Mohawk Valley Vintage Dirt Mods To Honor Penn Can Icon, Seward Rice, At “King Of The Can

Story By: MOHAWK VALLEY VINTAGE DIRT MODIFIED SERIES – SUSQUEHANNA, PA – On September 26th the MVVDMS will be crossing the boarder into Pennsylvania to a track that sits along the mighty Susquehanna River, Penn Can Speedway.

It’s also one of the tracks know as the Southern Tier.

With the Vintage World coming together to race at this historic track what better way then to honor one of its own. The Leader, the Driver, the energetic promotor of the Penn Can Speedway Seward Rice known as “Ricey.”

First we will tell a little bit about this legendary man who spent much of his life at the Speedway. Then we will get into what’s on tap for the exciting Vintage racing for the enthusiastic fans of all ages will see as the past will come back alive.

So, who is Seward Rice we ask, and what was his importance to Penn Can Speedway for those who don’t know.

Seward Rice made his mark at the Speedway in 1959 when he organized a club that ran the then Susquehanna Speedway. (a rare thing a club running a track) if wondering the Penn Can Speedways name came in 1964.

The Susquehanna County Stock Car Club ran the Speedway which Rice was also the president of the club for 13yrs. During those years Seward doubled duties as he also climbed behind the wheel of a race car in which he enjoyed.

After taking a break from the Speedway for some years, his calling came in 1987 when he would take over the keys to a track that was in need of help. As years past this time around though he would be the promotor not the president that ran the track.

In his five year tenor Rice was known for taking a track that was full of cattails, run down and racing just not at its best to giving the track a new look and new attitude.

His biggest concern was always making sure that the drivers and fans came first.

“Ricey” was an innovator, he was the first promotor to bring in Sky Divers along with having the first firework shows at a race track. He really new how to get the fans in the stands. He took care of his weekly drivers unlike the past.

He just was a great promotor and really just a good guy. He also could always tell a good story, stated racing legend and Member of the Penn Can, Five Mile Point Speedway and Dirt Hall Of Famer Carl Nagal.

After the 1991 season Seward stepped down from his post but proudly left the Speedway in a much all around improved state. Sadly in 2009 at the age of 79 Rice went to the racing heavens.

The MVVDMS and the entire Vintage racing world is honored to dedicate our night of racing to such a great race car enthusiast to the lil track that sits along the Susquehanna River.

The Seward Rice Memorial Vintage racing that will be hitting the track on the night will be three exciting divisions representing the different era’s of our racings past.

Vintage Modifieds, Sportsmans and Late Models will take to the track to show the fans that the past has come alive at the “King Of The Can” weekend.

The races will be a collaboration of series and clubs racing together and representing our racings history.

Not only will the dedicated Vintage drivers be racing in honor of Penn Can Speedways legend Seward Rice, but will be racing for the great racing fans that will one can not take for granted cheering in the stands.