POCONO RACEWAY — RVs and campers rolling along Long Pond Road can only mean one thing — a NASCAR race weekend is near.
The AXALTA Pocono 400 race is set for Sunday and plenty of people are checking in early at Pocono Raceway.
“I love it. I haven’t missed a race since I was little. I’ve been coming up every year. I have a lot of fun up here. It’s nice to be with family, I’ve been coming up with my grandfather since I was little,” said Zack Schaffer, Hanover Township.
Zack Schaffer, no relation to Newswatch 16’s Scott Schaffer, says he and his family always come to the “Tricky Triangle” a few days before the race.
They like to set up early and most importantly, “beat the traffic a little bit, come up early and have a good time. We like to make sure we are set up before everyone gets here so it’s not all cluttered,” said Schaffer.
Pretty soon this whole stretch of Route 115 will be filled with NASCAR fans and the signs are already up to direct people on where they need to go.
State police released special traffic plans for Sunday.
Before the race, Route 115, from Interstate 80 to the raceway will be converted to two lanes of southbound traffic.
After the race, that stretch of Route 115 will be converted to two lanes of traffic northbound until the lots are cleared.
“You get in easier, in and out easier, there are no traffic jams or anything you just deal with it,” said Carol Fauquier, Nicholson.
“We are not stupid. We come every year this early it’s a tradition. Come here early and start the party,” said Billy Bob, New York.
The race is scheduled to start on Sunday at 3 p.m.
It was earlier reported that the race begins at 1 p.m. on Sunday. That is incorrect. The race begins at 3 p.m. on Sunday.
