Waterford, CT — Kenny Horton actually postponed a scheduled vacation (by a single day) to make the SK-150, the centerpiece of Waterford Speedbowl’s season-opening April 12-13 Budweiser Modified Nationals. He…
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While John Grady may not be the man with the most name recognition at this past weekend¹s SpeedwayEXPO, the annual racing trade show that takes place each March in West Springfield, Mass. He certainly seems to have the most fans, who all flock to his booth to see his photos. A Schenectady, New York resident, Grady’s life work has borne a vast collection intrigues generations of racing fans, both young and old. A quick flip through the albums on display and one can find virtually anything their heart desires. Middle-aged racing fans are there to rekindle a childhood memory of a bygone racing hero or to add to their collection.
There are photos from tracks in the 1950s right through to the current decade. Even better is the ability to reminisce about past drivers, whose attire and safety equipment pale by today’s standards.
As the impending Spring thaws the ground and erases thoughts of a long offseason, the drivers, promoters, sponsor and fans across North America involved with the NASCAR Whelen All-American Series get ready for another year of racing.
“We’re definitely excited about it,” said Kirk Leone, owner of Southern National Raceway Park in Kenly, N.C. “It doesn’t matter with a racer: If you take a month off, it’s almost too long. Everybody is pretty antsy to get going.
Waterford, CT — Be it selling hotdogs or driving racecars, Rich Duranti has been spending his summers at Waterford Speedbowl for 33 years. The hometown boy, a Late Model competitor, will be on hand when the Speedbowl opens the season April 12-13 with the 12th annual Budweiser Modified Nationals.
Highlighted by the $20,000 SK-150, the weekend also includes the Speedbowl’s Sportsman, Mini Stocks and Legends divisions. The NEMA Midgets, NEMA Lites, Legends, AllStar Race Trucks, Pro4 Modifieds, and Allison Legacy Cars are part of a busy agenda as well.
“Sometimes it’s hard to believe how long I been there” states the Quaker Hill. resident. “It all started when I was just a kid, about eight-years old. I picked up trash for the original track owners after watching the races. It then progressed to running the hot dog booth.”
There are many who can talk a good story, but the numbers thin out when the time comes to walk the walk. Actions speak louder than words. As we head toward Easter I wonder if you are ready to stop talking and start walking? Greetings in the name of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.
We have all heard them, the talkers, they can tell stories with the best of them. But when it comes to putting your money where your mouth is their performance is less than advertised.
Are we someone others can count on? Do we talk a good game without following through with actions that are consistent with our words? When other people watch the way we live do they see a life that matches what we say we believe?
MASHPEE — Paul Conley, 74, of Mashpee, formerly of Mansfield, passed away on Monday, March 10, 2008.
Born on Aug. 14, 1933, in Dedham, he was the son of the late John and Helen (Lingley) Conley. He was a graduate of Perkin’s School for the Blind, and worked for the Mansfield public school system for more than 10 years. He retired to Cape Cod in 1998.
He is survived by his wife, Joan (Adams) Conley of Mashpee, and two children, Scott W. Conley and Carrie (Bradley) Kerns, all of Las Vegas, Nev. Also surviving are two brothers, John Conley of Woodstock, Vt., and Thomas (Barbara) Conley of Dedham; and a granddaughter, Elaina Kerns of Las Vegas.
L.W. Miller had a busier than usual offseason. But don’t expect the defending NASCAR Whelen Southern Modified Tour champion to complain one bit about all the activities he’s been involved with since clinching the title at Caraway Speedway last November.
That’s because Miller’s hectic winter schedule is a direct result of his first NASCAR championship. Miller will attempt to defend that title when the NASCAR Whelen Southern Modified Tour opens the season Saturday, March 22 back at Caraway Speedway in Asheboro, N.C.
Stafford Springs, CT — Coors Brewing Company, through it’s Coors Light brand, has extended their title sponsorship of the SK Modified 100, which is scheduled for June 6, 2008 at…
Read moreToyota has begun to stretch its wings into North American short track stock car racing at the grassroots level, and its journey begins this year with the Barre, VT’s Thunder…
Read moreWaterford, CT — When the New Waterford Speedbowl kicks off its season with the April 12-13 Budweiser Modified Nationals featuring the SK-150, it will mark the 58th consecutive season of auto racing at the three-eights mile oval. Bob Swift won the first ever season opener back on April 15, 1951.
During the 1950’s, the Speedbowl traditionally opened on Easter Sunday – annually gathering over 5,000 people. In the early 1970’s, the extra-distance season-opener flourished starting with the popular Blast Off! event that premiered in 1972. The legendary Ed Flemke was the inaugural winner. Under several different formats, Blast Off opened the season for the next 25 years, making the transition from an open-competition Modified feature to an SK-Modified point event in 1985.
The Modified Nationals event debuted in 1997 with a 200 lapper for SK-Modifieds, Steve Chowansky the winner win. In 2000, Mark LaJeunesse was declared the winner after the race was called due to rain with 101 laps completed.
Leading auto maker Toyota will begin its entry into grassroots short track stock car racing through its Courtesy Toyota dealership in Berlin, VT with the American-Canadian Tour (ACT) Late Model Championship series and at Thunder Road Int’l Speedbowl in Barre, VT in 2008. Toyota is now the Official Vehicle of ACT and Thunder Road.
Waterford, CT — It was a cold, rainy Friday evening in March, and instead of working on his racecar within the cozy confines of the shop, veteran Waterford Speedbowl Sportsman division driver Jim Procaccini was wandering around an airport. He was also wondering just how he managed to miss his flight to the West Coast. He was on his way meet new granddaughter Kailyn for the first time.
Procaccini will be on hand when the ‘Bowl opens the 2008 season with the 12th annual Budweiser Modified Nationals on April 12-13. Highlighted by the lucrative SK-150, the weekend also includes, in addition to the Sportsman, the ‘Bowl’s NASCAR Whelen All American Series Late Models, and Mini Stocks. The NEMA Midgets, Legends, AllStar Race Trucks, Pro4 Modifieds, and Allison Legacy Cars are part of a busy agenda as well.
Thompson, CT — The winter snows have melted away and work has begun at the Thompson International Speedway for the opening of the 2008 racing season. With Thompson’s ICEBREAKER event less than a month away, work at the historic New England racing oval is at a fever pitch to prepare the facility for opening day.
Everyone’s attention is centered on Saturday, March 22nd. That’s the day the gates will open for the first time in the new season so that race teams will have an opportunity to begin testing their race cars. Any legal and safe race car is welcome to participate in this first of two open practice dates at Thompson. The second date is Saturday, March 29th. The track will be open for practice from Noon until 6 PM on both days.
Waterford, CT — Does last year’s horrific crash haunt Waterford Speedbowl SK-Modified competitor Wendell Dailey?
“It’s the screen saver on my computer, you know the picture where Jeffrey Paul appears to be going underneath me,” he answers. “I see it every day.”
Dailey will be in the same car in the $20,000 SK-150, the headline event of the Speedbowl’s season-opening 12th annual Budweiser Modified Nationals April 12-13. The 10-division “Nats” also features, in addition to the ‘Bowl’s Late Model, Sportsman, Mini Stock and Legends divisions, the Northeastern Midget Association, the NEMA Lites, the Allison Legacy Cars, Pro4 Modifieds and AllStar Race Trucks.
Newburgh, NY — The ALNRS is getting ready to kick off their fifth season of racing in New England and the third under Series Director Michael A. Vasquez, Sr. Michael, who will also be getting back behind the wheel for the first time since November of 2006, stated the ALNRS teams are busy making their final adjustments to their Allison Legacy Race Cars as they prepare to hit the track for the first time in less than four weeks.
The teams will be heading to the Waterford Speedbowl on April 5 & 6 as they prepare for the Budweiser Modified Nationals to be held at the famed CT short track the following weekend.
M. Norrie, Guerard, R. Charland, J. Jacobs, Pepin Share Spoils Windsor, CT — Lou Cicconi, of Aston, Pa., added MototownUSA to his resume of indoor race victories by winning the 600cc…
Read moreRandy Cabral is not given to exaggeration. The Northeastern Midget Association hot shoe keeps a tight reign on his expectations.
“I want to win at least one race,” says Cabral who will be in the Bertrand #47 for the third straight year. “Ever since my second year in NEMA (2000) I’ve won at least once. I’d like to keep that streak going.”
The final meeting for series officials and team owners/drivers was conducted Saturday, March 8 with new race director Mike Chapman going over rules, procedures, answering questions, and introducing new staff members to those in attendance.
Series founder Jack Bateman advised members that a new policy for heat race lineups is in effect for the new campaign. Starting positions will be determined by drawing for position. It was felt that race teams that are not able to compete at each event would benefit from the decision. Finishes in heat races and consi events will still determine feature lineups.
Charland, Morgan, Guerard, J. Jacobs Repeat Wins Windsor, CT — Keith Rocco, of Wallingford, Conn., upset eight cylinder street stock king Jonathen Routhier in MototownUSA Bud Light 12 Pack Racing…
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Seekonk, MA — Seekonk Speedway is pleased to announce the addition of an additional half-dozen new and returning sponsorship partners at the Route 6 facility in 2008. “This is really an exciting time for us with so many new partners and returning friends coming on board in such a big way,” speedway Vice-President Francis Venditti relates. “The active participation of local, regional, and national firms is vital to the success of short track racing. It is truly gratifying to know that even in difficult economic times there are many thriving businesses that recognize local auto racing as a viable advertising avenue. I think we’re in for a great season.”
Cirelli Foods, Inc., headquartered in Middleboro, MA, the largest independent broadline foodservice distributor in New England and the official food purveyor at the 1/3-mile Bay State oval, will serve as title sponsor for the events on Saturday night, May 31. Reaching over 4,000 customers in Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Southern New Hampshire, Connecticut and Maine, Cirelli’s broad customer base includes independent restaurants, multi-chain units, schools, healthcare facilities, and other foodservice operations throughout Eastern Massachusetts, Cape Cod and Rhode Island. The firm also operates Cirelli’s Warehouse Marketplace, a state-of-the-art retail entity offering a wide selection of name brand foods, paper goods and alcoholic beverages to both foodservice customers and the general public.
Concord, NC — Most racecar drivers spend Thursday nights preparing for their busy weekends at the track. This season, Bobby Grigas III will instead spend those evenings moonlighting as the driver of a Sunoco Modified in the Whelen All-American Series at Thompson International Speedway. Grigas will drive an entry owned by Jimmy Page of Blackstone, Massachusetts, in the full schedule of Sunoco Modified races for 2008.
“I’ll be driving the #00 Sunoco Modified at Thompson,” said Grigas, who raced a Late Model at the track on a regular basis earlier in his career. “I’m psyched to go back to Thompson. For the last two years, I’ve wanted to get a Sunoco Modified ride there. When we go there [with the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour], I always try to watch the Sunoco Modified racing. They are so exciting and I get pumped watching that. It is hard-core racing – going out and banging wheels to win. That’s the kind of racing that I like. My parents told me that it seems like I’m even more excited about going and racing there then I am to race on the Tour.”
It would be like Hank Steinbrenner leaving the Yankees to become the CEO of Red Sox nation, or Tony Stewart and Kurt Busch becoming drinking buddies. That’s what many people…
Read moreBassett Racing Wheel will rejoin the American-Canadian Tour (ACT) stock car racing organization in 2008, continuing a long and successful partnership with the sanctioning body in the northeastern United States and Canada. Bassett is the leading manufacturer of auto racing wheels in the U.S., and has a style of wheel for virtually every type of stock car. Bassett is also an industry leader in research and development, safety, and innovation.
According to Chuck Hossfeld’s web site, he will be back on the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour full-time in 2008. Bob Garbarino’s race team is familiar territory for the Ransomville, New York native, who drove the famed V-4 from 2002 to 2004. Bob Garbarino won his first NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour championship last season.
A recent poll of stock car racing media members and veteran observers was conducted by Speed51.com, a national short track racing news website, asking panelists to predict the future and pick the Top 10 point drivers across ten of the top touring divisions in the United States. The American-Canadian Tour’s Late Model Championship series was part of that poll, and it should probably come as no surprise that perennial ACT King Jean-Paul Cyr was ranked number one.
Woody Pitkat is hoping his Whelen Modified Tour experience last year proves to be a good omen. The April 12-13 SK-150 will be Pitkat’s first Modified ride at Waterford Speedbowl.
“We went to a lot of tracks I’d never seen before,” says Pitkat who finished second in the 2007 Whelen All-American Series national standings. “We did OK. And, I have been at the Speedbowl in a Late Model (he finished second in the heralded Funkmaster Flex event a few years back) and liked it.”
Waterford, CT — Ken Cassidy Jr. plans a determined defense of the 2007 Waterford Speedbowl Mini Stock title. “I don’t expect to make any big changes,” he says. “We’re a little down in the sponsorship department, but things are on track.”
The second-generation driver begins his quest at the season-opening 12th annual Budweiser Modified Nationals. The 30-lap Mini Stock feature is part of a 10-division agenda highlighted by lucrative SK-150. The Northeastern Midget Association, the NEMA Lites, Pro4 Modifieds, AllStar Race Trucks and Allison Legacy Cars join the Speedbowl’s Late Model, Sportsman and Legend divisions.
Waterford, CT — Allen Coates will be back in the #90 Late Model at Waterford Speedbowl this season. The three–time champion was one of several competitors dropping by the Speedbowl exhibit at last weekend’s Speedway Expo at the Eastern States Exposition Grounds in West Springfield, MA.
“We’ll miss the first couple of events due to a long-overdue family vacation, but we plan on being there every week after that,” says Coates. “This season we’re going to try and have a good time, kind of a low-pressure deal. Should it lead to another battle for the title that’s fine. If not, that’s OK with us also.”
[Photo Gallery] by Adam Fohlin
[Photo Gallery] by Eric Lafleche