SCoNE Season Opens with New York State Triple Crown at Glen Ridge
COLUMN BY: Justin St. Louis /SPRINT CARS OF NEW ENGLAND – FULTONVILLE, NY – The curtain lifts on the 2026 Sprint Cars of New England Tour season on Sunday, May 24, and with it comes a brand-new title to chase after. In addition to the SCoNE Tour’s 14-race championship schedule, Chartrand Trucking of Stephentown, NY will present the new three-race New York State Triple Crown Series, which begins at Glen Ridge Motorsports Park in Fultonville on Sunday.
The Chartrand Trucking New York State Triple Crown Series also includes a pair of stops at Albany-Saratoga Speedway in Malta on June 12 and August 7, and the driver earning the most championship points in those three events will earn the title and a cool $500 bonus. Along with Chartrand Trucking, the Glen Ridge event is supported by Fire Tower Farms Maintenance & More, also in Stephentown, NY.
The event will be SCoNE’s inaugural visit to the high-banked, quarter-mile track, which is perched on a scenic hilltop in the Mohawk Valley, and it marks the westernmost event in SCoNE’s 23-year history. It will be the first race for winged Sprint Cars at Glen Ridge Motorsports Park since 2021. The event will be available on pay-per-view live streaming video at www.TheCushion.comeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee.
New York drivers will represent their home turf well; defending SCoNE Tour champion Matt Tanner of Stephentown will race at Glen Ridge, and runner-up Travis Billington of South Glens Falls – who was also the Maine State Champion – will be aboard his own mount as he transitions into the role of owner/driver. Former SCoNE winner Bobby Hackel of Rensselaer will race, as will SCoNE Rookie of the Year runner-up Mark Reynolds of Hudson Falls, Chad Miller of Amsterdam, and SCoNE invader Danny Varin of nearby Fonda – who has a pair of Sprint Car wins at the Glen Ridge track.
New Hampshire will come out strong with eight-time SCoNE champion and all-time victory leader Chris Donnelly returning to an expanded schedule in 2026; Donnelly has been guiding his young daughter, Kate, as she begins her career with the Granite State Micro Sprints, but he has indicated that he’ll hit more SCoNE events this year starting at the Glen Ridge opener. Two more former champions – Matt Hoyt (2024) and Tunk Berry (2010) – will be in action, along with race winners Troy Comeau and Kadyn Berry, up-and-comer Donald Ottati, 2025 Most Improved Driver Mac MacDuffie, and two-time defending Bear Ridge Speedway Track Champion Caiden Herbert.
Two-time SCoNE Tour champion Will Hull (2018, ’19) leads the Vermont contingent, along with 2025 feature winner Nick Kruger and strong young racer Mia Koponen – both of whom got a leg up on the competition by testing at the Glen Ridge track in late April. Connecticut will be represented by veteran racer and multi-time SCoNE and Empire Super Sprints winner Scott Holcomb.
“We are firmly a New England-based series, but it’s great to have the support of New York racers and New York sponsors as we venture west a little bit more each year,” SCoNE president Justin St. Louis said. “We appreciate Chartrand Trucking and Fire Tower Farms stepping up to present our first New York State Triple Crown Series championship this year and we’re looking forward to our three events in the Empire State this season.”
The preliminary schedule for Sunday, May 24 at Glen Ridge Motorsports Park sees the pit gates and registration opening at 3 p.m., with grandstands opening at 4 p.m. Hot laps will begin at 5:30 with racing to follow. SCoNE will have a merchandise table with new shirts, hoodies, hats, and decals available.
The Sprint Cars of New England is seeking sponsorship and marketing partners for both the SCoNE Tour and the new SCoNE Wingless Series for the 2026 season and beyond. To learn more, visit www.nesprintcars.com or find the “SCoNE – Sprint Cars of New England” page on Facebook.
