97th Loudon Classic this weekend

LOUDON — For more than a decade, Shane Narbonne and Scott Greenwood have been participating in America’s longest-running motorcycle race, and both will ride at New Hampshire Motor Speedway Saturday, Aug. 29, for the 97th Annual Loudon Classic.

Narbonne, from Tyngsboro, Mass., was dubbed “King of the Classic” after winning his fourth consecutive classic in 2018 and his seventh overall. He holds the records for youngest winner, achieved in 2009 when he was 19 years old, and most classic wins with seven.

Greenwood, a Dunbarton native, earned his fourth Loudon Classic win last year.

In addition to Narbonne and Greenwood, the starting grid will feature riders who have consistently been on the podium this season during the first two rounds of competition for the Loudon Road Race Series as well as some new faces.

“It’s a pretty deep field,” said Greenwood. “It’s a large group of guys who, on any given day, can ride up front and it’s always a focus and a chore to make sure you ride strong and have a good solid effort so you can try to capitalize on experience and try to keep the winning going.”

Making his Loudon Classic debut is Teagg Hobbs from Auburn, who first competed with the Loudon Road Race Series in 2017 and has been competing in MotoAmerica for the past year.

The 97th Annual Loudon Classic will run as an expert Middleweight Grand Prix on Saturday, Aug. 29, part of a three-day third round of competition for LRRS. The weekend wraps up the Laconia Motorcycle Week Rally.