New Hampshire Motor Speedway
Track Length: | 1.058 miles |
Race Length: | 300 Miles |
First Race: | July 11, 1993 – Slick 50 300 |
Banking: | 12° (Corners); 2° (Straights) |
Lengths: | 1,500 feet (Frontstretch); 1,500 feet (Backstretch) |
Seating: | 91,000 |
Track History
The NASCAR Nationwide Series first appearance was in 1990. Needless to say, many Cup Series drivers were interested in trying out the course before the track was officially added to the schedule.
In addition to the Nationwide Series, New Hampshire also hosted the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series, Featherlite Modified Series, NASCAR Touring Division and the Busch North Series, NASCAR Touring Division, as well as American Motorcycle Association events.
Built on the site of a former motorcycle road circuit, New Hampshire is a low-banked oval with tight-radius turns which proved to be very challenging. The walls needed a lot of repainting after the initial practice session from both series.
That first race at New Hampshire was completed in 100-degree temperatures, unusual for the region. Mark Martin was the first polewinner with a lap of 126.871 mph, but Rusty Wallace won the inaugural event starting in the 33rd position leaving Martin the runner-up. Davey Allison finished third in what tragically ended up being his final Cup race. Allison was fatally injured in a helicopter crash the next week at Talladega Super Speedway.
In 1997, New Hampshire gained a second date removing North Wilkesboro Speedway from the circuit.
On November 2, 2007, O. Bruton Smith, founder, chairman and chief executive officer of Speedway Motorsports, Inc., agreed to purchase New Hampshire International Speedway from Bob and Gary Bahre. Closing documents were completed on January 11, 2008, finalizing the purchase of the newly renamed New Hampshire Motor Speedway (NHMS).