2018-19 Speeding to Read Launch

NHMS is excited for another year of Speeding to Read!

NASCAR drivers Melissa Fifield, Matt Swanson and Tyler Ankrum visited with nearly 500 kids on Monday in the Granite State to help kick off New Hampshire Motor Speedway’s Speeding to Read program for this school year.

From the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour, Fifield and Swanson joined the points leader for the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East, Tyler Ankrum, to make visits to Loudon and Allenstown Elementary Schools.

“As a kid, I used to have the same kind of program, but it wasn’t as cool as this where we actually got involved with the Speedway,” said 17-year-old rookie Tyler Ankrum. “Being a NASCAR fan for all my life, it’s really fun and exciting to see all these kids pumped up for reading through the cool perks from the Speedway. Reading is a really important aspect in all of our lives.”

All three drivers talked about how they got started in racing, their favorite books, answered questions from the students and Ankrum even shot some hoops with the kids in Allenstown during recess.

In June, 26-year-old Wakefield, N.H. native Fifield paid a visit to the two winning classrooms, both of which happened to be at Allenstown Elementary School. Students among all participating schools in last year’s Speeding to Read program read nearly 63,000 books.

Swanson came from just over the border in Acton, Mass. to participate in Monday’s event.

“It’s been a great day here with New Hampshire Motor Speedway, Tyler Ankrum and Melissa Fifield teaching the kids how important it is to read in elementary school,” said Swanson. “It’s awesome to contribute and help publicize how important it is to read. It’s been fun hanging out with the kids, seeing how this program helps them, hearing how many books they’ve read and promoting the race coming up on September 22 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway.”

Along with Allenstown and Loudon Elementary, Christa McAuliffe, and Abbot-Downing Elementary in Concord,  and Woodland Heights in Laconia have joined in on the program for the 2018-19 school year! We are excited and hopeful to break even more reading records!