NEW HAMPSHIRE MOTOR SPEEDWAY NEWS/RUMORS
Address:
PO Box 7888
Loudon, NH 03307
Phone: (603) 783-4931
Fax: (603) 783-9691
Track Specs:
Superspeedway: 1.058 mile oval
Turns: Banking: 12 degrees; Striaghts: 2 degrees
Length of Straights: Frontstretch - 1500ft; Backstretch - 1500ft
Grandstand Seating: 91,000
Race Title Sponsors:
July - LENOX signed thru 2009 [plus options]
September - Sylvania signed thru 2012
Websites:
www.nhms.com
www.nhis.com
Was New Hampshire International Speedway until SMI bought the track in late 2007/early 2008 and renamed it New Hampshire Motor Speedway
- Bahre Makes Large Donation To Loudon: Bob Bahre has sold his NASCAR racetrack in Loudon, but he's not forgetting the track's neighbors. Without fanfare, Bahre gave Loudon selectmen $450,000 this month and asked them to split it between a half dozen churches, the town library and students struggling to afford college. He said he didn't want them to make a big deal about where the money came from. Bahre helped many community organizations in the 20 years he ran the New Hampshire International Speedway before selling it last fall for $340 million. Library trustees and church elders are considering how to spend the money, and Merrimack Valley High School predicts the gift will help up to 15 of their students attend college in the fall.(wmur.com)(5-1-2008)
- New Hampshire Motor Speedway Launches New Internet Site: New Hampshire Motor Speedway has a totally new look on the worldwide web. NHMS.com maked its debut Wednesday with a design that is informative and fan-friendly. New features include a fan forum, where guests can share their experiences at the speedway, offer suggestions, and make new friends. Audio, video, and photo galleries will offer an inside look at the activities and growth at New Hampshire Motor Speedway. Interactive weekly polls will track the pulse of the fans on today’s most important racing questions.(NHMS PR)(4-17-2007)
- NHMS Tix Renewals Completed, all remaining tix on sale now: With annual ticket renewals and upgrades complete, all remaining tickets for the June 29 LENOX Industrial Tools 301 Sprint Cup Series race at New Hampshire Motor Speedway (NHMS) are now on sale, first-come, first-serve. "Our renewal rate is at an all-time high thanks to our loyal fans, and because last year's race featured an exciting duel in the final lap," said Jerry Gappens, Executive Vice President and General Manager of New Hampshire Motor
Speedway. "NASCAR Sprint Cup racing is well-received here in the Northeast. All 26 of our Sprint Cup Series races have sold-out in advance. We want the general public to know that, if they act quickly, there is a window of opportunity to secure tickets to the LENOX Industrial Tools 301 from our box office at face value." The New Hampshire Motor Speedway ticket office is open Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tickets can be purchased by calling Guest Services at (603) 783-4931 or by visiting the Speedway online at www.nhms.com.(NHMS PR)(2-27-2008)
- Speedway Motorsports Completes Purchase of New Hampshire Facility: Closing documents were completed today [1/11/2008], finalizing Speedway Motorsports, Inc.'s purchase of New Hampshire Speedway, Inc. d/b/a New Hampshire International Speedway, from Bob and Gary Bahre for $340 million in cash. The completed purchase was announced today by O. Bruton Smith, founder, chairman and chief executive officer of Speedway Motorsports, Inc. Smith also announced, to better align with other SMI-owned speedway brands, New Hampshire International Speedway was being renamed New Hampshire Motor Speedway. "New Hampshire Motor Speedway is a wonderful addition to our strong portfolio of tracks and provides the opportunity for our company to expand into a new market," said Smith. "Bob and his staff have made this a smooth transition since we announced our agreement in Texas on November 2. We look forward to many successes in our operation of the New Hampshire Motor Speedway." Earlier, Smith announced the promotion of long-time SMI executive Jerry Gappens to Executive Vice president and General Manager of the facility, which hosts two NASCAR Sprint (formerly NEXTEL) Cup Series events each year. Gappens has relocated from Charlotte, N.C. and has assumed his new duties at the Speedway.
"Thanks to the support of our loyal fans, dedicated sponsors, and wonderful employees, the Speedway has grown more than Gary and I ever could have imagined," said Bob Bahre, former Chairman of the Board. "We are looking forward to working with Bruton, Jerry, and their team and fully supporting them in their efforts to take this to a higher level for our fans." Bahre will remain associated with the facility he built as a consultant. Located on approximately 1,100 acres, the multi-use complex is the largest sports facility in New England and features a 1.058-mile oval speedway, with chairback seating for 92,000 spectators, and a 1.6-mile road course. The Speedway hosts the only Sprint Cup Series, Nationwide (formerly BUSCH) Series and Craftsman Truck Series events in the six-state New England region. Both Sprint Cup Series races regularly sell out and exceed the NFL Super Bowl in attendance. With the addition of New Hampshire Motor Speedway, SMI will own race tracks in the Northeast, Southeast, Southwest, and West, including four of the nation's top-10 metropolitan markets. Speedway Motorsports, Inc. will promote 13 NASCAR-sanctioned Sprint Cup races in 2008 and nine NASCAR-sanctioned Nationwide Series events. Combined seating for the seven SMI facilities will exceed 850,000 permanent seats. Tickets for all NASCAR events at New Hampshire Motor Speedway, including the LENOX Industrial Tools 301 on June 29 and the SYLVANIA 300 on September 14, are available online at www.nhms.com or by calling Guest Services at (603) 783-4931.(NHMS PR)(1-11-2008)
- July NHIS race gets an extra lap: It’s time for NASCAR to open the record books. Today, Lenox Industrial Tools and New Hampshire International Speedway (NHIS) announce they have gone the EXTRA MILE – literally – with the creation of the Lenox Industrial Tools 301. For the first time in history, the length of a Sprint Cup Series race will be 301 laps. The EXTRA MILE was added in honor of Lenox customers – users and suppliers of industrial tools – who perform physically demanding jobs, yet receive little recognition. To celebrate their efforts, Lenox announces the EXTRA MILE HERO program. Lenox will conduct a hero search throughout 2008. Ten finalists will be chosen to receive a cash prize and a matching donation to a charity of their choice. One grand prize winner will have a chance to win one million dollars to split with their selected charity. Finalists will also be honored at the 2009 Lenox Industrial Tools 301 at NHIS. “Our goal here at New Hampshire International Speedway is to always go the extra mile for our guests,” said Jerry Gappens, Executive Vice President and General Manager of New Hampshire International Speedway. “This is a great way, through our partnership with Lenox, to acknowledge everyone who goes
the extra mile each and every day. If you look at the history of the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, how many times have you heard the second place driver say, ‘If I only had one more lap?’” Tickets for the June 29 Lenox Industrial Tools 301 are on sale now, buy calling Speedway’s Guest Services at (603) 783-4931 or visit www.nhis.com.(12-14-2007)
- New NHIS owner may have to comply with legal agreements in place: A legal agreement limiting alcohol sales and banning concerts, night racing and drag racing at New Hampshire International Speedway could tie the hands of the track's new owner. Earlier this month, Texas racing magnate O. Bruton Smith announced the purchase of the Loudon track from owner Bob Bahre for $340 million. Smith says his company will review the commitments Bahre made to neighbors and looks forward to a friendly relationship with them. Those commitments include a legal agreement negotiated with residents of neighboring Canterbury that limits alcohol sales and consumption in the track, bans certain types of events and requires noise and traffic mitigation during big events. The group, Concerned Racetrack Neighbors, negotiated the deal with Bahre and the Loudon Planning Board in 1989. They say they reached the agreement amicably, and its provisions were attached to the deed and plan to make sure it would carry over to subsequent owners.(AP/WCSH6.com and more at Concord Monitor)(11-14-2007)
- LMS's Gappens heading to NHMS [NHIS]: Speedway Motorsports Inc. Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Bruton Smith has promoted Jerry Gappens to the position of Executive Vice President and General Manager at New Hampshire Motor Speedway. On Nov. 2, Smith announced Speedway Motorsports Inc. had reached an agreement to purchase New Hampshire International Speedway from Bob and Gary Bahre. The $340 million transaction should close early in the first quarter of 2008, and the name of the facility will become New Hampshire Motor Speedway. Gappens, 46, has worked in the motorsports industry for 25 years and brings a successful 15-year track record of promoting SMI events to Loudon,
N.H. Most recently, Gappens served as senior vice president of events and marketing for Lowe's Motor Speedway, SMI's flagship facility located near Charlotte, N.C. Gappens was responsible for promoting a wide array of annual events hosted at the multi-use motorsports complex, including three Nextel Cup race weekends and three major car shows. A Windfall, Ind., native, Gappens joined LMS in 1993 as publicity director. He was promoted to director of communications in 1995 and named vice president of promotions and public relations in 1996. In 2002, Gappens was honored as NASCAR's Most Valuable Public Relations Representative. He was promoted to senior vice president of events and marketing at LMS in
2005. Prior to joining Lowe's Motor Speedway, Gappens worked as an account executive for Sales Consultants, a national contingency search firm in New Jersey. He also worked with National Speed Sport News, a leading weekly motorsports publication, for eight years and served as a pit reporter for ABC Sports' coverage of the Indianapolis 500; various CART, NASCAR and IROC races; and the Monaco Grand Prix Formula One event. Active in various civic and charitable organizations, Gappens has served on several boards in the Charlotte region, including the Charlotte Visitors and Convention Bureau, Cabarrus Regional Chamber of Commerce, UNC-Charlotte Athletic Foundation, Speedway Children's Charities and the 600 Festival. Gappens, who will relocate from Charlotte to New Hampshire, has two sons, Denny (22) and Wes (21). In 2008, New Hampshire Motor Speedway will host two NASCAR Sprint Cup races, the Lenox Industrial Tools 300 on June 29 and the Sylvania 300 on Sept. 14. Ticket information can be obtained by calling (603) 783-4931 or online at www.nhis.com.(LMS PR)(11-14-2007)
- Statement from Bob Bahre about the NHIS sale: Bob Bahre, Chairman of the Board of New Hampshire International Speedway (NHIS), on the agreement to sell NHIS to Speedway Motorsports, Inc. "Gary and I would like to thank all of our employees and loyal fans for their continued support of New Hampshire International Speedway over the past 18 years. Our success is due to their dedication and to the loyalty of our corporate partners including SYLVANIA, LENOX Industrial Tools, and Camping World. We look forward to working closely with Bruton Smith and his team during the upcoming transition and for years to come."(NHIS PR)(11-3-2007)
- Statement from Brian France, NASCAR Chairman and CEO concerning New Hampshire being sold: Today’s announcement that Speedway Motorsports Inc. has purchased New Hampshire International Speedway is yet another indication that the NASCAR industry continues to grow and thrive. Capitalizing on NASCAR’s national appeal and growth, the Bahre family created a passionate fan base and developed a valuable venue that has hosted the largest sporting events in New England including 26 consecutive sellouts. The success of NHIS, and the desire of the Bahre family to sell, made the track very attractive to SMI and several other interested buyers. SMI has a highly regarded record for hosting some of the most successful and enjoyable race events in all of NASCAR, and there’s no doubt that will continue. While we don’t have any details about SMI’s plans for NHIS, all sanctions for 2008 have been signed and finalized. As a result, there will be no location changes to the 2008 schedule that was released last month. This is important to the fans, competitors, broadcast partners and sponsors who have already made plans for the 2008 races. Looking beyond 2008, NASCAR will continue to consider requests by any track operator, including SMI, to relocate race dates. Under NASCAR’s “realignment” plan, we have worked with track owners to relocate race dates to meet the needs of our growing national fan base. Ultimately, any change must meet NASCAR’s objectives and serve our fans. The industry owes Bob and Gary Bahre a debt of gratitude for their leadership and commitment to NASCAR. All of NASCAR wishes the Bahre family well during this time of transition. They will always be considered pioneers in NASCAR.(NASCAR PR)(11-2-2007)
- OFFICIAL - SMI buys New Hampshire track, renames it: Speedway Motorsports, Inc. (NYSE:TRK) has agreed to purchase New Hampshire International Speedway from Bob and Gary Bahre for $340 million in cash. The agreement was announced today by O. Bruton Smith, founder, chairman and chief executive officer of Speedway Motorsports, Inc. The acquisition is expected to close in the first quarter of 2008. To align with other SMI-owned speedway brands, the track will be renamed New Hampshire Motor Speedway following completion of the acquisition. The speedway, which opened in 1990 and hosts two Nextel Cup Series events each year, is located about one hour north of Boston in Loudon, N.H. According to the latest census numbers, the population within 200 miles of the speedway is more than 18 million people. The venue is easily accessible via Interstate highways from all metro areas in the northeastern United States and eastern Canada. Located on approximately 1,100 acres, the multi-use complex is the largest sports facility in New England and features a 1.058-mile oval speedway, with chair-back seating for 92,000 spectators, and a 1.6-mile road course. The speedway hosts the only Nextel Cup Series, Busch Series, and Craftsman Truck Series events held in the six-state New England region. Both Nextel Cup Series races regularly sell out and exceed the NFL Super Bowl in attendance. "This is a wonderful opportunity for our company to grow our business as we continue to invest in this sport and the motorsports industry," said Smith. Smith added that he has offered Bob Bahre the opportunity to remain associated as a consultant with the track that he built. In addition to the major NASCAR races, the track hosts several regional professional racing series, including the NASCAR Grand National Division, NASCAR Busch East Series and the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour. Amateur series events complete the schedule with SCCA sports cars, motorcycles, World Karting Association go-karts and racing schools. New Hampshire Motor Speedway will join a strong portfolio of SMI facilities. The company also owns and operates Atlanta Motor Speedway, Bristol Motor Speedway in Bristol, Tenn., Infineon Raceway in Sonoma, Calif.; Las Vegas Motor Speedway, Lowe's Motor Speedway in Concord, N.C.; and Texas Motor Speedway in Ft. Worth, Texas. With this acquisition, the company will own race tracks in the West, Northeast, Southeast and Southwest, including four of the nation's top-10 metropolitan markets. The breakdown includes: the sixth-largest market (Infineon/San Francisco); the fifth-largest market (Texas/Dallas-Ft. Worth); the seventh-largest market (New Hampshire/Boston); the ninth-largest market (Atlanta); the 25th-largest market (Lowe's/Charlotte); the 41st-largest market (Las Vegas); and the 92nd-largest market (Bristol/Tri-Cities). Speedway Motorsports, Inc. will promote 13 NASCAR-sanctioned Sprint (formerly NEXTEL) Cup races in 2008 and nine NASCAR-sanctioned Nationwide (formerly Busch) Series events. Combined seating for the seven SMI facilities will exceed 850,000 permanent seats.(SMI PR)(11-2-2007)
- SMI buying NHIS? UPDATE 3: There is talk of an announcement on Thursday that will go a long way toward determining if Lowe's Motor Speedway will remain in its present location or go on the road to a neighboring community, as Smith has threatened. It all started in August, when Smith announced plans for a mega-drag strip complex on land adjacent to Lowe's Motor Speedway. SMI and city / county government had been discussing an economic package that could offer as much as $2.4 million for the construction of the strip, plus address the reported $200 million in improvements to LMS that Smith has been contemplating. On Friday of last week, Concord City Council reversed its earlier zoning decision, but that doesn't mean Smith will necessarily stay put. The announcement on Thursday will likely give the answer. Compare Smith's likely success in his quest to both improve his product by adding a drag strip and get help with needed improvements to infrastructure with the International Speedway Corp.'s failure to build a racetrack on Staten Island in New York City. Smith, if he chooses to make the improvements to the current facility, will have come out of the ruckus with tax incentives and possibly even a road (Speedway Boulevard) named in his honor. Thursday's rumored announcement will tell the tale.(NASCAR.com) and have heard that Smith could be buying the New Hampshire track, which could be the announcement....from a Charotte Observer article in part: [Bruton] Smith did give a couple of interviews on Charlotte radio stations on Wednesday [Oct 31]. He told WBT-AM (1110) and WFNZ-AM (610) that he has a “big” announcement planned for 2pm Friday. Presumably, that would come at Texas Motor Speedway, the track he owns near Fort Worth where NASCAR’s top three series will be racing this weekend. What (David Poole) called Smith to ask about Wednesday was whether he’d made a deal to buy New Hampshire International Speedway. Smith told (Poole) he has heard that John Henry and Jack Roush, the owners of Roush Fenway Racing (and, in Henry’s case, of the Boston Red Sox) were interested in buying that track. Smith said he has also heard that George Gillett, Ray Evernham’s partner, might want it. Or that Kentucky Speedway owner Jerry Carroll wants it. What (Poole) asked him, though, was whether he’s bought it, or has a deal to buy it. He tried to change the subject again, then finally said, “It’s unfortunate that you weren’t able to get up with me for a comment today.” But he also said that I might be able to reach him later this week [at Texas].(11-1-2007)
UPDATE 2: sources with knowledge of the deal indicated last night that O. Bruton Smith, CEO and chairman of Speedway Motorsports Inc., had entered into an agreement to purchase New Hampshire International Speedway from Bob Bahre, the track's 80-year-old chairman who is among a rare breed in NASCAR: the independent track owner/operator.
A press conference is expected to be held tomorrow at Texas Motor Speedway, one of six SMI-owned racing venues that stage 10 Nextel Cup events. With the acquisition of NHIS, that stands to grow to 12 Cup dates. Efforts to reach Bahre last night were unsuccessful. Reached last night, NHIS spokesman Fred Neergaard said, "There's nothing new to report." An SMI source, however, indicated Smith had reached an accord with Bahre, but was not clear as to the terms. SMI's racing empire includes Infineon Raceway in Sonoma, Calif., and Las Vegas Motor Speedway, which host one Cup event, and Bristol Motor Speedway, Atlanta Motor Speedway, Lowe's Motor Speedway in Concord, N.C., and Texas, which host two Cup dates. Texas won its second Cup date as part of a lawsuit settlement stemming from a complaint brought by Francis Ferko, an SMI shareholder, against NASCAR and International Speedway Corp. Smith acquired his first Texas date and Bahre his second NHIS date after they partnered in 1996 to purchase North Wilkesboro (N.C.) Speedway and split its two Cup dates. NASCAR, though, must approve and sanction all dates and race locations before any changes are made to the schedule. NASCAR, which has released its 2008 Sprint Cup schedule, has signed agreements with tracks for all 36 races next season. It had long been speculated that if NHIS were to be sold to Smith, it would take him no time to strip the track of its Cup dates. But, the SMI source suggested, that may not be the case. While NHIS could lose its July date to Las Vegas, SMI could salvage NHIS's spot on the NASCAR schedule by swapping Chase dates with Texas, thus making it the start of the Chase.(Boston Globe)(11-1-2007)
UPDATE 3: Buying a track with a Nextel Cup date and moving a race to Kentucky Speedway was one way owner Jerry Carroll thought he could get NASCAR's top division to his Sparta facility. Among the tracks Carroll pursued was New Hampshire International Speedway, but that no longer is an option. New Hampshire International Speedway chairman Bob Bahre confirmed to Carroll during a phone conversation Thursday that he has sold the Loudon, N.H., facility to O. Bruton Smith, chairman and CEO of Speedway Motorsports, Inc. Bahre's track annually hosts two Nextel Cup events.(Cincinnati Enquirer)(11-2-2007)
- Kentucky: no talks about buying NHIS: Kentucky Speedway co-owner Jerry Carroll visited New Hampshire International Speedway with other track officials and local basketball legend Oscar Robertson on Sunday. Attending the Nextel Cup Series race, Carroll said, was unrelated to his interest in buying the track from its longtime owner, Bob Bahre. "There were no, absolutely no talks about buying the track," said Carroll, who offered to buy the New Hampshire track last year. "I think Bob Bahre knows we have an interest. Our agreement is when the time comes, he can give me a call." Purchasing a track with a Nextel Cup date and moving a race to the Kentucky Speedway is one option Carroll has considered to get NASCAR's top division to the 1.5-mile track in Sparta [KY]. The speedway's federal antitrust lawsuit against NASCAR and International Speedway Corp., filed in 2005, remains headed toward a March trial date. Buying another track would not change Carroll's opinion about the lawsuit. "Absolutely not," he said. "The lawsuit's not so much about getting a race. The lawsuit's about an even playing field." The five-person contingent that visited New Hampshire International Speedway on Sunday included Mark Cassis, the Kentucky Speedway's executive vice president and general manager. The group flew to Concord, N.H., in a chartered jet and from there took Bahre's helicopter over to the Loudon, N.H., track.(Cincinnati Enquirer)(9-20-2007)
- Kentucky Speedway looking at buying Loudon track, move Cup race: Kentucky Speedway officials are interested in buying New Hampshire International Speedway and moving one of the track's two Nextel Cup dates to the Bluegrass state. Jerry Carroll, the chairman of Kentucky Speedway, visited with NHIS owner Bob Bahre during Sunday's race. Carroll isn't Bahre's only option. John Henry, the owner of the Boston Red Sox and part-owner of Roush Fenway Racing, has had discussions with the 80-year-old track owner. "The way he's talking he's probably interested in doing something," Carroll said. Carroll believes Kentucky deserves a Nextel Cup event, reminding the sold-out crowd of 70,000 for the track's last Busch Series event was as many as the Labor Day Weekend Cup race at California Speedway. ESPN.com)(9-17-2007)
- NHIS sale to Roush-Fenway possible? UPDATE 2: New Hampshire International Speedway's president, Bob Bahre, confirmed to FOX Sports today that he and Boston Red Sox owner John Henry have had discussions in the past month about the sale of the Loudon track to Henry's Roush Fenway Racing. No deal has been made.(Union Leader)(9-10-2007)
UPDATE: Fenway Sports president Mike Dee said buying the track in the future had been discussed, though not at length, between the Henry camp and that of Bob Bahre, who owns the track. "I won't deny that it has come up. But at this stage of the game, [portraying] that it's a live and intense discussion is grossly exaggerated. We're obviously new to the sport," Dee said. "I think that he's probably at a very early stage of understanding what he's going to do with it, and we're at an earlier stage of figuring out whether we're interested."
Dee downplayed the discussions, saying that Bahre and Fenway Sports speak regularly about the business of racing. Beyond that, there is much Fenway Sports doesn't know about operating a race track, particularly how to wring revenue out of a facility that hosts major NASCAR races just twice a year. "I don't know the economics of the business enough. You can look at it and say if they had 15 races, it'd be better than two. I'd like to tell you that it was in my wheelhouse in terms of core competencies, but I haven't looked at it at all," he said.(Boston Globe)(9-11-2007)
UPDATE 2: A day after speculation spread that Roush-Fenway had interest in buying NHIS from Bob Bahre, ESPN reported there was another potential suitor expressing his interest. Bruton Smith, whose Speedway Motorsports, Inc., owns six current Cup tracks, told the network that while nothing is imminent he'd like to buy the Loudon facility at some point in the future for the purpose of moving the first Chase race to his track in Las Vegas.(Concord Monitor)(9-13-2007)
- NHIS streak of sellouts in jeopardy UPDATE Sold Out: Despite a history of selling out its NASCAR Nextel Cup races months in advance, New Hampshire International Speedway announced that it still has about 300 tickets remaining for Sunday’s Lenox Industrial Tools 300. Despite a major television and radio advertising campaign this year, the speedway is in jeopardy of seeing its sellout streak snapped for the first time since NASCAR’s premier division started racing here in 1993. NHIS chairman Bob Bahre said the main reason behind the slump in ticket sales stems from NASCAR’s decision to schedule the race on July 1, rather than the traditional mid-month date. Bahre theorized that the Granite State’s usual post-Fourth of July tourism boom had helped fill seats in the past, and that the vacationers might not be able to adjust for the earlier date. But Bahre made it clear NASCAR isn’t to blame for the lack of demand for tickets. “NASCAR asked us and we agreed to move the date,” Bahre said, noting that NHIS is blessed to have two Nextel Cup dates each year when some tracks are struggling to get one. “NASCAR’s been damn good to me.”(Boston Herald)(6-28-2007)
UPDATE: NHIS officials announced yesterday that Sunday’s race is sold out. Despite slow ticket sales, the sellout marks the 25th consecutive for the speedway since 1993, the first year the track held a NASCAR event. “We’re very fortunate,” NHIS chairman Bob Bahre said. “You see a lot of other tracks on TV and they’ve got empty seats.”(Boston Herald)(6-29-207)
- Hinder to Perform a Pre-Race Concert at NHIS: TNT and New Hampshire International Speedway are joining together to present a special pre-race concert for LENOX Industrial Tools 300 ticket holders on Sunday, July 1 featuring Universal Records artist Hinder. Hinder has recorded a new version of the rock classic "Born to Be Wild" as the signature song for the 2007 NASCAR on TNT Summer Series coverage of Nextel Cup racing. This Oklahoma City, Oklahoma based group gained national attention in 2006 with their smash hit "Lips of an Angel" from their multi-platinum debut record, "Extreme Behavior". Tickets for the LENOX Industrial Tools 300 are available online at www.nhis.com or by calling Guest Services at (603) 783-4931.(NHIS PR)(6-25-2007)
- NHIS to have same dates in 2008, tix still for sale: per an interview with NHIS owner Bob Bahre by the Concord Monitor's Dave D'Onofrio:
Q) Tickets for July at NHIS are still available.
A) Is the sellout streak in jeopardy? You gotta remember, were almost two weeks ahead this year and a lot of people are screwed up on their vacations. I think were down right now to, I'm guessing, less than a thousand. We'll get it sold. We've never advertised before. Never. This year we did to let people know, because one problem we had is that people always thought we were sold out. I said to our guys, get ads in so they know we aren't sold out. Everyone always thought you couldn't buy a ticket, and this year since we've advertised we picked up a lot.
Q) Will the dates of the NHIS races remain the same for next year?
A) It's already set. It's the 29th of June, I believe. We've got the sanction for up here all done for next year. The second race is the same week, too.
Q) Is Loudon at risk of losing one of its Cup races?
A) As long as I'm here, I know there'll never be a date gone. I know that.(Concord Monitor)(6-18-2007)
- NHIS owner blasts Waltrip over track flap: New Hampshire International Speedway chairman Bob Bahre denied published reports today that NASCAR had threatened him to keep him from selling his track to Kentucky Speedway. “Absolutely no truth to that,” Bahre said. “NASCAR never said a word to me about not selling to (Kentucky Speedway).” Bahre said he has been approached numerous times by Kentucky Speedway officials to sell the track in the hope they could obtain one of NHIS’ Nextel Cup races. In an attempt to convince NASCAR to take a Cup date away from NHIS and give it to Kentucky Speedway, Bahre said former three-time Cup champion Darrell Waltrip, who was a paid consultant of the Kentucky facility, blasted NHIS after Adam Petty and Kenny Irwin lost their lives in practice-related crashes in Loudon in 2000. “(Waltrip) ran us into the ground when (Petty and Irwin) got killed here and that bothered the hell out of me,” Bahre said. “I have no respect for Darrell Waltrip.” Bahre noted that Waltrip deemed NHIS unsafe for NASCAR and that he said races should not be held there until the track was made safer.(Boston Herald)(5-8-2007)
- LENOX Extends with New Hampshire Intl Speedway: LENOX Industrial Tools, a leading manufacturer of premium power tool accessories, hand tools, torches and band saw blades announced it has extended its sponsorship of the LENOX Industrial Tools 300 at New Hampshire International Speedway (NHIS). For years to come, the summer NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series race at “The Magic Mile” will be known as the LENOX Industrial Tools 300. The announcement was made during a luncheon at The Boston Park Plaza Hotel & Towers in Boston, Mass. After much success with the race entitlement last year, LENOX, based in East Longmeadow, Mass. (just 150 miles from New Hampshire International Speedway), decided to join the track with a long-term partnership. In addition to the race entitlement, LENOX will also have another presence. Jeff Burton, the driver with the most Nextel Cup Series wins at NHIS, will race a special white and blue #31 in the event with LENOX Industrial Tools Chevy as his primary sponsor. LENOX is also an associate sponsor on Burton’s Richard Childress Racing car throughout the 2007 season. Advance tickets for the LENOX Industrial Tool 300 are on sale now, please call Speedway Guest Services at 603-783-4931 or visit the track website at www.nhis.com for more information.(Pro Sports Management & Marketing/LENOX PR), no terms were released.(1-25-2007)
- Cup race sold out at NHIS: New Hampshire International Speedway has no tickets remaining for Sunday's Sylvania 300 NASCAR Nextel Cup race, NHIS public relations director Fred Neergaard said Friday. Tickets are still available for the qualifying and Modified race Friday and the New Hampshire 200 Truck Series and Busch East events Saturday. It is the 24th consecutive Nextel Cup sellout for NHIS. The track currently has 91,000 grandstand seats, not including suites.(SceneDaily.com)(9-15-2006)
- NHIS to Host “Imus In The Morning” Show: New Hampshire International Speedway (NHIS) in cooperation with 93.3 FM The Wolf will host the “Imus In The Morning” radio show from the Speedway's Hospitality Courtyard on Friday, September 15 from 5:30 a.m. to 10:00 a.m. The Imus Show opens the SYLVANIA 300 event weekend at “The Magic Mile”, the first race in the “Chase for the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup”. This nationally syndicated radio program, famous for its major political and sports guests, is also televised live each day on MSNBC. For a donation of $20, fans of the show will be able to purchase a ticket to experience the antics of host Don Imus and his morning crew live and in person. All proceeds will benefit “The Imus Ranch, A Working Cattle Ranch for Kids with Cancer”. (nhis.com)(9-12-2006)
- Bruton to buy New Hampshire? UPDATE Denied, Sponsor signs, not many seats left for Sept.: One unconfirmed rumor making the rounds in the Cup garage is that Bruton Smith is trying to buy New Hampshire International Speedway, and if he's successful, he'll move the NHIS Chase date to Las Vegas.(FoxSports)(7-16-2006)
UPDATE: Bob Bahre, the 79-year-old chairman of NHIS, said his 1.058-mile oval is not up for sale, despite speculation to the contrary. ``Now my son [Gary, 43, NHIS's president], since he's been sick a few years back, he'd never want to run it alone, I'll tell you that now," said Bahre, who remains one of NASCAR's independent owners, along with Dr. Joseph Mattioli, chairman and CEO of Pocono Raceway. ``I'm going to be 80 next year, but if I were to die tomorrow, he'd probably sell it before the funeral." Asked if Gary didn't like racing, the elder Bahre said, ``No, no, he likes it. He loves it. He loves this track. We've been at it together forever, since he was a little kid of 7 years old. He loves racing, it's not a question of that. It would just bother him to be alone doing it." . . . According to Bahre, about 1,700-1,800 tickets remain available for the Sept. 17 race (Boston Globe)(7-16-2006)
- Sponsor Re-ups for Sept NHIS race: Sylvania extended its sponsorship to 2012 on the September 17 race here [New Hampshire] — first race in the Chase for the Nextel Cup. “I think that what (Sylvania) did today shows how strong NASCAR is everywhere,” said NHIS CEO Bob Bahre. “I don’t think there is any Nextel Cup track that has that vote of confidence from a blue chip corporation,” added track spokesman Meade. NASCAR president Mike Helton made no guarantee that New Hampshire’s Sylvania 300 will remain the opener of the 10-race Chase, post-season for the series. He said the sanctioning body evaluates the schedule year-to-year. “We’re working on ‘07 as we speak,” said Helton. As is standard operating procedure here, Meade reiterated that this track’s two Nextel Cup races are “not in jeopardy.” The Sylvania most likely solidified New Hampshire’s September race on the schedule. There is no long-term deal on the July race. “NASCAR certainly realizes we are in the number five market (television) in the United States,” said Meade, “ and every Cup race has been sold out.” Bahre said, “You won’t see any empty seats here.”(Union Leader)(7-16-2006)
