Ahead of this weekend's IZOD IndyCar Series finale at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, fellow Speedway Motorsports Inc. track New Hampshire Motor Speedway confirmed Friday that its IndyCar race will not return next season. Speedway General Manager Jerry Gappens said in a statement that the race, which was renewed this year at the one-mile oval at Loudon, N.H after a 13-year absence, did not meet financial expectations and that the speedway was unable to reach a deal with IndyCar that would make the race financially successful.
"I wish them nothing but success as they continue to build that product and brand of racing,” Gappens added.
The race had looked to be in jeopardy since Gappens told the New Hampshire Union Leader last month that the track had made a "significant loss" on the Aug. 14 MoveThatBlock.com Indy 225, which drew an estimated audience of some 28,000. “Forty thousand was what it was going to take to have a chance to make money,” Gappens told the Union Leader. “When the bills got paid, it was a significant loss.”
NHMS previously hosted CART Indy cars from 1992-'95, and the Indy Racing League from 1996-'98.