Local drivers shine at New Hampshire race weekend

After winning the pole on Saturday afternoon, Joey Logano reminisced about his early beginnings in New Hampshire.

Race weekend was action-packed with three different races, familiar faces for local fans and full of fond memories for local drivers.

On Saturday, three New Hampshire drivers competed in the Whelen Modified race, while the truck series playoff round of 10 featured a career-best performance by Massachusetts’ own Blake Lothian.

Logano came into the weekend below the cut-off line in the NASCAR Cup Series Playoff’s second round, but had a strong qualifying performance to position himself for a comeback race at his home track in Loudon.

During the post-qualifying press conference, he talked about his first exposure to the sport at age seven, and how he was able to share that experience with his son this year.

“I was watching the Modified race with my son, my oldest son, and you just kind of go back. He’s seven. I was seven the first time I came here. I was watching the races this morning, like, ‘This is pretty cool,’ so it’s a full circle moment,” Logano said.

For the seasoned Logano and the young up-and-comer Lothian, who both drove the No. 22 cars in their races, the weekend was a strong homecoming in different senses, which was a delight to fans.

Eastern Bank President Quincy Miller (L) and Blake Lothian (R) holding lug nuts from Lothian’s Reaume Brothers Racing truck after the EJP 175.
Joey Logano speaking at the post-qualifying press conference on Saturday afternoon.

Whelen Modified Mohegan Sun 100

No. 70 Andy Seuss of Barnstead, NH, finished 4th in the Mohegan Sun 100 at NHMS on Saturday. Credit: ALEXANDER RAPP / Monitor

Andy Seuss, from Hampstead, led the charge for local drivers in one of the most exciting races of the weekend and came in fourth.

He was just 0.438s behind the winner, Tyler Rypkema, in Boehler Racing Enterprises’ No. 3 Ole Blue Modified.

It was a tight finish as Rypkema’s front wheel smashed against the wall after being hit in the back by No. 51 Justin Bonsignore, and while his wheel spun through the air, he crossed the finish with three wheels on the track.

Two other granite staters, Bennington’s No. 43 Matt Kimball and Hudson’s No. 29 Mike Marshall, finished in 11th and 15th place, respectively.

New Hampshire native No. 43 Matt Kimball finished 11th in the Mohegan Sun 100 at NHMS. Credit: ALEXANDER RAPP / Monitor

Hudson’s No. 29 Mike Marshall advanced from 27th in the pole to 15th by the end of the Mohegan Sun 100. Credit: ALEXANDER RAPP / Monitor

The Mohegan Sun 100 set the bar high for fans in terms of action-packed expectations and created a buzz of excitement in the stands to kick off racing on “The Magic Mile.”

Tyler Rypkema after winning the Mohegan Sun 100 with three tires. Credit: ALEXANDER RAPP / Monitor

CRAFTSMAN Truck Series EJP 175

Lothian, 23, said he would be content with a top-25 finish in his return to the New Hampshire Motor Speedway as a professional driver.

In a race that had eight cautions and 13 drivers knocked out, the Massachusetts native had a career-best truck series placement and finished 20th.

He skillfully avoided the wrecks on the back stretch and turns three and four to stay running and finish strong in front of his friends and family.

“Surreal. Walking out onto the grid is just like the craziest moment, feeling in the world, I’ve ever had,” he said after the race.

Keeping the tires clean, staying focused on temperatures and making small adjustments to be quicker were key to the race, Lothian said.

No. 22 Blake Lothian had a career-best performance at NHMS on Saturday. Credit: ALEXANDER RAPP / Monitor

Manchester Eastern Bank branch manager and huge NASCAR fan, Frank Talarico, had the chance to talk to Lothian in Concord before the start of race weekend.

As a Logano fan, seeing his workplace sponsoring the No. 22 for the truck series was an awesome sight, said Talarico.

“Blake’s car is pretty cool. You know, you see the cars drive by, you get that feeling of the exhileration of the win, the smell, the feel of NASCAR,” he said.

Eastern Bank President and CEO Quincy Miller was equally excited to sponsor a local racer. His bank had never sponsored a racer before, so he was very happy Lothian reached out.

“I was talking to his parents yesterday and they were reminiscing on sitting on that hill as kids, like when Blake was just a child watching everybody down here,” Miller said. “They’re telling us that story, and it’s giving us chills listening to it. And then, now he comes full circle.”

Lothian will return to racing in the ARCA Menards Series and left the track he grew up at for the Kansas Speedway, with an impressive truck performance and a dream fulfilled.

Pit crew during the CRAFTSMAN Truck Series. Credit: Rich Miyara / NH Sports Photography

EJP 175 No. 11 Corey Heim leads on turn two. Credit: Rich Miyara / NH Sports Photography

New Hampshire Motor Speedway’s EJP 175 on Saturday. Credit: ALEXANDER RAPP / Monitor

Corey Heim won the EJP 175 in his No. 11 Safelite Toyota. Credit: Rich Miyara / NH Sports Photography

NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs MOBIL 1 301

The green flag is waved to start the Mobil 1 301 at NHMS. Credit: ALEXANDER RAPP / Monitor

The stands were packed for the playoff race on a warm Sunday afternoon.

Logano led the start of the MOBIL 1 301 playoff race in New Hampshire in pole position, while NHMS defending champion Christopher Bell started 19th and 10 other playoff drivers prepared for race day in New Hampshire.

Logano was accompanied by teammate Ryan Blaney on the front row, and their affiliate teammate Josh Berry started in third.

Christopher Bell after qualifying on Saturday. Credit: Rich Miyara / NH Sports Photography

Joey Logano after winning pole position. Credit: Rich Miyara / NH Sports Photography

Boston Bruins anthem singer Todd Anguilly sang the Canadian and American anthem’s before the start, while the Maine Air National Guard’s 101st Air Refueling Wing flew its KC-135 Stratotanker aircraft “The MAINEiacs.”

Race results were not available at print time.

Maine Air National Guard’s 101st Air Refueling Wing flew over with a KC-135 Stratotanker aircraft. Credit: Rich Miyara / NH Sports Photography
The NASCAR Cup Series Playoff Mobil 1 301 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway on Sunday, Sept. 21. Credit: Rich Miyara / NH Sports Photography
Joey Logano’s crew in the pit. Credit: Rich Miyara / NH Sports Photography