As hundreds of fans cheered loudly, multicolored trucks carrying the race cars of the top NASCAR stars in the country drove past the infield at New Hampshire Motor Speedway Thursday.

It was the speedway's annual FanFest event, a sort of carnival for race fans with everything from face-painting to tattoo booths to vendors selling souvenirs. It was a day to party in advance of the weekend's races, headlined by the Lenox Industrial Tools 301 Sunday.

Joe and Karen Souza of Naples, Maine, are Tony Stewart fans, and they had lots of the driver's shirts, caps, and other trinkets to choose from at one of the track-run vending stands.

The Souzas were last at NHMS in 2005. Recently they bought a recreational vehicle and decided to join the hundreds of RVs that park in raceway camping areas every year.

“(The RV) is a great way to come here,” Joe Souza said. “We've been here all week, and we've been visiting the state all week. It's been great.”

Tanya White of Dixfield, Maine, and her husband, Richard, are Jimmy Johnson fans. Despite that, Tanya White bought a Jeff Gordon shirt.

“It's for a friend; everyone's a Jeff Gordon fan,” she said.

The Whites said they have been coming to the speedway for this race for the past 10 years in their camper.

Working behind the counters of three speedway-owned souvenir stands were members of a Venture Crew, offshoots of New Hampshire's Daniel Webster Council scout programs. This was Venture Crew 55 from Farmington and Middleton.

The crews, which include boys and girls, participate in many outdoor programs, said crew leader Sue Dooley of Middleton.

They used to do traditional scout fundraising activities, but several years ago made contact with the track, which gives them 10 percent of all sales of memorabilia, Dooley said. This year they are saving for a trip to the Virgin Islands.

Dooley said the crew will probably clear $3,000 by the end of the weekend.

“It beats bake sales, I'll tell you that,” she said.

John Tremblay, 18, of Farmington, a veteran of Crew 55, said none of his crew members follow NASCAR, but he insists that makes them better salesmen.

“You get to meet all sorts of people here from all over the country, which is cool,” he said.

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Dan Seufert may be reached at dseufert@newstote.com.