best behind teammates Larson and Alex Bowman. In fact, his five top-10 finishes are the fourth-most for him at a track in his Cup Series career.
PAST POCONO WINNER: Byron isn’t a stranger to victory lane at Pocono. After starting from the pole in 2016, he dominated the NASCAR Truck Series race, leading 44 out of 60 laps before capturing the checkered flag.
TRICKY TRICKY TRICKY: Crew chief Rudy Fugle has three previous Cup Series starts at Pocono under his belt. His best showing with Byron and the No. 24 team came in 2021 – the first race of a doubleheader – where the group finished third after starting second. Since that initial race, Fugle has back-to-back 12th-place finishes at the Cup Series level. The Livonia, New York, native has had more success at the 2.5-mile track though. In seven Truck Series starts, Fugle has visited victory lane there two times, going back-to-back in 2016 and 2017. Byron was his winning driver in the 2016 event. In those Truck Series starts, Fugle’s drivers have also racked up a pole award, four top-five finishes, five top 10s and 71 laps led.
PIT ROAD PROWESS: After 20 races in the 2023 season, the No. 24 pit crew remains in the top spot with the fastest average four-tire pit stop time of 10.943 seconds. The team has also had three of the fastest pit stops of the season, which rank sixth (9.383 seconds), eighth (9.443 seconds) and ninth (9.504 seconds) overall.
RAPTOR® TOUGH: For this weekend’s race at Pocono, Byron’s No. 24 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 will have RaptorTough.com back on board. RAPTOR® is a durable protective coating from Axalta that is designed to tolerate the toughest climatic conditions and can be applied to a wide range of items, including truck beds, lawnmowers, outdoor furniture and more. With 16 pre-mixed colors available, it’s easy to personalize anything you want to protect. RAPTOR® is available at local paint distributors, auto parts stores, and online retailers.
© 2023 David Rosenblum / NKP
BYRON ON REBOUNDING AT POCONO: “While we didn’t have our strongest race last weekend at New Hampshire, I’m confident in my team that we’ll rebound at Pocono. We’ve always had fast cars there not only as a team but as an organization as well. Rudy and I have a win there in trucks and we came close in 2021 to getting two wins in the doubleheader weekend. Heading to a track that we’ve been traditionally really good at helps to bring that momentum back for everyone after a tough weekend. I’m just excited to get on track and put New Hampshire behind us.”
FUGLE TALKS MOST CHALLENGING ASPECT OF POCONO: “I’ve always enjoyed racing at Pocono Raceway and I know William has as well. While the track has three different corners with their own characteristics, we traditionally have always thought that you had to ‘give up’ handling in one corner to really get the other two right. I don’t think that’s as much of the case anymore. You can get turns one and three pretty similar in handling – it’s turn two that’s the hardest and what really sets you up for the rest of the lap. The whole track is rough but turn two is the most treacherous, so you have to worry a lot about the ride quality of the car and any bump contact.”
© 2023 David Rosenblum / NKP
HENDRICK MOTORSPORTS
CLOSING IN ON 300: Hendrick Motorsports is just three points-paying victories away from its milestone 300th win in the NASCAR Cup Series. Twenty drivers have combined to reach the organization’s current total of 297, which is the most Cup Series wins by any team. With six points-paying victories in 2023, the team has posted its 36th multi-win season in the Cup Series while maintaining a streak of at least two per season for the past 30 years. The organization has gone to victory lane at more racetracks (31) than any other active team.
RANK AND FILE: The Concord, North Carolina, based team’s 19 wins at Pocono are its fourth-most all-time by track. The only tracks where Hendrick Motorsports has been more successful are Martinsville Speedway (28 wins), Dover Motor Speedway (22 wins) and Charlotte Motor Speedway (21 wins).
NINE TO GET 19: Nine drivers have accounted for the Rick Hendrick-owned team’s 19 wins at “The Tricky Triangle.” Jeff Gordon leads the way with six. Tim Richmond and Jimmie Johnson each earned three wins, while Dale Earnhardt Jr. picked up two triumphs at the 2.5-mile track. Bowman, Elliott, Labonte, Geoff Bodine and Kasey Kahne each won once. Bowman and Elliott’s wins have come in two of the last three Pocono races.
POCONO POWER: From August 2012 to August 2014, Hendrick Motorsports won five straight races at the Long Pond, Pennsylvania, venue. That run included Gordon’s then-record sixth win at the track, which has since been matched, as well as Earnhardt Jr.’s 2014 sweep. The five-race streak is the longest consecutive stretch of wins for any one race team at Pocono.
FOUR SCORE: Since the start of the 1986 season, Hendrick Motorsports has had 17 instances where a driver has earned four wins in the first 20 races of the year. Byron is the most recent to do so this year and joins Larson (2021) as the second driver for the team to do it in the last three years. The others to accomplish this in team history are Richmond (1986), Waltrip (1989), Gordon (1995-1999, 2004 and 2007), Johnson (2004, 2007, 2010, 2013 and 2015) and Martin (2009).
STILL STREAKING: In the past 10 points-paying races dating back to Dover in May, Hendrick Motorsports has had at least one driver finish in the top five. The most recent streak by Hendrick Motorsports of the same length came in 2013 during the 10-race playoffs from Chicagoland Speedway to Homestead-Miami Speedway.
TOP OF THE BOARD: In the Next Gen era (2022-present), Hendrick Motorsports has won the most races (17) of any team. That total is six more than the next closest team. In that span of time, all four drivers in its lineup – Byron (six), Larson (five), Elliott (five) and Bowman (one) – have notched victories.
TWO-FOUR: The No. 24 has scored the win at Pocono Raceway six times – tied for the fifth-most wins by a car number at “The Tricky Triangle,” all coming with Jeff Gordon. If Byron were to end up in victory lane Sunday, the No. 24 would be tied for the second-most wins at Pocono with the Nos. 9, 18 and 88. A win would also move the iconic number into a tie with the No. 2 for the third-most Cup Series wins by car number at 102. Earlier this month, Byron’s triumph at Atlanta Motor Speedway placed the No. 24 in a tie for the fourth-most wins by car number with the No. 3 at 101.
From leading pre-race ceremonies to participating in on-track promotions, the mascot is always involved in adding excitement to the event. Tricky's presence on the track signifies the start of a thrilling race and brings anticipation and excitement to the crowd. The main objective of Tricky is to embody the spirit of the Pocono Raceway. The mascot symbolizes the fun, friendly, and energetic atmosphere that the raceway aims to create. Whether it's children or adults, everyone has a great time when Tricky is around, making the experience more enjoyable for all. In conclusion, the Pocono Raceway team mascot, Tricky the Fox, plays a vital role in creating a lively and engaging atmosphere at the racetrack. Through interactions with fans and participation in various events, Tricky embodies the spirit of the raceway and adds to the excitement of the races..
Reviews for "The Pocono Raceway Team Mascot: A Symbol of Unity and Team Spirit"
1. Jake Johnson - 2 stars
I was really disappointed with the Pocono raceway team mascot. Firstly, the costume looked like it was from a dollar store, with the colors faded and the fabric torn in multiple places. It was not appealing to look at and definitely did not evoke any excitement. Secondly, the mascot's movements were stiff and unnatural, making it seem more like a robot than a lively character. The lack of fluidity in its actions made it difficult to connect with and engage with the audience. Overall, the Pocono raceway team mascot failed to bring any joy or entertainment to the event.
2. Emily Thompson - 1 star
The Pocono raceway team mascot was a complete letdown. It seemed like the organizers put zero effort into creating an interesting and engaging character. The mascot lacked any uniqueness or creativity, appearing as a generic animal costume without any distinct features or personality. It felt like a missed opportunity to create a memorable and beloved mascot for the Pocono raceway. Additionally, the interaction between the mascot and the audience was lackluster. There was no attempt to interact or engage with the crowd, leaving us feeling disconnected and uninterested. I would not recommend wasting your time on this lackluster mascot.
3. Ryan Miller - 3 stars
While the Pocono raceway team mascot wasn't the worst I've seen, it definitely didn't leave a lasting impression either. The design of the mascot was average, with nothing that made it stand out or catch your attention. The movements of the mascot were also just average, lacking any real energy or excitement. It felt like the mascot was going through the motions without any real enthusiasm. Overall, it was a forgettable experience, and I wouldn't go out of my way to see the Pocono raceway team mascot again.
4. Emma Davis - 2 stars
I was underwhelmed by the Pocono raceway team mascot. The costume looked worn out and tired, with the colors faded and the material looking old. It lacked the vibrant and lively appearance that a mascot should have. The interactions with the audience were also unimpressive. There was no attempt to engage or entertain the crowd, leaving us feeling disconnected and bored. It was a missed opportunity to create a fun and memorable mascot experience for the Pocono raceway. Unfortunately, it fell flat and left me unimpressed.