For Gio Ruggiero, New Hampshire Motor Speedway (NHMS) has long felt like home.
Long before he was battling for wins in the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series (NCTS), the Seekonk, Mass. native spent his childhood racing Bandoleros on NHMS’s 0.25-mile mini oval located in turns one and two of “The Magic Mile,” dreaming of one day competing on the speedway’s 1.058-mile oval at the highest level.
That dream became reality last September when Ruggiero made his first NCTS start at his home track, competing all afternoon and finishing fourth. Now, less than a year later, he will return to Loudon as one of the series’ rising stars, carrying momentum from a breakout rookie season and a current championship bid.
“It was awesome,” Ruggiero said of racing at New Hampshire for the first time in a Truck. “It’s a really cool track. Obviously, that was my first time on the big track, so we had a strong race, but I’m excited to go back this year and hopefully contend for the win.”
After earning 2025 NCTS Rookie of the Year honors, Ruggiero broke through with his first career series victory at Talladega Superspeedway last October. The driver of the No. 17 Toyota Tundra for TRICON Garage now sits fourth in the championship standings as he chases his first Truck Series title.
Ruggiero believes both he and his team are in a much stronger position heading back to New Hampshire.
“I’m excited,” Ruggiero said. “I think over the last year we’ve had a lot of good progress made as a group, so I think when we go back this year, we’re going to be a lot faster and hopefully have a good chance to win.”
Returning to New England also means racing in front of the people who watched his career begin. Family, friends and longtime fans are expected to be among the thousands in attendance this August. Last year’s Truck Series return to New Hampshire drew one of the largest crowds Ruggiero experienced all season, something he expects to see again this August.
“Just the fans,” Ruggiero said when asked what he’s most looking forward to. “It’s really cool. Honestly, last year out of all the tracks we went to, the biggest crowd was at New Hampshire. Obviously, in the camping lots over there, it gets pretty rowdy, so it’ll be a fun weekend.”
The Team EJP 175 serves as the final race of the NCTS regular season, making every point critical before the postseason begins. To prepare, Ruggiero plans to study last year’s race and identify areas where he can improve while building on the speed his team showed in 2025.
“We’re just going to look over some stuff from last year and do some studying on what I could have done better,” Ruggiero said. “We had a lot of speed last year, so if we can continue that into this year’s race, I think we’ll be in a good spot.”
A victory at New Hampshire would check one of the biggest boxes on Ruggiero’s young racing bucket list.
“It’d mean a lot,” Ruggiero said. “Like I said, the fans there were really great, so to get a win in New Hampshire would be awesome. We’re going for the championship this year, so we need to do everything we can to get the most points.”
The Team EJP 175 NCTS race is part of Doubleheader Saturday at NHMS that also features the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour (NWMT) Mohegan Sun 100.
For Ruggiero, experiencing an entire race weekend at NHMS is something every NASCAR fan should do at least once. Making it a full weekend at “The Magic Mile” is well worth it.
“If you’re up there, it’s worth going for the whole weekend,” Ruggiero said. “Whether you’re camping out or getting there early for Friday and Saturday, the infield is really fun. They’ve got the Toyota Experience and all the manufacturer displays set up outside the gates. There’s a lot to do.”
Tickets:
For tickets and camping for New England’s only NCS weekend, featuring the Dollar Tree 301 NASCAR Cup Series race, Team EJP 175 NCTS race, Mohegan Sun 100 NWMT race and SIG SAUER Academy Dirt Duels, fans should visit NHMS.com or call 833-4LOUDON. Tickets for kids 12 and under are just $10 on Sunday, free on Doubleheader Saturday and start at $10 on Friday.
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