Pocono Raceway has sent its Jet Dryer to Philadelphia to assist with the reconstruction of Interstate 95.
Secretary of Transportation Mike Carroll reached out to the raceway on Wednesday to ask about the piece of equipment, explained Pocono Raceway President Ben May. Carroll was previously a state representative from Luzerne County, and the raceway also has a relationship with Gov. Josh Shapiro, who as attorney general promoted drug take backs during NASCAR weekends.
“So thankfully both of those gentleman are big NASCAR fans” and knew that the raceway has this type of equipment, May said. Racecars have no treads on their tires, so the venue must be able to dry out its track.
Last year:Drug take back brings in 123-pound haul at Pocono Raceway’s NASCAR weekend
In this case, the Jet Dryer will be used if the new, temporary surface of I-95 needs to be dried out before lines are painted.
The Jet Dryer operates at “a slow roll at a very high heat,” May said.
Specifically, it runs at 1,400 degrees Fahrenheit. The Jet Dryer wouldn’t be operated in a pouring rain, May said, but would quickly dry the surface in a mist or light rain, or in dry conditions after precipitation ends.
A crew left Pocono Raceway around 9 a.m. Thursday and could be seen in the I-95 livestream by early afternoon.
A section of the northbound lanes of the elevated highway collapsed early June 11 after a tractor-trailer hauling gasoline flipped over on an off-ramp and caught fire. State transportation officials said the driver, who was killed, lost control around a curve. The resulting damage necessitated demolition of the southbound lanes as well, officials said.
More:I-95 traffic to resume this weekend with permanent repair to follow, Gov. Josh Shapiro says
Temporary lanes are expected to open this weekend.
Pocono Raceway is looking forward to multiple NASCAR races from July 21 to 23 and is on track for “really strong attendance,” May said.
“Looking forward to getting I-95 open so people can get to Pocono Raceway a little easier, selfishly,” he laughed.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
