New Hampshire Motor Speedway's return to the IndyCar calendar has been moved back two weeks to August, due to changes in the NASCAR schedule.
The one-mile, low-banked oval was last used for top-line, open-wheel racing in 1998, but IndyCar will return for the first of at least three years on Aug. 14. It will be the series' first race on a one-mile oval since that '98 event.
"Because of the date changes with our NASCAR weekends, we had to move this much-anticipated event from its originally announced July 31 date to Aug. 14," said Loudon circuit boss Jerry Gappens. "With this change, it gives fans from New England, Canada and across the country three consecutive months of major racing events. This will be a tremendous boost to the economic benefit the speedway provides and increase in tourism to our great state.
"In addition, I really appreciate Randy Bernard and all of the officials of the IndyCar Series working with us to make this change. It creates some travel and logistical challenges for their group, but it further demonstrates their commitment to bring open-wheel racing back to New England."
The Loudon track hosted four CART Indy car races before the split in 1996, when it went with the Indy Racing League. It dropped off the calendar after three events, the last of them won by Tony Stewart – who has also won at the venue in NASCAR.