Why is the New Hampshire Cup race winner presented with a lobster instead of a trophy?

NASCAR is known for its unique trophies, unlike other sports. For example, the Fontana race winner gets a surfboard, a guitar in Nashville, and a grandfather clock at Martinsville. Of course, one would like to call them cool trophies. However, it is nothing compared to the New Hampshire Motor Speedway (NHMS) trophy. NHMS presents its race winner with a massive lobster. 

For over a decade, NASCAR Cup Series winners in New Hampshire have been gifted a lobster as their trophy. It is not a regular-size lobster as it is extremely big and ranges from 20 to 26 pounds. The story of the lobster starts in Canada due to the lenient regulations that allow for capturing them. During race week, multiple lobsters are caught and brought to Concord (the state capital of New Hampshire). They then move it to a tank at Makris Lobster & Steak House, a restaurant in Concord. 

On race day, the largest lobster is picked and brought to the track and gifted to the winner. However, not all drivers are fond of the Lobster trophy. Some of them proudly hold it, while others don’t. In 2017, Denny Hamlin won the race at NHMS, and when it came to receiving his trophy, he tried running away from it. He also revealed that he has a “lobster phobia.” 

So why is the NHMS winner presented a lobster? Tom Voyer, the taxidermist (a person who preserves the animal body for display) behind mounting the lobster trophy, gave a simple explanation. He stated, “We want to be different. We don’t want a plastic trophy. We want to really show New England. It represents us up here.” 

Related: Kenny Wallace shares a PRICELESS lesson he learned from Cup legend Dale Earnhardt 

What happens to the lobster after it is presented to the winner? 

The trophy lobster is returned to the restaurant immediately after the victory celebrations. The meat is removed and sent to the winning team. The taxidermist then cooks, steams, and freezes it. It is just three steps of a lengthy process.

The lobster is later mailed to the Cup winner, its rightful owner. It is then displayed at the speedway, and the winner receives it the following year. However, Kurt Busch wanted to donate his lobster trophy to the New England Aquarium. It was in 2008 after his victory; unfortunately, the lobster died after it arrived at the Aquarium. 

Who has the most New Hampshire Motor Speedway Cup wins?

Kevin Harvick has four wins at the New Hampshire Motor Speedway, a 1.058-mile oval. However, he is tied for most wins at the track with another NASCAR icon Jeff Burton. The pair are rightfully called “Kings of New Hampshire.” As Harvick is set to retire at the end of the 2023 NASCAR season, the record will not be broken. His last chance to win the Crayon 301 was not fruitful. Harvick finished ninth in the race. So he will remain tied to Burton. 

The NHMS officials honored Kevin Harvick’s career and his four wins at the track with a custom-made musket. The musket had an engraving of his four wins, and it was a great farewell to one of the best drivers in Magic Mille history. Harvick and Jeff Burton have 40 and 39 starts at NHMS, respectively. They dominated the track with their four wins. 

Who won the 2023 New Hampshire Motor Speedway Cup race?

Martin Truex Jr. had led more than 900 laps at NHMS in his previous 29 starts, but he never won. However, his winless drought in this track ended as he won the Crayon 301 this season. The No.19 Joe Gibbs Racing driver led 254 of the 301 laps and had a dominant race. This was the track Truex Jr. wanted to win the most, and he was very happy to lift the lobster trophy finally. 

In case you missed it:

• Supercars star Brodie Kostecki follows Shane van Gisbergen to NASCAR, set to make Cup debut with RCR at IMS.
• WATCH: “Send that Xfinity merchant back”- Fans react as Aric Almirola crashes out on lead lap at New Hampshire  

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