Haunted Hundred To Showcase Best of Modifieds, Late Models & Pro Stocks
Championship Battles on the Line in Three New England Touring Divisions at Seekonk
SEEKONK, Mass. — On Saturday, October 23, Seekonk Speedway roars back to life for the final time in 2021 with the return of the Haunted Hundred. The Saturday afternoon special, which begins at 1 p.m., will showcase the top stars from the Modifieds, Pro Stocks and Late Models from across New England with the Tri Track Open Modified Series, Pro All Star Series and American-Canadian Tour.
All three divisions will crown their champions during the special event in three 100-lap races.
In the Tri Track Open Modified Series title battle, Matt Hirschman leads by 27 points and will essentially just need to take the green flag in the 100-lap race to clinch a record sixth series title. Hirschman’s title would be his second consecutive and sixth in the eight-year history of Tri Track. The only two drivers to defeat him in the points standings were Jon McKennedy (2014) and Ronnie Williams (2019). This year, Hirschman has two wins — living up to his “Big Money” nickname by winning over $17,000 at Star Speedway in the SBM Classic, and the $10,000 check at Seekonk in August as part of the annual Open Wheel Wednesday. He hopes to bookend his season with a third win and a title coronation at the Action Track of the East.
Although chances are slim, runner-up Chase Dowling is also mathematically eligible to win the championship. Dowling will be honored just prior to the drop of the green flag for heat races as the winner of the Call 811 Before You Dig Modified (CBYD) Challenge, which has earned him a $8,111 check courtesy of the team at CBYD. The challenge combined the six Tri Track events with the four Stafford Motor Speedway Open Modified races, and Dowling earned enough points to clinch the crown one race early.
Some of the best Modified talent in the region will join Hirschman and Dowling looking for the $6,000 check in the Haunted Hundred Tri Track feature. Three-time and reigning NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour champion Justin Bonsignore, six-time NASCAR champion Doug Coby, Matt Swanson, Ron Silk, Les Hinckley, Chris Pasteryak, Woody Pitkat, Anthony Sesely, Anthony Nocella and more are expected.
Tri Track will also debut a new system for the lineups in qualifying heat races at Seekonk.
Tri Track will eliminate the blind draw that drivers have been doing to set the lineup — and instead will base qualifying starting spots off a final scuff session that will occur on race day. In between practice and heat races, all cars will be required to go over the scales in the reserve order of practice speeds, with the slowest cars first. Teams will be grouped by practice speed and sent out on the track during the scuff session in groups of five. They will then be part of a four-lap green flag session, with the fastest individual lap time from the four-lap session for each car determining the heat race lineup. Once the lineups are set, the top-four from each heat will be inverted to make the starting grid. For the feature, Tri Track will re-draw a number of cars from zero through 12 through a spin of a wheel in front of race fans between consi and feature racing.
Joining the mighty Modifieds are the stars of the American-Canadian Tour and Pro All Star Series. In the ACT title chase, Ben Rowe and D.J. Shaw are caught in the middle of a stranglehold looking to decide the champion between the two of them. Rowe leads Shaw by just one point entering Seekonk, a place where both of them have plenty of experience in Pro All Star Series Pro Stocks. They will be two of many drivers doing double-duty during the day, as both Rowe and Shaw look to sweep the top-10 in all 10 ACT events this year. Former Seekonk Speedway Late Model champion Ryan Kuhn will also be doing double-duty.
They will be chased by some of Seekonk’s best weekly Late Model drivers who will look to defend the home turf. Champion Vinnie Arrenegado Jr., Chase Belcher, Gerry DeGasparre Jr., Josh Hedges, Richie Murray and more will look to defeat invaders like Tom Carey, Thompson Speedway World Series winner Derek Gluchacki, Jimmy Hebert and more.
On the PASS Pro Stock front, the series invades the third-mile for the third time this year. Drivers are already familiar with the tricky third-mile, but if the first two races are any indication, we could be looking at a third winner in three races. Johnny Clark dominated the inaugural Bay State Classic in July, winning a $10,000 prize, while last month, DJ Shaw passed Seekonk champions Dave Darling and Tom Scully Jr. to score the victory. All four of those drivers will be joined by PASS invaders like Kate Re, Eddie MacDonald and former Seekonk Legends Cars champion Jake Matheson. Seekonk’s own Pro Stock stars like Darling, Scully, Ryan Vanasse and Dylan Estrella will look to defeat them all. Derek Griffith leads the PASS National point standings heading to Oxford Plains Speedway this weekend, while Johnny Clark has run away with another PASS North title this year. Clark is also leading the PASS North New England standings, while Griffith appears to be running away with the PASS national crown.
An optional Friday practice will take place on Friday, October 22, from 12-5 p.m. Pit gates will open at 10 a.m. for teams and overnight hauler parking will be allowed. Camping is not allowed at Seekonk Speedway. On Saturday, pits open at 8 a.m., grandstands open at 11 a.m., and the drop of the green flag for heat racing begins at 1 p.m.
Race day tickets are available in advance at seekonktickets.net or will also be available at the track on the day of the race. Tickets are $30 for adults and $10 for kids ages 6-12, with those five and under free in the grandstands.
For more information about the American-Canadian Tour, contact the ACT offices at (802) 244-6963, media@acttour.com, or visit www.acttour.com. You can also get updates on Facebook and Twitter at @ACTTour.
For technical information concerning all PASS divisions, and for media or marketing questions, please contact passracing@roadrunner.com or visit www.proallstarsseries.com. Don’t forget to “Like” the Pro All Stars Series on Facebook or follow on Twitter @PASSSLM14 to keep up with breaking news as it happens.
For more information on Seekonk Speedway, visit SeekonkSpeedway.com and follow the track on social media via Facebook, Instagram and Twitter for the latest updates. For more information on the Tri Track Open Modified Series, visit tritrackmodifieds.com and follow the series on social media.
Sources: Souza Media/Kyle Souza
Seekonk Speedway photos