When Hampstead, N.H., native Andy Seuss takes to the high bankings of Daytona International Speedway for the ARCA Racing Lucas Oil 200, he’ll be a long way from home. But Seuss found a way to pay tribute to his hometown, even while he’s racing in the hot Florida sun.
Ahead of the 2017 season, Seuss upgraded his race helmet, and, like many drivers, wanted to give it a personal touch.
“A good friend, Scott McEachern, had a great idea. That was to use it to show my pride in New Hampshire,” Seuss said in a statement. “We just needed to find the right person to make that happen. Then I came across Korey Weyant on Facebook. He’s a Midget racer from Illinois and he designs helmets.”
In addition to a the New Hampshire state flag on the front of the helmet and silhouette of the state on the left side, Seuss’s lid also features the famous “Old Man of the Mountain,” which collapsed in 2003.
“I like working with racers, so it made sense to contact Korey,” Seuss said. “We hit it off right away, talked over a few ideas and he went right to work.”
One of those ideas is a poem about New Hampshire by Daniel Webster that reads, “Men hang out their signs indicative of their respective trades; shoe makers hang out a gigantic shoe; jewelers a monster watch, and the dentist hangs out a gold tooth; but up in the Mountains of New Hampshire, God Almighty has hung out a sign to show that there He makes men.”
Although Seuss lives in North Carolina while he’s racing, he said he always loves coming back to New Hampshire, and is proud to represent his home state. Seuss will be behind the wheel of the No. 2 car when the green flag drops at the Lucas Oil 200 on Feb. 18.
All photos via Brenda Meserve
