NASCAR’s new merchandise tent to debut at Pocono

The race weekend marks the unveiling of NASCAR's new approach to team merchandising, said Kevin Heaney, spokesman for Pocono. Instead of individual merchandise trailers, the new NASCAR Fanatics Tent will offer a shaded area for race fans to pick up hats, models, T-shirts and other memorabilia. A ribbon-cutting for the tent is scheduled Friday morning. The tent opens 9:30 a.m. Friday and 8 a.m. Saturday and Sunday.

There'll be no more waiting in line for a clerk inside a merchandise hauler to hand over an item for closer look, Heaney said. "It's all touch and feel," he said. "You can do it yourself."

The new model levels the playing field for smaller race teams that may be unable to afford a merchandise hauler. "We are the first track to have this," Heaney said.

Other attractions include the Pocono Medical Kids Zone, a host of displays including most branches of the military and NASA in the Fan Fair and the Infield Block Party open to the public starting at 4:30 p.m. Saturday. Admission to the block party is a $5 donation per vehicle to the Tunkhannock Township Volunteer Fire Co., and fireworks follow about 9:15 p.m. The Express-Times