It's tire test time at the Tricky Triangle and after last year, that's music to the ears of Martin Truex Jr.
"It's always fun to come back to the area," Truex Jr. said, a champion last season at Pocono Raceway. "Obviously a little more special coming back to the racetrack itself after having a win here last here. So, just testing tires and trying to figure out what package we need to come back here with."
Truex Jr. was one of four drivers at Pocono this week. Brad Keselowski, Kyle Larson and Ryan Newman were also on hand for the Goodyear Tire Test.
"I like Pocono a lot," Larson said after his tire test. "(I) enjoy running laps out here. So, just keep working on our car, but also trying to find a good tire to come back and race with."
"Number one, I like the racetrack and it's good weather conditions which is not always common here in Pocono," Newman added. "So there's an advantage just getting the feel of the car here at a test before you come back. You know, we're a run or two ahead of some guys when they unload. So that's nice. But it's not like we're guaranteed to come back and win."
Something Truex Jr. already did after finding his comfort level.
"When you find that at a racetrack, it's really critical to success and to be able to duplicate that," Truex Jr. said. "So I think we'll be you know, pretty close to being in the ballpark this year. So far here at the test, that's really been the case."
So the drivers are ready and it's starting to feel like race season at pocono.
"When you're sitting in the office and you hear the cars out on the track, it's a true sign that spring's coming if it's not here already in the Poconos, Pocono Raceway President & CEO Brandon Igdalsky said. "But it really gets our staff pumped up. In a few weeks, we're ready to go for everybody walking in the front door."
The first race weekend of the season begins June 3rd with the Sprint Cup Series race, the Axalta 400 that Sunday, June 5th.
