A few updates and reminders before you attend this Saturday’s race at Loudon…

NHMS will require require everyone entering the speedway to complete their pre-screening checklist. Please print and complete this now so we can get everyone through the gate as quickly as possible. NHMS will also check forehead temperatures when you sign the track waiver.

If you have received a minor waiver and not mailed it to our office, please bring it with you. All minors must have an active annual minor waiver.

Pit passes are numbered and specifically assigned to you and the individuals listed on your pre-registration form. THERE WILL BE NO SUBSTITUTIONS OR REFUNDS for no-shows.

Only helmets with a Snell or SFI rating of 2010 or newer allowed. DOT is not a rating for racing. Please check the NHKA website for complete info… https://nhka.net/rules/competitor-rules/

Face coverings/masks must be worn in all common areas at all times. This includes the grid and spectator areas, as well as to a from your pit. You may remove your mask in your own pit only.

Remember, this is a race so all rules will be enforced, including fuel rules. World Formula and all 206 classes must run VP MS93, MS 98 or specified local pump gas… which for this event will be the 93 octane Sunoco from the gas pumps in the oval infield between the NASCAR garages. DRT Racing will have 5-gallon pails of MS93, MS 98 and C12 for sale at the track.

We will follow this schedule as closely as we can. If we can get ahead, we will put the time to good use.

Friday Night: No camping or trailer drop offs
6:30am – 9am: Gates open for track entry
8:30am: Drivers meeting – attendance and mask required
9am: Two 5-minute practice sessions
11am approx.: One 5-Minute Qualifying Session Immediately Following Practice
Noon Lunch Break Immediately Following Qualifying
6-Lap Prefinals
15-Lap Finals

This will be the practice and race order. We know there are drivers racing two or more classes, which may be back-to-back in some cases. There is no way to avoid it. So this is the best we can do.

1 Kid Kart (Final during the lunch break)
2 TaG Senior / TaG Junior
3 World Formula Heavy
4 206 Cadet / TaG Mini
5 Tag Masters
6 KZ / Stock Moto / DD2
7 206 Masters / 206 Seniors
8 206 Junior

Thank you to all who have entered so far for our first race of 2020. We’re on target to easily have more than 100 entries. If you haven’t entered yet, you only have until midnight Tuesday July 21st, so pre-register now!

Please remember that we will be following the NHKA Covid-19 Event Procedures. These are the result of hours of collaboration with everyone involved in running this series: the NHKA team, Canaan and NHMS management, local authorities, insurance companies and others. It is the implementation of these procedures that makes our events possible, which we feel is a small inconvenience to get to RACE!!! While some things will be different from a normal race day, we think most people who attended the Canaan practice would say the procedures quickly became less intrusive as they got used to them.

We also must remember that we are coming from all six New England states and beyond to small towns that have thus far been minimally impacted by the virus and would like to keep it that way. So we must be extra careful to wear our masks and follow social distancing guidelines when patronizing area businesses.

Everyone is expected to be familiar with all the NHKA Covid-19 Event Procedures, but there are a few we’d like to highlight going into Saturday’s race at NHMS…

Watch later this week for an updated race day schedule and class structure.

Hello Racers,

We have a plan so we have a green light to get back on track at last!

NHKA has grown into a big family of racers, with many friendships dating back years. We’re all eager to return to the atmosphere of fun and comradery that makes the club so great. Unfortunately, you might be hard pressed to recognize that atmosphere when you read the new COVID-19 Event Procedures. That strange feeling isn’t likely to improve much at the track as we all learn to live with them.

These are crazy times. We need these new rules and procedures to demonstrate to everyone – members, workers, vendors, track owners, surrounding communities – that their health and safety are our top priority, that we care about how what we do effects them, and that continuing to work together is our long-term goal. We know that some measures may seem over the top, but it is better to be too cautious and be invited back than to be rebels and burn bridges that make our racing possible.

Please read and follow the new NHKA COVID-19 Event Procedures. Know we’re all going to need friendly reminders not to congregate, not to hang out in each other’s pits, to maintain six feet of distance. We’ll need to remember not to be self-defensive or get irritated about by these reminders. And we’ll need to give these reminders too. It’s the same thing as speaking up when you see something wrong with another racer’s kart. You don’t want to see them get hurt or hurt anyone else. We take care of each other. It’s a big part of what makes the NHKA what it is. If we follow all these awkward new rules in that same spirit, we’ll find that familiar atmosphere of comradery is still there, even when we’re six feet and trying to figure out how to drink a beer through a mask.

On to the first event of the 2020 season at Canaan Motor Club one June 27th and 28th. Watch your inbox, this website and the NHKA Facebook page for further updates.

We’re looking forward to seeing you at the track!
Mike and Lee

As the COVID-19 outbreak and measures to contain it evolve we’ll be updating this post with the latest information on changes to the 2020 NHKA schedule.

July 25 NHKA Race 1 NHMS Hill Course
August 16 SUNDAY Canaan Motor Club
August 29 Canaan Motor Club
September 26 NHMS Hill Course

What we’re hoping is the final version of the 2020 NHKA Racing Series schedule has taken shape. After Race 1 on July 25th at New Hampshire Motor Speedway, we’ll be back at Canaan Motor Club for Race 2 on SUNDAY August 16th (originally scheduled for two days) and Race 3 on August 29th. Then we’ll wrap up the season with Race 4 on September 26th at NHMS.

Thank you to all who have pre-registered for the first race. If you’ve yet to do so, be sure to to get your pre-registration form in before midnight Tuesday July 21st.

Entry fee is $75. Pit passes are $15.
Pre-registration deadline is midnight Tuesday July 21st.
All drivers must be pre-registered. No at-track registration.
Drivers may bring up to three helpers, and must list them on pre-reg.
No swaps or additions allowed.

No overnight camping or trailer drop off.
Check in opens at 7am July 25th.
Check in will close at 9am (or after all racers in line get in.)
Driver and all helpers must arrive as a group. No stragglers.
No pit parking inside of grid gate.

We’ll be back to the usual full day of practice and racing.
All classes will race, including Kid Karts!!!!
All NHKA Racing Series rules will apply.

All the new NHKA Covid-19 Event Procedures will be enforced.
You may leave the property and return, but please follow local social protocols and rules.

More details may follow, so please watch for updates.

We’ll see you all at NHMS!!!!

Thanks to the input of our members and NHKA Authorized Dealers, we are happy to provide you with the final version of the rule changes for 2020…

General Rules

All drivers must register and sign driver waiver BEFORE Safety tech Inspection.

All guests must be signed in at the front gate by 12pm (noon) on race days. No entry after noon unless prearranged. Any guests that are on the property without a proper wrist band will be removed from the property and the driver they are there with/for will be subject to penalties.

Transponders must be mounted to the seat back or side rear of the seat mount. They may not be carried on the driver’s person (i.e., in a pocket.)

A rolled black flag is pointed at a driver or a group of drivers it is a warning of a violation. So whatever it is you’re doing, knock it off.

LeCont Reds are now the spec tire for all 4-cycle classes. New or used MG Reds that have been scanned and marked by the NHKA are also legal for this season only.

Rear Wheels must be a minimum of 7.75″ wide for World Formula as well as TaG Junior, Senior and Masters classes.

Safety

All lead weights must be mounted securely to the kart. Minimum bolt size is 5/16″ or 8mm, and must be double nutted. One bolt per 1–5lbs, two bolts for 5–10lbs. Individual weights more than 10lbs must have their mounting inspected and approved by the race director. No stacking weights. All bolts must pass through a purpose-drilled hole (e.g., DO NOT mount dive weights through the belt slot, etc.) Lead sheets in seat must be bolted to the seat in the same manner. All weights must be painted white and have the kart number on them. Weights and their mounting will be checked during the pre-race safety inspection.

All karts must have safety wire and/or pins in all required areas. See the Pre-Race Kart Prep Sheet.

World Formula

Fuel: VP MS93, VP MS98, or designated local 93 octane pump gas. No mixing.

Spark Plug: Champion RG4HC only with .030–.040 gap.

Header Wrap or Header Guard: Required and subject to post-race tech inspection.

Premier Titan: Must be in stock configuration. (This is the clutch that comes with the WF engine package.)

Hilliard Flame: Stock Hilliard Flame parts only, including drum. All four shoes must be used as well as the dust shield behind clutch hub. Stock Hilliard springs only that may be configured utilizing pairs of equal tension. For example: 4 black or 2 black and 2 white. Stacking up to two springs allowed. Weights are NOT allowed. Drum and shoes must be dry from grease or oil.

Briggs 206

Fuel: VP MS93, VP MS98, or designated local 93 octane pump gas. No mixing.

2020 Briggs 206 Engine Rule Set: This goes into effect March 1st for all NHKA 206 classes. Changes from last year’s set are in red, the most notable being the immediate adoption of Autolite AR3910X as the only spark plug allowed. To read/download/print the new rule set click here.

Hilliard Flame: Stock Hilliard Flame parts only, including drum. All four shoes must be used, as well as dust shield behind clutch hub. Stock Hilliard springs only which may be configured utilizing pairs of equal tension. For example, 4 black or 2 black and 2 white. Stacking of up to two springs allowed. Weights are allowed. Drum and shoes must be dry from grease or oil.

206 Cadet Spec Gear: #35 chain will use 17-57 gears only. #219 chain will use 20-67 gears only.

206 Cadet Rear Wheels: Diameter must be 5″ and width must be 5 – 5.25” (130mm – 135mm.)

Header Wrap or Header Guard: Required and subject to tech inspection.

Every off season we take a good hard look at the rules to make sure we’re delivering the safest racing, fairest competition and best value for everyone involved with the club. And every year we carve out time at the start of the awards banquet to present our proposed changes to the membership for feedback. Here is the slate of changes we are strongly considering for 2020:

World Formula Light and Heavy:
• Header wrap or guard mandatory on WF and 206 exhaust.
• Require VP MS 93, VP MS 98 or local pump gas… no mixing.
• Scanning and marking procedure for transition to LeCont tires
• Allow the use of clutch adjustment weights designed specifically for the clutch being used.

Briggs 206 Classes:
• Reaffirm that all 206 classes follow the rules set published by Briggs and Stratton.
• Briggs 206 Cadet spec gearing: #35 17-57 or #219 20-67 These two options only.

All Classes:
• We are considering non-duplicate permanent numbers belonging to the driver.

Plus, there’ll be time for you to bring up your own proposals for rules and procedures you feel would improve everyone’s racing experience. So bring your ideas and positive attitudes to help us make the 2020 NHKA Racing Series season the best ever.

You were all such patient and helpful racers this past year, this holiday season we want to give you exactly what you want:

It’s time for holiday cheer, New Years celebrations and the 2019 NHKA Awards Party!!!! Join us in celebrating the accomplishments of our drivers and other special folks, share great food and drink, and of course try your chances on the always popular MegaRaffle!

NHKA Awards Party and Annual Members Meeting
Saturday, January,18 2020 1-6pm
White Birch Function Hall – Hudson, NH
Buffet and Cash Bar

No Charge for NHKA Members and a Guest
Additional Guests and Non-Members $20
RSVP Required for All Attending

1pm Doors Open Mobbing of bar begins.

2pm Annual Members Meeting Hear straight from the source about planned updates to rules and procedures for the 2020 season. We want to know what you think, and this is the perfect time ask questions, express concerns and offer constructive suggestions.

3pm Buffet Dinner Any attempts to stampede the buffet will be dealt with by Tammy. You’ve been warned.

3:30pm Special Awards & MegaRaffle Once everyone is hunkered down with their food, we’ll kickoff the MegaRaffle and acknowledge some special people who helped make 2019 one of our best seasons ever despite being one of the most challenging!

4pm Championship Awards Presentations All those hours in the garage. All that work at the track. All those hundreds of hard-fought laps. It all comes down to this moment – let’s make it huge.

All NHKA members are invited to attend with one guest at no charge. Additional guests of members and any non-members wishing to attend must RSVP and pay $20 before by midnight January 4, 2020. Space is limited, so please understand that we may need to limit the number of additional guests.

ALL ATTENDING MUST RSVP Please check in at the door.

RSVP by Midnight January 4, 2020

Download and complete RSVP form and send with payment…
FAX: 508-588-2304
Email: [email protected]
Mail: KEI, 7 Renker Drive, South Easton, MA 02375

Race 9 is here, the last of the 2019 NHKA Racing Series season. It’s this Saturday, October 19th at Canaan Motor Club. We will be racing the same track configuration as last time: Half Track 2, clockwise, with the chicane. Kid Karts will use Half Track 1. Big thanks to the Zamperini Family for sponsoring event trophies. Be sure to pre-register before midnight tonight, Wednesday October 16, 2019 so you can make the most of your race morning.

Please remember to bring donations for the CLR #10 Team food drive. Cruise LaBrie and family will be set up near the paddock entrance collecting canned and dry goods for local food pantries. The cold weather and holidays are coming, so please be as generous as you can. See the earlier post for suggestions, but if you somehow forget to load mac-n-cheese into the trailer, cash is always a welcome donation.
 
 
 
As usual, we have some reminders and updates to share with you…

USE THE FIRST GATE: Please enter the track property by the first gate closest to the main road. There will be signs.

PIT PASSES: You must sign in and purchase a pit pass BEFORE entering the paddock. Please DO NOT drive in and park and then walk back to the front booth to get your pit passes after. Get your pit passes first.

FRIDAY NIGHT ENTRY: The gate and pit pass sales will open at 4pm (or as close to that as we can) to give teams time to set up before the sun goes down. Registration will open at 7pm, then close at 9pm along with the front gate. There is no late entry or street parking allowed. If you’re not positive you’ll arrive before 9pm, delay your departure to arrive in the morning.

SATURDAY MORNING ENTRY: The gate will open at 6:30am. Pit pass sales will begin at 7am.

DRIVERS MEETING: 8:15am sharp… we have a lot of racing and work to fit in before the sun sets. All Drivers MUST ATTEND.

BARRIER STORAGE: After the races, we’ll need a few extra people to help with moving the barriers into the barn for the winter. It usually takes about 45 minutes. Thank you!

PIT PASSES PART II: Everyone at every NHKA event must have a pit pass. That means if friends or relatives attend, even for just part of the day, they’ll need pit passes. If your guests arrive after lunch, please make sure to find Mike or Nancy BEFORE your guests enter the paddock. Please keep in mind that we will be very busy conducting the races at that time and may not be able to step away. Thus, please expect an extended wait and understand that mid/late-day entry is not guaranteed.

DRAIN YOUR ENGINES: The first frost is coming any night now… if it hasn’t already near you. So be sure to drain the water out of your engine. Don’t forget to blow into your radiator fill a couple times to get the water out of the small passages in your engine.

BANQUET: Your NHKA Racing Series Awards Banquet/Annual Meeting/Party will be on Saturday, January 18, 2020 at the White Birch Function Hall in Hudson, NH. Stay tuned for more details in the coming weeks.

It’s funny how most of us started racing because we enjoyed watching it. But now that we’re racers ourselves, often the only racing we see at the track is from behind the steering wheel. That’s a shame because there’s so much great racing across all classes at every NHKA event. Never is this more true than at the last race of the season. So here are some tips and back stories to draw you to the catch fence at Canaan this Saturday so you can enjoy beinging a fan again. Note: These predictions figure in the presumed drop race, and the opinions are solely those of the writer, who wields a slow wrench but runs two classes and thus tends to get hollered at for being late to the grid.

Briggs 206 Cadet
Caleb Jarvis-Comi will nail down his fourth Cadet championship in a row. His lowest finish this season was third, which only happened once. According to our records, since he started racing in 2016, he has only finished off the podium once! All this success isn’t due to a lack of competition. When the dust settled in 2017, a mere 10 points separated him from his brother Wyatt – who finished THIRD behind Matthew Winter!!! Both Myles Danoff and Alex Braga put in solid performances all 2019, each snagging a win. Racing against someone like Caleb makes drivers very hungry, very good and the racing very much worth watching.

Briggs 206 Junior
With three wins and only one finish off the podium, LeBrie is set to Cruise to his first NHKA Championship. (Sorry, couldn’t resist.) He will be heading into the final race with a 60-point margin over 2018 champ Wyatt Jarvis-Comi and Zachary Fasset, who both will be fighting hard to end their seasons with a win.

Briggs 206 Senior
After winning the first six races, Tom Rosenfield locked-down the Briggs 206 Championship a couple months ago. Then things got interesting. TaG dominator Ricardo Nunes put together a 206. Raphael Kiopini dropped in from Canada’s huge 206 scene. Then Ryan Archambault appeared out of nowhere last race to snag second place. Then there’s Paul Bowin and Mike Oliver who each earned a pair of seconds this season. Yes, Tom will win the championship, but that means the only thing he or his competition have to lose at Canaan is the race – making it one you want to watch.

TaG Senior
Ricardo Nunes continues to win races, dominate championships and rewrite the NHKA record books. While fending off Greg Santos and Pat Dennehy to clinch the TaG Senior title, he ran two other classes, and became the first driver to win three races at a single event in the ten years NHKA has been sprint racing. The next event, he did it again. He is impressive, which makes any race he’s in worth watching.

TaG Masters
The competition in TaG Masters has always been fierce. Just one mechanical issue can jeopardize the championship hopes of even one of the NHKA’s winningest drivers, Ricardo Nunes. His DRT Racing teammate, Marciano Dos Santos has been nipping at his heels all season long with two wins and three seconds. Mac Minarelli team leader Brad Danoff has been right there too with a win and five podiums. Separated by only 45 points, with a large field adding the potential for a big lose or gain of points, these guys will be coming to Canaan meaning business. Don’t miss it!

Briggs World Formula Light
In a 100% box-stock class, there is no domination, only consistency. Defending champ Rick Brown knows this. His win at the last race bought him 20 points of breathing room over his closest rival, Rodrigo Dias, who had to swallow the disappointment of a tenth-place finish. But it’s not much of an advantage when you know that a minor slip up that loses you just a few positions on track could lose you the championship. Rick knows this too, especially in a field stacked with potential race winners. There’s “Dammit” Dave Nadeau who will want to end his rollercoaster season at the top of the podium. There’s the surging Kevin Georgantis who followed up his first ever kart win with a solid second. Or maybe one of the emerging young guns will strike the balance of speed and discipline through every corner all day long to stake their place among the proven veterans. I can’t tell you how it will turn out, only that it’ll be worth watching.

Briggs World Formula Heavy
Feeling that his weight held him back in the light-weight class last season, Ken Poulin bolted on a bit of lead to race World Formula Heavy. It was a great decision that brought him his first win and has situated him with only one race between him and his first championship. But just 30 points back lurks the always hard-charging Tom Rosenfield. And only five points behind Tom former champ Geoff Lockett. Hot off his first win of the season, Geoff will be hungry for more.

Congrats to All!
Well-deserved congratulations to all our champions, including Jeremy Fleury in 206 Masters, who came to every race and worked hard to beat the best out there, even at those early season events when it was just him. Bryan Bouton loves to challenge himself. He won the Stock Motor Shifter championship last season, then built his first KZ and drove that to the KZ Shifter championship. This season’s Stock Moto Championship will go to Mike Kavanaugh, a much-respected presence on-track and off at NHKA events since the road racing days. Quiet, tough and strong, he’s our very own Clint Eastwood.

Congrats and thanks to all our racers (meaning you) for bringing such incredible commitment (meaning insanity) to chasing your racing dreams with us. We feel very lucky to have you as part of our amazing racing family, and look forward to celebrating your accomplishments with you at the banquet. But first, there’s a bit of business we all need to attend to at Canaan.