NASCAR Saturday & Fast Friday Racing Return: Five Thrill Shows Plus Monster Trucks Back on Track Schedule

SEEKONK, Mass. – Seekonk Speedway officials announced today the track event schedule for the 81st season of short-track racing in 2026.

Exciting Racing Events Ahead

The schedule is highlighted by the return of 18 NASCAR Advance Auto Parts Weekly Racing Series Saturday races and 15 Fast Friday events. Additionally, there will be five major Thrill Shows. One mid-week show is set for Wednesday, July 1.

The season kicks off on Sunday, May 3, with NASCAR Opening Day. This event will feature the Pro Stocks, Late Models, Sportsman, and Sport Trucks. Just a day earlier, on Saturday, May 2, the annual Car Show & Go will take place, along with the final pre-season practice session for NASCAR divisions.

The Fast Friday season begins on Friday, May 29. New for 2026, the One Way Recycling Crown Vic Cruisers will be added to Fast Friday weekly as a sixth division. They will join the Nick’s Pit Stop Legends Cars, Pure Stocks, Sport 4s, Seekonk Grand Prix Bandolero Bandits, and Outlaws.

Playoff Racing and Championship Weekend

Fast Friday and NASCAR playoff racing will return in 2026 with the Sunoco Drive For The Cup at the end of the season. The playoffs will open on Friday and Saturday, August 28-29. After a week off for the Labor Day Thrill Show, the final three weekends of playoff action will be held on September 11-12, 18-19, and 25-26. Champions will be crowned during the D.A.V. Venditti Fall Classic championship weekend, scheduled for September 25-26. Rain dates for championship weekend are set for October 2-3.

The stars of the Tour-Type Modifieds will return for four Seekonk Speedway events in 2026. The NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour will kick off their two events with the J&R Precast 150 on Saturday, May 16. They will return to headline Mid Week Madness on Wednesday, July 1, for the Firecracker 150 presented by the Bethesda Leadership Group. The Monaco Modified Tri-Track Series will be in town on Saturday, August 15, and the annual USNEPower Haunted Hundred will take place on Saturday, October 24, featuring two 125-lap contests.

Special Events and Highlights

The Wednesday, July 1 Mid Week Madness event will also feature a special points event for the Nick’s Pit Stop Legends Cars. The Nick Lascuola Racing Summer Showdown will offer a $2,000 prize for a 30-lap race, along with a 100-lap race for the Granite State Pro Stock Series.

The American-Canadian Tour (ACT) Late Models will return to Seekonk for two shows in 2026. The ACT Tour will compete on Saturday night, June 6, for the Spring Green 126-lap event. They will also join the Tri-Track Series at the USNEPower Haunted Hundred in October, which will include another Open Street Stock 40-lap showdown for the third consecutive year.

Thrill Shows will return, starting with the Memorial Day weekend event on Saturday, May 23. The July Independence Day spectacular will take place on Saturday, July 4. Additional shows include the Mid Summer Thrill Show on August 1, the Labor Day Thrill Show on September 5, and the Pumpkin Smash Thrill Show on October 10.

Monster Trucks and Additional Events

Monster Trucks will return to Seekonk Speedway for one show on Sunday, June 21, joined by the East Coast Towing & Recovery Spectator Drags.

Throughout the season, the Everett’s Auto Parts Triple Crown Series events will return for all 10 Seekonk Speedway divisions, including the Crown Vic Cruisers. This will culminate in Everett’s Finale Weekend, where all 10 champions will be crowned on August 7-8. Everett’s Auto Parts is also sponsoring a special 75-lap Pro Stock event on June 27, a 75-lap Late Model event on July 11, and 40-lap races for the Sport Trucks and Sportsman on July 18. More information on these events will be provided soon. The Everett’s Auto Parts Anniversary Series events celebrate 75 years of business for Everett’s.

The Spectator Drag Series will also return with a 10-event schedule, featuring all five Thrill Show events, the Monster Truck show, and four NASCAR Saturday shows on May 9, June 13, July 18, and September 19.

Pre-Season Practice Sessions

Pre-season practice sessions are scheduled for:

• April 17 - Bandolero only

• April 18 - All divisions except Bandolero

• April 24 - Fast Friday divisions only

• May 2 - NASCAR divisions only

• May 15 - All Fast Friday divisions

  
  

Additional events to highlight on your calendar include:

• May 16 - Military Night

• June 13 - Scout Night

• June 20 - New England Antique Racers (N.E.A.R)

• June 26 - INEX Bandolero National Qualifier

• July 1 - INEX Legends Cars National Qualifier

• July 11 - Senior Tour Auto Racers (S.T.A.R)

• July 18 - Rhode Island Shriners Night + Trike Races

• August 15 - Back To School Night

• August 22 - Fans on Parade & Providence Bruins, MEGA Pit Party

• September 12 - First Responders Night

  
  

For all the latest news on Seekonk Speedway and tickets to 2026 events, visit SeekonkSpeedway.com. Always follow the track on social media for the latest updates throughout the offseason for additional schedule content.