Column By: BRITTANY NUTILE / RPW – LOUDON, NH – On Tuesday it was announced that the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour race at New Hampshire Motor Speedway in September will be called the Musket 250.
It will be the longest race of Whelen Modified Tour history. There will also be a purse that will round out to $181,000 with a $25,000 to win, which includes $3,500 to the NWMT winner of the race bonus. If you also lead laps in the race there will be a $25,000 lap leader bonus, which will pay the leader $100 per lap led.
“Any race at Loudon is good, the modifieds up there are typically the best race of the weekend, anyone that knows racing will tell you that.” Said Jon McKennedy, driver of the 7NY modified for Tommy Baldwin Racing in an interview at Seekonk on June 2nd.
“As far as the race in September it’s nice to race for a good chunk of money, at 2018 that’s probably more the purse we should be racing for at a lot of these events. As the cost of racing and what it takes to get to the events, are so expensive so it’s nice that we get some big events coming up and they are starting to pay more money. “
The modified tour has been at NHMS 67 times. Full throttle weekend in September will also include the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East and the Pinto Series, which will make its first appearance in the United States.
“The purse for the September race is awesome.” Said Gary Putnam, driver of the 77 modified.
“Pretty excited about the September race. Back when I was a mechanic and crew chief on the modified tour, we use to go to Pocono, the Thompson 300. They were big events for the race of champions or the Sunoco 300. It’s awesome that New Hampshire Motor Speedway stepped their game up and brought the 250 back. I think it’s going to be a really fun race.
