Racing Returns to The Flat Track in 2022
Progressive American Flat Track, Dirt Midget Association, Sprint Cars of New England, Granite State Mini Sprints and U.S. Legend Cars International will race during major summer event weekends at The Flat Track at New Hampshire Motor Speedway.
LOUDON, N.H. – With the return of The Flat Track at New Hampshire Motor Speedway (NHMS) comes more on-track action for race fans to enjoy during major event weekends. The Laconia Short Track and inaugural Musket Dirt Shootout will bookend Motorcycle Week at NHMS on June 11 and 18, and Friday Night Dirt Duels will kick up the dirt during New England’s only NASCAR weekend on July 15.
“It’s been a long two years, but we’re reviving The Flat Track, and we’re so excited to welcome race fans back to the quarter-mile dirt track this summer,” said New Hampshire Motor Speedway Executive Vice President and General Manager David McGrath. “The new racing surface should produce intense battles on both two and four wheels, and additional seating will allow more New England race fans to enjoy the dirt-slinging action.”
Kicking things off is the motorcycle handlebar-banging, tire-rubbing action of Progressive American Flat Track on Saturday, June 11. “America’s Original Extreme Sport” will once again take on the 0.25-mile dirt flat track for the Laconia Short Track during the first weekend of Motorcycle Week at NHMS.
Capping off Motorcycle Week at NHMS will be some four-wheeled action from the Dirt Midget Association (DMA) and Sprint Cars of New England (SCoNE), each competing for a $1,500 purse, plus two classes – 500cc and 600cc – of Granite State Mini Sprints. The inaugural Musket Dirt Shootout on Saturday, June 18 will feature these three series each taking on the new racing surface.
Friday Night Dirt Duels will kick off the Ambetter 301 NASCAR weekend on July 15. This year’s event will feature DMA and SCoNE competitors each racing for a $3,000 purse and U.S. Legend Cars International drivers racing for a $1,500 purse. There will also be fireworks, a concert and the start of a three-day 50/50 Raffle to benefit the New Hampshire Chapter of Speedway Children’s Charities. New England’s race weekend continues at “The Magic Mile” with Doubleheader Saturday, July 16 featuring the NASCAR Xfinity Series and NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour followed by Sunday’s weekend finale, the Ambetter 301 NASCAR Cup Series race on July 17.
The NHMS Operations and Maintenance team recently resurfaced The Flat Track with 2,000 yards of clay from Orwell, Vt. They’ve also widened the corners to 50 feet and added about 300 more permanent seats between turns three and four, however, race fans are still encouraged to bring lawn chairs and blankets for seating.
Tickets:
Log on to NHMS.com for tickets and more information on The Flat Track’s lineup of action-packed racing. Laconia Short Track tickets are just $40 for adults while kids 12 and under are free with a paying adult. Musket Dirt Shootout and Friday Night Dirt Duels tickets start at just $20 for adults and $10 for kids 12 and under.
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About Progressive American Flat Track
Progressive American Flat Track is the world’s premier dirt track motorcycle racing series and one of the longest-running championships in the history of motorsports. Sanctioned by AMA Pro Racing in Daytona Beach, Fla., the series is highly regarded as the most competitive form of dirt track motorcycle racing on the globe. For more information on Progressive American Flat Track, please visit http://www.AmericanFlatTrack.
About Dirt Midget Association
The Dirt Midget Association was formed after seeing a need to bring affordable dirt midget racing back to the Northeast area. The DMA offers a great way to race top-notch race cars while keeping a budget-friendly division top priority. The series has a very diverse group of drivers and car owners from rookies to seasoned veterans from all disciplines of racing. To learn more about the DMA, please visit the series on Facebook at https://www.Facebook.com/
About Sprint Cars of New England
Sprint Cars of New England started in 2004 and features 600-horsepower alcohol-injected winged sprint cars that race in New Hampshire and Vermont. The competitive racing club started off with hopes of growing into something the race fans would enjoy and keep the cost down to attract more new race teams. More teams started building sprint cars and supporting the series, and now Northeast race fans can see 360 winged sprint cars racing throughout New England.
About Granite State Mini Sprints
Formed in 1984, Granite State Mini Sprints is a non-profit, family-oriented organization dedicated to the enjoyment of mini-sprint racing whose members compete in cars utilizing motorcycle engines and drive components. Their specifications are restrictive to emphasize driver ability rather than design or preparation of the car.
About U.S. Legend Cars International
U.S. Legend Cars International Inc. and INEX are a subsidiary of Speedway Motorsports, LLC, a lead marketer and promoter of motorsports entertainment in the United States. USLCI and INEX are the exclusive manufacturer and sanctioning body for the Legend Car, Bandolero Car and Thunder Roadster. Located in Harrisburg, N.C., USLCI is the largest manufacturer of race cars in the world, while INEX is the third largest sanctioning body. This series is an attempt to fight the high costs involved in racing, and the rules are strictly enforced to ensure fair competition and cost control. USLCI hosts a worldwide dealer network featuring over 50 exclusive dealers across the United States. USLCI has also expanded into over 29 different countries.
Sources: Shannon Stephens, NHMS PR
Race fans watch as the Dirt Midget Association races at The Flat Track at New Hampshire Motor Speedway during the inaugural Friday Night Dirt Duels on July 19, 2019. Photo Courtesy: NHMS/Alan MacRae