Notes and Stories with the Monaco Modified Tri-Track Series set for start of 2026 season at 52nd Annual Icebreaker at Thompson
RPW Exclusive Column By: Stephen Durham / RPW – THOMPSON, MA – It is finally race weekend in New England, with the 52nd annual Icebreaker at Thompson Speedway Motorsports Park. A full slate of racing is expected this weekend at the historic high-banked half-mile. The Monaco Modified Tri-Track Series kicks off their season, along with the NASCAR Whelen Tour Modifieds head into race number three on the year.
Saturday’s racing action will include the Monaco Modified Tri-Track Series, along with the Thompson Sunoco Modifieds, R&R Street Stocks, Pro Truck Challenge, NEMA Lites, and Thunderstock Crown Vics.
Notes to know on the Monaco Modified Tri-Track Series:
Jon McKennedy: The defending Monaco Modified Tri-Track Series champion and now two-time champion will begin his journey for another championship and get back to his winning ways. Despite winning the championship in 2025, McKennedy went winless in 2025, riding consistency and strong finishes throughout the season. McKennedy had top-5 finishes last spring at Thompson, and Thompson was the site of McKennedy’s last win with the series in the fall of 2024.
Teddy Hodgdon & JMA Motorsports: A new duo in 2026, its the JMA Motorsports owned 07, driven by the young hot-shoe of Teddy Hodgdon. The 07 has shown great speed in recent years in tour-type modified races, and with a young and eager Hodgdon, it could be a strong and winning combo for the pair. Hodgdon has won with the Monaco Modifieds before, last winning in 2024 at Seekonk, the hometrack for JMA. Keep an eye on Hodgon and JMA Motorsports team in 2026.
Ronnie Williams: It was a very strong season for Williams in 2025, coming up 38 points short of McKennedy in the championship hunt. Williams will look to come back and bring the same consistency and battle for his 2nd championship again in 2026. Williams had 2 top 5s and 7 top 10s to his credit in 2025, with a pair of runner-up finishes at Stafford and New London-Waterford Speedbowl.
Jake Johnson: For only competing in seven events in 2025, Johnson finished 6th in the championship standings, and only 10 points behind Austin Beers in 5th. Johnson had a hot hand in 2025, winning 3 of the 7 events as well. Johnson won at White Mountain Motorsports Park, Stafford Speedway, and at New London-Waterford. With Johnson expected to race a full season with the Monaco Modfied Tri-Track Series, he could be a potential contender for the championship.
Who wins the championship in 2026? Since the Monaco Modified Tri-Track Series opened it’s doors in 2014, there has been three different champions. Two-time champion Jon McKennedy(2014 & 2025), 9-time champion Matt Hirschman(2015-2018, 2020-2024), and Ronnie Williams(2019). Who could possibly add their name to this list this year? No matter, it will be a tough task at hand with McKennedy and Williams expected to be full-time with the series this year.
Racing for Saturday’s portion of the 52nd Annual Icebreaker at Thompson Speedway Motorsports Park gets underway at 1PM. The Monaco Modified Tri-Track Series can be watched live on North East Short Track Network(NESTN).
