When the New Hampshire International Speedway opened in Loudon on June 5, 1990, it was the largest sports facility in New England, drawing 500,000 spectators annually to watch races that are telecast to over 10 million people worldwide each year.
It is one of only 23 NASCAR tracks in the United States and the only one in New England.
The speedway was built on the site of Bryar Motorsports Park, which hosted the Loudon Classic, the oldest motorcycle race in North America, from 1964 to 1989.
Owner Bob Bahre foresaw a huge increase in the popularity of motor sports in the region and predicted a need for a larger racing venue. The facility was renamed the New Hampshire Motor Speedway in 2008.
N.H. Historical Society