Statement from New Hampshire Motor Speedway Executive Vice President and General Manager Jerry Gappens on the Speedway being omitted from the 2010 IndyCar Series Schedule

Monday August 3, 2009

The following is a statement from New Hampshire Motor Speedway Executive Vice President and General Manager Jerry Gappens on the Speedway being omitted from the 2010 IndyCar Series Schedule.

“For the second year in a row, I’m extremely disappointed for our fans who continue to hope for the return of IndyCar racing to New Hampshire Motor Speedway.

Our discussions with series officials explored an early August date, but according to them, that turned out to be logistically challenging with the schedule commitments they had in place. Then, I offered to run on the traditional Milwaukee date if they decided not to return to that venue. The feedback I received on that option was that they were concerned about our ability to sell tickets three weeks out from our NASCAR LENOX Industrial Tools 301 weekend. That, in my opinion, was an insult to our team here at New Hampshire Motor Speedway and Speedway Motorsports. I assured them that we have the ability to promote and have a pretty good track record of selling tickets here. In fact, I told them that we would promote June as the “Month of Speed” in New Hampshire, opening with the IndyCars, followed by the 87th Annual Loudon Classic/Laconia Bike Week, and finishing with NASCAR. I think it would have created a lot of synergy. Unfortunately, they didn’t give me that opportunity.

What troubles me, as much as being left off of next year’s schedule, is that they are exploring an option of racing in the parking lot at Gillette Stadium (home of the New England Patriots) in 2012, right here in our back yard. That would be a real slap in the face.

We have a real speedway that produces great racing, located in the seventh largest media market in the country, offers 93,000 grandstand seats, and a dedicated staff that knows how to promote racing and sell tickets.

For the past two years, we have made a concerted effort to bring IndyCar racing back to New England. Unfortunately, that interest has not been reciprocated.”

This report was provided by an outside PR source and posted by Kim DeHaven.