NHMS REMAINS SPECIAL

LOUDON — New Hampshire Motor Speedway might be down to one event per year, but for drivers who have used the track as a springboard in their racing career, the track still holds a special place, and the desire to win here is still very strong.

Defending Monster Energy NASCAR Cup champion Martin Truex Jr.;, who has New England roots, said he considers a win at New Hampshire Motor Speedway a highlight of his career.

“For me, it’s such a big one, it's one I want so bad,” he said. “Winning here would be – for me – like winning at Daytona. It really is.”

That sentiment was echoed by Connecticut native Joey Logano, who won his first NASCAR race at his home track in Loudon back in 2009, and picked up his second victory at the track during NASCAR’s “Chase” playoffs in 2014.

“I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again; when we won here in 2014 that, to me, was as big as winning the Daytona 500,” Logano said. “Just conquering a track that at the time was my most challenging race track. Winning that race, and having my family here and a lot of friends, and to celebrate in victory Lane with them. You don’t’ have that everywhere. I think every drive can say winning at their home track is one of their, if not their biggest win of their career.”

Ryan Preece, who has been a fixture in modified racing around New England, finished second at NHMS last year, in his first race with Joe Gibbs Racing. He hopes to improve that by one position in today’s Lakes Region 200 Xfinity race.

“It would be pretty nice (to win),“ he said. “It’s definitely pretty special to me, because that’s what started this whole thing last year, when we finished second to Kyle (Busch). It’s nice to be back and obviously I love New Hampshire. Hopefully we can have a strong day, in both the Xfinity race and the modifieds.”

He said he might have to use yesterday’s Modified All-Star Shootout as a test session for his modified race car. He ended up with a sixth place finish in that race, and he looks to improve on that in today’s Eastern Propane and Oil 100 Whelen Modified race.

Preece is looking to use New Hampshire Motor Speedway to, once again, show his capabilities in the Xfintiy race car. Although he was not initially scheduled to drive for Joe Gibbs racing, he was able to earn the opportunity with his strong finishes. In eight races with Joe Gibbs Racing, Preece has won twice, and finished in the top five six times.

“I’ve won a lot of prestigious races, and opportunities weren’t coming,” he said. “It’s not that I felt like I couldn’t do the job, so what are you doing to do if the opportunities aren’t coming and you know you can do it. I had to do whatever I had to do to get that ride and get that opportunity and show these guys, hey, I may race modifieds, but I can do the job that needs to be done.”

Xfinity driver Kaz Grala, who hails from Massachusetts, has endured a team change this year, and said a win at New Hampshire could help turn his season around.

“That would be huge and that would be a career changer of course,” he said. “Now we get to just try to race for wins, and more importantly even than wins is racing for 2019. We’re trying to prove ourselves as a team and myself as a driver to where I can lock down a ride, or a sponsor for 2019, full time.”

Bonsignore wins modified All-Star race

Justin Bonsignore became the fifth different driver, in five races, to win the Whelen Modified All-Star Shootout race at New Hampshire Motor Speedway on Friday afternoon.

Bonsignore took over the lead on lap 24, and fought off a challenge from Rowan Pennink to secure the win.

“Any time you can come up to New Hampshire and win, no matter what type of race it is, it’s an awesome feeling to turn into Victory Lane,” he said.

Doug Coby finished second in the All-Star race, with Eric Goodale third, Jon McKennedy fourth, and Bobby Santos III fifth. Hampstead, NH native Andy Seuss, who started deep in the field charged through for a seventh place finish.

Kurt Busch paces qualifying

Kurt Busch is trying to join teammates Kevin Harvick and Clint Bowyer as a lock for the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series playoffs. On Friday night he secured a spot on the pole for Sunday’s Foxwoods Resort Casino 301, his third pole of the 2018 season.

“It was exactly what we needed to kick off the second half and to keep the mojo going for the 41 car,” he said. “We’ve been smooth, we’ve been consistent, we just haven’t broke through for wins yet. But to have 3 poles, that’s pretty solid and that gives us a good starting spot for Sunday as well as good pit selection.”

Busch said track position is important at New Hampshire Motor Speedway, which makes earning the pole important.

“Especially with that first pit box, that will help,” he said. “When you start the race, if your lap times are dropping off, you still have track position that will help you in that first stage.”

Busch hopes to turn his strong starting spot into his fourth win at New Hampshire Motor Speedway, and his first of the 2019 season.