The New Regular? Chase Grennan Ready For Thompson Debut, Return To Monaco Series Action

When the Monaco Modified Tri-Track Season closed out its 2025 season with the running of the USNEPower Haunted Hundred XL at Seekonk Speedway last October, the two drivers leading the way when the checkered flag fell were hardly any surprise to local fans. 

Matt Hirschman, the division’s all-time winningest driver celebrated in victory lane and the 2025 Monoaco Modified series champion, Jon McKennedy, finished second. 

It was the driver occupying the third spot on the podium that day that surprised many. 

Chase Grennan made his first foray into Monaco Modified Tri-Track Series competition one to remember at Seekonk. The Riverhead Raceway regular turned plenty of heads by finishing third in his series debut last October. 

The event at Seekonk marked the first time Grennan and his family had taken their Tour Type Modified operation on the road. 

This week they’ll be hitting the road once again for a return engagement with the Monaco Modified Tri-Track Series, and possibly the start of a regular habit in 2025 for the 19-year old from Glen Cove, N.Y. 

Grennan is on the entry list for the Monaco Modified Tri-Track Series season opening Propane Plus Heating & Cooling 75 at Thompson Speedway on Saturday. 

“Before [Seekonk], we had no experience traveling,” Grennan told RaceDayCT. “So to go up to Seekonk and run like we did, it had us itching this offseason to do something similar. And Thompson’s just the best opportunity for us right now.” 

Grennan made a splash as a 17-year old winner of the Islip 300 at Riverhead Raceway in November 2024. 

In 2025 at Riverhead he earned the moniker “Big Time” by winning three of the track’s Crown Jewel events, the Flying Dutchman 75, the Bubba 150 and the Cecil Palm Tree 66. Grennan ended up third in the NASCAR Modified division standings at Riverhead in 2025. 

So will he be chasing a championship at Riverhead in 2026? He’s not sure yet. He might just be chasing a Monaco Modified Tri-Track Series title. 

Grennan said at this point his family is not sure what their plans will be for the 2026 season. Saturday’s Thompson event could go a long win in helping to figure out some of those plans. 

“We don’t really have a plan, we kind of just, I think we’re just going to play it by the seat of our pants and see how the beginning of the season goes,” Grennan said. “And see which, whether at Riverhead or on the Monaco Series, where we get some momentum rolling. And I think we’ll just follow whatever that is.” 

The immediate challenge for Grennan is attacking Thompson. Going from the tight confines of the quarter-mile Riverhead Raceway to the tight confines of the one-third mile Seekonk Speedway was one thing. Now, Grennan will be heading to the wide open spaces, high speeds and high banks of the .625-mile Thompson Speedway. 

“I mean, it’s a little intimidating,” Grennan said. “We have no experience, no big track experience. But I think that’s part of why we’re doing this trip. To learn something and build on a notebook. We’re kind of pushing ourselves out of the comfort zone a little bit. But I think it’ll be good for us as a race team and me as a driver. Just to feel every aspect of racing before you travel out on the road full-time or anything like that. It’s a test for us, really. To see if we can go compete with these guys at Thompson and be as good as I think we can be on a short track and see if we can do that on a big track.”

Grennan said he’s already deep in study as far as Thompson preparation goes.

“I enjoy the part of racing that is studying, watching other drivers, watching previous races, knowing race format and stuff like that,” Grennan said. “I think I pride myself on being on top of my game on that stuff. This week I’ve been watching a lot of videos from previous races. Been watching some of the really good Thompson drivers. Guys like Ronnie Williams. Ronnie Silk has been on fire there. [Matt] Hirschman can always go anywhere and be fast. I’m watching people like that, noting down some things about how they drive the racetrack, wow they pass and stuff like that. I think preparation is key. Anything you can do to be a little bit more prepared and a little bit more ready when race time comes is a step in the right direction.”