The Most Famous Four Words in NASCAR Arrives in New England
He has the toughest job in New England Motor Sports, but he has one of the most fun careers too.
David McGrath is the New Hampshire Motor Speedway Executive Vice President and General Manager. The buck stops with him, but he's prepared.
McGrath represents all that is right with motor sports. He's gregarious and so knowledgeable about motor sports in general, plus his track is the only track in New England to host a NASCAR weekend, complete with the Xfinity Series and Cup Series races.
Cup Series drivers are the best race car drivers in the country, and possibly the world. These drivers are the superstars of the sport, and are coming to the New Hampshire Motor Speedway this weekend.
The winner of the Ambetter 301 NASCAR Cup Series race this Sunday, July 17, will receive one of the most unique trophies in all of NASCAR, as well as an 18-22 pound lobster named "Loudon". How New England.
According to McGrath, the lobster is served to the drivers and their teams, but then they "painstakingly have a taxidermist put it all back together and make it into a unique trophy we hand the driver the next year" at NHMS. "We have Loudon the Lobster mounted for them to have in their office for all eternity", he says with a laugh.
Last year, rain caused the race to be delayed so much so that the race, which is usually over in a few hours, went well into the night. You never know what will happen in any race, but the Magic Mile, as NHMS is affectionately called, can be tough and is different from other speedways.
David McGrath and his team have done a great job of making this week an exciting week for the fans, with more camping, food options, and entertainment (bingo, movie night, kids games, carnival rides, live music, and fireworks) than ever. There will also be a bigger revamped Fan Zone to mingle with other race fans, a track walk, cornhole tournament, Wicked Good live Auction, Laps for Charity, and the Rock Point (a public bar).
With racing at the Flat Track on Friday night, 2 races on Saturday with the Crayon 200 NASCAR Xfinity Series and the Whelen Manufactured in America 100 NASCAR Modified Tour, and the Cup Series Race on Sunday, there's plenty of speedway action to excite both new and veteran fans of the sport.
McGrath says, " NASCAR has a brand new car this year, the Next Gen car, and it has never run at The New Hampshire Motor Speedway, and quite frankly, nobody knows what it'll do at the speedway". He is a champion of the sport. McGrath says the races at "The Magic Mile" have been nail-biters the past few years, so it's great fun for the fans.
So get ready for the four most popular words in NASCAR and all of motor sports, as the announcer shouts "Drivers, start your engines", and the roar of the 670 horsepower engines light up.
NASCAR is back in New England. Amen.