Last month, New Hampshire Motor Speedway held its ‘Race to Benefit Education’ draft at the Legislative Office Building in Concord, N.H. On Sunday, NASCAR Sprint Cup Series driver Kasey Kahne won the LENOX Industrial Tools 301, a race that will now benefit the city of Nashua, N.H., with a $20,000 education grant on behalf of zMax and the speedway. Kahne was one of two drivers chosen by school board president Robert Hallowell to represent Nashua, one of 13 cities taking part in ‘The Magic Mile’s’ inaugural event. ‘What an exciting and creative way to offer education aid to our schools,’ said Nashua Mayor Donnalee Lozeau. The original premise of the ‘Race to Benefit Education’ was to hold a NASCAR-themed draft that paired 26 drivers with 13 city representatives across the Granite State, awarding $20,000 in education grants to the city that chooses the winning driver of the 20th annual LENOX Industrial Tools 301. The cities represented included Berlin, Claremont, Concord, Dover, Franklin, Keene, Laconia, Lebanon, Manchester, Nashua, Portsmouth, Rochester and Somersworth. Jerry Gappens, executive vice president and general manager of the speedway, picked cities at random from a ping pong ball spinner, with the first pick going to Lebanon. Nashua picked fifth and chose Kasey Kahne and Brad Keselowski, who finished fifth in Sunday’s LENOX Industrial Tools 301. Several Nashua employees and families from the Gate City attended the race to cheer Kahne to Victory Lane. As part of the ‘Race to Benefit Education,’ each city was awarded tickets for locals to come and cheer their choices.(NHMS)(7-16-2012)
