LONG POND, Pa. — The racetrack is ready to go for the NASCAR Cup Series at Pocono Raceway in Monroe County.
"We are expecting our biggest crowd in over 11 years this weekend," said Ben May, Pocono Raceway President.
May hopes a new layout this year gives fans an even closer look at the races and the winners.
"We are on a 15-foot tall, 200-foot long elevated viewing platform that overlooks pit row, overlooks the cup series garage," May said. "We moved Victory Lane into the Paddock, as well, so that everybody that's coming to hang out with us on race weekend will be able to celebrate with all four winners."
May says 60 percent of the fans coming to the big race travel from out of state, giving businesses like Harmony Beverage along Route 940 in Blakeslee one of its busiest weekends of the year.
We have candy and lots of beer. The boys here have been really busy for the whole week stacking up," said Renee Celentano.
With a stockpile closer to the ceiling than the floor, Celentano expects bottles and cans to fly off the shelves quickly as people stop in to buy drinks.
"Everybody is really friendly when they come, especially people that come from other states that aren't locals here," Celentano said.
"Check the parking lot later. You'll see all different license plates out there. You'll get New York, New Jersey, Massachusetts obviously, Pennsylvania. They're coming from all over," said Murphy's Hideaway owner Michael Murphy.
After days of prepping food and taking pre-race catering orders, Murphy says all of his staff will be on the clock at Murph's Hideaway off Route 940 to make sure no customer goes unserved.
"So we have plenty of prep that had to get done for that. We have deliveries coming in every day this week. We got catering that we also do, so we have that going out this weekend, so it's a busy weekend for us," Murphy said.
The once 1,000-acre spinach farm that is now Pocono Raceway had more than 100,000 fans flock to the grounds last year.
Race officials say they are looking forward to passing that number this weekend.
Check out WNEP’s YouTube channel.