Seekonk Speedway

Seekonk Speedway[1]
"The Cement Palace", "The Action Track of the East", "The Fast Track to Family Fun"
Location Seekonk, Massachusetts
Time zone Eastern
Coordinates 41°47′04″N 71°18′08″W / 41.7845°N 71.3021°W / 41.7845; -71.3021Coordinates: 41°47′04″N 71°18′08″W / 41.7845°N 71.3021°W / 41.7845; -71.3021
Capacity About 10,000[2]
Owner Venditti Family
Operator Francis and David Venditti
Broke ground 1945
Opened May 30, 1946
Architect D. Anthony Venditti
Major events Pro stocks/super late models, late models, street stocks, sport trucks, legends, pure stocks, mini stocks, bandoleros, modifieds
Oval
Surface Asphalt
Length 1/3 mi
Turns 4
Banking 7 Feet

Seekonk Speedway is a family entertainment venue that features racing of all kinds on a semi-banked 1/3 mile asphalt-paved oval, located on U.S. Route 6 in Seekonk, Massachusetts.

The track holds the distinction of being the longest continually family operated race track in the United States, under the guidance of the Venditti family since it opened on May 30, 1946. The track is sanctioned by NASCAR under the Whelen All-American Series. It is also the widest track in New England at 72 feet. The track's all-time winningest drivers include George Summers and "Radical" Rick Martin of Westport, Massachusetts.[3] Typically starting on the first Sunday of May, Seekonk Speedway is host to short track action every Saturday night, depending on the weather. On Friday nights, Seekonk Speedway is open for lower-budget competition, open to drivers of varying skills. The track has seating all around the track, allowing patrons to see the whole track from any seat. Optional pit passes are available for sale which allow patrons to enter the paddock area to meet the drivers and see the cars.[4]

For the first time since 2005, Seekonk Speedway was a stop on the Whelen Modified Tour schedule, with the race ran on September 10th, 2016.[5][6] The track is also scheduled to host a second U.S. Pro Stock/Super Late Model Championship race, scheduled to run July 12th, 2017.[7] On September 3rd, 2016, Seekonk Speedway announced that it is going to be adding bandoleros to its Fast Friday series for 2017, with 17 races scheduled. It will be split into two divisions according to INEX rules; bandits and outlaws.[8] On November 1st, 2016, it was announced that Seekonk Speedway will be a stop on the debut schedule of the Modified Touring Series, based in New Hampshire.[9] On November 9th, 2016, the track announced the inaugural race for the Granite State Pro Stock Series. The race will not be a points race for the track's weekly pro stocks but they are eligible for competition in the 100 lap race.[10] On November 15th, 2016, the track also announced the inaugural race for the New England Truck Series. The race will be 55 laps long, with the first 50 laps having cautions count towards the race total and final five not count.[11]

History

Seekonk Speedway flooded for a boat race in the 50s.

Founded in 1946, the track has been hosting stock car racing from its inception. Originally, the track hosted modified stock car racing. Modifieds were the staple at the track, along with midgets. Dominic Venditti, the track’s past owner, had a vision for auto racing from the start of the track. The track has also hosted a boat race, where the track itself was flooded so boats could be brought in and raced.[12] The track started as a 1/4 mile dirt oval, but was later expanded and paved with asphalt. For a large chunk of the track’s life, racing was only done by midgets and modifieds.[13]

Eventually the track moved on the full-body stock car racing with the introduction of the Formula 4 division, racing stock cars with four cylinder engines. Several current competitors started racing in this division, including sport truck driver Mike Lopes. In 1971, the track held its first street stock race, and they remained for the rest of the season. In 1985, street stocks became a permanent fixture in the track's schedule, racing ever since. In the late 1970s, Dominic Venditti made a trip to the mid-west, where he got inspiration for the creation of the all-pro division, which is known today as the pro stock division at the track. For some time, the all-pro division ran with the former cadet division, with the only thing separating them on-track was a flag on the back of the car. Later the all-pro division became its own division under the same name, but had their name changed mid-season to pro stocks, which has stuck to this day. In 1984, the modifieds that raced at the track every Saturday were officially replaced with the pro stocks. In the early 1980s, Venditti brought late model racing to the track under the name of the charger class. The charger class was designed to be a gateway division for drivers hoping to compete in the pro stocks. Their name would later be changed to late models. In 2010, the rules for Seekonk Speedway's late models were changed, making them follow American Canadian Tour late model rules. This allows ACT late model drivers to drive at Seekonk with minimal altercations to their car, and allows Seekonk drivers to compete in official ACT late model races with minimal altercations to their car. In the late 1990s, truck racing was brought to the track. The trucks originally ran stock framed trucks with four cylinder engines, with the main differences between trucks driven on the street and trucks driven on the track being for safety. Today the trucks are similar in appearance to early Camping World Truck Series trucks, and now allow close competition of trucks with both four and eight cylinder engines, due to the seven inch Hoosier tires the trucks run on, being the only Saturday division to not run on American Racer tires.[13]

Saturday Night NASCAR

Racing

Saturday night starting at 6PM EST, Seekonk Speedway hosts weekly Saturday Night NASCAR racing under the banner of the Whelen All-American Series,[14] allowing its weekly competitors to fight point battles on the national scale against tracks from all corners of the country. Phil's Propane has signed aboard to sponsor 12 races per year, three per division, in what is called the Phil's Propane Triple Crown Series. Victory lane is sponsored by Everett's Auto Parts, who also sponsor the late model division at the track.[15][13] Caution flags do not count towards the race total at Seekonk Speedway, except during a touring race in which the series dictates caution laps to count towards the race total.

Racing is split into heat races and feature races. Sport trucks, street stocks, and late models run 10 lap heat races, while the pro stocks run 12 lap heat races. The top five finishers in each heat race receive points, 5 for first, 4 for second, etc. Sport trucks and street stocks run 25 lap feature races, and during the Triple Crown Series races run 35 lap feature races.Late models run 30 lap feature races, and during the Triple Crown Series races run 50 lap feature races. Pro stocks run 40 lap feature races, and during the Triple Crown Series races run 65 lap feature races, except for the first Triple Crown race every year, which is 75 laps in memorial to Brad Scott.

NASCAR Divisions

Division 1

Seekonk Speedway's pro stocks racing

Division 1 of NASCAR Whelen All-American Series racing at Seekonk Speedway are the pro stocks, also known as super late models at many other tracks. The pro stocks at Seekonk Speedway run a tube frame chassis on 10 inch American Racer racing slicks. The engines are 358 cubic inch crate engines sold by General Motors and Ford Motor Company, generating ~400-450 horsepower. Many different body styles of cars are allowed to compete at the track, including (Chevy) Camaro and Impala, (Ford) Mustang and Fusion, (Dodge) Charger and Challenger, (Oldsmobile) Cutlass, (Pontiac) Grand Prix, and (Toyota) Camry. All bodies are made of fiberglass. Use of a General Motor crate engine allows a minimum weight of 2,775 pounds, use of a Ford crate engine allows a minimum weight of 2,800 pounds, and use of an open engine (One built by the competitor's team) allows a minimum weight of 2,825 pounds. Maximum of 56% left side weight enforced with all cars, and all weights are measured with driver.[16]

Before every pro stock race, Stranglehold by Ted Nugent is played over the loudspeakers.

Division 2

Seekonk Speedway late models racing

Division 2 of NASCAR Whelen All-American Series racing at Seekonk Speedway are the late models. The late models at Seekonk Speedway run on rules that are nearly identical to late model rules set by ACT. The late models run a tube frame chassis on 8 inch American Racer racing slicks. The engines are 358 cubic inch crate engines sold by General Motors and Ford Motor Company, generating ~350-370 horsepower. Many different body styles of cars are allowed to compete, including (Chevrolet) Monte Carlo and Impala, (Dodge) Charger, (Pontiac) Grand Prix, (Ford) Taurus, and (Toyota) Camry. All bodies are made of fiberglass, generally with steel quarter panels. The minimum weight of all cars is 2,775 pounds including driver, with a maximum of 57% left side weight.[17]

Before every late model race, Fuel by Metallica is played over the loudspeakers.

Division 3

Beginning of a street stock heat race at Seekonk Speedway.

Division 3 of NASCAR Whelen All-American Series racing at Seekonk Speedway are the street stocks. The street stocks at Seekonk Speedway run any stock American-made chassis made from 1970 to the late 1980's on 7 inch American Racer treaded racing slicks. The engines are 358 cubic inch General Motors and Ford engines and 366 cubic inch Chrysler engines, with the option of running a crate engine, generating ~300-350 horsepower. There is a large variety of car body styles allowed to compete, with any car body made in America from 1970 to 1988 is allowed to compete. All bodies are required to be made of aluminum or steel. Weight rules are set only on the right side of the cars, with a minimum ride side weight of 1,400 pounds including driver.[18]

Before every street stock race, Flirtin' with Disaster by Molly Hatchet is played over the loudspeakers.

Division 4

Seekonk Speedway sport trucks racing

Division 4 of NASCAR Whelen All-American Series racing at Seekonk Speedway are the sport trucks. Sport trucks at Seekonk Speedway run 25 lap races. The sport trucks at Seekonk Speedway run a stock chassis from the options of Ford Ranger, Chevrolet S-10, GMC Sonoma, Nissan Frontier, and Toyota Tacoma on 7 inch Hoosier treaded racing slicks.[19] The trucks at Seekonk Speedway have the option of running a 4 cylinder or 8 cylinder engine. 4 cylinder engines are limited to 2,300 cubic centimeters (Ford), 2,400 cubic centimeters (Toyota and Nissan) and 2,500 cubic centimeters (Chevrolet). 8 cylinder engines have the option of running a General Motors crate engine, or running a Chevrolet 305, Ford 302, or Dodge 318 engine. All bodies are required to be made of steel sheet metal. 2,300 CC engine trucks have a minimum weight of 2,400 pounds, 2,400 CC engines 2,450 pounds, 2,500 CC engines 2,550 pounds, and all V8 trucks have a minimum weight of 2,850 pounds. All weights are measured with driver, with a maximum left side weight for 4 cylinder engines being 55% and 8 cylinder engines being 56%.[20]

Before every sport truck race, Wild Side by Mötley Crüe is played over the loudspeakers.

Open Wheel Wednesday

Valenti Modified Racing Series modifieds racing at Seekonk Speedway, featuring several NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour modifieds

Since 2005, Seekonk has featured an exclusively open-wheel program on one Wednesday of the summer. The event features racing from the NEMA Lights and Midgets, as well as the 100 lap $10,000 to win Tri Track Modified Series race. The two NEMA races are the most prestigious races for each series, as Open Wheel Wednesday headlines as the Boston Louie Memorial for NEMA.[21] Past winners include PJ Stergois and Doug Coby.

Modified racing during Open Wheel Wednesday takes stage with 4+ 12 lap heat races, with usually the top four or five drivers guaranteed entrance to the 100 lap race. Drivers who do not qualify for the race run 12 lap consolation races, with the top 3 or 4 in each race moving on to the B-Main. The B-Main race is a 25 lap race, with the winner either taking a $1,000 prize or taking the last starting position in the 100 lap race.[22] The rule book for the Tri Track Modified Series is similar to the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour and Valenti Modified Racing Series modifieds, allowing competitors from both series participate in the Tri Track races with minimal modifications.[23]

Fast Friday Series

Racing

Every Friday during the racing season at Seekonk, the track opens its gates to lower budget racing aimed at kids and drivers who are looking to gain experience to move into the Saturday night action at the track. Phil's Propane also sponsors three races per year for each division in the Phil's Propane Triple Crown series. Both Seekonk Youth Racing Association races are 20 laps, sport 4 races are 25 laps, legend races are 25 laps, and pure stock races are 25 laps. The track's spectator drag series also visits during Fast Friday, but not weekly.[24]

Fast Friday divisions

SYRA 750 cars racing at Seekonk Speedway

SYRA 600+750

Featuring scaled-down NEXTEL cup bodies run by Honda engines, this is the absolute beginner class for kids aiming to race at Seekonk Speedway. The main difference between the 600 and 750 classes are the restrictor plates, with 750 allowing more power. The 600 class is mainly for kids aged 10-14, and the 750 class is mainly for kids aged 14-18, or younger kids who have more driving experience. Both series mandate a maximum of 55% left side weight, with the minimum weight including driver for the 600 class being 680 pounds and the 750 class being 700 pounds.[25] The SYRA division is going to be phased out of Friday racing at Seekonk, being replaced entirely by bandoleros by 2018.

Sport 4s

Sport 4's at Seekonk Speedway racing

The Sport 4s at Seekonk Speedway are nearly stock front wheel drive cars with four cylinder engines, with all modifications only being for safety. This series is used as a place to learn racing mainly. Vehicles must remain stock in mechanical terms, allowing no competitor to give his or her car an advantage over the field. Any front wheel drive and four cylinder car made from 1980 to 2004 is eligible for competition in the sport fours, with some exceptions.[26]

Ryan Khun's #72 INEX Legend at Seekonk Speedway

Legends

The Legends at Seekonk Speedway are run under INEX sanctioning, allowing Seekonk competitors to travel to any other INEX Legend race and compete, and allowing any other INEX Legend competitor to come to Seekonk and compete. In 2012, the Legends was added in the Fast Friday lineup. In 2013 Nicks Pit Stop jumped on board as the title sponsor for the legend cars. The Legends run sealed 1250cc Yamaha engines generating about 132 HP. The cars themselves weigh 1,300 pounds including driver and fluids, and run on specifically marked Federal Tires as mandated by INEX rules. The cars have a full tube frame with adjustable coil over springs.[27]

Pure Stocks

Pure stocks at Seekonk Speedway

Similar to the sport fours, the pure stocks are, as the name implies, pure stock cars. The pure stocks run stock V8 American rear wheel drive cars, with the only modifications allowed for safety. Allowed cars are American cars made from 1970 through 1992, hardtops only, and cars that have t-tops must be sealed off and braced. No weight is allowed to be added to any car, except for weight added for conversion to a race car through safety devices. Mustangs and two-seat cars are not allowed for competition. Stock transmissions only are allowed. The cars run on steel 7 inch wheels, and any street legal 65 series tires. All tires must be the same.[28]

Thrill Shows

On select Sunday's throughout the year, Seekonk Speedway hosts thrill shows to celebrate holidays such as Memorial Day. These events generally include racing from the tracks spectator drag series (Which runs with cash & trophies handed out), enduro cars, enduro trucks, and occasionally monster trucks.[29]

Wall of Fame

Class of 2013 Inaugural Class[30]

Class of 2014[30]

Class of 2015[30]

Class of 2016[30]

Notable races

Inaugural U.S. Pro Stock/Super Late Model Championship

Position Driver Number
1 Tom Scully Jr.* 2
2 Derek Griffith 12D
3 Darrell Johnson Shaw 72
4 Derek Ramstrom 35
5 Dalton Sargeant 55
6 Dave Darling* 52
7 Jeremy Davis 09
8 Angelo Belsito* 8
9 Wyatt Alexander 96
10 Kenny Spencer III* 0

[31]

*Weekly Seekonk Speedway competitors

Propane Plus ACT 150

Position Driver Number
1 Scott Payea 37VT
2 Dillon Moltz 5CT
3 Joey Polewarczyk Jr. 98NH
4 Wane Helliwell Jr. 27NH
5 Nicholas Johnson* 6MA
6 Raymond Parent 17RI
7 Ryan Vanasse* 11RI
8 Nick Sweet 40VT
9 Bobby Therrien 5VT
10 Mike Ziter 54VT

[32]

*Weekly Seekonk Speedway competitors

2016 DAV Pro Stock Open 150

Position Driver Number
1 Derek Griffith 12D
2 DJ Shaw 60
3 Fred Astle* 30
4 Dave Darling* 52
5 Dave Farrington Jr. 7
6 Matt Swanson 49
7 Tom Scully Jr.* 2
8 Joey Doiron 73
9 Bobby Pelland III* 12
10 Dick Houlihan* 41

[33]

*Weekly Seekonk Speedway competitors

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Seekonk Speedway about us". Retrieved 4 August 2016.
  2. ↑ "New Concepts Software Seekonk Speedway page". Retrieved 4 August 2016.
  3. ↑ Seekonk Speedway All-Time Division Leaders Through 2009
  4. ↑ "Seekonk Speedway website". Retrieved 4 August 2016.
  5. ↑ "2016 NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour Returns in 2016". Retrieved 4 August 2016.
  6. ↑ "Anytime Realty to sponsor NWMT race 2016". Retrieved 13 August 2016.
  7. ↑ "Seekonk Speedway confirms second US Pro Stock/Super Late Model Championship". Retrieved 17 August 2016.
  8. ↑ "Seekonk announces new Youth Racing Division for 2017". Retrieved 3 September 2016.
  9. ↑ "Seekonk Speedway set to welcome the new Modified Touring Series to the schedule in 2017.". Retrieved 6 November 2016.
  10. ↑ "Granite State Pro Stocks Set For Inaugural Seekonk Speedway 100 in 2017". Retrieved 13 November 2016.
  11. ↑ "Mr. Rooter New England Truck Series Set For Inaugural Seekonk Stop in 2017". Retrieved 18 November 2016.
  12. ↑ "Rhode Island Information". Retrieved 4 August 2016.
  13. 1 2 3 "Seekonk Speedway Saturday night racing website". Retrieved 4 August 2016.
  14. ↑ "Seekonk Speedway opening press". Retrieved 13 August 2016.
  15. ↑ "Everett's Auto Parts to sponsor late model division 2016". Retrieved 13 August 2016.
  16. ↑ "Latest pro stock rules" (PDF). Retrieved 12 August 2016.
  17. ↑ "Latest late model rules" (PDF). Retrieved 12 August 2016.
  18. ↑ "Seekonk Speedway street stock rules". Retrieved 13 August 2016.
  19. ↑ "Seekonk Speedway sport truck tire rules" (PDF). Retrieved 13 August 2016.
  20. ↑ "Seekonk Speedway sport truck rules" (PDF). Retrieved 13 August 2016.
  21. ↑ "Seekonk Speedway Open Wheel Wednesday webpage". Retrieved 4 August 2016.
  22. ↑ "Race Chaser article about Open Wheel Wednesday". Retrieved 15 August 2016.
  23. ↑ "Tri Track Modified rules". Retrieved 15 August 2016.
  24. ↑ "Seekonk Speedway Fast Friday webpage". Retrieved 18 August 2016.
  25. ↑ "Latest SYRA rules" (PDF). Retrieved 18 August 2016.
  26. ↑ "Seekonk Speedway sport four rules" (PDF). Retrieved 18 August 2016.
  27. ↑ "INEX Legends". Retrieved 6 November 2016.
  28. ↑ "Pure stock rules" (PDF). Retrieved 6 November 2016.
  29. ↑ "Seekonk Speedway 2016 schedule" (PDF). Retrieved 4 August 2016.
  30. 1 2 3 4 "Seekonk Speedway Wall of Fame". Retrieved 11 August 2016.
  31. ↑ "Official pro stock/super late model championship race results". Retrieved 6 August 2016.
  32. ↑ "Official results of the race". Retrieved 6 August 2016.
  33. ↑ "2016 DAV pro stock results". Retrieved 6 November 2016.
  34. ↑ "One of several races Martin Truex Jr. competed in at Seekonk Speedway". Retrieved 7 November 2016.
  35. ↑ "Another one of several races Martin Truex Jr. competed in at Seekonk Speedway". Retrieved 7 November 2016.

External links

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