(Press release from Seekonk Speedway)
CHANGES TO OPEN WHEEL WEDNESDAY, BOSTON LOUIE CLASSIC PLUS THE RETURN OF ISMA SUPERMODIFIEDS HEADLINE 75TH ANNIVERSARY SEASON
Two mid-week, open-wheel shows in just over one month are just part of a plan for a major 75th anniversary season at Seekonk Speedway in 2020.
Open Wheel Wednesday will return for the 16th annual event on Wednesday, July 1, 2020 – with the Tri Track Open Modified Series, NEMA Lite Dave Steele Memorial, and the first-ever 350 S.M.A.C. (350 Supers, Super Modified Atlantic Charter) race at Seekonk set to create a true open-wheel summer showdown.
The action doesn’t stop there – as the ISMA Supermodifieds return to Seekonk to help spearhead The Boston Louie Classic – a second show on Wednesday, August 12, 2020 – with the NEMA Midgets and NEMA Lites Boston Louie, a staple event for the winged warriors in New England.
“We are excited to add the 350 Supers to the schedule and keep the NEMA Dave Steele classic as part of the Open Wheel Wednesday tradition,” Ed St. Germain, Seekonk’s Director of Business Development, said. “We are also looking forward to showcasing the Boston Louie event on another great midweek show with the return of the Supermodifieds. The Supermodifieds haven’t been here in a while and it should be a great show for our dedicated fans.”
These two shows will bring fans of open-wheel racing from across New England, and Canada, together at Seekonk’s historic third-mile to help celebrate the 75th anniversary of racing at the Massachusetts oval. This is just the beginning of a major schedule of racing that will include the return of NASCAR Whelen All-American Series Saturday night racing and Fast Friday action for 2020.
The Modifieds are no stranger to Open Wheel Wednesday — for the past 15 years, drivers from across the East Coast have rolled to Seekonk chasing a $10,000 victory prize. Major modified names like Donny Lia, Matt Hirschman and Doug Coby have accomplished the task, and everyone will be chasing the check again next season.”Seekonk Speedway is thrilled to be able to continue the tradition with the Boston Louie Classic on its own day and showcase some powerhouse racing our fans haven’t seen here in a while with the ISMA Supermodifieds,” David Alburn, the General Manager of Seekonk Speedway, said. “We are looking forward to making our 75th anniversary season one to remember. We are also looking forward to the 350 Supers as a welcome addition to our Open Wheel Wednesday.”
Adding the Dave Steele Memorial to the show, a special event for the NEMA Lites, will only help the star-studded list of drivers in the paddock area. In the 2019 edition, Ryan Locke made a late pass to earn the checkered flag in the 50-lap Steele Memorial race.
With the 350 Supers invading Seekonk for the first time, fans will be treated to a bit of a preview of what is to come in August with ISMA. These cars will tear around the third-mile at some of the fastest speeds you will see anywhere. The 350 division has already competed at places like Oswego Speedway and Wiscasset Speedway previously.
“We’re very excited,” John Burke, the Race Advocate for 350 S.M.A.C., said. “It’s a track that I had on our bucket list to get into, and I think these cars shine on these types of tracks. With tight racing, and a lot more passing, I think the cars are really going to shine for the fans.”
With the second show planned in August, the Boston Louie Seymour Memorial moves off Open Wheel Wednesday, but helps lead the second show off as a major player. The event is in honor of a former open-wheel car owner, Boston Louie Seymour, who passed in 1996. Seymour made a name of himself bringing his cars across the country.
“This is typically modified country, but we also know that there are a lot of Supermodified and open-wheel Midget fans up here. We are going to do our best to make this is a big-time event that we are going to draw a big crowd for,” Bobby Seymour said. “Everyone just does everything possible to make it out for the Boston Louie – the racers, the fans… it’s amazing how much it has grown.”
ISMA is also excited to return to Seekonk, after some time away. The division competes from Canada, to Ohio, to Connecticut, and now back home to Massachusetts.
“I’m totally excited about it,” Howie Lane, a member of ISMA’s Board of Directors, said. “I think we put on a great show at Seekonk. What I love about it is you can pass there. It’s just a great place to be, with a lot of history. I’ve missed not racing there and a lot of people feel the same way.”
Fans can visit ISMA on the web at ISMARacing.com, NEMA on the web at NEMARacing.com and 350 S.M.A.C. on the web at 350smac.com.
Seekonk Speedway’s full 2020 schedule of events will be announced in the coming months. The season will officially open with NASCAR opening day on May 3, 2020.
I would have liked to have seen ISMA at the open. That would make for an outstanding event.Seekonk is taking a risk Aug 12th with no modifieds and no weekly divisions. I wish them the best with that show.
ISMA has a pretty strong following. This date seems to be around the same time ISMA made its appearance at LEE then followed it up with Waterford. Perhaps a little NE Supermodified tour. 2 or 3 shows in 5 days might get some upstate NY Supermodified fans to come out. It might work out for them. If this is a stand alone show, I think adding them to a Saturday show might have been the better call.
I agree the only times I see Seekonk with a great crowd modifieds are in the program. Maybe an open SK or SK light race could be added. Wasn’t there going to be another tour started for SK or SKL last year that indicated they would run midweek shows. Perhaps this would be a good fit for them if that series is still in the works. I would really like to see Seekonk pick up SK and SK lights for a few Saturdays next year is Waterford doesn’t open. I think they could do really well with them.
They added 350 supers to the Open Wheel Wednesday show so there are Supers on the card. They run at Star speedway as a semi regular division and have put on some great shows with good counts. It will be an interesting addition to the Open Wheel Wednesday program.
JD, Seekonk ran the Boston Louie for years as with the Midgets as the main event and did pretty well with it for a long time. Also Lee has drawn a good crowd on their Supers night with 350 supers and NEMA Lights. I’d bet this race will be very successful as long as Mother Nature plays nice. I think that’s what messed up the last couple of attempts of ISMA at Seekonk.
CSG, I’m with you on running SK’s at Seekonk, maybe as a monthly extra to their Saturday events, particularly if Waterford doesn’t open. I saw on SK show there as part of a Boston Louie event that seemed to be a last minute schedule add-on that year. Maybe 2011 or 2012? I thought it was a really good show, but had a sparse crowd, possibly due to very little promotion of it at the time.
Seekonk announced today that there WMT event is now 175 laps. Interesting change that could bring tire strategy into play.