Seekonk Set for 16th Open Wheel Wednesday
The return of Modifieds to the Action Track of the East, and the return of a former Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series driver headline the 16th annual Open Wheel Wednesday this week.
There is $10,000 on the line in a 100 lap main event that is sure to keep fans on the edge of their seats.
OPEN WHEEL WEDNESDAY TRI TRACK MODIFIEDS
Five-time NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour champion Doug Coby, and former event winners Ron Silk, Tommy Barrett, Richard Savary, Matt Hirschman, and Kirk Alexander are just some of the many drivers already entered for the race. Whelen Modified Tour regulars Matt Swanson, Woody Pitkat and Calvin Carroll are also scheduled to compete.
But the list doesn’t stop there. Modified frontrunner Les Hinckley, a former winner at Seekonk in Modified action, is joined by Ronnie Williams, who will sit in the Gary Casella No. 25 entry. Seekonk fans will be familiar with Colbey Fournier, a former Pro Stock winner, and Rob Murphy, a former champion of Seekonk’s Sport Truck division. Modified veterans Andy Jankowiak, Todd Patnode, Mike Holdridge, and Russ Hersey are also on the list.
The 100-lap feature will showcase some of the top talent Modified racing offers, but, drivers will have to qualify into the race through what are always hotly contested qualifying heat races and consi rounds.
Coby scored a victory at Seekonk on June 1, when he drove the No. 2 Mayhew Tools Chevrolet to Victory Lane in the Whelen Modified Tour Seekonk 150. Hirschman, who also competed in that event, has a knack for saving equipment, and charging late in the race. He’s been a top contender and favorite in this race for years.
The Modifieds aren’t the only division in action. The annual Boston Louie Seymour Memorial will take place for the NEMA Midgets and NEMA Lites, but the Lites will take their race to the next level with a 50 lap event in memory of Dave Steele. The NEMA Midgets will honor the history of the Seymour family with a 29 lap feature.
In the NEMA Lites, one driver fans will want to keep an eye on is a former winner in NASCAR’s highest level. Ken Schrader, who competed in the Monster Energy Cup Series for 29 years, won four times and finished a best of fourth in the championship standings. Schrader has two career NASCAR Xfinity Series wins, one Gander Outdoors Truck Series win and multiple victories in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series. He will compete in a NEMA Lite for 50 lap Dave Steele Memorial main event, and will be on hand to sign autographs.
In the NEMA Midgets, five-time Whelen Modified Tour champion Coby is set for double duty, as he puts the Bertrand Motorsports Midget in his control for their 29 lap feature. NEMA veterans Todd Bertand, Dan Cugini, Doug Cleveland, and Avery Stoehr are all scheduled to compete. On top of them, multiple-time NEMA Midget champion Randy Cabral is one of the clear favorites for the victory.
Sources: SeekonkSpeedway.com