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NASCAR: New Hampshire announces new race weekend

By Alex Herbst

LOUDON, NH - JULY 15: Todd Gilliland, driver of the #16 NAPA Auto Parts Toyota, leads the field during the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East United Site Services 70 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway on July 15, 2017 in Loudon, New Hampshire. (Photo by Adam Glanzman/Getty Images)
LOUDON, NH - JULY 15: Todd Gilliland, driver of the #16 NAPA Auto Parts Toyota, leads the field during the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East United Site Services 70 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway on July 15, 2017 in Loudon, New Hampshire. (Photo by Adam Glanzman/Getty Images) /
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NASCAR is not leaving New Hampshire Motor Speedway with just one racing weekend in 2018, bringing some friends from the north to the Magic Mile.

Few in the United States that follow motorsports have heard of the NASCAR Pinty’s Series, or know the drivers and teams in that division. The top stock car racing class in Canada has grown in size and stature since NASCAR became involved with the series, and now will venture into a new venue. For the first time in series history, the Pinty’s Series will race in the United States, taking over the fall Cup weekend at New Hampshire Motor Speedway.

The fall race weekend at NHMS in September 2018 will now see the Pinty’s Series get top billing, joined on track by the Whelen Modified Tour and the K&N Pro Series East. The Cup Series weekend at the magic mile will be ending in 2017, reverting the track to just one race date. The fall date formerly held by New Hampshire will be moved to Las Vegas, putting Sin City in the 2018 playoffs.

While the top drivers in American stock car racing will not be at the track in September, some famous names from the north will be. Champion-to-be Alex Labbe is likely to be back racing in the Pinty’s Series next year, along with former IndyCar driver Alex Tagliani, and road course ringers Andrew Ranger, Jean-Francois Dumoulin, and many others. These names may not be entirely familiar to American race fans, but it will provide new levels of exposure for the smaller Canadian tour.

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Many will be hoping that the NASCAR Pinty’s Series will find more success in the states than their compatriots to the south. The NASCAR Peak Mexico Series visited Phoenix Raceway once during a Cup Series race weekend. While likely unconnected to this event, the series was put on hiatus shortly after that season. Fortunately, the Mexican tour is now back up and running with support from Cup Series driver and native Mexican Daniel Suarez.

Other highlights of the revamped New Hampshire Motor Speedway fall race weekend include the continuation of the K&N Pro Series East at the track, as well as the longest Whelen Modified Tour race in NASCAR history. The event will be 250 miles (or 250 laps) around NHMS, making it by far the longest race on the tour.

Next: Formula One champion coming to NASCAR?

Are you excited to see the best stock car drivers from Canada invade New Hampshire Motor Speedway next September? Will you be attending the races in Loudon in 2018? Comment with your thoughts on the move below, and stay tuned to Beyond The Flag for the latest from around the NASCAR garage.

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