New Hampshire 300 postponed.

NASCAR have announced the postponement of this weekend's New Hampshire 300 at the New Hampshire International Speedway until November 23rd as a result of Tuesday's terrorist attacks on the United States of America.

As the gruesome picture surrounding events on Tuesday in New York City, Washington and Somerset County, PA becomes clearer and the estimated 5,000 dead continue to be given names and faces, NASCAR took the decision to postpone Sunday's New Hampshire 300 at the New Hampshire International Speedway until Friday November 23rd.

The change of date means that the race now becomes the season finale, being held five days after the NAPA 500 at the Atlanta Motor Speedway. The race will be held on the day after Thanksgiving in the US and the festive mood that should be surrounding the nation should make up for the predicted cold.

The qualifying order for the original race was set on Wednesday with current points leader Jeff Gordon on pole position. That qualifying order looks set to stand in spite of the two-month gap between dates.

With all Major League Baseball, National Football League and PGA Golf events cancelled this weekend; NASCAR felt it would be inappropriate to race on a weekend where the mood across the country was still one of reflection. The Craftsman Truck Series event at the Texas Motor Speedway set for Saturday has also been postponed and will now run on October 5th, a day before the re-scheduled Indy Racing Northern Light Series season finale that has also been postponed from its original date.

Leading Winston Cup team owner Joe Gibbs was one of many in the NASCAR community who felt that NASCAR had made the correct decision.

"We [Joe Gibbs Racing and drivers Bobby Labonte and Tony Stewart] fully support NASCAR's decision to cancel all events for this weekend in both New Hampshire and Texas as we feel that this is the right thing to do," said Gibbs who is also a two-time Superbowl winning coach in the NFL. "This is a time to mourn the losses that our country has felt this week and a time to try and start the healing process. Now, our employees will have the opportunity to do that at home with their families. We will continue to pray and ask the Lord to comfort those who have lost loved ones, and to heal those who were injured in the tragedies that occurred this week. We ask the rest of the country to do the same."

Gibbs' view was echoed throughout the Winston Cup garage with drivers Johnny Benson, Rick Mast and Ron Hornaday being some of the first to support NASCAR's decision.

"I'm glad that we decided to postpone Sunday's race," said Benson, driver of the No.10 MBV Motorsports Valvoline Pontiac. "At times like this we need to think about our country and the families involved in what happened in New York and Washington. As much as I love this sport, I really didn't feel like racing this weekend. This is tough time for our nation, but we have been through tough times before and I know we will get through it."

"NASCAR made the right call," added Hornaday. "I know it was a difficult decision to make, but it is the best thing to do under the circumstances. Our hearts and prayers go out to the victims, their families, and to the rescue workers during this difficult time."

Earlier this year at New Hampshire, Mast finished a season's best 14th for Midwest Transit Racing, now with Eel River, the veteran driver showed why he is one of the most respected in the pitlane with further insight into the feelings of those in the Winston Cup community and the level of difficulty involved in postponing the first NASCAR event ever through something other than weather or of natural causes.

"When I thought that we were going to race up there, I truly 100 percent believed that I was going to win my first race," said Mast. "This is going to be my luck: I'm going to finally win my first race and I won't be able to smile, have fun, or be able to have a good time.

"I agree with the decision 100 percent. I know that some people are saying 'Well, things must go on.' That's true, but I also think there is a certain amount of respect that should be given on something like this. The NFL is doing it, baseball is doing it, and I think we need to be doing it. I think it shows a level of respect. This is a terrible, terrible deal that happened to our country. I think it helps show the solidarity of our country, especially for us NASCAR folks to say 'Ok, let's take time out.'

"Number one is the travel arrangements for everybody. Stick and ball sports have one plane that carries all the players. Between the teams, the drivers, the media and everybody else you're looking at as minimum of 200-300 planes that go to all these races. I know for a fact that some of the teams left Thursday morning driving to New Hampshire just in case we did race and they wouldn't be able to fly up there. They didn't want to take a chance on not flying.

"Then you've got all the different things that surround the event, all the 100,000 fans that have made arrangements for that one-week out of the year to get there for the race. It messes those guys up. It's just a lot that has to go on."

Mast also recognised that the prospect of November New England weather could cause further problems and sympathised with the owners of the one-mile NHIS that has been the focus of so much recent negative attention.

"I feel so bad for the Bahres. I consider Bob (Chairman of the Board, New Hampshire International Speedway) and Gary Bahre (President, New Hampshire International Speedway) one of the top three or four promoters in our sport. It just seems like every time you turn around they're getting knocked down and hit in the teeth. It's truly not fair to that family. They are such good people and they are one of the best promoters in our sport and this stuff keeps happening to them. I truly hate it for them, but there's nothing you can do about it. You persevere and go on."

On the weather Mast joked, "I'd say put your chains on because I'm sure it's going to be snowing, knowing the Bahres and their luck. I'm sure the snow will be a foot deep by the time we get there."

Snow or no snow, Benson now views the opportunity to race at New Hampshire when the mood is brighter as a chance for the Sport to further lift spirits. "We will put on a heck of a show in New Hampshire in November and reward those fans for their patience," he said. "Terrorists aren't going to stop this country or our sport from going forward."

The last time a Winston Cup race was postponed for any length of time was in 1998 when the July 4th weekend running of the Pepsi 400 at Daytona had to be held back until October 17th due to the wildfires in the area which at one point were clearly in view of the 2.5-mile Superspeedway.

The switch also means that Atlanta Motor Speedway now loses its final date as the season ending race. When the 2002 NWC calendar was announced Homestead was named as the season finale due to the better weather predicted in Miami in the middle of November.