Bethesda Leadership Group Supporting NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour Mid-Week July Stop at Seekonk Speedway

SEEKONK, Mass. — New for 2026, the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour will visit Seekonk Speedway twice in the same year, for the first time in the history of the Action Track of the East. 

The Tour will be in town on Saturday, May 16, and Wednesday, July 1. The Saturday stop in early May is brought to race fans by longtime local business J&R Precast, while the July stop, the historic ‘Mid Week Madness’, formerly Open Wheel Wednesday, event, will be supported by Bethesda Leadership Group.

The business name may be unfamiliar to some, but the person behind it has a long history in short-track racing in New England. Josh Vanada, owner of JDV Productions, is behind Bethesda Leadership Group. 

Bethesda Leadership Group offers services such as executive and sales coaching, strategic leadership team coaching, sales training and more. They aim to transform the world by empowering leaders and organizations to boldly live into the fullness of their God-given potential, while helping those leaders through human-centric, teaching and thought partnership that unlocks purpose, performance and bold impact.

Visit Bethesda Leadership Group to learn more about them online at bethesdaleadershipgroup.com, and also follow them on Facebook.

“I’ve always been passionate about building teams and helping other people achieve. Once I joined the business world, nearly 20 years ago, I learned that this was an area that I had a lot of passion and energy for,” Josh Vanada said. “So, I'm devoting the rest of my life to helping business owners with boldness and intentionality, so they can enjoy the freedom that all business owners crave. The past few years have been a blur. I've been blessed to be introduced to incredible human beings, who are running purposeful businesses. Being able to walk alongside of them as they scale and grow is such a privilege. For the past six months, my client roster has been full and so we are expanding with another coach who started on April 1, and I'm in conversation with some other coaches to come and join BLG over the next year.”

Vanada has worked in many capacities in short-track racing, including as a former flagman at Seekonk Speedway, and the General Manager of Thompson Speedway for some time. His passion is short-track action right at home in New England.

“Like many of us, it's been a family affair since the first days, where I sat on the concrete seats at Seekonk,” Vanada said. “There is something about the drivers pushing the limit, the smell of Sunoco race fuel, and the distinct rumble of a Modified. I think many of us have difficulty describing exactly what it is, but it's a special feeling you get. I've committed that when I stop feeling the excitement when 30 of the best Modified drivers in the world take the one-to-go signal, that I'll be done with motorsports. I care about the sport at the local level. I think that the regional and local stars deserve a platform and that's why we created JDV. That's what keeps us going. I want more families to experience the joys I have with my Dad and brother.”

JDV Productions is promoting three NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour events in 2026. The July 1 Seekonk Speedway stop is the first of three - with additional events at Claremont Motorsports Park on July 10 and Monadnock Speedway on July 25. The three events hold their own championship battle with prizes - the Whelen Midsummer Championship. Fans should visit JDVProductions.com for more information. 

The NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour Firecracker 150 presented by Bethesda Leadership Group will mark the halfway point of the season for NASCAR’s oldest touring series, blasting the Tour into the second half of the year and heating up the championship chase. The event will also be joined by the Granite State Pro Stock Series for 100 laps, and the Nick Lascuola Racing Summer Showdown, a points event for Seekonk’s Nick’s Pit Stop Legends Cars, set for 30 laps and $2,000 to win. 

Vanada has a specific passion for the Modifieds, specifically the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour, and he is happy to present one of two stops at the Action Track of the East this year for NASCAR’s oldest touring series.

“The first time I saw a Modified I was hooked. I love the NWMT because - where I grew up - it's like Cup,” Vanada said. “It's also the first type of racecar that ever raced under the NASCAR banner. There is something special about the prestige, pageantry, and rich history that comes with the Whelen Modified Tour. When they show up, it hits differently.”

Seekonk Speedway’s 81st season of short-track racing will begin on Sunday, May 3, with NASCAR opening day. Tickets for all 2026 events at Seekonk Speedway, including both NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour races, are available now at SeekonkSpeedway.com. For all the latest news and updates about the track, be sure to visit us on social media. For more information on the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour, visit NASCAR.com/regional.