Blakeslee
Blakeslee is located in Monroe County, Pennsylvania, just 8 miles from Pocono Raceway, making it one of the closest residential communities to the legendary tri-oval. The town provides immediate access to professional racing events including NASCAR Cup Series, Xfinity Series, and ARCA races. Pocono's unique three-turn configuration offers different racing lines and strategies compared to traditional ovals. Local residents enjoy direct routes via PA-115 and I-80 to reach the track in under 15 minutes. The facility hosts major race weekends attracting 50,000+ spectators, plus numerous club racing and track day events throughout the season.
Track day access from Blakeslee centers on Pocono Raceway's extensive HPDE program. Chin Track Days schedules 4-6 events annually on both the tri-oval and infield road course. NASA Northeast Region hosts club racing weekends with practice, qualifying, and wheel-to-wheel competition. PCA hosts time trials and club races with run groups separated by experience level. Track day costs range $300-500 depending on configuration and organizer, with the tri-oval commanding premium pricing due to high-speed straight reaching 180+ mph. The infield road course at 1.27 miles provides tight technical sections ideal for driver development. Most events run 8am-5pm with six 20-30 minute sessions per day.
Local clubs include SCCA Northeast Pennsylvania Region, hosting monthly autocross at Pocono lots and nearby venues. Annual membership runs $115 with event entry around $50-60. The club fields 60-80 cars per event across classes from bone-stock to fully-prepared race cars. Porsche Club Schattenbaum Region maintains an active presence with 300+ members in the region. Monthly meetings occur in nearby Allentown with tech sessions, social events, and organized drives through the Poconos. BMW CCA Genesee Valley hosts autocross and track days. Lehigh Valley Sports Car Club organizes Cars and Coffee meetups and driving tours on Routes 940, 534, and 903 through scenic mountain roads.
Additional track access within 2 hours includes New Jersey Motorsports Park (85 miles southeast), featuring Thunderbolt and Lightning road courses. NJMP operates nearly year-round with 150+ event days. Watkins Glen International sits 120 miles northwest in New York's Finger Lakes region. "The Glen" offers the famous 3.4-mile Grand Prix Circuit with 11 turns and dramatic elevation changes reaching 150+ mph. Summit Point Motorsports Park in West Virginia (210 miles) provides four circuits including the challenging 2-mile main course. Lime Rock Park in Connecticut (100 miles) offers classic New England road racing on 1.53 miles. Each facility welcomes club racers and track day participants through multiple organizing bodies.
Autocross near Blakeslee runs April through October at various locations. SCCA NEPA utilizes Pocono Raceway's vast lots, creating courses 40-60 seconds in length with 60-80 cones defining the layout. Competitors receive 3-6 timed runs with fastest counting for class results. The Philadelphia Region SCCA operates one of America's largest autocross programs (90 miles south) with fields exceeding 100 cars and professional timing equipment. Classes accommodate everything from daily-driven economy cars to purpose-built autocross machines. Novices receive loaner helmets and course walks. Many participants trailer dedicated autocross cars while others drive street cars to events.
Karting facilities accessible from Blakeslee include Lehigh Valley Grand Prix (45 miles south in Allentown), operating a technical indoor track with rental karts reaching 50mph. Arrive-and-drive sessions cost $25-35 per race with memberships reducing per-race pricing. Racing leagues run weekly with season championships. Oakland Valley Race Park (45 miles north in New York) provides outdoor karting on a challenging 0.7-mile circuit. The facility hosts club racing weekends, practice days, and arrive-and-drive rentals. Serious karters compete in regional championships through WKA, IKF, and local clubs. Indoor karting options also exist at F1 Boston (85 miles) and Pole Position Raceway locations in New Jersey.
Rally and rallycross opportunities exist through SCCA RallyCross program, utilizing dirt and gravel venues in the Poconos region. These events combine autocross-style cone courses with loose surface driving, emphasizing car control and rally techniques. Stock vehicles compete alongside modified rally cars. The Northeast also supports stage rally through Rally America and ARA sanctions, with events occurring on closed forest roads. Ice racing runs winter months on frozen lakes in the Poconos, organized by local clubs for those seeking year-round competition. These disciplines offer affordable entry into motorsport with typical event costs under $100.
Blakeslee's location in the Pocono Mountains provides exceptional driving roads for enthusiasts. Route 940 winds through Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area with sweeping corners and elevation changes. Route 903 connects to Route 115 creating popular loop drives. These roads attract sport bike groups, sports car clubs, and solo enthusiasts year-round. The region's tourism infrastructure supports motorsport with hotels, restaurants, and automotive services. Performance shops in nearby Stroudsburg and Bartonsville provide parts, fabrication, and tuning. The population of approximately 1,500 swells during race weekends as motorsport fans arrive from New York City (80 miles), Philadelphia (95 miles), and the greater Northeast corridor for both professional racing and club events.