By Sarah Handy, Staff Writer
The NASCAR Cup Series heads to Loudon, New Hampshire on Sunday August 2 for the Foxwoods Resort Casino 301, the 20th event on the season. Below is race day information, important information if you’re attending the race, and some driver statistics.
Race Information
Event: Foxwoods Resort Casino 301
Track: New Hampshire Motor Speedway – Loudon, NH (1.058-mile paved track)
Time: 3 p.m. ET
Distance: 301 laps (318.46 miles)
Stages: 75-185-301
TV: NBCSN, 2:30 p.m. ET
Radio: PRN and Sirius XM NASCAR
Tire Setup
NASCAR Cup Series teams will run a different tire set-up this weekend at New Hampshire than what was run in last years event. NCS teams ran this same tire combination at Phoenix Raceway in March. The tires will feature compound changes on both sides of the car and a construction update on the left-side. Compound changes will give the cars more grip and bring on more tire wear. No inner liners will be run in the tires at NHMS.
“We have a different tire set-up at New Hampshire this year, and it is the same as what we run at Phoenix,” said Greg Stucker, Goodyear’s director of racing. “This set-up has different tread compounds than we ran at Loudon last year, and teams should see a grip enhancement as a result. The real benefit is that Loudon and Phoenix are now aligned once again, which is how it had been in the past until Phoenix was repaved about a decade ago. This will give playoff teams another race with this set-up and will help them as they build their notebook for championship weekend in November.”
Some Driver Statistics for Loudon
The reigning winner from one year ago is Stewart-Haas Racing driver Kevin Harvick who captured his fourth win at the track, and second in a row.
Kevin Harvick leads all NASCAR Cup Series active drivers with wins at New Hampshire with four. However, Denny Hamlin is right behind Harvick with three. Hamlin does lead the series with runner-up finishes at Loudon, with five, this includes the 2019 race.
Harvick may currently lead in wins at NHMS, but Hamlin leads the series in average finish at The Magic Mile with a 9.8 average finish. Harvick’s average at Loudon sits at 12.8.
Recent data would suggest keeping an eye on Harvick, Hamlin and Kyle Busch this weekend. Below are their stats for New Hampshire.
Denny Hamlin: 26 starts at NHMS, three wins, 10 top-fives, 15 top-10s, 662 laps led with an average finish of 9.8.
Kevin Harvick: 36 starts at NHMS, 12 top-fives, 20 top-10s, 759 laps led, with an average finish of 12.8.
Kyle Busch: 28 starts at NHMS, three wins, 11 top-fives, 16 top-10s, 1,128 laps led with an average finish of 12.6.
In terms of the season to this point, Harvick will be seeking his fifth win, while Hamlin will be seeking his sixth win in 2020. Kyle Busch is still looking for his first win of the season. However, he has won at Loudon before, three times to be exact, his last win at the track came in the September 2017 race.
A Look Back
Need some New Hampshire Motor Speedway racing before Sunday’s event? Relive highlights from last years Foxwoods Resort Casino 301.
If You’re Attending
NHMS will be just the fourth race since the COVID-19 pandemic that has permitted fans to attend since NASCAR returned to on track competition in May. If you are attending, there are things every person should be aware of prior to arriving.
Fans who are attending Sunday’s race will be required to wear face masks upon entering the property. Additionally, fans will be required to have a mask which covers both the nose and mouth in common areas, as announced this week by New Hampshire Motor Speedway.
Common areas are gate entries, restrooms, concessions, elevators, souvenir stands, concourses, and suite-level hallways.
Masks can be removed once fans are socially distanced in their assigned seats.
Digital Tickets Only
All tickets purchased will be distributed digitally to eliminate contact. Additionally seating is assigned by the speedway when tickets are purchased and fans will be socially distanced from one another in the stands.
The ticket office will not be open and no ticket pickup in person will be available. However, guest services will be available to help answer questions. If you haven’t purchased a ticket and still would like too, you have until 11:59 p.m. ET on Saturday evening. NHMS is expected to to have up to 19,000 fans in attendance.
Transportation
There will be no shuttle transportation provided on race day. Golf car shuttles will only be reserved and provided for those with limited mobility. With that said, free parking will be available in the S1, S2, S3 and S9 lots on Sunday.
Concession / Souvenirs
All food and souvenir purchases will only be conducted as an electronic transaction . This consists of a debit card or credit card. No cash or checks will be accepted and no coolers or glass will be permitted on Sunday. Only clear soft-sided bags 14″x14″x14″or smaller will be allowed at the time of entry.
Health Wellness
If for some unforeseen circumstance a ticket has been purchased and the guest becomes ill, a refund will be issued. All fans in attendance, NHMS personnel, and NASCAR team members in the industry will have their temperature checked on the day of the race. NASCAR team personnel and NHMS personnel will also be required to wear masks at all times, including gloves as needed.
Hand sanitizer stations will be available through out the speedway grounds and NHMS will follow extensive cleaning procedures prior to the gates opening and through out race day. Areas will include high-touch areas such as bathrooms and handrails.
For any additional information please visit the NHMS website at http://www.nhms.com or you can give them a call at (603) 783-4931.
Photo Credit: Nigel Kinrade Photography / NKP Photo