The NASCAR Sprint Cup series started its playoffs at New Hampshire Motor Speedway in Loudon, N.H., this weekend.
The race shook up the Chase standings and brought Mark Martin one step closer to winning his first Cup Series championship.
For many years there have been rumors circling about NHMS losing at least one race date, and some people in the NASCAR industry have voiced a desire to eliminate the track from the Chase races.
It is no secret that NHMS owner O. Bruton Smith wants to have a Cup Series race at Kentucky Speedway. This has led many to believe that Smith would pull a date from NHMS and give it to Kentucky.
This past weekend's performance proves that not only is NHMS a great track that creates better racing, but it also deserves its spot as the first Chase race.
The first reason is that NHMS has sold out every Cup series race that it has had since the track opened with its former owner, Bob Bahre.
The race weekends at NHMS are packed with racing, and this weekend was no different. Spectators who came on Saturday were treated to cars on the track from 8 a.m. to just before 7 p.m.
The racing included the Whelen Modifieds, NASCAR Camping World Truck Series (NCWTS), and local late model touring series the American Canadian Tour (ACT).
These very different racing series really show what NHMS is all about: the fans.
At the track you hear many long-time fans say their favorite race of the weekend is always the Whelen Modifieds with their bumper-to-bumper action and fierce rivalries.
The NCWTS always provides fans with a few big names like Kyle Busch, Kevin Harvick, and a glimpse at who is being groomed to enter the Cup Series.
Finally there is the ACT Tour; although the speeds were slower and the cars got strung out very early on, the fact that it was local racers really gave Northeastern non-NASCAR racing a truly national audience.
The support for a full day of racing was evident in the stands, with many people staying until the ACT Invitational was over, and Eddie MacDonald grabbed his second win of the weekend.
As one Cup team member posted on his Twitter page, “I think there are more people in the stands for the modified race at Loudon than there normally are for the Cup race at California.”
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