From participation as team owners, to drivers, to crew members to sponsors, for decades the Monaco family has been involved in short track racing.
In 2022 that involvement will take on a more pronounced presence across the landscape of New England Modified racing for the family owned business, Monaco Ford.
Monaco Ford will become the title sponsor of the Tri-Track Open Modified Series in 2022.
Monaco Ford opened in 1922 as Monaco’s Garage and has been owned and operated by four generations of the Monaco family. Today the business – currently owned and operated by brother and sister Mike and Chrissy Monaco – includes dealerships in Glastonbury and Niantic. The sibling owners are the children of David Monaco, the former president of Monaco Ford and the grandson of the business’ founder Peter Monaco.
“On behalf of Mike, Chrissy, and myself we are extremely thankful to be given this opportunity to be involved with Tri-Track,” David Monaco said. “Our family has been involved in short track racing in New England way back, all the way back to the 1940s with my uncle Sonny [Monaco]. This is going to be a very exciting season and we can’t wait for April.”
The Tri-Track Open Modified Series will run a seven-event schedule in 2022 with events at six different tracks in four states.
“We’re thrilled for Monaco Ford to be joining the Tri Track team,” Tri-Track Open Modified Series managing partner Ed Bennett said. “The Monaco family has a long history of involvement in all aspects of short track racing and we’re honored that they see a value in putting the Monaco Ford brand behind our series name.”
The 2022 Tri-Track Open Modified Series season opens on April 30 at Monadnock Speedway in Winchester, N.H. The division makes its first visit to Thunder Road International Speedbowl in Barre, VT on May 29. The series will also have events at Seekonk (Mass.) Speedway (June 29, Oct. 22), Star Speedway in Epping, N.H. (July 23), the New London-Waterford Speedbowl (Aug. 6) and Stafford Speedway (Sept. 24).
Nice to see; I always pulled for Dave back in the day in that sharp 36 pinto!
Awesome news for Tri-Track competitors
Good for them. I think they’ve attached their name to the best race show in New England, bar none. When you make plans to go to a TriTrack race day you know you are going to see a good show from them in every regard. In comparison, everything else out there is hit-or-miss quality, mostly “miss.”
So then shouldn’t it be called the Monaco Ford Open Modified Racing Series? Similar to when MRS was VMRS? Tri Track seems like such a misnomer since the series is now traveling to 6 tracks.
Great news for the TriTrack series! Great jobs by Mr.’s. Darling and Bennett to further solidify TriTrack series as THE premier Modified series in the Northeast! Thanks to them and the Open races scheduled, a scene from “Blazing Saddles” comes to mind. “NASCAR?!? We don’t need no stinkin’ NASCAR!” Open wheel racing is very healthy around here with or without NASCAR, thank-you very much! .
Great job by the TTOMS team for bringing Monaco Ford in as series sponsor. I agree with Fast Eddie, the premier tour type modified series.
Also related Brian Sullivan who is supported by Monaco Ford is moving back up to the SK’s at Stafford after a successful three year stint in the SK Lights garnering 1 championship and a second place in 2021..
Not related is the fact that the Stafford SK’s have well over 50 numbers registered. Inflated no doubt but still a record number I believe for this time of year.
Also unrelated is the big news of Patrick Emerling going full time in Xfinity with the newly formed Emerling-Gase Motorsports team that will run a full time car in 2022 as well as a second part time car. An apparent blow to the NWMT as it seems unlikely Emerling would be in a position run many races let alone make a run at the championship.
Let’s be realistic. NASCAR cares mostly if not solely on yhe Big three series and have become a TV product. Except for a handful of races, they have half empty stands. It’s a crying shame what happened to NASCAR as a brand. Thank goodness for promoters like the Arute’s and the Tri-Track boys and others like them for keeping GRASSROOTS racing alive.
Soooo a nice article on a new title sponsor for Tri Track predictably devolves into judgement day for competing series. There always has be be winners and losers doesn’t there? Or does there?
I see no loser and a lot of winners. Those being the tour modified fan base. The schedules not carved in stone but pretty firm at this stage and it’s looking to be a banner year indeed. Take a gander RaceDayCt nation.
TOUR MODIFIEDS
February
12 (Sat) NWMT, New Smyrna, 200 laps FloRacing
14 (Mon) New Smyrna Open 50 laps FloRacing
15 (Tue) New Smyrna Open 35 laps FloRacing
16 (Wed) New Smyrna Open John Blewett 76 FloRacing
17 (Thurs) New Smyrna Open 35 laps FloRacing
18 (Fri) New Smyrna Open Richie Evans 100 FloRacing
March
5 (Sat) SMART Florence FloRacing
19 (Sat) SMART Southern National Motorsports Part, FloRacing
26 (Sat) SMART Caraway FloRacing
April
1 (Fri) NWMT, Richmond, 150 laps FloRacing
2 (Sat) SMART South Boston FloRacing
3 (Sun) Thompson IceBreaker 125, $10,000 to win Racing America
10 (Sun) SMART Franklin FloRacing
16 (Sat) MRS, Part of Northeast Classic at NHMS-50 Laps Racing America
23 (Sat) Stafford, Twin 40’s, PASS Late Model 75 FloRacing
24 (Sun) Stafford, Sizzler Open 100 Laps FloRacing
30 (Sat) TTOMS, Monadnock $10,000 to win
May
14 (Sat) NWMT, Riverhead, 200 laps FloRacing
20 (Fri) Stafford, CBYD 81 FloRacing
21 (Sat) NWMT, Lee USA, 175 Laps (JDV Productions event), 175 laps
FloRacing
27 (Fri) Racing Guys Open Claremont ($15,000 to win)
28 (Sat) NWMT, Jennerstown (JDV Productions event), 150 laps
FloRacing
29 (Sun) TTOMS, Thunder Road FloRacing
June
4 (Sat) MRS, White Mountain 100
10 (Fri) Stafford, Bud Light Open Mod 80 FloRacing
15 (Wed) Thompson Nutmeg State 75 Racing America
18 (Sat) NWMT, Monadnock (JDV Productions event), 200 laps
FloRacing
25 (Sat) NWMT, Riverhead, 200 laps FloRacing
29 (Wed) TTOMS, Seekonk $10,000 to win
29 (Wed) SMART Caraway FloRacing
July
1 (Fri) Stafford, GAF Roofing Open 80 FloRacing
9 (Sat) NWMT, Wall, 150 laps FloRacing
13 (Wed), Thompson Midsummer 75 Racing America
16 (Sat) NWMT, NHMS, 100 laps FloRacing
23 (Sat) TTOMS, Star SBM 125
29 (Fri) NWMT, Claremont (JDV Productions), 150 laps FloRacing
Aug
6 (Sat) TTOMS, Waterford
17 (Wed) NWMT, Thompson, 150 laps FloRacing
19 (Fri) Stafford, Lincoln Tech Open Mod 80 FloRacing
27 (Sat) NWMT, Langley, 150 laps FloRacing
September
3 (Sat) NWMT, Oswego, 150 laps FloRacing
3 (Sat) SMART Carteret FloRacing
10 (Sat) SMART Orange County FloRacing
14 (Wed) Thompson, Tri Point Showdown 75 Racing America
17 (Sat) NWMT, Riverhead, 200 laps FloRacing
17 (Sat) SMART Dominion FloRacing
24 (Sat) Stafford Fall Final, TTOMS 80 Laps FloRacing
October
1 (Sat) SMART Motor Mile FloRacing
7 (Fri) MRS, Thompson World Series FloRacing
8 (Sat) NWMT, Thompson World Series, 150 laps Racing America
8 (Sat) SMART Hickory FloRacing
9 (Sun) Thompson World Series 300 Racing America
15 (Sat) SMART Tri County FloRacing
22 (Sat) TTOMS, Seekonk 10K
27 (Thurs) NWMT, Martinsville, 200 laps FloRacing
SK AND NHSTRA MARQUEE EVENTS
May
1 (Sun) Monadnock, NHSTRA Whitcomb Classic 125
June
17 (Fri) Claremont, NHSTRA 125
July
15 (Fri) Lee USA, NHSTRA 125
Aug
5 (Fri) NAPA Auto Parts SK 5K, Laps to be determined.
14 (Sun) Hudson, NHSTRA 125
September
16-17 (Fri-Sat) Monadnock, NHSTRA 125
Obviously I’m nobody official, this is an unofficial list and it likely contains some errors. However as “gist’s” go this list will give you a darn good gist of what is about to unfold in 2022.
So what’s different this year? A lot of things but the biggest thing may be the strength of the tour modified team base and how it’s translated into events and coverage. For the first time ever the average fan has the power to view virtually every tour modified race appearing on this schedule and at a very affordable cost.
To all you folks that loves your Tri Track by all means. Concentrate on the 7 races they are presenting that should be great events. I’m pretty sure a lot of us will be watching closer to 50 events by the time it’s all said and done and will judge each event by how it plays out rather then who who promoted the race.
Happy Tour Modified New Year!!
Much appreciated, Doug.” Banner year” is right.
Now, could you just add the weekly schedules and put that all into a calendar-based Excel spreadsheet with clickable links to the series’ home pages.. ..
Funny guy. I actually did want to use Microsoft’s Access for the tour modified team list I’m working on but realized I’ve forgotten how to use it.
Sometimes one has to realize ones limitations so I use Word regularly hoping I won’t forget how to use that as well.
39 days until the opener at New Smyrna.
Zoom zoom!