Pocono News Section

Attendance Down for Monday Racing in Long Pond

Attendance Down for Monday Racing in Long Pond - Monday, August 3, 2009 at 6:20PM EST

Reported by: Eric Deabill
Monday, Aug 3, 2009 @ 06:20pm EST
LONG POND, MONROE COUNTY - After a one-day delay, the drivers finally took to the tracks Monday afternoon for the Sunoco / Red Cross Pennsylvania 500 in Long Pond.

It was Denny Hamlin's day. He took the lead in the last ten laps and didn't look back. It has been an emotional week for Hamlin, who recently lost two family members.

As for fans, even though the race was delayed, enthusiasm was just as high. This is only the third time in history that racing has been held in Long Pond on a Monday.

"I was talking about it before we came down. I said, we were due for a Monday race, because we've never had one since we've been coming here," Jason Rinker of Springville said.

The rain delay did put a kink in some people's plans because they had to work.

"I called in sick. I put it in. I scheduled it," Matt Ormanoski of York said.

"Yeah, I've been playing hookie all week.... I just hope my boss is a race fan," Joe Donovan of Montrose said.

SUVs, RVs and trucks were everywhere in the infield, but many people say this was only about 60-percent of the crowd that was here over the weekend.

"A lot of people left last night and a lot of people left this morning," Melissa Figliomeni of Moscow said.

Those that stayed say they're just happy there was racing.

"I'm glad they did it today because I'd rather see the whole race other than just half of it," Joe Williams of Gouldsboro said.