Just an hour's drive from Boston, the Hudson Speedway in pastoral Hudson, New Hampshire, showcases short-track racing at its primal best: loud, fast, and on the edge. On most summer Sundays, the deafening roar of engines upends the country quiet, as a motley collection of stripped-down stock cars is pushed as fast as the steep banks and cracked surface of the quarter-mile track allow. The crowds cheer for local favorites, as well as young, unknown drivers using Hudson as a first step up the racing ladder. Billed as "the original family fun track," the stands at the 70-plus-year-old venue are filled with picnicking families, packs of local teens, and longtime racing fans who have stayed loyal to the track.