2022 NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour at Lee USA Speedway

Track Profile: Get To Know New Hampshire's Lee USA Speedway

Track Profile: Get To Know New Hampshire's Lee USA Speedway

All of the facts and information you need ahead of Saturday's NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour Granite State Derby at Lee USA Speedway

May 20, 2022 by NASCAR Roots
Track Profile: Get To Know New Hampshire's Lee USA Speedway

Located a short drive from Portsmouth, New Hampshire, Lee USA Speedway has been a staple of the New Hampshire racing scene since it first opened in 1964.

First operating as a dirt track and now as a paved 0/375-mile paved oval, Lee USA Speedway has been entertaining New England race fans for more than 50 years.

The track has hosted countless races through the years. It was reconfigured from a tri-oval to an oval in the mid-1980s, a move that gave the facility new life. The track continues to host weekly racing in addition to special events, including the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour’s Inaugural Granite State Derby presented by USA Insulation on May 21.

The track has even played host to some of NASCAR’s greatest stars, with competitors like Jeff Gordon, Dale Earnhardt, Terry Labonte, Tim Richmond and Buddy Baker among those known to have turned laps at the historic New Hampshire racing venue. NASCAR Hall of Famer Richie Evans also raced his modified at the track several times through the years.

Current NASCAR competitors like Martin Truex Jr., Bubba Wallace, Brett Moffitt and Ryan Truex have turned competitive laps at Lee USA Speedway, with Wallace even winning an ARCA Menards Series East (then NASCAR K&N Pro Series East) event at the track in 2010.

Below is everything you need to know about Lee USA Speedway.

Lee USA Speedway

Track Profile

TrackLee USA Speedway
LocationLee, New Hampshire
Opened1964
Length0.375 miles
SurfaceAsphalt

The track now known as Lee USA Speedway opened for the first time in 1964 as a third-mile dirt tri-oval under the ownership and direction of Bob Bonser. Interestingly, the track featured two elevation changes, one uphill and the other downhill.

Originally known as Lee Raceway, the facility didn’t remain a dirt track for very long. In 1965, the track was paved in an effort to attract the New England Super Modified Racing Association, a goal that was accomplished later in the year.

The track continued to operate until 1979, when due to financial reasons the facility was closed. It sat dormant for the next few seasons until three men – Kenny Smith, Russ Conway and Charlie Elliott – came together to purchase and reopen the facility in 1983.

Prior to reopening, the track was reconfigured from its tri-oval layout to the current 0.375-mile oval shape. With the new configuration came a new name – Lee USA Speedway.

In 1986, the track was sold once again, this time to the MacDonald family, who operated the track until early 2018. The track is now owned by Norman Wrenn Jr., who also owns two other New Hampshire race tracks – Monadnock Speedway and Claremont Motorsports Park.

Lee USA Speedway is part of the NASCAR Advance Auto Parts Weekly Series, with the track hosting weekly racing for the Late Model Sportsman, Street Stocks, Six Shooters and Pure Stock divisions.

In addition, the track has hosted the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour and the ARCA Menards Series East several times in its history. Below is the complete list of winners for both divisions at Lee USA Speedway.

NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour races at Lee USA Speedway

Year-Race No.DateWinner
1993-118/6/93Reggie Ruggiero
1994-066/10/94Jamie Tomaino
1995-066/2/95Tim Connolly
1996-086/28/96Rick Fuller
1998-127/17/98Ed Flemke Jr.

East Series races at Lee USA Speedway

Year-Race No.DateWinner
1992-096/7/92Kelly Moore
1993-014/25/93Dale Shaw
1993-179/19/93Stub Fadden
1994-189/4/94Stub Fadden
1995-034/30/95Bobby Dragon
1995-179/3/95Robbie Crouch
1996-024/28/96Dave Dion
1996-169/1/96Brad Leighton
1997-024/20/97Brad Leighton
1998-014/26/98Brad Leighton
1999-014/18/99Brad Leighton
2000-014/16/00Dale Shaw
2001-014/22/01Tracy Gordon
2002-014/21/02Andy Santerre
2003-014/27/03Andy Santerre
2004-014/26/04Andy Santerre
2010-077/30/10Bubba Wallace