The reason why the Pocono raceway is called the ‘tricky triangle’ came back to light after the 2010 crash of Elliott Sadler. If you remember the race, you will remember the condition in which Sadler’s car stood in the middle of the straightway. The car’s engine and a tire were lying on the infield grass. Looking at its condition, no one could have believed that Sadler stepped out of the car unscathed. Which is a mystery in itself.

The bigger question was, where is the footage of that crash? Why is it not in the NASCAR archives? No one knows. No one but Sadler and the NASCAR officials. Dale Earnhardt Jr invited the Sadler brothers in a recent podcast episode, where Sadler made a big revelation about the footage and what happened on the track.

The curious case of Elliot Sadler

The Pocono, in its history, has seen some of the worst crashes in NASCAR. Be it the 1980 crash of Richard Petty, where he dove right into the wall. He lost his right front tire and had a broken neck. Furthermore, who can forget the crash of Bobby Alison, one of the worst crashes of his career where he lost control of his car and crashed with Jocko Maggiacomo? The crash almost killed him. The most recent was the multi-car crash at 2024’s Pocono race, involving Corey LaJoie and Kyle Busch. However, the difference in impact between today’s next-gen cars and late 80 cars is massive. Thanks to that, we don’t see as many injuries now.

The stock cars in 2010 weren’t as safe as the next-gen one but weren’t as dangerous too. This is why the crash, which could have easily caused Sadler’s death, came out with minor injuries. A deep look inside what unfolded on track will give you the gravity of the situation. It all started with just 36 laps remaining in the race. In a dramatic incident, Jimmie Johnson’s car made contact with Kurt Busch’s, sending Busch’s car screaming out of control. The impact propelled Busch’s vehicle onto the infield grass before it violently collided with the protective barriers.

The ripple effects of the rear-end clipping of Busch’s car roped in other drivers too. Although Busch’s car sustained severe damage, it was Sadler who endured the most catastrophic impact. After attempting to avoid the initial collision, Sadler’s car was violently struck from behind by AJ Allmendinger, sending it careening across the infield. The ensuing crash into the concrete barrier was devastating, destroying the front of Sadler’s car and dislodging the engine. The medics took Sadler out and into safety. What is shocking is that there was no video of Sadler’s crash in the entire broadcast. This raised several questions and conspiracy theories. However, no need to scratch our heads anymore, as Sadler has revealed some answers.

On Dale Jr’s Dale Jr Download podcast’s upcoming episode, He said, “NASCAR calls me to the trailer and they have a video of my wreck and they say that will be the last time you see that video. I don’t need to see that. I was nose down and higher than whole catch fence. That’s how high I was.” 

This explains the state of the car. But why was the footage not revealed to the public remains unanswered. There are a lot of unknowns in this curious case of Elliott Sadler. Since Sadler’s crash, has Pocono become any safer?

Is Pocono safer now?

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Pocono Raceway has faced criticism for its safety standards in the last 14 years. It wasn’t until after near-fatal accidents involving Kasey Kahne and Elliott Sadler in 2010 that the track finally installed safety fencing on the backstretch. The track president, Brandon Igdalsky, had promised to make the raceway safer. In a multimillion-dollar safety upgrade, Pocono got a soft-wall barrier and a catch fence.

The track authorities made further improvements in 2016. They increased the length of its SAFER Barrier by 6,600 feet and extended the pit wall by 100 feet. More safety measures, including covering all exterior walls and installing an additional 5,100 feet SAFER Barrier, were added before the start of the 2017 season. If the safety was upgraded, why did IndyCar not race in Pocono after 2020?

One reason could be IndyCar driver Robert Wickens’s crash in the 2018 Pocono race, where he suffered nine specific injuries, including fractures to his spinal cord and neck. Similarly, 2019’s terrifying opening lap crash involving five cars. Felix Rosenqvist was hospitalized following a violent impact with the fence, while another was left upside down on top of a rival’s car. Drivers raised concerns over the safety of Pocono. However, this wasn’t stated as the official reason for the racetrack not being included in IndyCar’s 2020 schedule. There were speculations about the same though. What do you think? Is the Pocono Raceway really safe? Let us know in the comments below.