Pocono raceway builds largest stadium solar farm

[DaSkinnyGuy]

http://www.cnn.com/video/#/video/us/2010/08/01/pocono.raceway.solar.natpkg.cnn?hpt=C2

[Whiplash Performance]

I saw their blog on it. It's pretty crazy, they've always got some kind of project going on at the track.

I saw there last week from the street that runs along side of the North straight. The property they have it in I've been through it when they use to have people park in it, it can easily fit 3 football fields in there.

[DaSkinnyGuy]

if its the parking im thinking of, thats where my family and friends would park to watch the races

[CHRIS67]

Makes complete sense. A good way to earn revenue during down time of the track buy selling back to the electric companies. :nod:

[Blacdout96]

I think Taiwan is building the panels for this.

[Tru2Chevy]

I think Taiwan is building the panels for this.

No, they said in the video that the panels were made in Ohio. All the wood they are sitting on is from Oregon, and the steel is from California.

- Justin

[Blackbirdws6]

Makes complete sense. A good way to earn revenue during down time of the track buy selling back to the electric companies. :nod:

The energy is a small portion of the return on investment. Solar Renewable Energy Credits (SRECs) are where they will get their big payback. Every 1MWh= 1 SREC which can be sold on the open market like any other commodity. Utilities pay you peanuts for the energy you generate and sell back to them.

Looks like a good use of space for sure if you have it.

[Blacdout96]

Ah, read an article wrong, thought it said coming from Kaoushiung, Taiwan, but they said next stadium that gets it is in Taiwan.

[BurninrubberGT]

should have put that money towards repaving the track...

[Whiplash Performance]

if its the parking im thinking of, thats where my family and friends would park to watch the races

It's the old overflow parking lot across the street from the North straight.
Here's a picture:
http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc4/hs168.snc4/37757_416289337625_58327677625_4401284_3538994_n.j pg

[WildBillyT]

I was a special guest of EnXco to the June 6th race. Their work is very cool- not just at Pocono but also on the top of warehouses, etc all over the area. Solar tech has come a long way, and this is a way for the track to make money even when they are not racing. They also have stuff at the Carrier clinic, Stevens Tech, and a few others in the area.

Side note- Pocono doesn't need new asphalt. They need a shorter race.

[BurninrubberGT]

I was a special guest of EnXco to the June 6th race. Their work is very cool- not just at Pocono but also on the top of warehouses, etc all over the area. Solar tech has come a long way, and this is a way for the track to make money even when they are not racing. They also have stuff at the Carrier clinic, Stevens Tech, and a few others in the area.

Side note- Pocono doesn't need new asphalt. They need a shorter race.

if you ever raced on it, you would understand

[WildBillyT]

if you ever raced on it, you would understand

When you watch the $500 box seats empty because of a long boring race, hearing racers say "I'm going to just hold and burn laps", you'd understand that too.

[BonzoHansen]

if you ever raced on it, you would understand

Have you raced on it?


They drive half ton 65 chevy trucks with plastic toyota shells on them, how smooth does the track need to be? they ran 2 major races with chunks coming out of the ground at daytona before they paved it (I think they are doing now).

If the solar thing saves or makes them $$ then they'll have more $$ for pavement later. Pavement has no payback.

Wbt you are right watching a race there is miserable.

[DaSkinnyGuy]

It's the old overflow parking lot across the street from the North straight.
Here's a picture:

thanks, i remember now there was more parking lots to the right where we parked

[BurninrubberGT]

When you watch the $500 box seats empty because of a long boring race, hearing racers say "I'm going to just hold and burn laps", you'd understand that too.

ive watched the race there a bunch of times, i know its too long

Have you raced on it?


They drive half ton 65 chevy trucks with plastic toyota shells on them, how smooth does the track need to be? they ran 2 major races with chunks coming out of the ground at daytona before they paved it (I think they are doing now).

If the solar thing saves or makes them $$ then they'll have more $$ for pavement later. Pavement has no payback.

Wbt you are right watching a race there is miserable.

yes i have

[BonzoHansen]

Care to elaborate? The full oval or the inner tracks? What kind of car? What kind of competition? Kind of curious. I have not heard the nascar guys cry about the track but then again I tune those guys out anymore.

[WildBillyT]

ive watched the race there a bunch of times, i know its too long



yes i have

My point is that if they don't do something about the boring ass race they won't need new asphalt. When many guys walk out of their box seat halfway through the race and the regular stands have sections that are completely empty, that's real bad.

[Blacdout96]

Which is why F1 sells, the races are so much shorter, its a sprinting race. NASCAR tries to do 500 miles, so for 495 miles of that, its just follow the leader, save everything, then dash at the end...... If NASCAR doesnt seem to see the problem with that, then jump ship myfriends before the fail boat sinks. peple today are too impatient to sit for 4 hours, only to see the last 3 laps have any action, they wanta quick, fast paced race.

[WildBillyT]

Which is why F1 sells, the races are so much shorter, its a sprinting race. NASCAR tries to do 500 miles, so for 495 miles of that, its just follow the leader, save everything, then dash at the end...... If NASCAR doesnt seem to see the problem with that, then jump ship myfriends before the fail boat sinks. peple today are too impatient to sit for 4 hours, only to see the last 3 laps have any action, they wanta quick, fast paced race.

Not 100% true, but pretty damn close. On some of the short tracks you can see good racing.

[Squirrel]

its also how the track is set up, from any one spot you can only see ~ 1/3 of the track

[Whiplash Performance]

its also how the track is set up, from any one spot you can only see ~ 1/3 of the track


You can see all of the track from most seats in the Terrace and above sections. If you ever been to Daytona the infield buildings block most of your view.


The track there has always been really bumpy even when I ran stock cars there in 2000. When the repave, they need to up the banking so it can become another plate track. That change would bring better racing and more fans.

[BonzoHansen]

Yes, plate racing is sooooooooooooooooooooo much better! not! I'd take bristol or even virginia over any plate race.

[Blacdout96]

ill take road racing over any other type of oval/trioval track

[BurninrubberGT]

Care to elaborate? The full oval or the inner tracks? What kind of car? What kind of competition? Kind of curious. I have not heard the nascar guys cry about the track but then again I tune those guys out anymore.

the track is coming apart, if you watched practice last race there a bunch of guys spun in turn 3 because the only place for grip in that turn is the patch they put in. water will randomly seep through the cracks. those lines you see, are fairly big cracks. i drove a stock car there, we have a family friend that drives for the school there. He says the track needs to be repaved. i think the last time it was paved was early 70s? the bumps can also be a pita there.


When the repave, they need to up the banking so it can become another plate track. That change would bring better racing and more fans.

that would be horrible, they need to brake at pocono and a restrictor plate would just make racing worse

i really like the design of the track though, its something different, every corner was modeled after a famous usa track, theres no other track like this

[Squirrel]

You can see all of the track from most seats in the Terrace and above sections. If you ever been to Daytona the infield buildings block most of your view.

yeah... but then youre not close...
i like to risk my life as a spectator