The NASCAR Cup Series Foxwoods Resort Casino 301 race weekend features Doubleheader Saturday (July 18) with the NASCAR Xfinity Series racing in the Lakes Region 200 at 3 p.m. and the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour racing in the Nor'Easter 100 at approximately 5:30 p.m., plus the NASCAR Cup Series drivers will take to "The Magic Mile" at 1:35 p.m. to qualify for Sunday's Foxwoods Resort Casino 301.
Saturday tickets include entry to see the NASCAR Xfinity Series drivers qualify for that afternoon's Lakes Region 200 at 12:05 p.m., the NASCAR Cup Series drivers qualify for Sunday's Foxwoods Resort Casino 301 at 1:35 p.m., the NASCAR Xfinity Series Lakes Region 200 at 3 p.m. & the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour Nor'Easter 100 at approximately 5:45 p.m.
Adults: $35-55 | Kids 12 & under: Free
*Race day pricing goes in to effect on July 18, 2020
The NASCAR Xfinity Series will race in the Lakes Region 200 on Saturday, July 18 at 3 p.m. with qualifying on the same day at 12:05 p.m.
The NASCAR Xfinity Series will race in the Lakes Region 200 on Saturday, July 18 at 3 p.m. with qualifying on the same day at 12:05 p.m.
Last year, Christopher Bell, driver of the No. 20 Rheem-Watts Toyota, led all but 14 laps in the ROXOR 200 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway, marking his fifth 2019 win with the NASCAR Xfinity Series. He’d raced on “The Magic Mile” with the NASCAR Xfinity Series twice, and he landed in victory lane both times. Bell credits his team with the success.
“A race car driver is only as fast as the race car he sits in, so I’m very fortunate to be able to drive for this group of guys,” said 24-year-old Bell about his Joe Gibbs Racing team. “I got to ride from Thunder Road here to Loudon with one of my crew guys, and we were just talking about how thankful I am to be racing for them. It’s a dream come true to be racing with this group of people because they make me look good.”
Brandon Jones, driver of the No. 19 First Foundation Toyota won stage one, but Bell took the lead in lap 48 and never looked back, winning both the second and third stages of the race.
This trip to victory lane marked Bell’s third win out of four career starts at Loudon – once with the NASCAR Gander Outdoors Truck Series in 2017 and twice with the NASCAR Xfinity Series in 2018 and 2019. All three wins came after he started the race in the second position.
Not only did Bell thank his team, but he addressed the fans who braved the steamy New England temperatures to cheer him on.
“Thank you, guys, for coming out,” said Bell to the fans in the grandstands. “I know it was hot, it was hot inside the car, but thank you, guys. You guys are the reason we race.”
The NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour Nor'Easter 100 is on Saturday, July 18 at approximately 5:45 p.m. with qualifying on Friday, July 17 at 5:35 p.m.
The NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour Nor'Easter 100 is on Saturday, July 18 at approximately 5:45 p.m. with qualifying on Friday, July 17 at 5:35 p.m.
Last year, the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour Eastern Propane & Oil 100 was a reunion tour of sorts between Ron Silk and victory lane. The driver of the No. 85 Stuart’s Automotive Chevrolet took his first checkered flag since 2011 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway, marking his third trip to victory lane in Loudon.
“Go as fast as we could,” replied Silk when asked what his strategy was. “We really didn’t change the car much at the stop, and it really drove good after that. We were able to get from fifth to the lead on one of the restarts with about 15 to go, and it just worked in our favor. I’m just pumped for my guys and our whole team. We’ve been having a great year so far, and we’re just going to keep building on that.”
This event was an action-packed race that simply ran out of time and ended in an extended caution. Doug Coby, Chase Dowling, Jon McKennedy and Matt Swanson rounded out the top five.
“The track was pretty slick,” said Silk. “There was a lot of sliding around, and I think that’s why you saw some guys towards the back have some problems and a lot of yellows, but that’s the way it is here in July and I can’t wait to come back in September.”
The NASCAR Cup Series drivers qualify on Saturday, July 18 at 1:35 p.m. for Sunday's Foxwoods Resort Casino 301 at 3 p.m.
The NASCAR Cup Series drivers qualify on Saturday, July 18 at 1:35 p.m. for Sunday's Foxwoods Resort Casino 301 at 3 p.m.
Last year, Brad Keselowski captured the NASCAR Cup Series pole award on Cape Cod Café Pizza Pole Day at New Hampshire Motor Speedway, putting him in the lead position to start that Sunday’s Foxwoods Resort Casino 301. This was Keselowski’s fourth career Cup Series pole award at Loudon.
“I always personally hesitate to undervalue qualifying,” said 35-year-old Keselowski. “With that in mind, there are some tracks that are less impactful to win the pole, but as you look to rank the tracks where qualifying well matters, this is certainly towards the top.”
The Busch brothers finished right behind Keselowski posting lap times of 27.942 seconds (Kyle) and 27.957 seconds (Kurt), but Keselowski reached 136.384 mph during his best lap, placing him 0.015 seconds faster than Kyle (27.927 seconds), which earned him his first 2019 pole.
Keselowski still holds on to the speedway’s record lap time for NASCAR Cup Series qualifying, reaching a speed of 140.598 mph, which sent him around “The Magic Mile” in 27.090 seconds in 2014.
“I always feel like I’m 10% of the equation and I get 90% of the credit,” said Keselowski. “If you feel like you’re 10% of the equation, then what’s the other 90% of it? It’s the pit crew, it’s the engineering, it’s the mechanics that bolt the car together. All of those things have to come together on any given weekend to be successful.”
Keselowski was at the front of the pack in that Sunday’s Foxwoods Resort Casino 301 as all 37 drivers fought for that coveted spot in victory lane.
