Taylor Martin Ready To Make History At New Hampshire Motor Speedway

Winning events at New Hampshire Motor Speedway is nothing new for Windham, N.H. driver Taylor Martin.

Taylor Martin (Photo: GWC Motorsports Marketing)

The 16-year old has nine divisional victories on the quarter-mile “mini-oval” in Granite State Legends Car Series action.

But during the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Sylvania 300 week at New Hampshire Motor Speedway, Martin will be making history on multiple fronts.

On Sept. 21 Martin will compete in both the Bond Auto ACT Invitational on the 1.058-mile oval and the Granite State Legends Car Series Gifford’s Ice Cream 25.

In doing so Martin will become the first driver to compete in both invitational events on the same day, the youngest driver ever to compete in both events and the first female driver compete in two invitational only races at New Hampshire Motor Speedway.

“I don’t even know what to say,” Martin said in a release. “I’m so honored just to be invited to race in both of these races. I’m so excited about it. It’s going to be a blast. I love doing the Cup weekend in the Legends car to begin with, and being part of the ACT Invitational will be a whole new experience. I’m really looking forward to it.”

Martin was extended an invitation to be part of the 43-car Bond Auto ACT Invitational by management of the American Canadian Tour.

Starting spots in the 50-lap race are reserved for American Canadian Tour race winners, American Canadian Tour Castrol Series race winners, track champions from a number of American Canadian Tour legal weekly tracks in the Northeast and a select few at-large invitations.

Martin received one of the at-large invitations. She made her Late Model debut last month at Canaan Fair Speedway in Canaan, N.H.

Martin participated in an open test session at New Hampshire Motor Speedway last week.

“It actually went perfect,” Martin said. “I didn’t really expect it to go as well as it went. Once I got out there, I was comfortable. Even though I’d never been on the whole track – I’ve been on the frontstretch as part of the road course in the Legends – it still felt like I had. I was a little bit shocked I felt so good out there.

“It’s actually pretty opposite from every track [the American Canadian Tour] runs. In those Legends cars, you can feel the banking [in turn one]. In the Late Models, you can’t feel it at all. It’s very, very fast, and I loved the speed of it.

“To be honest, I just want to finish the race. Where I finish right now isn’t relevant to me. It’s more important to finish in one piece. I want to make sure we keep the car in one piece, and maybe gain some attention to pick up a sponsor. If we can do that, we’d love to go to the next American Canadian Tour race at Airborne Speedway [on September 28].”