It’s been a question that has lingered with fans of the Monaco Modified Tri-Track Series for the last few years.
Will the series ever run at Thompson Speedway?
Now there’s an answer to that question.
RaceDayCT has learned exclusively that the Monaco Modified Tri-Track Series will make its Thompson Speedway debut on April 6, 2024 as part of the April 6-7 Icebreaker weekend at Thompson.
“This is the next step for us,” Monaco Modified Tri-Track Series managing partner Ed Bennett told RaceDayCT. “We can’t get stale, we need to keep evolving as a series and this is the right step to make in doing that. We’re excited to put this race on our schedule and be part of an event with such great history. Thompson is a place with a deep history of Modified racing and it’s another iconic track where we can showcase the product we have.”
It was announced Sunday that Thompson Speedway will once again be operated by the partnership of Cris Michaud and Tom Mayberry in 2024.
Michaud is co-owner of the American-Canadian Tour, Thunder Road International Speedbowl in Barre, Vt and White Mountain Motorsports Park in North Woodstock, N.H. Mayberry owns the Pro All-Stars Series and Oxford Plains Speedway in Oxford, Me.
The Monaco Modified Tri-Track Series has run at Thunder Road the last two seasons and will return to the track in 2024.
“They’re such a professionally run series and we’re excited to have them as part of that weekend at Thompson,” Michaud told RaceDayCT. “We’ve worked well together with their group at Thunder Road. Their series has some really great drivers and teams and we’re happy and honored to have them at the Icebreaker for their first time at Thompson Speedway.”
Monaco Modified Tri-Track Series management had the option of running their event on Saturday April 6 or Sunday April 7 of Icebreaker weekend. In the interest of helping teams financially by avoiding a two-day event, the choice was made to run on Saturday of Icebreaker weekend.
Race tracks in the state of Connecticut are prohibited from racing until after 12 pm on Sundays, which would have caused a less than ideal window to complete the standard Monaco Modified Tri-Track Series event procedure.
“In trying to save teams money, we believe in doing one day shows,” Michaud said. “To ensure that we give the Tri-Track series ample practice time and plenty of time to get their qualifying procedures completed, we came to the agreement that Saturday was the best option for them.”
More details are expected in coming weeks concerning the remainder of events for the rest of the Icebreaker weekend and the rest of the schedule 2024 schedule at Thompson.
Interesting. Will be curious to see how many teams have interest in going to a big power track.
There won’t be a Richmond conflict this year, probably not a Martinsville conflict unless they move to spring.
Wonder if TRI track is planning on a bit of schedule length expansion?
Seems only natural to bring TTOMS to Thompson they already have Waterford Stafford shows. Its a win for everyone at the Icebreaker
More Fans
More Cars
More $$$
I think this is really great news! I would think they may get the same kind of car count that Stafford has. If all parties are happy with working together could White Mountain be the next new TriTrack venue?
Ok. I’m first to admit I’m not savvy on what any specific power a modified requires. However, I seem to remember early on in these forum discussions, those that know more on this subject than me, stated that tri-track at thompson is probably no go, as motor requirements are more demanding. Tri track at that point was “bull ring”, if I remember correctly. So maybe not apples to apples, but since then, tri track has run bigger track, stafford.
My question to my raceday brethren, is there a motor difference short track vs larger like stafford and thompson? Do they swap out? And Now it doesn’t matter ?
Because on the surface, I think this great news, as I love Tri track, and love Thompson (not a bull ring in short track circles) I’m hoping win-win???
I would say most of the well funded teams usually bring all the power they can get no matter what track size they run. And probably have specific engines for specific track types.
The mid-lower teams probably have 1 engine that isn’t the best money can buy.
Short tracks hide the difference a little better. It’s not even the end of the day at Stafford. Thompson will probably starts to become a little noticeable though. Can really let them eat there.
I would say that’s probably a reason why the open shows at Thompson have struggled for cars to an extent. Not having a weekly crowd to pull from like Stafford hurts.
Schedule time is such a fun time of year.
It’s unfortunate that the original intent of the TT series has been lost on the current management. Those big power big dollar teams already have outlets if they want to run these big tracks. The Tour and the opens aren’t enough? What will the next ” natural progression” be Loudon? I hope at least it’s an 80 lap maybe 1 tire deal at Thompson. Hang extra weight on the specs as well and don’t ever forget the ” little” guys that make up the bulk of this sport.
Awesome News!!! A big shout out to ACT and PASS for making this happen and for coming back to TSMP in 2024 bigger and better, Thank you, thank you , thank you……………..
Crazy In NY,
Businesses evolve based on the trends of the marketplace they operate. If you don’t evolve and change you get left behind. Just because the original management of the series created what they did based on focusing on events at bullring tracks shouldn’t mean that 10 years later the current management should feel any obligation to remain on that mission.
Remember, the original management of the Tri-Track Series operating under their original mission also had to be bailed out because what they had created couldn’t be sustained financially. So now you’re saying you wish the current management would go back to the failed mission the original management created? That doesn’t seem to make a lot of sense.
When it was announced in 2020 that the Monaco Modified Tri-Track Series was going to move its season ending event from Seekonk to Stafford due to COVID restrictions, there was immediately a segment of people in the Modified community who called foul and said it was a bad move and would fail because the Tri-Track was a bullring only series and shouldn’t go to a half-mile track like Stafford. And then they had 51 cars trying to make the field, which seemed to fly in the face of the detractors that said nobody wanted to see the Tri-Track go away from bullring tracks.
And after that event the detractors doubled down and said the Stafford event was only a success because of the circumstances surrounding the move from Seekonk to Stafford and all the issues of COVID that season. The detractors said if Tri-Track returned to Stafford it would be a failure for the series because they needed to focus on being a bullring series. And what happened? They returned to Stafford in 2022 and attracted 45 cars to the event. And they have 38 cars on the entry list for this year’s race at Stafford. At the same time car counts for the series have been dropping at tracks like Seekonk and Star.
So you’re basically saying they should ignore the fact that stepping away from bullrings has been a success for them and they should focus on continuing to race at tracks where recent numbers have shown fewer and fewer teams want to compete at. Again, that doesn’t seem to make a lot of sense.
You say: “The Tour and the opens aren’t enough?” Well, the Whelen Modified Tour model doesn’t seem to be the recipe for attracting cars at Thompson. The Tour got 24 cars in each of two races in 2022 at Thompson. They got 23 cars at Thompson in August, which was the smallest starting field for the series in over 150 races at the track since 1985. They didn’t do much better Sunday with only 25 cars in the field. So in the last two years the Tour has had four of its lowest attended events in nearly 40 years of competing at Thompson. Meanwhile, the Modified Racing Series has attracted larger fields than the Tour at Thompson the last two years. I’d say that’s a clear sign that a lot of competitors want something new at Thompson that isn’t the Tour.
Again, businesses evolve based on the trends of the marketplace they operate in and it’s clear there’s a demand by a large group of competitors for something at Thompson that isn’t the Tour. In my opinion, Tri-Track is reacting to that demand to see if they can fit what competitors want, like any smartly operated business should do.
Hopefully they can add Lee to the schedule as well if the Tour won’t be going back there in ’24
JG,
I don’t think there’s any possiblity the Monaco Modified Tri-Track Series will be going to Lee in 2024.
This is awesome news. Thompson deserves the love and help! I just hope the race is no fewer than 100 green laps and no more than 125. I do not want sub 100 lap races. Icebreaker is special and should not be 75/80 laps. Thank you Tri Track management for this news though. Great marketing for Thompson and Tri Track. The track announced the lease being renewed for 2024 racing while everyone was in person on Sunday so those without social media know already and now in a couple weeks Tri Track can mention while everyone is at Stafford that The Icebreaker is going to be a Tri Track race at Thompson in April 2024.
Well guys, my intent wasn’t to start controversy.
In my day it was big block vs small block, mechanical fuel injection vs carb , generally speaking.
Much has been made about spec on the tour vs built.
My question was more about mechanical vs cost. Whats available, for teams, what are they limited to, and is one more advantageous than the other. In all modified series. Would that affect predicted car counts in any way at thompson.
So from what I gather, just speaking on the engine topic, its still “ how fast do you want to go, = how much money do you have to spend?” While I realize money is always the elephant in the room,
I was just trying to learn a little more on the modern day mechanical motor side of things. Of which I am no expert.
I would bet it will be 80 laps, which would be in the usual race length range for Tritrack events. This will provide interesting options for the well funded teams who can choose which motor to use. I think the open motor accelerates quicker for more straightaway speed, but the lighter spec motor allows for better weight placement to get through the corners quicker. For the teams with one engine option it will be “Run what you brung, and hope you brung enough!”
Shawn is there some bad blood between Tri Track and new Lee management?
10/24/20-MMTTS @ Stafford: 9Ct Dowling, Williams, Hirschman, 00 Justin Bonsignore , 3 Swanson, 99 Savory, 06 Hinckley.
9/24/22 MMTTS Fall Final @ Stafford: 16 Silk, 15MA Johnson, 6 Galko, 89 Swanson, 00 Lutz, 57 Rocco
4/6/23-Icebreaker @ Thompson: 50 Williams, 79 McKennedy, 92 Nocella, 7ny Christopher, 81 Owen, 5 Pasteryak
10/6/23 MRS @ Thompson: 50 Williams, 55CT Hodgdon, 88 Pitkat, 00 Beers, 58 Goodale, 07 K. Bonsignor
10/68/23 Open @ Thompson- 57 Rocco, 07 Bonsignor, 00 Beers, 50 Williams, 46 Lutz, 170 Bello, 43 Kimball
To add to Mr Courchesne’s post it’s about the results as well isn’t it. Do these finishes scream big dollar team dominance at the longer Stafford and Thompson tracks? Even Silk who won at Stafford isn’t the NWMT car is it? That 16 is Kopcik’s and he’s the crew chief. McKennedy’s 79 gone, the 7ny extremely limited for now. Maybe Goodale’s 58 and the Lutz 46.
JG,
Not that I’m aware of. I don’t think it’s a facility that fits into their plans at this point in time. They haven’t raced there since 2015 and have only raced there twice in their history.
Lots to unpack there but your anti Racing Guys bias notwithstanding I’ll try and make sense of it. First why interject the Tour here? Your point of low counts at Thompson without mention of the record low counts in the teens at other Tour tracks is some kind of good argument for what exactly? This isn’t about the Tour.
The Opens at Thompson this year had 24 , 15, 21 and 25 MRS was the big winner with 26. Those numbers are not good TTOM numbers. I doubt that Bennett will improve much over what ACT/PASS management has done but I might be wrong we’ll see. As I said if you wanted to run the big track you had multiple chances to do so but….. many chose not to.
Leave Stafford out of it too. 38 cars yes The Mecca of Modified racing they sit atop the world with enough brass to send the Tour packing. A weekly program that has no equal anywhere in the east that I know of. They almost can’t fail. TT isn’t going to get 38 at Thompson next year.
{ Businesses evolve based on the trends of the marketplace they operate. If you don’t evolve and change you get left behind.}
Nice word salad but what does “left behind” mean? The TT is giving up bullrings? Like bullrings diminish racing in some way ? Evolve? Into what? I just don’t understand what this all means.
Should Chris Williams of the SMART tour who is reviving Modified racing in the south where the Tour failed “evolve” his program? And run where exactly?
Stafford saved the day when Seekonk couldn’t do their thing because of Covid and in large part because Waterford which is always in turmoil it seems, wasn’t a viable alternative at the time. They are going to Thompson and I hope it works but forgetting their roots will not serve them well in the long run I think.
Crazy in NY,
You mentioned the Tour, I just expanded on your thoughts. And what’s my anti Racing Guys bias? The Tri-Track was going out of business because the people operating it didn’t understand how to make it work structurally or financially in the landscape of Modified racing. They had to be bailed out. And after they were bailed out they were graciously allowed to stay on as management advisors. They ultimately had to be asked to leave the series because they hindered growth of the product and had a negative effect on revenues even in advisory roles. That’s not bias, that just facts.
The Monaco Modified Tri-Track Series will have 35 plus cars for the Icebreaker in 2024.
Why should I leave Stafford out of it? I bet if we dig back through the archives you were probably one of the people saying Tri-Track would fail miserably at Stafford. It didn’t, so now it’s easy enough for you to say you knew all along it would be wonderful.
35+ is a bit of a bold bet for the Thompson car count, isn’t it? That would be top 5 in car counts this year. Only 3 have reached it so far (smyrna, sizzler and Wilkesboro) and only 3-4 more have the chance to reach that (Haunted 100, Martinsville, Fall Finale and Turkey Derby).
I’m not sure if I would take a bet that it would be 35+. At least until I see the purse.
I assume Thompson will be the week after the NWMT at Richmond. 2 weeks before the JDV open at Monadnock and 3 weeks before the sizzler. And possibly the NHMS showdown thing in there too. Not the worst conflicts in the world by any means, but teams have to be a lot picky-er with their money than a few years ago. Things are still going to be pretty expensive for a while, I’m afraid.
To think Thompson will essentially match the Stafford race with nowhere near as healthy of a group using it as a home track is pretty bold.
Another factor is what is the Sunday race going to be for tour mods? Nothing? Outlaw open? Something out of left field like a NWMT race? i think the only one of those options that would help the TT count would be an outlaw open.
Stafford teasing a schedule soon. JDV putting out Monadnock’s Monday. The tour should be getting close. Speaking of which, you had the perspective schedule out on October 6th last year, you’re slipping this year lol. Can’t wait to see that post when it is ready.
I’d put $$ on 35 at the Icebreaker. I think the 1st race of the year around here and everyone looking to race makes that number realistic. I wonder if Lee being off the list may just have to do with the abrasive track surface.
Enough with these betting references that no one will remember in 6 months. You want to bet, fan up and put some money on it.
For those that wish to play you get $100 RaceDay Betbucks simply for playing. (Reference to RaceDay not an express of implied endorsement of RaceDayCt).
With Betbucks you can place a side bet on anything related to any topics covered by RaceDayCt which would be racing or football.
Here’s how it works. You can only bet $10 at a time. There is no bet unless at least one person bets against you. It’s up to you to intiate your proposed bet then see if anyone is fan enough to take you on. In this case it’s the car count for the Icebreaker MMTTS race and the results will be available in 6 months.
I’ll keep the records and if I’m alive and have the mental capacity to remember anything I’ll post the results whenever they are available. If it’s this topic 6 months, if you want to bet on football whenever that result is available.
You can’t win if you don’t play. Anyone interested?
Anybody else remember when MRS made their first foray away from the skidpad tracks (aka: bullrings) and ran at Stafford? It wasn’t pretty.
Crazy in NY does not want to evolve. Understandable.
The thing that you all are missing is that there are plenty of cars out there, and the owners are choosing not run. So far, there are only 7 cars that have run the entire NWMT schedule. Think about that. So far, there are 81 different drivers started a race on the NWMT.
Horsepower tracks and bullrings are completely different racing regimes. Bullrings are momentum tracks, or skid pads. Tracks like Thompson are horsepower tracks. These tracks have different engine and horsepower requirements.
Horsepower ¢o$t$ huge 💵. It ¢o$t$ far less motor to run skidpad tracks.
If Thompson goes with 10 events promoted by ACT/ PASS, considering an opener with TT, MRS likely as a WS return since they had a decent field, possibly of 2 or more NWMT events, will Thompson even have their own stand alone open modifieds any more, or will Sunoco modifieds become the mainstream with other divisions such as NESS, NEMA, R and R, ACT, PASS used in special appearances outside of icebreaker and world series.
The purse and tires is key for Icebreaker. If its 5 tires 80 laps it will be 35 cars or more. If its 125 laps 8 tires it will be 25 or less.
[ Crazy in NY does not want to evolve. Understandable. ]
What I understand now is you are the second one on here to go on about evolving with out explaining exactly what that means. I’ll wait
[ Horsepower tracks and bullrings are completely different racing regimes. Bullrings are momentum tracks, or skid pads. Tracks like Thompson are horsepower tracks. These tracks have different engine and horsepower requirements. ]
THANK YOU CAPTIAN OBVIOUS.. The sun rises in the east and water is wet.
who knew? Da evolved your almost walking upright..keep it coming.
Doug, special request. Since you eat drink sleep and wear all things Raceday like an old sweater I’m sure in your archives you and your dirt digging skills can conger up my past where I degraded the TT at Stafford as was alluded to by the blog owner. Mission impossible? I think not.
Crazy in NY, I can teach, but I can’t make you understand.
While you and your ilk are still living in the primordial soup, others have evolved.
Hopefully, one day, you will understand. But I doubt it.
Shawn explained it quite well, very clear and succinctly.
Now see that’s why I missed you so much Crazy in NY and your creative barbs. I do wear RaceDayCt like an old sweater don’t I and admittedly an old man killing time as a keyboard cowboy on the internet a little sad but what can you do. I like to think of it as a cashmere sweater, you know that fancy one with the elbow patches. Sitting back in the old Barkalounger, smoking a pipe, there you go that’s not quite as sad an image is it?
Lets not talk about who said what when I’m more interested in the notion that the Tri Track series purposely chose smaller tracks at the start because they neutralized the engine disadvantage. I don’t know that’s true. It could very well be the small tracks in New Hampshire plus Seekonk were more amenable to working with a fledgling open series. The MRS started with the mission to be northern New England focused and perhaps TT simply followed up on that model. In any event I’d ask what the crowd sizes were in New Hampshire in more recent events. I’m only seeing it on the tube but excepting the Claremont race a couple years ago they appeared to be more and more anemic. Monadnock erected the new stands in turn three and there never seemed to be more then a smattering of people in them for MMTTS races. Star fell off a cliff for the big SBM event.
I’d agree the pandemic race at Stafford was a one off. A unicorn that a racing starved fan and competitor base consumed with unprecedented vigor.
I hate the fact MMTTS has gone to Creepy Bruce’s Speedbowl but the results in car counts and crowd energy speak for themselves. Add in Stafford with equal enthusiasm the decision to double down on Connecticut seems like a pretty easy one if you can make the relationships and numbers work which they clearly have. Mr Courchesne makes the point the MMTTS has evolved. I’d add that the tracks have evolved as well.
I provided a list of top finishers before in MMTTS and Open races at Stafford and Thompson that I’ll show again.
10/24/20-MMTTS @ Stafford: 9Ct Dowling, Williams, Hirschman, 00 Justin Bonsignore , 3 Swanson, 99 Savory, 06 Hinckley.
9/24/22 MMTTS Fall Final @ Stafford: 16 Silk, 15MA Johnson, 6 Galko, 89 Swanson, 00 Lutz, 57 Rocco
4/6/23-Icebreaker @ Thompson: 50 Williams, 79 McKennedy, 92 Nocella, 7ny Christopher, 81 Owen, 5 Pasteryak
10/6/23 MRS @ Thompson: 50 Williams, 55CT Hodgdon, 88 Pitkat, 00 Beers, 58 Goodale, 07 K. Bonsignor
10/68/23 Open @ Thompson- 57 Rocco, 07 Bonsignor, 00 Beers, 50 Williams, 46 Lutz, 170 Bello, 43 Kimball
I’m not sticking my finger in anyone’s face making a point, I’m asking who are the big teams dominating the races that have been run at Stafford and Thompson? While you’re at it maybe explain to me what engine seems to be the silver bullet because I sure as heck don’t see one sure fired dominant package at non NWMT races. In the rare appearances the 51 has made in the short lived Thompson 300 and Islip 300 they sure were not dominant. I don’t see any NWMT teams that are dominant outside of the NWMT.
There’s the spec engine that is what it is. Some teams use it in opens but most do not as far as I can see. The last time a comprehensive list of engine packages was put together was for the new format Sizzler. It’s showed all kinds of built combinations so even in the non spec engine realm there’s no consensus there either. Cipriano is using the competitively priced McGunegill Engine Performance with some success so who knows where that’s going to go in the future.
Don’t needle me for using too many words I know that. Just somebody, anybody tell me why. Why if the crowds are better at the Connecticut tracks, if the fields of cars are good and the teams finishing races are all over the place in terms of engines, chassis, geographic origin and resource levels why is this even a conversation? To be clear that’s being asked in a non confrontational manner.
Evolved …hmmmm interesting word
Thompson
The historic and oldest pavement oval has evolved from a weekly venue to a road course that does a limited only oval special events stucture.
Stafford
To the chagrin of many evolved to the point where they showed mother NASCAR the door. Best weekly racing in the northeast in my view and who knows maybe they will evolve back and have the Tour
return someday. The packed house opens be damned.
The Tour evolved for sure where 10 (11 if you count Dareal insisting Oswego) of 19 are on bullrings you know the kind of tracks that TT is “evolving” away from (supposedly).
Only took NASCAR 75 years to evolve the Tour where sub 20 car counts are the rage.
Anyway Dareal is having fun with his new vocab app but Doug you failed me.
You haven’t completed your homework assignment…disappointed 🙁