Monaco Ford will return as the title sponsor for the Monaco Modified Tri-Track Series in 2023.
The Glastonbury and Niantic based dealership celebrated its first season as the series sponsor in 2022. Monaco Ford owner Dave Monaco was a fixture at series events in 2022, taking on an active and hands-on approach with the partnership between the business and the series.
“We’re extremely excited to be back affiliated with the series,” Dave Monaco said. “I think it will be definitely as good as last year, if not better. I think we’ve got the potential of having some really good, quality races.”
The Monaco Modified Tri-Track Series officially released its 2023 schedule Monday with the biggest change coming with a new venue for the division’s season ending event.
The six-race slate for the series features events at five venues in four New England states in 2023.
The series kicks off its season with a return to Thunder Road International Speedbowl in Barre, VT. on May 28. The series made its debut at the historic venue in 2022 before a packed grandstand that saw Chase Dowling score victory.
The annual Open Wheel Wednesday at Seekonk (Mass.) Speedway, won by Matt Hirschman in 2022, is second on the schedule for 2023 on June 28.
The series makes its return to Star Speedway in Epping, N.H. on July 22, 2023. Last year’s event saw series rookie Jake Johnson get his first victory in a Tour Type Modified.
In 2022 the Monaco Modified Tri-Track Series returned to the New London-Waterford Speedbowl for the first time since 2016. Dana DiMatteo scored his series win in the wildly popular event at the shoreline oval. The event is back on the schedule for 2023 on Aug. 12. 2023.
The 2022 season saw the Monaco Modified Tri-Track Series take over the headliner slot of the NAPA Fall Final at Stafford Speedway with Ron Silk winning the event. The series returns as the Fall Final main event on Sept. 23, 2023.
The biggest change for the series for 2023 will see the division’s annual season ending Haunted Hundred event moving from Seekonk Speedway to the Speedbowl. The Haunted Hundred, which was won by Anthony Nocella in 2022 will be run on Oct. 21, 2023 at the Speedbowl.
Sad to see/hear the “Haunted Hundred” is moving. It has been a season ending staple at Seekonk for years.
Alan R. Bare,
I’ve been a fan of the season ending event at Seekonk, and I’m not knocking the legacy of it, but let’s not act like this is an event going away with decades of history. It’s an event that has taken place at Seekonk five times since its inception. And the event isn’t going away, just moving to another venue.
Let’s be honest Seekonk is a good track for what they race weekly, but for Modifieds Waterford is a much better track to race.
Only two short years ago it was really Tri Track at Monadnock, Star and Seekonk with two races each. Doesn’t this schedule represent a sea change for the series?
Heavily weighted toward New Hampshire before what happened? Seekonk and Monadnock deciding each for their own reasons that the NWMT might be a better option. Four MMTTS races in NH two years ago now there’s one. Favoring proximity in the past and short tracks the series is traveling way up to Thunder Road for an encore and Stafford now a MMTTS staple. Half the events in Connecticut whereas none were here two years ago. Plus downsizing one race while the NWMT goes hog wild scheduling three additional races.
If you can get past the fact things change which they do a lot these days, seems like once it gets digested the MMTTS fans are going to think it’s a bit of alright.
Doug,
I think people can analyze the makeup or geography or changing face of the Monaco Modified Tri-Track Series schedule all day long, but if you ask me, I’m guessing it comes down to some very simple analysis. In my opinion, the decision making comes down to two really big factors: Where have the best car counts been in recent years and where have the best crowds been. When you look at Monadnock being off the schedule, I think it’s easy to point to an event where there has been less than stellar competitor interest at recent events, and not the greatest crowds. I think this is a series now where management would like to see at minimum close to 30 cars showing up for events. I don’t think the series management wants to just accept having events at facilities where they know the entry list will likely top out at 20-25 cars. I think the management of the Tri-Track Monaco Modified Series is really focused on making every event a special event. I think if an event is consistently not working to either attract a good crowd or a stellar car count they’re not going to stick around at that place just because it’s been on their schedule before.
I see the track location shift being the result of 3 things. Monaco car dealerships are in CT, Josh Vanada connected with Monadnock ownership for a WMT event, and Monadnock, Lee, & Claremont are currently under the same umbrella, making the JDV bullring series workable. It’s almost like our own New England version of a northern tour and a southern tour… works for me!!
Another point on the car count. Compared to something like the tour, a big chunk of a tri track event was heats and consis. If you have just enough for a full field, those suddenly become pretty meaningless. But for the tour, time trials won’t lose as much appeal comparatively if there isn’t a bump, IMO. But they may not have as much as meaningful heats either.
Would be curious to know what was going on behind the scenes with this schedule. All 6 of these races had already been announced by the series, but they waited to announce that it was the final schedule. Wonder if they couldn’t make a 7th date happen liked they had hoped.
By my count, it seems like there is just a lone “off weekend” from the Sizzler through world series between NWMT, TT, Stafford, JDV opens and racers honoring racers. Not even including Thompson weekday shows or MRS. Any further schedule expansions are going to start pushing shows to midweek or deal with conflicts. could get even tighter if the tour expands again.
ZIg, the TriTrack heats will still serve to set the field, but a consi definitely adds to the event. I think I’ve only seen 2 or 3 TriTrack events without a consi, and I go to most of them. Hopefully the field turnout continues that way.
The WMT always seems to have more spots than cars. I’ve seen a couple of events that they had more than a full field, and they ended up starting all of them anyway as a show of support to the teams.
Agree with you on the schedule, teams and fans may be doing more picking and choosing on events than ever due to $$ concerns. I think MRS will suffer the most due to the lower purses they have. Also, some teams don’t run at Thompson, I’m guessing due to not enough motor for it and the higher potential for bigger wrecks. I’m not sure what the payout is through the field, but for some it may not be worth the risk. Too bad if that’s the case with Thompson being such a cool place to see them run.