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Tag: Brandon Igdalsky

  • NASCAR BTS: Kalahari Resorts Goes NASCAR Racing

    NASCAR BTS: Kalahari Resorts Goes NASCAR Racing

    Sometimes sponsor and NASCAR relationships just click, which was definitely the case when Kalahari Resorts in the Pocono Mountains decided to sponsor the Richard Childress Racing No. 31 Chevrolet of Ryan Newman.

    Come Behind the Scenes this week to learn just how this relationship developed and came together quickly in the Pocono Mountains.

    “We could not be more excited to partner with Richard Childress Racing to sponsor Ryan Newman’s No. 31 Chevrolet to bring the spirit of Africa to the Pocono Raceway,” Todd Nelson, owner, Kalahari Resorts and Conventions, said. “The Pocono Mountains have been incredibly welcoming and we continue to find new ways to partner with and support the area.”

    Don Pleau, General Manager, Kalahari Resorts and Conventions, could not agree more with his boss as far as the excitement of Kalahari coming on board with Richard Childress Racing for the Pocono race weekend.

    “The Nelson family are the sole proprietors of the Kalahari property,” Pleau said. “It’s a family-owned business and they like to be involved in the community, whatever happens to be prevalent in the area.”

    “The ‘Tricky Triangle’ is right around the corner and the Nelson and Igdalsky families at Pocono have sparked a relationship and they have become good friends.”

    “Mr. Nelson was introduced to Richard Childress several years ago by Dave Moyer, who is the guy who is doing all the new building earth work on the site here at Kalahari. So, Mr. Nelson and Mr. Childress sparked a relationship and then introduced him to Ryan Newman.”

    “And now we’ve got the Kalahari elephant on the No. 31 car.”

    The Kalahari sponsorship will not only celebrate the resort itself, with its many indoor and outdoor waterpark attractions but will also showcase the resort’s upcoming anniversary in the area.

    “The resort is coming up on its first birthday on July 1st, which will be the first anniversary of the opening of this property,” Pleau said. “We have two sister properties, one in Sandusky that is eleven years old and one in Wisconsin, the flagship property, that is sixteen years old.”

    “So, we’re just coming up on our first anniversary and the second wing is going to open in less than 300 days. We have 457 current rooms and we’re adding 520 more rooms.”

    “With that, we’ll be America’s largest waterpark. We currently hold that title in Sandusky but we’ll move that to Pennsylvania. We’re also adding four more restaurants as well. We’re basically doubling the size of the resort.”

    Pleau’s favorite attraction at Kalahari is most likely the favorite one for many of the resort’s guests, both young and old alike.

    “My favorite attraction would definitely by the FlowRider, an attraction in the waterpark where you can actually surf,” Pleau said. “Most people do it on their bellies, like me, but the really good guys can surf while they are standing up.  Lessons are available and we actually open the park early and extend the park hours to give lessons.”

    “We also have mermaid and merman lessons that we do as well. That’s really neat because there is a tail that you put on and you swim around like a mermaid or merman. That is very popular as well.”

    Pleau is not only passionate about his work at Kalahari, having been with the company for over four years, but he is passionate about racing as well.

    “I started with Kalahari in Wisconsin as the Food and Beverage Director and I was part of the team that opened this property here in the Poconos as the Corporate Food and Beverage Director,” Pleau said. “At the end of the summer, the Nelsons asked me if I wanted to stay on and become the General Manager and I said ‘Why not?’ My kids are both in college and so we’re empty nesters.”

    “So, we were up for the opportunity and now we are happy PA residents”

    “In addition to my work, I’ve been a racing fanatic for a long time,” Pleau continued. “I grew up in California and my parents were open wheel fans. So, we started watching racing when I was little.”

    “I’ve been a NASCAR fan for a long time. It’s just great to be so close to the track here. We’re hosting the BK Racing team for the weekend, which is great. I got to meet Matt DiBenedetto. And Rodney Childers and his family have enjoyed the park, as has Austin Dillon.”

    “Any opportunity I have to enjoy racing, I do,” Pleau said. “I normally root for the No. 4 car of Kevin Harvick, but this weekend I love the No. 31 car of Ryan Newman with that Kalahari elephant on the hood.”

    For more information about the Kalahari Resort, call 1-877-KALAHARI (525-2427) or visit www.KalahariResorts.com.

     

  • Suzanne Igdalsky Shares Life as Pocono Wife

    Suzanne Igdalsky Shares Life as Pocono Wife

    Ever wonder about the women behind the men who run NASCAR race tracks?  Suzanne Igdalsky, the wife of Pocono Raceway President and CEO Brandon Igdalsky, is one of those special women, working on race weekend to do all she can at track, as well as running her own business and being mom to 12-year-old twin girls.

    And while many may think that Suzanne’s connection to NASCAR started with her marriage into the Pocono Raceway family, she was actually born into it herself growing up in Lehighton just a half hour from the Pocono race track.

    “A funny story, my grandfather had owned a hunting cabin that was adjacent to track property,” Igdalsky said. “And he was here before Doc Mattioli even came into this area.”

    “After the track was built, I would come up as a kid for every race. And after the race, my grandfather and I would collect cans under the grandstands. So, I’ve been coming around NASCAR since I was a little girl.”

    In spite of spending so much time at Pocono Raceway, Suzanne and her husband’s paths did not cross until she finished college.

    “After I finished my Bachelor’s degree, I had gone out with a couple of friends,” Igdalsky said. “And I met Brandon at Shenanigans, which Brandon likes to call a bar but I say is a restaurant.”

    “He just sort of popped out in front of me and started talking to me. It was cute. And it was cute because our grandfathers had some differences, which was interesting. But it all turned out well and both grandparents were at the wedding and on great terms.”

    Once they tied the knot, Suzanne began to realize the enormity of the job her husband had running the race track and began to immerse herself in it as well in order to help and support the family business.

    “In the beginning, to be honest, I didn’t pay as much attention as I probably should have,” Igdalsky said. “But as I started to realize what this was all about, I now try to attend as many functions as I can with Brandon and be a support for him.”

    “And I also try to network myself with the NASCAR community and I absolutely have grown to love NASCAR.  The NASCAR family has become a second family to our family.”

    While Suzanne has embraced the NASCAR family, her own family, especially twin daughters Madison and McKenzie, are her top priorities.  So, will they be the next generation in the Pocono Raceway family business?

    “Well, the kids just want to be kids right now,” Igdalsky said. “Would I say they are interested? I would say yes. Do I think that they are going to be in this industry when they are older? I cannot say.”

    “They both have strong personalities. Madison is Brandon’s little clone, so perhaps I could see her being involved, especially with social media because she is really good with that. And McKenzie is very scholarly and she likes to read her books.”

    “I guess time will tell about their involvement in the future at the track.”

    While family is of utmost importance to Suzanne Igdalsky, what she says surprises people most about her is that she also runs a very successful business of her own. Not surprising, however, is that her business benefits children with special needs and their families.

    “I’m a speech pathologist and I work with kids from birth to age 3 in early intervention,” Igdalsky said. “I actually own my own early intervention agency now. I’m now in five counties and I have grown to about 15 staff.”

    “We are family-centered and routines-based, which means we work wherever is best for the child. It could be at daycare, at grandparent’s houses, or even grocery stores. I had one therapist meet her child at the pool.”

    “We want to work on the child’s goals in their natural environment. So, if a family is having trouble going to the grocery store, we will come out and work with them wherever they need the help.”

    In addition to her thriving business, Igdalsky is also involved in volunteering and helping the Pocono community whenever possible.

    “Obviously, doing volunteer work with children is a big thing for me. Autism is a part of my life and I have a soft spot there.”

    “But I’m also an animal lover. I’m always trying to support different kinds of animal charities. I admit that I am a cat lady, with one indoor cat and the stray cats that have also found their way to me.”

    “So, I now have about 9 outside cats, which Brandon is not a fan of. But, because he loves me, he indulges me and is flexible with it.”

    While Suzanne Igdalsky balances her role as race track wife, mother, businesswoman and philanthropist, her greatest memories to date at Pocono involve two very special family members.

    “I have many great memories of growing up here and having my family here,” Igdalsky said. “But my greatest memory was when Doc (Mattioli) and Rose were in good health and were here with us.”

    “Yes, that is the best memory for me.”

     

  • NASCAR BTS: Pocono Raceway Goes to the Dogs

    NASCAR BTS: Pocono Raceway Goes to the Dogs

    Many race fans not only like to camp for the weekend festivities, but they also enjoy bringing along their canine companions.  This week’s NASCAR Behind the Scenes takes a look at what Pocono Raceway is doing to make those four-legged fans feel right at home at the track.

    “We got a mission from the top when Brandon (Igdalsky, President and CEO of Pocono Raceway) said that we needed to think of some ways to continue to bring added value to our race fans,” Ben May, Chief Marketing Officer, said. “So, we came up with the unique idea of creating a Bark Park, a special area where dogs can play while their owners meet and socialize.”

    “We really wanted to attract people that maybe would not come to the race and dogs came to our mind.  We knew that race fans couldn’t come to Pocono Raceway for three days and leave their dogs home alone.”

    May acknowledged that while Pocono has allowed dogs in the infield in the campsite area for the past few years, there is a leash rule that they have to obey. The rules are that the dogs have to be on a leash or a runner and so cannot run freely.

    The Bark Park will address the problem of the leash and will be that newly created spot where dogs can run, play and meet other dogs in a safe place throughout the race weekend.

    “We already allowed dogs here so this was a natural progression for our love for dogs,” May said. “The Bark Park is like the dog park in your town or in your neighborhood. So, it’s a chance to let your dogs off the leash, stretch their legs and to, of course, have an added thing to do at the infield while you are here at the track.”

    The Bark Park will be located in the infield at Pocono Raceway, near the Infield Fan Center on Earnhardt Road. It will be provided free of charge and open to all fans who have secured an infield campsite.  The facility is 100 feet by 100 feet and features a secure gate, obstacles, and size-appropriate exercise areas.

    “Our goal is to have it be just like your dog park at home,” May said. “There will be obstacles there for the dogs, picnic tables for their owners, and places to hang out and talk about racing, dogs or life in general.”

    May anticipates that the Bark Park will be one new place where race fans can go to socialize with other race fans who love their dogs.

    “We found over the years that we have a ton of campers that have come here to Pocono Raceway and they always like to be next to the same people that they met ten years ago,” May said. “So, I think the Bark Park is just this added layer to the bonding and those relationships that the race fans have built amongst themselves.”

    When fans come to Pocono Raceway in June for the first race weekend, the track will be christening the new Bark Park. And fans who come out for that event may just see some of their favorite drivers’ pooches come to play and romp in the new area.

    “We are going to do a grand opening in June and we will definitely extend an invitation to some of the drivers, team owners and the folks in the motor coach lot,” May said. “They all have a ton of dogs so we hope they will come to the Bark Park and let them stretch their legs a little bit as well.”

    There are two other events that will celebrate Pocono Raceway going to the dogs, one a ‘Best in Show’ contest and the other a chance to win a dog house, complete with a porch, and a $200 gift card for dog food.

    To enter the ‘Best in Show’ contest, fans who have an infield camping spot can buy a limited edition Pocono Raceway dog tag.  This tag will be the entry ticket into the contest, where dogs will compete for ‘Best in Show’ prizes. The winning dog will be announced during the infield Block Party on Saturday night of the Pocono race weekend.

    The special dog tag will also grant additional access to the Bark Park for extra hours over and above what the public will receive.

    For more information about the dog tags, camping spots or to purchase tickets, fans can call 1-800-RACEWAY or visit www.poconoraceway.com.

    Fans can also register to win the dog house and the dog food gift card by visiting www.poconoraceway.com/barkpark.  The deadline to enter for this contest is July 31st.

    “When we launch products or new initiatives, we like to have several layers and make it fun,” May said. “And so far we are having a lot of fun planning this Bark Park for our race fans.”

     

  • Excitement Abounds with NASCAR Trackside Superstore Opening

    Excitement Abounds with NASCAR Trackside Superstore Opening

    While some fans have expressed sadness over the elimination of the NASCAR haulers, a fixture for years at each and every racetrack, there was great excitement today as the new NASCAR Trackside Superstore debuted at Pocono Raceway.

    The new superstore appeared at Pocono Raceway like a gigantic circus-like tent the size of 1.5 football fields, with about 60,000 square feet of merchandise. In fact, there was $2.5 million worth of merchandise under the tent available for fans to browse and purchase.

    NASCAR officials, representatives of Fanatics Authentic, the new merchandiser in the superstore, and several Cup drivers, including Kevin Harvick and Martin Truex Jr. were on hand to unveil the new souvenir facility.

    “We’ve seen a lot of ideas and thoughts on paper and we’ve seen results of what the Fanatics group had done throughout other sports industries, but to see it at our race event here in Pocono for the first time, it just knocks you off your feet,” Mike Helton, NASCAR Vice President, said. “The shopping experience our fans now have at the event is incredible.”

    “I’m very excited.”

    “There will be people that go, ‘I’ve been coming here for 20 years. I love the haulers,’ and I know they’re going to be disappointed,” Ross Tannenbaum, Fanatics Authentic President, said. “I think once they shop and get more involved in this, I think they’ll go, ‘I really miss the haulers, but I really like the shopping experience.”

    “The real goal for us is to learn everything we can and offer the best experience we can for the last portion of the 2015 season but make 2016 the real launching pad for what this model will look like when we go to Daytona for the 500 in February,” Tannenbaum continued.

    “That’s our goal.”

    The two drivers in attendance at the superstore debut, Martin Truex Jr. and Kevin Harvick, also pronounced it good.

    “I think it’s awesome,” Truex, driver of the No. 78 Furniture Row/Visser Chevrolet said. “It just seems so much more simple to me.  There’s no trying to find the haulers and not sure where everything is at.”

    “I know for me, the last two years, we get a lot of questions on Twitter and everywhere else about, well I couldn’t find one of your hats last week or this and that. It just makes things a lot simpler in a central location for everywhere.”

    Kevin Harvick, driver of the No. 4 Jimmy John’s Budweiser Chevrolet, echoed his colleague’s positive sentiments about the new store. In fact, he revealed that some of his fan club gatherings will move to the superstore in the future.

    Some of the other features of the new trackside superstore include the ability to touch and feel the merchandise before purchasing, the elimination of long lines at the hauler with the new efficient check-out system, and the future option to have merchandise personalized.

    Another positive feature, at least for the race tracks, are that they too will share in the profits of the new superstore.

    “I can tell you this, in dealing with every one of the tracks, every one of the teams, everyone within NASCAR, the vendors and everybody, they couldn’t be more supportive,” Tannenbaum said, adding that each track will get a share of the sales revenue from the superstore. “Everybody is trying to achieve the same goal which is to improve the retail experience for the fans at a NASCAR race.”

    Even Brandon Igdalsky, the Pocono Raceway President and CEO, acknowledged that all has gone well with the set-up of the tent, even with some rain coming down. His excitement spilled over into social media, with his tweet “Excited to be the 1st track to launch the new @NASCAR Trackside Superstore @poconoraceway @Fanatics #Windows10_400”.

    Fans who visited the superstore for the first time also gave positive reviews. And that after all was the goal of NASCAR in the first place.

    “I think that the winner in all of this is the fan, because the fan’s going to have not just a better experience, but the fan is going to have opportunity for a different product that they currently don’t have an opportunity to have, and to me that’s going to be the game-changer,” Steve Phelps, NASCAR executive vice president and chief marketing officer, said.

    “It’s just a better opportunity to interact with the product and see it.”

     

  • Logano Leads Team Dover to Victory Over Earnhardt Jr. and Team Pocono

    Logano Leads Team Dover to Victory Over Earnhardt Jr. and Team Pocono

    In spite of buying his glove the night before the game, Joey Logano led his Monster Mile softball team to a 12 to 6 victory over the Pocono Raceway team led by Dale Earnhardt Jr., with an assist from Darrell Wallace Jr.

    The game featured media members and corporate sponsors on both teams, as well as other NASCAR celebrities including former driver and broadcaster Todd Bodine. Pocono Raceway President/CEO Brandon Igdalsky also participated, hitting a home run in the game.

    Unfortunately, Igdalsky will still have to wear the ‘I Love the Monster Mile’ T-shirt due to his team’s loss.

    “My team kicked everyone’s butt,” Logano said in the post-game media conference. “This is new for me for sure. I had fun though. I had a blast. I was bummed out when it was over because I wanted to keep playing.”

    In addition to this being the first ever stick and ball game for Logano, Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Darrell Wallace Jr. confirmed that they too were newbies to being at bat and running the bases.

    “I played basketball before but baseball was never really my thing,” Wallace said. “My guys play on the road, especially if they have a day free. They’ll fly in and try to find a baseball field to go play some softball. I got to play with them in Fontana so I had a little leg up.”

    “I was surprised at how well Joey played,” Wallace continued. “He’s good at ping pong and fooz ball. But I did have two runs so I carried my Pocono team.”

    “I never played in school,” Junior said after the game. “We had a company team and I played on it a couple years. So, I had an idea of what I was getting myself into.”

    “But that doesn’t mean I’m very good at it.”

    In addition to the celebrity softball game, the three drivers did talk some about racing, from what races they wanted to win, their best moments in the sport, to what they thought about both of the Dover and Pocono race tracks upcoming in the race schedule.

    For Dale Earnhardt Jr. he has just two tracks that would be most meaningful to him personally to get in the win column.

    “The 600 at Charlotte would be great to win,” Junior said. “I’ve never won a points race at Charlotte. Darlington is a driver’s race track so winning that would mean a lot to me. Those two really would mean the most to me.”

    Darrell Wallace Jr. said that his best racing year to date was last year, winning both with Kyle Busch Motorsports and on the dirt at Eldora.

    “We were really strong with Kyle Busch and everyone on the Kyle Busch team,” Wallace Jr. said. “We picked up four wins in the Truck Series so that was a great time for me, just getting my name out there.”

    “I think what surprised everyone was the Eldora win. I don’t think anybody picked me to win that race. So, that would have to be the best.”

    “Hopefully my best year will be this year,” Logano said. “But last year was the best year of my life getting married. It was an awesome experience. And having a shot at racing for a championship was a highlight. When we got to Homestead, it was just a great year altogether.”

    “Last year was great for me too, winning the Daytona race and getting some other wins,” Dale Jr. said. “We hadn’t won in so long and we weren’t winning races for the last several years. So, to be able to get multiple wins in the season felt good. Winning Daytona early and getting the pressure off for that Chase, which was the first year of the Chase and everybody was nervous. So, that was good.”

    All three drivers shared their excitement about heading to both Dover and Pocono in the next few weeks, enjoying each track for its uniqueness and for the variety of things to do off-track in the area.

    “Dover is great,” Junior said. “It’s a real challenge because the concrete is so challenging. Getting the car to have good balance there and getting it to turn without losing rear grip is tough. So, it’s a real difficult track just going through the weekend from practice to the race. But it’s fun.”

    “There are a lot of great places to go eat around there. It’s a good area. I enjoy it. I think it’s pretty fun and we’re looking forward to it.”

    “Dover for me is a special place, for one being from the northeast, from Connecticut, which is not too far from there. So, I get to see a lot of family that comes there,” Logano said. “I made my first Xfinity start there and barrel rolled the first time I was ever there. I went back there the year after and they had the program that moved and changes.”

    “They had the ‘Monster’ holding my car and then when you moved it, it showed the ‘Monster’ slamming it into the race track. I was like this is great, thanks, glad to be back!”

    “But it’s a special place to me. My XFINITY races have been very good there with four wins. I haven’t had a Cup win there yet, but it’s been close. I consider it my favorite race track. It’s one of those places that you could drive around by yourself on it and you’d never get bored.”

    “It’s just so entertaining being up and down in the race track and the racing is always competitive there. It’s a fun place to be.”

    “I agree with Joey and Junior,” said Wallace Jr. “It’s a fun place all around. In 2012, I had my fourth XFINITY start there and we sat on the pole for the K&N race. After that, I saw Joey and threw the pole flag at him and he ended up winning the race. He comes back to me and he threw the checkered flag back at me.

    “He had signed it ‘To the Pole Sitter from the Race Winner’. I actually have that flag framed in my apartment.”

    “But to be able to sit on the pole several times there is pretty special. It’s a place where you let it all hang out and you never get bored.”

    Dale Earnhardt Jr. also has special feelings for the track known as the ‘Tricky Triangle”, especially after winning both of the two Pocono races.

    “When I won last year, it was the first time I’d ever won at Pocono,” Junior said, “So, that was a great feeling to finally win there. I’ve been going to that track in the summer time for years.”

    “I had no idea we were going to sweep. That was a big surprise. It’s such a difficult race to win. It’s real hard to get around the leader and you have to be up front the whole race. You’ve got to run hard. You can’t afford to let a guy by because it’s so hard to get back around.”

    “We won last year so you go in real happy and excited and expect to do better. I think our cars are faster and better and I hope that trend stays.”

    Of course, the drivers also took a moment to remember Steve Byrnes, after getting the word at the softball game that the broadcaster had lost his battle to cancer.

    “Him and Dad were great friends,” Junior said. “Steve would tell me many, many times stories about my Dad, something they did together or something funny that happened between them. They were good pals.”

    “I was happy that he got to see everything over the past weekend and to see how much he mattered to everybody.”

    “I’ll second what Dale said,” Logano said. “It is neat that he could get to see everything that the NASCAR teams and NASCAR fans did for him last week at Bristol. That was something special. When you get that kind of respect from this industry, it means you are very special.”

    “I got to know him doing some of the Race Hub shows. He was obviously a great person. I got to learn a lot from him. He’d give me little tips and pointers during commercial breaks. We would just talk and I thought that relationship was special. I cherish those moments.”

    In addition to remembering and paying tribute to Steve, all of the drivers took a moment to recognize the fans that came out to the Trenton Thunder ball park to mix in some NASCAR with some baseball. In fact, the line for autographs throughout the game, especially for Dale Earnhardt Jr., often stretched the length of the stadium.

    “I think this is great,” Junior said. “To be at a ball park is a great environment. Everybody is having fun and enjoying themselves. I tired to sign every autograph and to get everyone I could in between.”

    “It’s cool to be recognized in these kinds of places,” Wallace Jr. said. “For me to spend five minutes signing autographs while Junior is spending an hour and five minutes is really cool.”

    “I look up to Dale in a lot of ways and to see him give back to the fans and the sport is really neat. That’s what pushes me.”

    “It is impressive what Dale does with the fans,” Logano acknowledged. “A lot more people like him more than me! I know why and it’s OK.”

    “My life has gotten busier since the Daytona 500 but I cannot imagine what his life is like. He takes the time to meet every fan. I like meeting the fans in person and on social media and to hear what everyone is talking about.”

    So, how did the drivers sum up their softball experience, whether on the losing or winning side?

    “I gave 110 percent out there,” Wallace Jr. said. “And Logano was just awkward. It was like Forrest Gump when he ran, all arms and legs flying.”

    “But he still got his team to Victory Lane.”

     

  • Pocono President Brandon Igdalsky Spends Off-Season Time in Cuba

    Pocono President Brandon Igdalsky Spends Off-Season Time in Cuba

    Pocono President and CEO Brandon Igdalsky admittedly leads an interesting life. But this off-season, he had the unusual opportunity to go to Cuba, joining the select few who were the first to visit the island after President Obama normalized relations.

    “I’m a member of YPO, Young Presidents’ Organization, and the Chair of the Education Committee of the Pennsylvania Chapter and decided we should go to Cuba and check it out,” Igdalsky said. “So, we did so as a chapter and there were 22 couples who went on a Friend to Friend mission. We got a chance to meet some great people, talk to some interesting political folks there from the Cuban government, and talk to the people about the way they see things. We tried to get a real feel for what Cuba was back before all this happened, to see how it is now and to see the potential of what that country can be.”

    While Igdalsky and his fellow travelers were briefed about what to expect on their foray into Havana, he also experienced more surprises than he had expected.

    “The briefing we got the night before we left at our dinner, they said we’re going to land, we’re going to see this big beautiful terminal that the Canadians built and then we will drive right past that and go to the barn at the back of the airport,” Igdalsky said. “And that was pretty much what they did. They sent the Americans to the back of the airport. We didn’t get to go to the new, fancy terminal they had there. I guess it was the original terminal there at the airport.”

    “I was surprised when I got there,” Igdalsky continued. “I was surprised by the people, how much they love Americans and how friendly they are in general.”

    “Tourism has become a big, big piece for them. They are getting three million tourists a year right now. And that’s without the American market. That’s the one thing they are kind of scared about because if the American opens up and everyone wants to go there, they can’t handle it. They are at their capacity right now for what they can sustain tourism-wise. You’ve got eleven million people and you have three million people coming each year. That’s a drain on them. And their economy, the way it is structured, isn’t really geared toward that yet.”

    “You can see change afoot,” Igdalsky said. “You can hear the way they talk about the past, the present and the future. They’re excited about the possibilities of negotiations opening up with the US government and they are really excited about what the future holds for them as a people.”

    “And it’s a very proud country. They are proud to be Cubans. Regardless of all of the political crap that we see, they don’t really see it. They won’t talk about any of that stuff. They just want to talk about life and living and enjoying life as best they can.”

    One of the things that impressed Igdalsky the most was the sheer beauty of the landscape of the island itself.

    “That was one of the things that really blew me away,” Igdalsky said. “I thought it was just going to be all these old buildings that were dilapidated and falling down. And you saw some of that. But you also saw these big, beautiful hotels and resorts and country clubs that they have managed to keep up. So, the structure is already there.”

    Another aspect of Cuba, for which it is well-known, is its older cars. And with Igdalsky being a car guy, that was also of interest to him as well.

    “I knew the older cars were going to be there but I thought that few would be in good shape given the age and the fact that they are on an island with salt water,” Igdalsky said. “I was absolutely blown away by the quality of some of those cars, what they have done to keep them looking fantastic. The interiors looked like they just rolled off the show room floor.”

    “They’ve redone them to almost original spec,” Igdalsky continued. “They have plastic on the leather and cloth so that it doesn’t wear. A lot of them no longer have the original V-8 engines and now are running diesel engines. I was in a ’56 Bel Air and it had a Mercedes diesel five cylinder engine in it. These guys have so much pride in their cars, the same kind of pride we have in our cars. You see that passion for their cars as you talk to them and ride around with them.”

    “As we talked to our driver, he said “Yeah, I have two wives, my wife and my car.”

    While Igdalsky did not do any business particularly as it relates to Pocono Raceway, he did meet some business leaders passionate about their country’s development. And of course, he brought back the obligatory Cuban cigars and rum.

    “There are entrepreneurs there that are starting to change the perception of the country,” Igdalsky said. “There are two hundred some odd jobs where people can be self-employed and don’t have to work for the government. You are seeing some development coming out of the ground floor.”

    “And you see the excitement. We talked to people that had restaurants and other businesses and you could see the excitement as they talked about their love for their country and what the future holds for them, crossing that boundary of the unknown and to be part of the country they love.”

    “I didn’t do any business at all,” Igdalsky continued. “This was all about bringing medical and art supplies to the island. We also did some education stuff as well.”

    “It was a very unique experience. I was there more as a human than as a race track owner or promoter.”

    “As I said, I like to travel and to see that world. I was really surprised by the people and I have a new-found love for the Cuban people and their country.”

     

  • Kurt Busch, Patricia Driscoll and Brandon Igdalsky Announce Troops to Table Poker Event

    Kurt Busch, Patricia Driscoll and Brandon Igdalsky Announce Troops to Table Poker Event

    Brandon Igdalsky, President/CEO of Pocono Raceway, along with NASCAR driver Kurt Busch, Armed Forces Foundation President Patricia Driscoll, and Lorene King, Executive Director of the NASCAR Foundation, announced this morning that the Third Annual Pocono Celebrity Charity Poker Showdown will be held this year on Thursday, July 31st at Mohegan Sun prior to the track’s August race.

    “The last two years, we have hosted the celebrity poker tournament at Mohegan Sun and it’s been a tremendous success,” Igdalsky said. “We’ve always done it for this race but this year we decided to do it prior to our August event with Kurt and Patricia and their Foundation to build this into a bigger and more impressive event than it already is.”

    “They have done a tremendous job of raising big funds and they are going to help us take it to the next level,” Igdalsky continued. “It’s not a big donation to come out and enjoy it. Donations to play start at $250 for your seat to play and VIP meet and greet prior and $150 if you just want to come and be a spectator and take part in the VIP. A $100 donation reserves a seat in the poker tournament and a $50 donation allows for fans to attend the event as spectators. The top-finishing fan will receive a choice between two exciting prizes – a VIP Race Experience at Pocono Raceway or a VIP Stay and Play Experience at Mohegan Sun.”

    “It’s a nice evening and we’re going to make this a kick ass event.”

    All proceeds from this year’s event will benefit both the NASCAR Foundation and the Armed Forces Foundation.

    “We’ve partnered together with the Armed Forces Foundation’s Annual Education Initiative, Operation Caring Classroom,” Lorene King, Executive Director of the NASCAR Foundation said. “This program increases awareness, appreciation and support among children in the military. It impacts 40,000 children across the country in 100 schools.”

    “We’re really honored to be a part of this,” Patricia Driscoll, President of the Armed Forces Foundation said. “We have hundreds of thousands of kids participating in our program. Our families suffer too when it comes to post traumatic stress syndrome.”

    “We’re really excited to partner with the NASCAR Foundation to make our program grow even bigger.”

    NASCAR champion Kurt Busch, one of the drivers who has participated in the past poker competitions, acknowledged that the competition is fierce, even if the cause is charitable.

    “Greg Biffle, he likes to flash around his experience,” Busch said. “But he’s vulnerable in certain areas. I can see the certain cards he likes to play.”

    “The young kids who come in, you don’t know if you’re good at it or not, but they come in and their chip count starts stacking up,” Busch continued. “You have to watch out for those young guys because they can count cards quicker than us old guys. It’s just a lot of fun to watch the sponsors, individuals and then a large group that come to make the donation and be involved in the fun.”

    “It’s also a matter of bragging rights as well for how many celebrities you can take down,” Busch continued. “Mike Helton has come, John Darby and a lot of the NASCAR top officials and we will also have the Truck Series guys to come and participate.”

    “And it’s a competition so all the guys that are up on it trying to advance to the final table are into it,” Busch said. “Mohegan Sun does a phenomenal job to keep it on time. The VIP meet and greet beforehand is very relaxed and effective for the sponsors involved. It’s just a matter of building it up and that’s my job to go and recruit more of the celebrity players. It’s a lot of fun to just sit down, play poker and go at it.”

    “I know I’ll be up on the wheel and on the table.”

    Both Busch and Driscoll spoke passionately that the best part of the whole poker playing evening, however, was that wounded warriors and veterans attended the event, rubbing shoulders with drivers and other celebrities as part of their therapeutic healing process.

    “It’s a lot of fun too with our veterans that come out,” Busch said. “You will see our wounded guys jumping in and playing and it gives them a chance to get into an environment that is relaxed and safe. We’re all doing it for a good cause and it’s for them. We see the smile on their faces and they are energized to be engaged in the tournament.”

    “We will have a lot of veterans at the event. That’s what it’s about,” Driscoll said, echoing Busch’s comments. “We try to bring a lot of guys with PTSD. I don’t want to announce it, but we do. It’s part of our therapy that we have with NASCAR that we bring them to the track. It’s important for them to experience everyday life experiences and to feel special.”

    “To sit there and to talk instead of being shut in at home is really important,” Driscoll continued. “So, we’ll have veterans at the table. They might not announce themselves but I promise they will be there.”

    While both Busch and Driscoll have been dedicated to bringing troops to the race track every week, Busch, as he left the media center to prepare for NASCAR’s first practice at Pocono Raceway, gave the event a new tag line.

    “Instead of troops to the track, it’s troops to the table.”

    For more information on the troops to the table event, visit www.nascar.com/foundation.

  • Aric Almirola and David Ragan Lend A Hand for Military Families

    Aric Almirola and David Ragan Lend A Hand for Military Families

     

    NASCAR Cup competitors Aric Almirola and David Ragan joined together to lend their hands in assembling comfort kits for children whose family members were being deployed through the various branches of the military.

    The event “With You All the Way”, hosted by Pocono Raceway, was sponsored by NASCAR, The NASCAR Foundation, the USO, Comfort Crew for Military Kids, and the Trevor Romain Company.

    “It means a lot to their families and those that wish their loved ones were at home with them,” David Ragan, driver of the No. 32 Taco Bell Ford, said as he packed the comfort kits. “To send a little care package that says, ‘Hey, we’re with you and thinking about you and supporting you’ goes a long way.”

    “It’s great the NASCAR community gets involved at events like this,” Ragan continued. “It means a lot because they are certainly sacrificing a lot.”

    “It’s great to get the fans, the drivers and Miss Sprint Cup involved too,” Ragan said. “It’s the least we can do to say thank you to the military and their families.”

    Ragan shared that he could definitely relate as he has had many family members who have served in the military over the years.

    “I’ve had a lot of family members in service, some in the Air Force and some in the Army,” Ragan said. “My father was a little too young to go to Vietnam but I had a lot of uncles involved.”

    “So I know that it is important to let the military families know we are thinking about them.”

    “Everyone’s enjoying doing this and it puts things in perspective,” Ragan said. “It makes you forget about all those small things that you think are trouble.”

    Richard Petty driver Aric Almirola also participated in the comfort kit assembly line. And for the driver of the No. 43 Smithfield Ford supporting the military is also very personal.

    “It definitely touches a personal spot for me growing up in a military family,” Almirola said. “My dad was in the Air Force and I was born on Eglin Air Force base.”

    “It means a lot to me to be able to give back to these military families,” Almirola continued. “To do something as simple as pack up some boxes for kids and put a smile on their face means so much.”

    One of Almirola’s major tasks was to assemble and dress the teddy bears, complete with flight caps, goggles and scarves.

    “We had a good team going on with a group building these bears,” Almirola said. “Just looking at those bears; it makes me wonder whose hands they’re going to get in.”

    “Hopefully it makes them happy when they get it,” Almirola continued. “It’s really a cool event and it makes me appreciative of our military and all who support our country.”

    Regan

    Like Ragan, Almirola acknowledged that events like this comfort kit assemblage really helped to put his racing life in perspective.

    “It certainly puts a lot of perspective on life in general,” Almirola said. “Without the military and those that keep us free, we certainly wouldn’t be out here riding around on a race track.”

    “I respect those people tremendously and we owe them a lot to what we get to do on a daily basis and for the protection they provide for us,” Almirola continued. “We’re building bears and giving them gifts because they deserve it.”

    “It puts things into total perspective.”

    This unique packing event came about due to the partnership between the NASCAR Foundation and the USO.

    “The NASCAR Foundation approached us to be a part of their “American Salute” campaign this year and wanted to have a way to give back to military families,” Emily Branch, Account Manager for the USO, said. “So, we thought the “With You All the Way” program was a perfect fit and was a good way to get the drivers and the crews engaged.”

    “We have three military families to support the event today and tomorrow they will have a VIP experience at the track,” Branch continued. “We also have some drivers, crew members and general volunteers from the industry.”

    Branch acknowledged that the comfort kits are lifelines for many of the military children at all ages.

    “These kits mean so much to the military children,” Branch said. “They give comfort and provide support.”

    “There is a DVD in the kit and a journal, as well as a caregiver manual,” Branch continued. “The kits are designed by the Comfort Crew for Military Kids.”

    “The Trevor Romain Company is also a partner and we have multiple kits for the deployed, for children of wounded service members, and kits for children of fallen soldiers.”

    The creator of the comfort kits, Co-Founder and Executive Director of the Comfort Crew for Military Kids Ronda Englander, was also on hand for the Pocono packing party.

    “We designed all the elements to be a comprehensive set of resources to help kids with all aspects of deployment,” Englander said. “There is a journal and we feel strongly this is an important way to express their feelings.”

    “It’s an opportunity to document what happens in their lives when their loved one is away,” Englander continued. “One family that received our resources shared that the father who was away cried when he read his daughter’s journal.”

    “That’s how she knew she had gotten her daddy back because he got his feelings back.”

    For Englander, as for the drivers who participated in this packing event, this is also a very personal event and passion.

    “My dad served in Viet Nam so I was a military kid and know a little bit about the sacrifices military families make,” Englander said. “He did not survive his tour.”

    “I was three at the time, Englander continued. “So, this most certainly is a labor of love and most important to me to make sure that this generation of military kids does not feel alone and that they have the support they need to overcome the challenges.”

    “The theme of our deployment kit is “We are with you all the way” and that’s what we want military families to know.”

    Englander also expressed her gratitude to the NASCAR community for their support of the effort.

    “The NASCAR community is such a great fit for our work and for this type of event,” Englander said. “NASCAR fans understand that our military are the true rock stars.”

    “We’re in awe of the drivers here but the NASCAR community is so supportive of the military community,” Englander continued. “It’s a great fit.”

    The other partner in the USO Comfort kit project is one of the most important, the host Pocono Raceway.

    “It’s all about the families and the kids,” Brandon Igdalsky, President and CEO of Pocono Raceway, said. “To be able to give back to the troops and to help for all they do is so worth it.”

    “Of everything in these boxes, the one thing that stands out to me are the teddy bears,” Igdalsky continued. “I know they would be most meaningful to my children.”

    “To see these kids here having fun and helping out makes it all worthwhile.

    For more information on the “With You All the Way” comfort kit project, visit www.comfortcrew.org or www.uso.org.

     

     

  • NASCAR Finding It Is Easy Being Green

    NASCAR Finding It Is Easy Being Green

    In a sport known for gas guzzling, big engine stock car racing, NASCAR has taken very aggressive steps to address its own carbon footprint in the world of racing. As the sport enters its fifth year of environmentally sound initiatives, NASCAR is indeed finding it easy to be green.

    Just two years ago, NASCAR addressed the fuel emissions issue in the sport head on. They forged a partnership with Sunoco, the official fuel of NASCAR and the American Ethanol industry, using Sunoco Green E15, a renewable fuel grown from corn.

    This new fuel, utilized by all three of NASCAR’s top series, emits 20 percent less greenhouse gas emissions than unleaded gas. On top of that, the new fuel actually helped the performance of the engines, with teams reporting an increase of up to 10+ horsepower.

    “There was a significant degree of caution from the start,” Dr. Mike Lynch, managing director for NASCAR’s Green Innovation, said. “We had to take all the risk out through hard work, time and careful analysis.”

    “We needed performance without compromise and we’ve ended up with all the good things and no negative trade-offs,” Lynch continued. “We as an industry have made a ton of progress in terms of green practices and initiatives.”

    One of NASCAR’s most exciting green initiatives is the new, energy efficient power at many of its race tracks. Headlining the solar power effort is Pocono Raceway, whose solar farm just hit a major milestone, the production of 10,000,000 kilowatt hours.

    Pocono Raceway’s solar farm is comprised of 39,960 American-made photovoltaic modules that will ultimately produce over 72 million kilowatt hours of energy over the next 20 years. This will generate enough power to not only light up the track, but also provide electricity to over 300 homes in the area.

    “This is another important milestone for Pocono Raceway”, Brandon Igdalsky, President and CEO of Pocono Raceway, said. “Pocono Raceway strongly believes in the commitment to operate in a more environmentally responsible way and is proud to be the first race track to power our sport with clean, renewable sunlight.”

    “This project demonstrates real sustainability and proves that any business that truly wants to ‘Go Green’ can do it.”

    From solar power to the power of tree planting, NASCAR and its partner the Arbor Day Foundation are helping the sport go green just in time for Arbor Day, Earth Day and National Tree Planting Day.

    In the spirit of the trees, one of NASCAR’s corporate sponsor partners, the 3M Company, just announced that they have just committed to fund the planting of 2,350 trees, one for every lap of the Cup and Nationwide Series racing in the month of April.

    These trees will also serve a restorative purpose as many are being planted in areas hard hit by hurricanes, such as the northeast after Super Storm Sandy; tornadoes, such as in northern Alabama; and areas damaged by fires, such as in Minnesota and Texas.

    Another one of NASCAR’s most intensive green initiatives has been recycling and, from bottles and cans to tires to electronic devices, the sport has been making great headway in reducing its carbon foot print.

    Beverage producers and NASCAR sponsors Coca-Cola and Coors Light have teamed up to not only get their bottles and cans into recycling bins but also to educate fans at the track about the benefits of recycling. Freightliner even provides a BlueTec equipped clean-Diesel rig to transport the Coca-Cola Portable Processing Center at track, which processes 1,000 containers per minutes at the various venues.

    The official tire supplier of NASCAR, Goodyear, also has a recycling program for all NASCAR stock cars as well as the trucks. After every race weekend, tires are transported to Charlotte, NC and recycled for use in power generation and asphalt mixtures.

    Almost 121,000 tires from the Cup, Nationwide and Truck Series in NASCAR are recycled by Goodyear every year.

    NASCAR also recently announced another tire recycling partnership, this one with Liberty Tire Recycling, now the Official Tire Recycler of NASCAR Green.

    “By recycling more than 140 million tires annually, we reclaim nearly 1.5 billion pounds of rubber for innovative, eco-friendly products,” Thomas Carter, Liberty Tire Recycling Vice President of Alternative Fuels, said. “We look forward to enhancing NASCAR Green’s best-in-class recycling program by keeping its discarded tires out of landfills and transforming them into smart, sustainable products that improve people’s lives.”

    Liberty Tire Recycling will also provide GroundSmart Mulch™ to enhance the landscaping of trees that are donated to areas of need throughout the country. The benefit of this rubber mulch is that it lasts longer and prevents the soil from washing away.

    Finally, Liberty Tire Recycling announced that its products, such as rubberized asphalt, will be used to repave race tracks and parking lots at NASCAR venues across the USA.

    “Adding the nation’s premier tire recycling company to our group of Official NASCAR Green Partners will further enhance NASCAR’s position of leadership in sustainability across all sports,” Jim O’Connell, NASCAR Chief Sales Officer, said. “We are pleased to work towards a common goal of reducing the environmental impact of our sport.”

    Other recycling efforts include Safety-Kleen Systems, Inc., who ensures that all oil and lubricants used in racing are recaptured and re-used. Safety-Kleen re-purposes more than 200,000 gallons of race-used oil annually and also provide absorbent products used for cleaning up fluid spills inside the NASCAR garages.

    Finally, NASCAR’s title sponsor, Sprint, is also a partner in green initiatives with their “Recycle for Victory” program. This wireless recycling effort benefits Victory Junction, one of NASCAR’s important children’s charities.

    Sprint is present at every track, in their now famous ‘Sprint Experience’ providing pre-addressed, postage-paid envelopes that fans can use to recycle their old cell phones, batteries and other accessories. Since 2001, Sprint has recycled more than 24 million phones, equaling more than 2,600 metric tons of material.

    One of the most unique green initiatives, however, occurs at Infineon Raceway. At that race track, there are 3,000 sheep living on the property to maintain the grassy areas and the fire lanes around the facility.

    The track also built 15 owl boxes where birds can nest to prey on gophers and other rodents, eliminating the need for pest control.

    While NASCAR as a corporate entity may be finding going green positive and exciting, its drivers and team owners are enthusiastic as well.

    “I think it’s great that we’re looking in these areas on how to make a difference,” Jimmie Johnson, five-time NASCAR champ, said. “Racing is a great proving ground for new technology that can help the country and world to go green.”

    “So, I am excited to see new things coming along and hope there are many more to follow, and really use motorsports as a testing program for that.”

    “The nature of our business is one that we use gas and metals, but that doesn’t mean we should ignore the environment,” Jack Roush, team owner, said. “We have an obligation to the global community to give back.”

  • Doc Mattioli, Father of Pocono Raceway, Receives NMPA Hall of Fame Honor

    Doc Mattioli, Father of Pocono Raceway, Receives NMPA Hall of Fame Honor

    Photo Credit: poconoraceway.com
    Photo Credit: poconoraceway.com

    Just one week shy of the one year anniversary of his passing, Joseph ‘Doc’ Mattioli, father of Pocono Raceway, was remembered in a very special way. Mattioli received one of the sport’s highest honors, induction into the National Motorsports Press Association Hall of Fame.

    “It definitely is a bittersweet moment for our family but it is also a great honor for my grandfather,” Brandon Igdalsky, President of Pocono Raceway, said. “It is a week away from the anniversary of his death and it is a tough week.”

    “We all looked up to and idolized him.” Igdalsky continued. “So, it’s nice to honor him in this way.”

    Mattioli was inducted into the NMPA Hall of Fame by Deb Williams, a family friend and an award winning journalist who has covered the sport of NASCAR for over 30 years. Doc’s love of his life and wife, Dr. Rose Mattioli, was also on-hand, as were many other family members, to witness the honor.

    “Doctor Joseph Reginald Mattioli Jr. was his formal name,” Williams began as she inducted her friend in front of hundreds of NMPA members and former Hall of Famers. “But we all knew him simply as ‘Doc’.

    “The son of Italian immigrants, he called Jersey Shore, Pennsylvania home, moving there after his parents divorced,” Williams continued. “And like many of his generation, he experienced the atrocities of war serving as a Navy corpsman in the Pacific during WWII.”

    “Doc’s military service provided him with the GI Bill and the opportunity to attend Temple University in Philadelphia,” Williams said. “While obtaining his dentistry degree, he met and fell in love with Rose, a podiatry student. Of course we all know her as Dr. Rose.”

    “After graduation, Doc and Dr. Rose opened their respective practices,” Williams continued. “But he followed a different course with his practice, providing office hours no one else did.”

    “They were more like racer’s hours, from early morning to late evening and, needless to say, this was a tiring schedule.”

    “So in the 1960’s he cut back his practice,” Williams said. “It was during this time that he became involved in real estate development in the beautiful Pocono Mountains, including Pocono Raceway.”

    “During this time, Doc became involved with a group of investors who had an idea to construct a major speedway,” Williams continued. “Doc poured his heart and soul into building one of NASCAR’s most challenging tracks.”

    “In fact, he was often found on a bull dozer taking care of business,” Williams said. “His spirit and determination overcame every obstacle he faced and he was a pioneer in NASCAR’s growth in the Northeast.”

    “Today, Pocono Raceway’s Sprint Cup events are among the largest spectator sports events in the state of Pennsylvania,” Williams continued. “At 86 years of age, Doc completed his latest project, a three megawatt solar farm that made Pocono the largest renewable energy sport facility in the world and a leader in NASCAR’s commitment to environmental responsibility.”

    “Today Doc would be described as a workaholic,” Williams said. “But his generation had come through the Great Depression and a World War, so working hard was merely the way you lived your life.”

    “Your word was your bond and you were proud of your family,” Williams continued. “That was a successful life. And Doc was successful not just in business but as a man.”

    “He cared about his family, his employees, his community, race fans, competitors and yes, the media,” Williams said. “Everyone was important.”

    “Doc Mattioli was the father of Pocono Raceway, a compassionate businessman and without him, Pocono Raceway, might not exist.”

    Brandon Igdalsky also remembered his grandfather for his generosity as he, along with his grandmother Dr. Rose, accepted the NMPA honors.

    “His philanthropic side was phenomenal,” Igdalsky said. “For a kid who grew up on a farm, if he had it, he would give it.”

    “He never cared for any recognition for it,” Igdalsky continued. “We had a cousin who thought my grandfather’s name was anonymous because of all he did for charities anonymously.”

    Igdalsky spoke for his entire family when he reflected on the legacy of his grandfather, especially as he followed in his footsteps as President of his beloved race track.

    “I always felt that if I could fill a portion of his heel, let alone his shoe, that I’ve accomplished something in my life,” Igdalsky said. “The man is a legend.”

    “In our family, he is a legend and in our community, he is a legend for what he has done there,” Igdalsky continued. “He had a lot of ideas and sometimes we looked at him like he was out of his mind but growing up in the business and watching him was amazing.”

    “We argued, we agreed to disagree but in the end I understood,” Igdalsky said. “It was his playground and his sand box.”

    “And it’s still his sand box and will always be his sand box,” Igdalsky continued. “That’s why when you roll through the tunnel at Pocono Raceway, the sign says ‘Welcome to Doc’s Place.’

    “My eight year old daughter decided that we needed to put that sign up this year and that sign will be up as long as we’re around.”

    Doc Mattioli joined the other 2013 NMPA Hall of Fame inductees Jim Hunter and Ken Squier. Last year’s inductees included Richard Childress and Ricky Rudd.