Why New Hampshire Motor Speedway is the Most Underrated track in NASCAR

Why New Hampshire Motor Speedway is the most underrated track in NASCAR

By Brian H Cotnoir

Once a year the NASCAR Cup Series makes a journey to the quaint New England town of Loudon, New Hampshire.  For almost, 30 years the NASCAR Cup Series has held at least one race in the Granite State.   The inaugural race in 1993 was actually the first Cup Series Race held in New England since Bobby Issaac won at Thompson Motor Speedway during the 1970 season.   The first NASCAR Cup Series race was a success, but in a moment of bittersweet tragedy, it would turn out to be the last career start for future NASCAR Hall of Famer, Davey Allison, who tragically passed away from severe injuries he sustained in a helicopter accident the day after the race was run.  

The Track opened in 1990 after being constructed by brothers Dick and Bob Bahre.   The Bahre Brothers had wanted to bring big-time NASCAR racing back to New England for some time, and when the track opened in 1990 it hosted the--then named-- Busch Series.   For a while New Hampshire Motor Speedway hosted two 300-lap NASCR Cup Series races (one in the summer and one in the fall).  NHMS has hosted some of the biggest races in NASCAR.  From 2004 to 2010 New Hampshire Motor Speedway was the opening round of the NASCAR's "Chase for the Cup", before being moved to the second round of the Chase in 2011.  After the 2017 season, New Hampshire was dropped from the 10-race Chase format all together and since then has only hosted the one summer race.

In 2000 New Hampshire Motor Speedway was at the center of one of the most tragic times in NASCAR history.  Drivers Adam Petty and Kenny Irwin Jr. died from injuries sustained in separate incidents at the track in 2000.  The sport was shook by the death of these two drivers, and I can even recall talk of drivers boycotting the summer race at the track that year.  The race went on as planned, but with all drivers running restrictor plates (like what they usually only run at Daytona and Talladega).   The race was won by Jeff Burton, who led all 300 laps of the race, the last time (to date) a driver has led from flag-to-flag.

New Hampshire Speedway has hosted it's some of the most exciting and emotional races too.  In 1996, two years after almost losing his life in a accident during practice at Michigan International Speedway, Ernie Irvan returned to Victory Lane at New Hampshire Speedway.  After having his career sidelined, due to blood clots, Brian Vickers, running a part-time schedule for Michael Waltrip Racing, would win his 3rd and final career Cup Series race at New Hampshire after a late race charge to hold off 3-time Cup Series Champion Tony Stewart.  And in 2001, the track actually was the final race of the most emotional season in Cup Series history.   The race was had to be rescheduled due to the National Tragedy that was the September 11th attacks and the race was run two months later.  road course Ringer, Robby Gordon, filling in for an injured Mike Skinner, won his first career NASCAR Cup Series Race at New Hampshire by giving that year's Champion, Jeff Gordon (no relation) by giving him the old bump 'n dump.

I know a lot of NASCAR fans associate drivers pulling off "Upset Victories" at tracks that run restrictor plates (I.E. Daytona & Talladega) but New Hampshire Motor Speedway has also seen its fair share of upset and first-time winners.  Ricky Rudd's first win as an Owner-Driver came at New Hampshire in 1994, and Joe Nemechek, Robby Gordon, Ryan Newman, Clint Bowyer, and Joey Logano all got their first career Cup Series wins at New Hampshire Motor Speedway.   And just this past summer, we saw Aric Almirola score this 3rd career Victory (his first non-Superspeedway win).  New Hampshire is also where Joey Logano became the Youngest Winner in Cup Series History (albeit due to a rain shortened race) and where Cole Custer became the youngest winner in the NASCAR Truck Series at just 16 years old).   It is a track that is great for developing talent, and also is a great track that provides upset winners.

New Hampshire Motor Speedway will always hold a special place in my heart.   As a lifelong New Englander, it is what I consider "My Home Track".   The First Cup Series Race I went to was at New Hampshire Motor Speedway in 2001, and I even had the privilege of being there for the first ever NASCAR Chase Race in 2004 as well.  An interesting fact about the track is that it is the only track that presents you with an edible trophy, as the winner of the summer New Hampshire race is typically awarded an (approximately) 20-pound lobster as a trophy as well; lobster is presented by Makris Lobster & Steak House in Concord, NH.  After the photos it is typically cooked at the restaurant and its meat sent to the race winner to be consumed at a later date.