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“THIS IS OUR SUPER BOWL.”

—Bobby Santos III

SPEED

Coming off turn four, heading for the Granite Stripe, “Loudon is so special for the Modifieds; this is our Super
looking to edge out for the checkered flag. Bowl,” Bobby Santos III, a five-time winner at NHMS,
who has won four of the last six Whelen Modified Tour
When you think of what the Daytona 500 means to races at “The Magic Mile,” said after winning the Musket
NASCAR Cup Series drivers, as one of the most well- 250 last fall.
known stock car races each year, you realize how
important that one day in February can be to history. In NHMS brings out the best of the Modified community
one blink of an eye, a driver’s career can change forever with more than 30 cars taking the green on most
by placing their name on the Harley J. Earl trophy as a occasions and some of the top talent in the history
winner of NASCAR’s most marquee event. of the division competing for glory. They know how
important winning a race at New Hampshire can be for
NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour races at New Hampshire their career. Most of the best names have won, including
Motor Speedway hold the same meaning and showcase the newest inductee to the NASCAR Hall of Fame Class
the same intensity for a different group of drivers. The of 2021, the late Mike Stefanik. The Connecticut native
Whelen Modified Tour includes a veteran core and a won eight times in 53 Modified starts at the 1.058-mile
group of rising NASCAR stars who compete throughout oval, which helped propel him to a record seven Whelen
New England each year. When they buckle their belts Modified Tour titles. Stefanik also won twice at NHMS in
on the grid, they know they are in for a drafting session the NASCAR Busch North Series.
where one wrong move could mean the end of their
season, but one right pass could earn them glory on the As part of 71 races entering 2020, top names like Ted
biggest stage in front of the top eyes in the sport. Christopher, Tony Hirschman, Reggie Ruggerio, Steve
Park and Mike McLaughlin, who won the inaugural stop
In the Granite State, NHMS and Modifieds match well. at the New Hampshire oval in 1990, have won. Ryan
They are both full of prestige and energy, and drivers Newman, a former NASCAR Cup Series winner, is also
pull their belts a bit tighter rolling from the garage, a three-time Modified winner at NHMS, twice for points
knowing the speed they are about to feel and the moves and once in a non-points shootout. Add Doug Coby, a
th
they are about to execute. As NHMS celebrates its 30 six-time Whelen Modified Tour champion who continues
anniversary in 2020, the Whelen Modified Tour, NASCAR to break the record books, and you have a stout list of
Xfinity Series and ARCA Menards Series East (formerly winners; and they aren’t the only ones.
NASCAR Busch North Series) remain the only NASCAR
divisions that have been a part since day one. NASCAR
Cup Series races at NHMS didn’t start until 1993.

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