NASCAR releases full schedule, will race at NHMS on July 13

LOUDON, N.H. (Nov. 13, 2012) – The snow has yet to accumulate, but eight short months from today, NASCAR will officially be back at “The Magic Mile.” NASCAR announced the 2013 schedule for its Nationwide Series today, a slate that once again includes New Hampshire Motor Speedway for the 24th straight year. As a part of the Sprint Cup Series weekend, NASCAR’s premier subdivision will roar around the 1.058-mile oval on Saturday, July 13.

“Having the Nationwide Series provides us with a tremendous anchor for what is sure to be another super Saturday lineup of racing,” said Jerry Gappens, executive vice president and general manager of the speedway. “We recognize the importance of the Nationwide Series as a launching pad to the Sprint Cup Series, so it’s a great thrill to have the stars of tomorrow battling it out at ‘The Magic Mile.’ ”

Brad Keselowski, who is the favorite to take home his first Sprint Cup championship this Sunday at Homestead-Miami Speedway, won the Nationwide race at NHMS back in July. Keselowski’s victory ended the repeat hopes of Kyle Busch, who became not only the first driver in series history to win back-to-back races at “The Magic Mile,” but the first driver, period, to repeat at New Hampshire in Nationwide. In fact, Busch won three straight races before Keselowski knocked him off last July.

The July 13 stop in New Hampshire will serve as the second race in the Nationwide Series “Dash 4 Cash,” a bonus program that rewards the highest-finishing eligible driver in four designated races with a monetary bonus above and beyond the race purse. Fans also can participate via a sweepstakes that culminates with one lucky fan also winning a monetary prize. This past year is was $100,000.

Tickets for the Nationwide Series event on July 13 as well as the July 14 New Hampshire 300 and the September 22 SYLVANIA 300 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series weekends are on sale now. They can be purchased by calling the NHMS ticket hotline at (603) 783-4931 or by visiting www.nhms.com. Be sure to keep up with the latest “Magic Mile” news by logging onto the tracks Facebook page at NHMotorSpeedway and on Twitter @NHMS.