Poster Caption: This aerial panorama of Pocono Raceway was taken by James Blakeway during a NASCAR Nextel Cup Series race. Racing at the facility began in 1968 on the ¾-mile track, and the first NASCAR Cup race was held in 1974. In 1990, the raceway began a major renovation project that continued for the next ten years, rebuilding it from the ground up. The track's unusual 2.5-mile triangular configuration leads to exciting races with many lead changes due to its long and wide main straight. Pocono boasts of the most fan friendly paddock area that places the fans only 56 feet away from the cars.