NASCAR Stars Featured On Dirt In First Race Under Lights At NHMS’s New Flat Track

Story By: KRISTEN LESTOCK / NHMS – LOUDON, NH – New Hampshire Motor Speedway’s newest racing surface, The Flat Track, will host the first ever race under the lights on Friday, July 19.

Friday Night Dirt Duels presented by New England Racing Fuel will be headlined by the U.S. Legend Cars International and the USAC Dirt Midget Association and feature a night of short track racing with NASCAR stars on the 0.25-mile dirt track during the Foxwoods Resort Casino 301 weekend.

“We’re always looking for ways we can improve the fan experience and add new features to our race weekend to give fans more opportunities to see the drivers and enjoy racing,” said David McGrath, executive vice president and general manager for New Hampshire Motor Speedway. “The Friday Night Dirt Duels will be a low cost, high energy event with some fan-favorite drivers racing in a short track setting. This is going to be a great show for New England race fans.”

Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series drivers Corey LaJoie and Daniel Hemric will race in the 35-lap U.S. Legend Cars International feature event with fellow Cup Series driver Ryan Blaney serving as Grand Marshal. The winner will take home $2,000, which is the largest legends purse in the Northeast this season. LaJoie, Hemric and Blaney will be in town for the Foxwoods Resort Casino 301 on Sunday, July 21 on the 1.058-mile speedway.

“It’s been forever since I drove a legend car and I’ve never raced anything on dirt,” said LaJoie. “I’m sure I’ll figure out the new flat track at NHMS pretty quick and put on a good show with Hemric.”

The 30-lap USAC Dirt Midget Association race marks their first appearance at New Hampshire Motor Speedway.

“This is an incredible opportunity for our teams to be racing at such an iconic venue such as New Hampshire Motor Speedway,” said Mark Hann, series director for USAC Dirt Midget Association. “The fans will be seeing a historic event since this will be the first time that a USAC and NASCAR race takes place on the same weekend at the same facility in New England.”

Heat races start at 7:30 p.m. with gates opening and practice starting at 6:00 p.m. Tickets, which include open garage and pit access, are $10 for adults with kids 12 and under free. This is a typical dirt track setting with standing room style viewing and fans are encouraged to bring lawn chairs and blankets for seating. While coolers are not allowed at The Flat Track, $3 draft beer or hot dogs will be available while supplies last as part of the speedway’s fans first pricing.

This event will replace the Fan Jam, which was previously held in the speedway’s infield.

The Flat Track, located directly behind the North East Motor Sports Museum, is the first track to be built in New England in the last 25 years. Crews turned roughly 186,095 square feet of ground and 3,000 tons of clay to build the 0.25-mile track. Construction began last fall, and a ribbon-cutting ceremony took place on June 6, 2019. Motorcycles will be the first to race on the new surface on June 15 when American Flat Track, “America’s Original Extreme Sport,” takes over the venue during Laconia Motorcycle Week.