INDYCAR AT POCONO
Pocono Raceway will be on the 2015 Verizon IndyCar schedule being announced today.
The IndyCar series has raced at Pocono the past 2 years after a 22-year absence. Prior to the latest race in July, Brandon Igdalsky, Pocono's CEO and president, warned that if attendance didn't pick up the series may not return.
The last two Pocono races were on Fourth of July weekend. Next year's race is expected to move to a new date. Consensus among many observers was that families have too many commitments during the holiday weekend to attend a race at Pocono. Fans also don't want to deal with postrace traffic.
KIMBALL AT CHOP
IndyCar driver Charlie Kimball will speak with patients tomorrow at the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia. On Saturday, he will participate in American Diabetes Association's Step Out Walk that starts at the Art Museum.
Kimball was diagnosed with diabetes 7 years ago when he was 22. His team sponsor is Novo Nordisk, the Princeton, N.J.-based company that produces insulin and the delivery devices he uses to manage his diabetes.
"I like to tell my story to help younger kids facing challenges," he said yesterday from Indianapolis. "I hope I inspire them to continue chasing their dreams and overcome their challenges."
Kimball says he gets the attention of children when he informs them that Indy cars travel the length of a football field in 1 second. He finished second at Pocono 2 years ago. This year he was 17th.
PIT STOPS
* The United States Grand Prix
Formula One race is Sunday in Austin, Texas (3 p.m., NBC10). Great scheduling, with the NASCAR Sprint Cup race in Fort Worth at the same time.
* A.J. Foyt Racing announced yesterday that Jack Hawksworth will be a teammate of Takuma Sato next year.
-Bill Fleischman