An NFL star driving the Toyota pace car; Gravity-defying air stunt shows; zip-line thrills; the General Lee from the ‘Dukes of Hazzard’; the world’s fastest drum solo; a 20-pound lobster named ‘Loudon;’ a skydiving team; a record-celebration of the 200th anniversary of the National Anthem and – oh, by the way – five major NASCAR races. Welcome to New Hampshire Motor Speedway and Camping World RV Sales 301 weekend. ‘We’ve got a three-ring circus to beat this week,’ joked Jerry Gappens, executive vice president and general manager of the speedway. ‘Fasten your seatbelts, we are ready to take you on a high-speed entertainment adventure this weekend.’
On track, this could be a drama-filled week that produces several different storylines. The Magic Mile boasts a rare streak in racing, with 12 different winners in the last 12 Sprint Cup races, the longest current streak on the NASCAR circuit. Friday is highlighted by group-style knockout qualifying for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series and the inaugural Whelen All-Star Shootout for the NASCAR Whelen Modified Series. It’s the only other all-star event in NASCAR besides the Sprint All-Star race in Charlotte. On Saturday, one of four Nationwide drivers will win a $100,000 bonus in Loudon.
The weekend features the most diverse and exciting weekend of racing on the NASCAR schedule. It includes five major races, featuring four NASCAR series. To compliment all the on-track action, speedway officials have beefed up the off-track entertainment experience for fans attending the largest sporting event in New England. Here’s a sample the ‘must see’ action:
Recycled Percussion blows the lid of pre-race
National Anthem 200th Anniversary
Patriot Games: New England Patriots wide receiver Julian Edelman drives Pace Car.
Team Fastrax Skydiving Team will deliver the starting flag from above this weekend
On Friday, the NASCAR Whelen Modified National and Southern series All-Star Shootout General Lee, the famous Dodge Charger driven by the Duke cousins in the television series, ‘The Dukes of Hazzard,’ will be on display at the speedway.
New England tradition: The winner of this year’s Camping World RV Sales 301 will receive ‘Loudon the Lobster’ from Makris Lobster & Steak House in Concord, N.H., a 20-pound crustacean caught off the coast of New Bedford, Mass. ‘We’ll have parachute jumpers delivering the green flag to start the race,’ said Gappens. ‘Our pre-race concert will feature a world speed record drum solo. And this weekend, we’ll see a 15-year old suit up to compete in one of our major races. He can’t even drive legally on the streets and this kid is faster than most adults at NHMS.’ Tickets are available for all three days of racing at NHMS. Ticket purchases can be made online at NHMS.com, by phone at 603-783-4931 or at any trackside ticket gate. A complete listing of activities and schedule of events is available at www.nhms.com.(NHMS)
