Formerly known as the Pennsylvania 500, the Sunoco Red Cross Pennsylvania 500 is the second of two NASCAR Sprint Cup Series stock car races held at the Pocono Raceway in Long Pond, Pennsylvania – the other being the Pocono 500. Starting in 2007, the race was moved from its traditional date, usually in July, to August, swapping dates with the Allstate 400 at The Brickyard.
In 2008, Sunoco, the Pennsylvania-based official NASCAR fuel supplier, and the Philadelphia region of the American Red Cross, came to a sponsorship agreement for the race and charitable events to benefit the American Red Cross in the South Pennsylvania-Philadelphia region. This marked the first time since 1996 that the event once again carried a title sponsor, and was known as something other than just the Pennsylvania 500.
In the 2002 Pennsylvania 500, Bill Elliott became the race's first four-time winner, while also already holding the distinction of being the only driver to win in consecutive years, with all of his wins in 1985, 1988-89, and 2002.