Pocono keeps same IndyCar weekend date in 2018

Photo: IndyCar
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As news of the full Verizon IndyCar Series calendar is still due out in the coming days, depending on when or if the Mexico race possibility gets sorted, tracks have taken it upon themselves to put out race dates of their own.

The latest is Pocono Raceway, which has confirmed the same weekend and two days of August 18-19, 2018 for the ABC Supply 500, as ABC Supply Co. continues its title sponsorship. This year’s weekend was August 19-20.

That leaves it a week before Gateway as part of a likely same three-week-in-a-row run from Pocono to Gateway to Watkins Glen, although the latter date hasn’t been announced yet.

“The 2017 ABC Supply 500 proved why Pocono Raceway was built for INDYCAR racing,” said Pocono Raceway CEO Nick Igdalsky. “This summer’s race was one of the most competitive events in our track’s history. It was also the highest-attended INDYCAR race we hosted since bringing open-wheel racing back here five years ago. From conversations I have had about the 2018 body, we should see speeds pushing, if not exceeding, 240 miles per hour next year.”

Tickets go on sale to the public starting October 4.

With this confirmation, it leaves Green Savoree Racing Promotions events at Toronto and Mid-Ohio – both of which are on an IndyCar schedule through at least 2020 owing to a recently announced Mazda Road to Indy presented by Cooper Tires extensions – and Watkins Glen as 2017 race venues that have yet to announce their 2018 dates, but they’d be expected in their same weekends as this year.

Announced 2018 IndyCar dates so far:

  • March 11, St. Petersburg
  • April 7, Phoenix
  • April 15, Long Beach
  • April 22, Barber
  • May 12, INDYCAR Grand Prix
  • May 27, Indianapolis 500
  • June 2-3, Detroit doubleheader
  • June 9, Texas
  • June 24, Road America
  • July 8, Iowa
  • August 19, Pocono
  • August 25, Gateway
  • Sept. 16, Sonoma

Seattle Supercross by the numbers: Three riders separated by 17 points

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Three riders remain locked in a tight battle with 17 points separating the leader Cooper Webb from third-place Chase Sexton and these are only a few Supercross numbers to consider entering Seattle.

Seattle Supercross numbers
Chase Sexton made a statement in Detroit with his second win of 2023. – Feld Motor Sports

For the fifth time in 10 rounds. Sexton, Webb, and Eli Tomac shared the podium in Detroit. Between them, the trio has taken 23 podiums, leaving only seven for the remainder of the field. Jason Anderson, Ken Roczen and Justin Barcia have two each with Aaron Plessinger scoring the other.

Webb and Tomac won the last four championships with two apiece in alternating years, but they were not one another’s primary rival for most of those seasons. On the average, however, the past four years show an incredible similarity with average points earned of 21.0 for Webb and 21.3 for Tomac. With five wins so far this season, Tomac (23 wins) leads Webb (19) in victories but Webb (43) edges Tomac (41) in podium finishes during this span.

Tomac has won two of the last three Seattle races and those two wins in this stadium are topped only by James Stewart. Fittingly, if Tomac gets a third win this week, he will tie Stewart for second on the all-time wins’ list. Tomac tied Ricky Carmichael for third with 48 wins at Oakland and took sole possession of that spot with his Daytona win.

Sexton still has a lot to say and after winning last week in Detroit, he is speaking up. The Supercross numbers are against him entering Seattle, however, because a points’ deficit this large after Round 10 has been erased only once. In 1983 David Bailey was 47 points behind Bob Hannah, and like Sexton he was also in third place. Bailey took the points’ lead with one race remaining.

The seven points Sexton was penalized last week for jumping in a red cross flag section in Detroit could prove extremely costly.

In fact, it has been a series of mistakes that has cost Sexton the most. In the last two weeks, he lost 10 points with a 10th-place finish to go with his penalty. Erase those, and all three riders hold their fate in their hands.

Plessinger’s heartbreak in Detroit is still fresh, but the upside of his run is that was his best of the season and could turn his fortunes around. Prior to that race, he led only seven laps in three mains. He was up front for 20 laps in Detroit with five of those being the fastest on the track.

Last week’s win by Hunter Lawrence tied him with his brother Jett Lawrence for 17th on the all-time wins’ list. With the focus shifting to 250 West for the next two rounds, Jett has a great opportunity to pull back ahead. The real test will be at the first East / West Showdown in East Rutherford, New Jersey on April 22.

Last Five Seattle Winners

450s
2022: Eli Tomac
2019: Marvin Musquin
2018: Eli Tomac
2017: Marvin Musquin
2014: Ryan Villopoto

250s
2022: Hunter Lawrence
2019: Dylan Ferrandis
2018: Aaron Plessinger
2017: Aaron Plessinger
2014: Cole Seely

By the Numbers

Detroit
Indianapolis
Daytona
Arlington
Oakland
Tampa
Houston
Anaheim 2
San Diego

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SMX develops “Leader Lights”
Power Rankings after Detroit
Hunter Lawrence defends Haiden Deegan
Results and points after Detroit
Chase Sexton wins in Detroit, penalized seven points