Top Ad
I DIG Radio
www.idigradio.com
Listen live to the best music from around the world!
I DIG Style
www.idigstyle.com
Learn about the latest fashion styles and more...

Self Hoping Road Course Skills Pay Off At Pocono

Written by 
Published in Racing
Monday, 22 July 2019 09:38

LONG POND, Pa. – The nickname for Pocono Raceway – the Tricky Triangle – is a cute and fitting slogan.

It might win the overly obvious award because the speedway’s triangular layout is indeed tricky for drivers and teams alike.

For the drivers in Friday’s FortsUSA 150 at Pocono, the track’s three distinct corners present a challenge. Each has a different radius, a different degree of banking, and a different way to approach each one.  For some drivers, the best way to approach the track’s challenging turns is to use skills from road racing.

On a road course, every one of each circuit’s turns is vastly different. The same thing goes for Pocono, except there are no turns to the right. So drivers with a little road racing expertise may have a slight advantage over the competition.

At least that’s what Michael Self is hoping.

Self, who has a 90-point lead in the ARCA Menards Series championship standings over second-place Bret Holmes, made the transition to stock cars after starting his career in road racing. Although he doesn’t compete regularly in sports car events on road courses, he’s still an active driver coach. He recently guided recent Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series winner Justin Haley to the 2016 NASCAR K&N Pro Series East championship and assisted Haley when he raced in the SCCA Trans-Am TA2 Series.

Even with expertise that other drivers don’t have, Self and his Venturini Motorsports team led by veteran crew chief Shannon Rursch found the Tricky Triangle to be just that.

“This year the biggest challenge we had the first time we were there was setup,” Self said. “We fought it all weekend long before we had a mechanical issue with the car. As far as driver goes, Pocono is very demanding. It’s very disciplined. It’s easy to over drive even though it’s so big. You can bite yourself really badly and not even realize you’re doing it until you watch video or on Dartfish.”

Dartfish is a program that allows a driver and team to overlay video of two laps to make a direct comparison. Self and his team use it extensively and it helped him figure out the best way to handle Pocono as a driver.

“On test day I was over driving it really bad,” he said. “I watched the Dartfish video and decided that I was going to calm down and we went out and finished third that day.”

Self can pinpoint exactly why that road racing background helps him in his quest to score a victory at Pocono.

“The variety of corners you get in road racing, every corner is different,” he said. “It’s the same at Pocono. You expect something different every time. The techniques you use in road racing, wanting to be back on the throttle early, that applies. The discipline it takes to be good at road racing applies as well.”

Read 606 times

Soccer

WSL: Chelsea drop first home-points of season

WSL: Chelsea drop first home-points of season

EmailPrintOpen Extended ReactionsChelsea dropped points at home for the first time in the Women's Su...

Sources: América, LAFC could play for CWC spot

Sources: América, LAFC could play for CWC spot

EmailPrintOpen Extended ReactionsFIFA has drawn up plans to hold a one-game playoff between Club Amé...

Flick feeling 'love' as Barca hit 4 goals for 20th time

Flick feeling 'love' as Barca hit 4 goals for 20th time

EmailPrintOpen Extended ReactionsBarcelona coach Hansi Flick said he loves his team's thirst for goa...

2026 FIFA


2028 LOS ANGELES OLYMPIC

UEFA

2024 PARIS OLYMPIC


Basketball

LeBron card sells for $1M; Clark card sets record

LeBron card sells for $1M; Clark card sets record

EmailPrintOpen Extended ReactionsA 2003 Upper Deck Exquisite Collection Exquisite Rookie Patch Autog...

Grizz GM: No player input on call to fire Jenkins

Grizz GM: No player input on call to fire Jenkins

EmailPrintOpen Extended ReactionsMEMPHIS, Tenn. -- Grizzlies general manager and executive vice pres...

Baseball

Rangers put 3B Jung on IL due to neck spasms

Rangers put 3B Jung on IL due to neck spasms

EmailPrintOpen Extended ReactionsDALLAS -- The Texas Rangers placed third baseman Josh Jung on the 1...

Jays' Scherzer goes on IL, to see hand specialist

Jays' Scherzer goes on IL, to see hand specialist

EmailPrintOpen Extended ReactionsTORONTO -- The Blue Jays put right-hander Max Scherzer on the 15-da...

Sports Leagues

  • FIFA

    Fédération Internationale de Football Association
  • NBA

    National Basketball Association
  • ATP

    Association of Tennis Professionals
  • MLB

    Major League Baseball
  • ITTF

    International Table Tennis Federation
  • NFL

    Nactional Football Leagues
  • FISB

    Federation Internationale de Speedball

About Us

I Dig® is a leading global brand that makes it more enjoyable to surf the internet, conduct transactions and access, share, and create information.  Today I Dig® attracts millions of users every month.r

 

Phone: (800) 737. 6040
Fax: (800) 825 5558
Website: www.idig.com
Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Affiliated