(Press Release from New Hampshire Motor Speedway)
Building on recent success, two of New England’s premier entertainment destinations announce extension of partnership to bring NASCAR’s Foxwoods Resort Casino 301 to “The Magic Mile.”
LOUDON, N.H. – After three rousing seasons as the title sponsor of the Foxwoods Resort Casino 301, today Foxwoods Resort Casino and New Hampshire Motor Speedway have reaffirmed their commitment to bringing world-class racing to New England at “The Magic Mile” by announcing their continued partnership through the 2021 race season. Fans will now be able to enjoy the NASCAR thrills of the highly anticipated Foxwoods Resort Casino 301 through summer 2021.
“From the start, we knew that teaming up with an established Northeast destination partner would be a win-win, and we certainly hit the jackpot in affiliating with Foxwoods Casino Resort,” said David McGrath, executive vice president and general manager of New Hampshire Motor Speedway. “We are extremely proud to announce an extension of that partnership today and look forward to working together to build on the legacy of two storied New England travel destinations.”
The partnership began in 2017 as a ticket incentive program, but quickly expanded into leading with naming rights for New England’s foremost NASCAR Cup Series – the Foxwoods Resort Casino 301. With this extension, the resort will hold naming rights for the event through at least 2021.
“The partnership between New Hampshire Motor Speedway and Foxwoods Resort Casino was the first of its kind in the region, as two powerhouse destinations came together to create the ultimate summertime experience in New England with the Foxwoods Resort Casino 301,” said Jason Guyot, Foxwoods Resort Casino’s SVP of Resort Operations and Interim CEO. “We are thrilled to be able to offer fans more of what they’ve come to know and love about the Foxwoods Resort Casino 301 tradition by seeing them back at the track next year for what is sure to be a wild 2021 race. We’re thankful for our partnership with NHMS and are ready to keep delivering fun, fan-driven experiences.”
The next chapter in the Foxwoods Resort Casino 301 history will be written Sunday as NASCAR’s best take to the track for the most anticipated event of the speedway’s 30th anniversary season. Defending winner, Kevin Harvick, a four-time Cup Series victor at “The Magic Mile,” looks to make it three straight after narrowly defeating Denny Hamlin last season. But to earn the three-peat, he’ll have to best a talented field, including seven-time Cup Series champion Jimmie Johnson, fan-favorite Chase Elliott and New England locals Joey Logano and Ryan Preece.
At the racetrack today, Foxwoods will have an exciting text-to-win campaign, where guests text RACING to 95840 and have the chance to win an exclusive overnight Foxwoods package including hotel accommodations, $250 in dining and tickets to MONZA World-Class Karting – just by sending a text from their mobile device.
Green flag is scheduled for 3 p.m. Sunday, with coverage starting on NBCSN at 2:30 p.m. and on Sirius XM NASCAR radio and the Performance Racing Network radio affiliates at 2 p.m.
Watching the race on TV. Did they remove even more of the grandstands in turn 4?
Why is it called the magic Mike? It came up during the broadcast, but nobody had an answer.
Question answered. I guess when Bob Bahre first opened the track he used to send the employees to the Disney training program at the Magic Kingdom, he wanted race fans to have a magical experience, hence the Magic Mile, a nickname that has stuck.
2020, it does look like they removed more stands in turn 4
I think I saw Preece finished 16 ? Missed the race good run or strategy race?
Just waiting on 2021 date now. Preece was racing positions 8-12 when he ran out of gas. Still finished pretty good. Couple that with the good run he was having two weeks ago before the wreck and one wonders if they found some speed. Maybe an angry driver helps.
I was at the race. The entire Laconia (turn four) grandstand has been removed. Apparently in the future NHMS will sell camping spaces in that area to RV owners. I assume the spaces overlooking the speedway will cost a LOT of money.
really wish they would get second cup race back,but doesn’t look thats going to happen with other speedways coming on board next year.was told that they won’t loose existing race because of a strong boston market.in todays environment, a new refreshing idea must be implemented.started off with 110,000 capacity,then down to 88,000,now laconia stands gone,down to approx 78,000.nothing really has changed with loudon cup race in all these years and believe me,we LOVE this facility.so something unique must be done to fill the seats.with pocono,3 corners,darlington,egg shape,complete reconfiguration with phoenix etc. we had suggested a one of a kind that no one has:
leave turns 1 & 2 as is with banking,change banking in 3 & 4,maybe to 12-14 degrees.a challenge for crew chefs,yeah,but hell thats what they have in before mentioned tracks.dont wanna see track go away,but fans today are ALWAYS looking for the excitement and newness of a unique venue
Pocono and Darlington have been the way they are forever. No need to reconfigure the NHMS track. It is unique in that it is a big paperclip. If it could draw 110,000 a few years ago, no reason why it can’t now. The sport has been waning, and it isn’t the fault of the configuration of the tracks.
I think the current seating capacity is about 55,000 but I am not sure.
It’s sad what’s happening. Not only do they lose a race but can’t even get the crowds they once had for 2 events. I’m glad I was at least able to witness the track in it’s heyday.
Lights and a night race willll bring crowds back
It’s very sad. Years ago, the worst seats were $110 each, with a 5 year waiting list. Now, they probably can’t give away the tickets to fill the place.
What are people doing instead of going to the tracks?
Wmass; been saying that for years. When they had 2 dates, I always thought that the july race would be better at night. Particularly when they were pulling up the pavement in the early years before the compound years. July race in the sun on those stands as hot as heck. Sat night gives the working class Sunday to get home, or rain date (albeit daytime). When they lit the track, I was hoping a night race.
NHMS has the worst luck. Lost the second race. Spent years in the courts trying to get a concert only to probably see concerts of any large scale go away for some time. The lights would be so freaking cool but the old biddies will just take them to court if they even tried to pull it off. A Sept date would be an upgrade. The heat is too much for many(remember last year) That’s the biggest factor hurting crowd size. I wonder how the Red Sox felt about seeing a good size crowd at NHMS yesterday. A little better than cardboard cutouts.
Where did the turn four seats go? Another track? School football stadium?
Loudon under the lights would be awesome… with mighty ground pounding Modifieds of course.
It’s brutal in those stands in the sun… just brutal.
i stopped going in July on FRI/SAT because it was always so damm Hot, spent more time sitting at the tables UNDER the bleachers and just bared it during the Mod race to sit in the bleachers, i know they were trying to deal with the old Bob Bahre deal with the town of no lights, if Martinsville can do it YES FRIDAY NIGHT MODS, SORRY STAFFORD!
If they could get lights I think the ideal racing would be combinations of WMT, ACT, PASS, and maybe Street Stock on a monthly basis. I don’t think once a month wouldn’t drastically affect car counts at other tracks, and I would bet they’d get a decent short track sized fan turn out. 5000 fans @ $30 ($150K) plus team fees, concessions, & souvenirs. Just open the front straight stands and some of the concessions so you don’t need a full track staff. That might make a few bucks for them. Three classes for a not too long night of entertainment. I’d bet those categories would love to run NHMS on a regular basis.
Fast Eddie, NHMS has events almost every weekend. Most are not stock car racing. No need or want for weekly racing. They could do that now if they wanted. Adding lights would be foe the sole purpose of Cup weekend.
Sometimes I think the track is in denial about why the crowds lack. It’s not the racing, it’s the heat.
JD, I think they’d put lights up in a minute if they got an ok to do so. If I remember right, lighting authorization has been attempted a couple of times, but the neighbors won’t allow it. I definitely agree with you about the heat though. When they had two cup races, there was always a bigger crowd in the stands for the fall event than the summer event.
JD
I agree, for the July race, the heat.
But the crowds were lacking at the best time of the year up there, for the September race in recent times as well.
I gave up the July race because of heat, and went to September cup race only. (Although I still went to the Saturday July Mod race).
Let’s face it. In my humble opinion, after watching Mods on Saturday, it’s (I’ll be polite) a letdown to sit through cup there, on Sunday. Yes, on the cup side, I think the racing at Nh has improved dramatically over the years at the “mile”, with some track grinding, minor corner changes, traction compounds, and the cars themselves.
But the show at that track are the Mods for me.
I understand. Other divisions race hard and put on some spirited battles. But lap after lap, for the most part, you never know who is going to win, until checkers fly for the mods. A race fan’s nirvana.
And how many of you guys have sat up there in the stands, and when the mods were done, 1/2 the stands drained of fans headed for the exits, when there was still the trucks, Xfinity or whatever, to follow? The ownership certainly took notice. They started running mods after the “main event” whatever event that might be. Oh, and the year sitting through the “ok, we have to stop the mods, with 50 to go, and we will complete the race after the whatever’s complete their race. Really? The race could not be scheduled a 1/2 hour sooner? It wasn’t going to be in tv anyway… (at that time)
So the stands not full at nh. Well, they are not really full anywhere anymore. Maybe it’s not one thing, but a combination of a bunch of things over the years. Some of it Nascar’s call, maybe some of it the Speedway’s call. Tough business for sure.
Where does it go from here? Throw in a pandemic, and hang on for the ride, I guess. Thanks for listening, stay safe.
🌈JD🌈 posted, “Sometimes I think the track is in denial about why the crowds lack. It’s not the racing, it’s the heat.”
Well, that would conclude global warming is happening much faster than previously thought. Global warming is another liberal idea, are you sure you want to endorse that?
For many years, NHMS ticket prices were astronomical and there was a 5 year waiting list. One of those races, I was sitting at the very top between turns 3 & 4, sweating and getting dehydrated. And lucky to be at the top with a breeze. Place was packed.
So 🌈JD🌈, is it also the heat that is impacting crowds at all the other tracks? Pretty dismal attendance at NASCAR events the last few years, or more. Is the heat to blame at all those tracks? Is it finally getting too hot in the south that they can’t take the heat anymore? Has it been the heat that causes the empty stands for the xfinity and truck series?
I can’t believe that the heat in New Hampshire is suddenly any worse than the heat at the tracks that are SOUTH of New Hampshire. In below the Mason-Dixon Line for example. 🤦♂️
Bobf, you are absolutely correct! The Modifieds have always been the best race of the weekend at Loudon. I would sometimes get offered free tickets for the Cup race from a supplier. Most of the time I passed on free Sunday tix so I could go on Saturday instead, and I had to buy those tix! I also think people were losing interest in the fall race due to a number of really hot Septembers. I remember a couple of years it was hotter in the fall than it was in the summer!
It looks like 🌈JD🌈 just proved that another liberal idea 💡 is true and happening very fast. Global heating is happening so fast it is keeping fans away from the tracks.