Doug Coby Heads to Seekonk Speedway for Haunted Hundred
MILFORD, Conn. — Doug Coby is set for one final ride to end the 2021 Modified season.
Coby and the Doug Coby Racing team, sponsored by Mayhew Tools and Reynolds Auto Wrecking, will be headed to Seekonk Speedway on Saturday, October 23. The team will be competing with the Tri Track Open Modified Series in the Haunted Hundred 100-lapper — a race with $6,000 on the line to the winner.
In the first and only stop at Seekonk this year, Coby finished eighth in the Open Wheel Wednesday race in August. He won his qualifying heat as part of the Tri Track Pepsi Challenge and rode inside the top-three for more than half of the race. A pit call to get a fresh Hoosier Tire then placed Coby outside the top-15, but he charged back up through into the top-10 before the race was over.
He’s hoping for a strong showing to end the season.
“It all depends on how good the car is,” Coby said about the strategy of the race, as teams are allowed to place one fresh tire on the car during the race. “We ran second to Matt Hirschman at the beginning in August and I knew by lap 40 I didn’t have the car to hang with him for the final half of the race. Anytime I have ever won at Seekonk, we’ve had a good enough car to go the whole 100 laps without pitting. There is a small percentage of races that happen at Seekonk where someone that pitted ended up winning. We’re not going there with the strategy to pit, but if we have to, we will.”
With crew chief Phil Moran and Coby having parted ways for the 2022 season, and Moran recently married and away on his honeymoon during preparation time, Coby has welcomed John McKenna to the team as crew chief for this Seekonk event. The combination worked together for many years while Coby was driving for Wayne Darling in the No. 52 on the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour, and they won many races, and a championship, together.
“I approached John about doing just one race, and if there’s anyone that knows Seekonk well, it’s John,” Coby said. “On top of that, if there is anyone that knows me, it is John. The thing that upset me the most about leaving the 52 was not being able to work with John anymore. We’re hoping for a strong day.”
The schedule for race day includes practice from 10-10:45 a.m., followed by qualifying heat races at 1 p.m. The drop of the green flag for the Haunted Hundred Tri Track race is estimated for 3:30 p.m. Tickets will be available at the track for those who would like to attend, with pricing set at $30 for adults, $10 for kids ages 6-12 and kids five and under free.
For more information on Doug Coby Racing, visit DougCobyRacing.com and follow the team on Facebook for the latest updates, including from the track on race day.
About Mayhew Tools
Founded in 1856, Mayhew Tools is the oldest punch and chisel manufacturer in the United States, growing their extensive professional-grade, American-made product line to include pry bars, pneumatics, cable ties, and more. In 2020, the company extended their product line to include a complete line of dual drive and socket bits and sets. Serving the Industrial, Automotive, Hardware, and Construction industries, Mayhew’s premium hand tools are sold globally through an extensive distributor network. For more information, contact Mayhew Tools at 800.872.0037 or visit Mayhew.com.
About Doug Coby
Racing for more than 25 years, Doug Coby is a six-time NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour champion and one of the top short-track drivers to come from the state of Connecticut. Coby is a two-time champion at Stafford Motor Speedway, where he built his resume competing in the Late Models, Pro Stocks and SK Modifieds. Coby won his first tour championship in 2012, and followed it up by scoring four straight titles between 2014-2017, and another in 2019. In 2020, Coby opened his own team — Doug Coby Racing — scoring his first win as owner/driver. In 2021, Coby won the inaugural Superstar Racing Experience (SRX) event at Stafford Motor Speedway, besting top drivers from across a variety of racing disciplines, including Tony Stewart, Bill Elliott and Helio Castroneves.
Sources: Souza Media/Kyle Souza
Tom Morris Racing Photography