Pocono track founder Mattioli dies

Autoracing Betting Lines

01/26/2012 - Long Pond, PA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Dr. Joseph Mattioli, the founder and chairman of the board of Pocono Raceway, passed away on Thursday at the Lehigh Valley Hospital Center in Pennsylvania, following a lengthy illness. He was 86.

Known as "Doc," Mattioli founded the 2.5-mile Pocono racetrack in the early 1960's and had been at the helm of the track ever since. Pocono has hosted 68 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races to date.

"The entire NASCAR family is saddened by the loss of a true icon in our sport, Dr. Joe Mattioli," NASCAR chairman and chief executive officer Brian France said in a statement. "Doc's relationship with my family reaches three generations, all the way back to my grandfather [NASCAR founder William H.G. France]. His passion for the sport will live on in the hearts of his family and our fans. His contributions to our sport are wide-spread. We have lost a great leader - and a great person. NASCAR offers its deepest condolences to his wife, Rose, and the entire Mattioli family."

Pocono is the only remaining family owned-and-operated track on the current Sprint Cup schedule.

In 2009, Mattioli received the Philanthropic Lifetime Achievement Award presented by the Association of Fundraising Professionals for his contributions to local civic organizations, hospitals, schools and charities. He served on the board of directors of numerous organizations and was dedicated to improving the quality of life in Northeastern Pennsylvania.

Mattioli is survived by his wife, Rose, daughters, Louie and Michele, and son, Joseph Mattioli III, seven grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.

Service arrangements for Mattioli were not announced as of Thursday afternoon.

Wwwcomissioneronline Autoracing Betting News

<< Earthquakes sign GK Busch to new contract
San Jose, CA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The San Jose Earthquakes signed goalkeeper Jon Busch to a new contract Thursday. Busch, 35, joined the Earthquakes in March of 2010 and has 14 shutouts - seven in each of his two seasons - for the squad. He st

<< NASCAR not making any big changes for 2012 season
Charlotte, NC (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Unlike 2011, NASCAR will not make any major alterations in its rules for the upcoming season. Officials from the sanctioning body, including NASCAR chairman and chief executive officer Brian France

<< Vallecano adds Brazilian Costa from Atletico
Madrid, Spain (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Rayo Vallecano signed Brazilian striker Diego Costa on loan from Atletico Madrid on Thursday. Costa, 23, joins Vallecano until the end of the season but there is no option to buy the player at the end of the

<< Chattanooga to kick off 2012 at South Florida
Chattanooga, TN (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga football team will kick off its 2012 season at South Florida and play five home games as part of an 11-game schedule announced Thursday. The Sept. 1 season opener

<< France will play Iceland, Serbia before Euros
Paris, France (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - France will play friendlies against Iceland and Serbia in May in preparation for the Euro 2012 tournament in Poland and Ukraine. France will play Iceland on May 27 and Serbia four days later. The French

Yanks sign P Kuroda >>
Bronx, NY (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The New York Yankees signed pitcher Hiroki Kuroda to a one-year contract on Thursday. Kuroda has spent his entire four years in the majors with the Dodgers and went 13-16 with a 3.07 earned run average ove

San Jose signs forward Guvenisik >>
San Jose, CA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The San Jose Earthquakes signed forward Sercan Guvenisik on Thursday, pending receipt of his P-1 visa. Guvenisik, 31, comes to MLS from SC Preussen Muenster of the Bundesliga 3. He scored 14 goals in 56 leagu

Indians place P Carmona on restricted list >>
Cleveland, OH (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The pitcher formerly known as Fausto Carmona was placed on Major League Baseball's restricted list by the Cleveland Indians on Thursday following his arrest of double identity last week. Carmona, wh

Indians sign Wheeler to minor league deal >>
Cleveland, OH (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Cleveland Indians signed right-handed pitcher Dan Wheeler to a minor league contract that includes an invitation to the team's spring training. Wheeler spent the 2011 campaign with the Boston Red

Penn State pays tribute to Paterno >>
University Park, PA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - If there was a common thread for Thursday's public memorial service for Joe Paterno, it's that he was much more than a football coach. He might have recorded 409 victories during a 46-year ten

It's less than a month until the NHL hockey betting season opens at MySportsbook.com and preparations are underway for another battle in the race to hoist Lord Stanley's mug in 2007.

As cup crazy fans prepare to place their bets, one online sportsbook ,MySportsbook.com, is offering hockey betting lines on the 2007/2007 Stanley Cup , who will bring it home this upcoming season.

Despite a poor showing in last season's playoffs and the loss of Steve Yzerman to retirement, the Detroit Red Wings are early favourites at this online sportsbook with wagering odds of 6-1. The Wings will look to offensive powerhouse Pavel Datsyuk and newly appointed captain Nicklas Lidstrom to lead one of the league's most prominent franchises.

Always a threat are the Ottawa Senators, with newly acquired goaltender Martin Gerber from the Stanley Cup champion ,Carolina Hurricanes. The Sens are second best in the rankings at a 7-1 bet, and odds makers at this sportsbook are optimistic that the Ottawa squad will fare better than last season's Eastern Conference semi-final upset to the Buffalo Sabres.

Also worth noting are the defending Stanley Cup champs Carolina Hurricanes, a 10-1 bet to repeat. Behind the Canes are the New Jersey Devils, Calgary Flames, Buffalo Sabres, Philadelphia Flyers, and Anaheim Mighty Ducks all sit at 12-1. In the basement are the Washington Capitals, Chicago Blackhawks, and St. Louis Blues who all have 100-1 odds to win.

To visit this online sportsbook got to MySportsbook.com for all your hockey betting needs.