Speedway 51 and Second New-London Waterford Date on Schedule
NO. STONINGTON, CT – Officials from the North East Street Stock Tour (NESST) announced the addition of two race events to the 2016 schedule. The start-up stock cars series, which races later model Chevrolet and Ford production cars, will now contest ten championship events, spanning from Connecticut to northern New Hampshire.
Speedway 51, located in Groveton, NH, will host NESST for a 51-lap event on Saturday, August 20. The event will also feature a complimentary barbeque for all NESST teams in the pit area. Inaugural Champion, Joe Arena (Bristol, CT), and Anthony Belfiore (Haverhill, MA) both won events at the ¼-mile bullring in 2015.
“I like that place,” recalled Arena. They’ve done a lot of work there, and the track is fun, too. I’m really glad that we are going back there in 2016,” the reigning NESST Champion went on to say.
Groton, Conn. — A strong season at New London-Waterford Speedbowl brought Jason Palmer back to the head table. Palmer earned his first Late Model championship with 5 wins, 16 top fives and 17 top 10s. Palmer’s sponsors are Manafort Brothers, Nano Construction, CWPM, FMR Racing, Waddell Communications, Sign Pro, Pecon, and Ukleja’s Christmas Trees.
“It feels pretty good,” said Palmer Saturday night. “It took us a few more years than we wanted to to get here, but we got here and I think we’re just here to enjoy the night and make the most of it and get ready for 2016.”
Palmer had to adjust to Late Models after a successful career in Legend Cars.
“We got the car figured out. The Legend Cars are much, much harder to drive and they’re basically out of control. The Late Model’s like driving a boat. I’ve never really been a captain, so it’s tough for me to get a hang on it. But six years later, we figured it out.”
Rowan Pennink will be competing for as many as four different race teams in 2016, in his quest for several different modified championships this upcoming season.
The Huntingdon Valley, Pennsylvania driver will kick of the season in two new rides for 2016. Rowan will be taking over the driving duties for one the most legendary teams in modified racing, the Boehler Racing Enterprises-Ole’ Blue #3. Rowan will compete full-time in 2016 on NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour beginning at Thompson Speedway Motorsports Park at the annual Icebreaker event in April. Also occurring at Thompson Speedway, Rowan will return to full-time Sunoco Modified competition in the seat of another car rich in tradition, the Dickie Ceravolo owned #16 machine for 2016.
In addition to his new NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour and Thompson Sunoco Modified teams, Pennink will return to two of his most familiar rides in 2016 as well. Rowan and his #99 Hitchcock Pool Water team will look to defend their 2015 Stafford Speedway SK Modified championship by returning full-time to Stafford in 2016. Rowan will also return to Gary Casella’s, Roscoe Racing #25, for a full slate of Tri-Track Open Modified Series events, as well as a limited number of Valenti Modified Racing Series dates with the team that earned the 2013 series championship.
The Granite State Pro Stock Series (GSPSS) has announced an 11-race schedule for the 2016 season. The schedule includes stops at Riverhead Raceway and Wiscasset Speedway for the first time in series history, along with eight races in the state of New Hampshire and one in Connecticut.
The season will start on Friday, May 13, when the Pro Stocks travel to Claremont Speedway in Claremont, New Hampshire. In August of 2011, Chris Wilk scored the victory at Claremont, while, in April of 2015, eventual series champion Derek Griffith took down the checkered flag.
After a two week break for driver’s to get their rides ready, the 1/4 mile Monadnock Speedway will play host to the series on Saturday, May 28, closing out the month of May with a battle on the high-banked oval. Matt Frahm and Barry Gray took victories when the Pro Stocks visited in 2014.
2016 NEMST Schedule April 9 Lee USA Speedway Practice Lee, NH April 10 Lee USA Speedway Lee, NH May 1 TSMP Road Course Thompson, CT May 15 Speedway 95 Hermon, ME June 4 New London-Waterford Speedbowl Waterford, CT June 18 Oxford Plains Speedway Homecoming Oxford, ME July 3 TBA TBA July 9 TSMP Oval Thompson, CT July 29 Claremont Speedway Claremont, NH August 6 Speedway 51 Groveton, NH August 28 Oxford Plains Speedway 250 Oxford, ME September 10 Speedway 51 Groveton, NH October 14 TSMP Oval Heats Thompson, CT October 15 TSMP Oval Feature Thompson, CT
This schedule is tentative. Additional dates WILL be added. Maximum number of dates will be twelve events.
Waterbury, VT – The American-Canadian Tour (ACT) has announced the release of the 2016 ACT Late Model Tour schedule. The 13-event series will see the Tour visit 12 different tracks in six U.S. states and the province of Quebec as they pursue the $10,000-to-win ACT Championship.
The season will once again kick off with the New Hampshire Governor’s Cup 150 at Lee USA Speedway on Sunday, April 10 and crown the 2016 champion at Connecticut’s Thompson Speedway on Saturday, October 15. Other traditional early-season events which have returned include the 18th Merchants Bank 150 at Barre, VT’s Thunder Road on May 1, the Spring Green 116 at Plattsburgh, NY’s Airborne Park Speedway on May 14, and a 100-lap event at Fair Haven, VT’s Devil’s Bowl Speedway on June 4.
The 2016 schedule will again feature three ACT/Pro All Stars Series (PASS) doubleheaders. The two series open the Oxford Plains Speedway racing season on Sunday, April 17. ACT and PASS then travel to Quebec’s Autodrome Montmagny on Saturday, July 23. The 150-lap event is the ACT U.S. Tour’s first visit to the speedway since 1999 and is a combination event with Série ACT. Continue reading ‘ACT Releases 13-Event 2016 Schedule’
Waterbury, VT – The American-Canadian Tour (ACT), in collaboration with the New London-Waterford Speedbowl, Seekonk Speedway, and Thompson Speedway Motorsports Park, has announced the creation of the Southern New England Tripleheader for the 2016 stock car racing season. The three-event series will match up the best of the three track’s weekly racers with the stars of the ACT Late Model Tour.
The Tripleheader will be held on three unique race tracks – the 1/3-mile New London-Waterford Speedbowl, Seekonk Speedway’s ¼-mile bullring, and the 5/8-mile high banks of Thompson Speedway. The series includes a special $7,500 point fund for local weekly teams which participate in all three events. The events will also award championship points for ACT competitors as part of their $30,000 Championship point fund, which includes $10,000 for the 2016 ACT Champion.
“We had great support from local race teams for the final event at Thompson during the World Series last fall,” ACT President Tom Curley said. “The three Southern New England tracks – New London-Waterford, Seekonk, and Thompson – have become an important addition to our ACT weekly business model over the past decade. This program of three races, tied together with an independent point fund, should be lots of fun to follow for southern New England Late Model fans and teams throughout the 2016 season.”
LONG ISLAND, N.Y. The Tri-Track Open Modified Series (TTOMS) announced two more dates for their 2016 schedule on Friday morning, with a double return to the New London-Waterford Speedbowl in Connecticut on tap for the organization.
The Speedbowl will host the first of the two races on Thursday night Aug. 25, with $10,000 up for grabs to the winner of the 100 lap feature. A second event will be on Sunday, Oct. 23 as part of the 2nd annual “Bemer’s Big Show.”
“I think the most important thing is that there a such a wide variety of all the touring divisions that come together, it’s the ultimate race of talent and the guys that put the show on care so much about the drivers and the teams. We’re really excited to have Tri-Track back again,” said Speedbowl General Manager Shawn Monahan. “There were a few dates other series had so we weren’t able to go with the original plan and with potential construction going on, it was too risky to do an April race like I had talked about with Dick Williams. We decided to go with the Thursday night [in August] and as for the October date, that October show is going to be a knockout deal.”
Tom DiMaggio released the second part of his New London-Waterford Speedbowl documentary tonight. With each part coinciding with track operators or ownership, A Chronological History of the New London-Waterford Speedbowl – Part 2 covers 1961-1974. Jack Brouwer and Lou Esposito were added as owners before the track was sold to NEAR Hall of Famer Harvey Tattersall, Jr. 27 people are interviewed for this segment: “former track owner Don Benvenuti, track historian John Brouwer, writers Bones Bourcier and Pete Zanardi, photographer Steve Kennedy, former car owner Dick Brooks, former drivers like Mark Lajeunesse, Mark Geer, Seabury Tripler, Bob Gada and Brian McCarthy.” The late multi-time Daredevil champion Bill Sweet, car owner Peg Gaudreau and NEAR Hall of Famer Ron Bouchard are also included.
The unique race cars of the era are profiled in this segment like the L&M coupe, the M Pinto and Budda’s Bullet No. 3.
“All tracks have their signature cars. When I see pics of Don LaJoie’s 711, I think of Danbury (Race)arena. When I see a pic of Johnny Cambino’s #7 coupe, I think of West Haven. A Membrino 00 makes me think of Plainville. I’d like to think when people see a pic of Freddie Beaber’s checkerboard 716, or the Gaudreau’s #3 coupe, or Stosh’s L&M, that they will think of the ‘bowl. So it’s important to have these cars that identify with a track…. and this is our way of celebrating their history.”
Ron Bouchard began his driving career as a teenager at the old Brookline (NH) Speedway driving for his father Bob. Soon he would venture to the old Westboro (MA) and Seekonk (MA) Speedways. Bouchard dominated Class A, winning four consecutive Seekonk championships in his No. 35 from 1968-71. He added another in 1978 driving a Modified.
Beyond his native Massachusetts, he went to Stafford (CT) Motor Speedway and adapted to the flat half-mile oval. He established himself one of the decade’s big Modified winners at Stafford, Thompson, and Westboro.
He drove for team owners like Dick Armstrong, Bob Garbarino, and Bob Johnson. Major victories included the 1980 Thompson 300, multiple 100 and 150-lap races at Stafford, and a 100-lap Late Model race at Seekonk in 1979.
Former Modified Driver Was 1981 Cup Rookie of the Year
Ron Bouchard, winner of the 1981 Talladega 500 and the premier series’ rookie of the year that same season, passed away Thursday. He was 67.
A native of Fitchburg, Mass., Bouchard pulled off one of NASCAR’s most stunning victories when he shot from third to first on the final lap at Talladega (then known as Alabama International Motor Speedway), passing Darrell Waltrip and Terry Labonte to score his lone premier series victory. The win came in his 11th career start.
He was driving the Jack Beebe-owned Race Hill Farm No. 47 Buick, with crew chief Bob Johnson. Bouchard had taken over the ride earlier in the season following the departure of driver Harry Gant.
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – In the three-act structure of storytelling, the segments include the setup, confrontation and resolution. Doug Coby’s NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour career fits quite well with this mold, and he’s providing plenty of resolution in his third act.
Coby’s first two acts have been well-chronicled at this point, but to briefly review:
Act 1, The Setup – The Milford, Connecticut, native debuted on the Whelen Modified Tour in 2002 and competed full-time from 2003-07. He became established as a regular in the garage.
Act 2, The Confrontation – From 2008-10 he was without a full-time car, with various opportunities here and there, but nothing stable. His future on the tour, and his place in it, was in question.
Act 3, The Resolution, is where we’ll pick up the story. This act is still very much a work-in-progress for the 36-year-old. The story is not yet complete, but lose ends are getting tied up.
Todd Taylor of Stonington, CT is going to repay those who helped him last season: Pete Pollard, Chris Taylor, and his brother Randy. With his wife expecting their second child, Taylor will run the Super X season opener and finale at New London-Waterford (CT) Speedbowl.
“The guys on the crew are all going to get the chance to drive the car,” Taylor said. “I think it’s a great way to reward them for all the great help that they’ve given me.”
Canaan, New Hampshire — A first time visit to a New Hampshire Speedway, an appearance with the Pass Pro All Stars Series in Maine, and the traditional stops at New England’s top bull-rings and historic ovals, highlight the 2016 season for New England’s Valenti Modified Racing Series. Jack Bateman, series founder and president, made the announcement Thursday night, December 2.
The 13th annual season opens Saturday night April 23, 2016, with Monadnock Speedway, Winchester, New Hampshire, once again rolling out the carpet for the new campaign.
The series next competes Friday night, May 20 at the famed Stafford Motor Speedway, Stafford, Connecticut. The event will be the first of three races at the half-mile oval. Friday, June 24, and Friday, September 2, is the dates to circle for return visits.
Eddie & Connie Partridge and Tom Gatz the new owners of Riverhead Raceway have begun the process of putting a staff together for the 2016 race season and on Tuesday afternoon they announced that veteran race official Scott Tapley of Poland Spring, Maine has agreed to come on board in the capacity of Race Director at popular quarter-mile oval.
“We have heard good things about Scott from the racers and owners that have raced at tracks or on a series where he was the race director” Eddie & Connie Partridge stated while making the announcement, “we feel he is the right fit,” Tom Gatz added, “Scott is a no-nonsense official and that is what we need at Riverhead moving forward.” Tom also noted, “Scott is making a huge commitment to us as he’ll be traveling weekly from Maine. We are very excited to have Scott on our team and what he can bring to the future success of Riverhead Raceway. We feel he will immediately have a positive impact at the track.”
The energetic Tapley who currently serves as the Race Director at the Lee USA Speedway in New Hampshire as well the Thompson Speedway Motorsports Park is looking forward to his new challenge on Long Island. “I’m very excited as well thankful for the opportunity Eddie, Connie & Tom have presented me and I look forward to keep the racing at Riverhead Raceway moving in a positive direction.” Tapley will officiate the weekly NASCAR Whelen All-American Series events from the scoring tower and be responsible overseeing all on track racing and activity. As to his weekly commute to Riverhead “I love what I do, it’s a labor of love and yes I rack up the miles on my car.”
WATERFORD, Conn. — The Northeast Race Cars and Parts Tri Track Open Modified Series will conclude their 2015 season as part of the inaugural Bemer’s Super Bowl at New London-Waterford Speedbowl on Sunday afternoon, Oct. 25.
The event will be a non-points affair for the ground-pounding tour-type Modifieds.
The series saw four intense points races in 2015 at Lee USA Speedway, Monadnock Speedway, Seekonk Speedway and New London-Waterford, with four different feature winners. The 2015 series champion was “Money” Matt Hirschman, who won at Monadnock and locked up the championship crown with a third place finish at the Speedbowl in September.
Carlos Gray of Coventry, CT will be bringing additional sponsors to his team. Gray plans to maintain a similar schedule to this year’s 47 race schedule. He will compete next season at New London-Waterford (CT) Speedbowl, Stafford (CT) Motor Speedway and Thompson (CT) Speedway Motorsports Park for the Icebreaker and World Series.
Gray wanted to build a second car as a backup or have one car for Stafford and New London-Waterford this year. His new teammate Bob Potter will pilot the second car.
Potter is one of the New England’s most successful drivers with over 100 victories at New London-Waterford, Stafford, and Thompson. He has 93 wins and six championships at New London-Waterford. He has five championships in SK Modifieds at Stafford with 24 wins. Potter owns eight wins at Thompson. The Norwich, CT driver was inducted into the New England Auto Racing Hall of Fame in 2007.
HUNTERSVILLE, N.C. (OCTOBER 19, 2015) – Our Motorsports has announced today that it will cease operations effective immediately.
“My involvement in the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour over the past four seasons has been a wonderful experience,” said team owner Chris Our. “I have been very fortunate to have developed new friendships and business associates that have made this a special time in my life.”
“I want to take this opportunity to thank my drivers, past and present, and crew members who worked countless hours to help make our program a success. To all our sponsors who have helped us over the years, we thank you for your support. Lastly, to Brad Lafontaine and Northeast Race Cars, we couldn’t have made it without you.”
Pro Stocks Return to Facility for Bemer’s Big Show 150
WATERFORD, CT – The Granite State Pro Stock Series’ inaugural trip to New London-Waterford Speedbowl will be a race to remember for at least one driver, as the series’ champion will be crowned at the Bemer’s Big Show 150, on October 24.
Derek Griffith, who has enjoyed a breakout season, leads Barry Gray by 40 points entering the event. Griffith has picked up a total of four wins in this campaign, the most this season by any driver, after earning his first career win in April, at Claremont Speedway.
Griffith is treating the Bemer’s Big Show 150 like any other race, however, saying, “I want to go out there and compete for the win, and if we do well, then we will clinch that championship.”
Donny Lia of Jericho, NY will look to keep his recent consistency going. He has scored the second-most points (200 to Doug Coby’s 208) since the last visit to Thompson. For the fifth time in his career, he has five consecutive top tens with a 4.4 average finish. Lia has 3 wins, 12 top fives, and 17 top tens in 37 Thompson starts.
The two-time NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour Champion is in his first season driving the No. 8 Sypher Construction / Bardahl LFR for Mark Sypher.Lia is eighth in points with 6 top fives and 8 top tens in 14 starts entering the season finale, the Sunoco World Series of Speedway Racing at Thompson. It is his best standing since sixth after the Spring Sizzler at Stafford.
According to Crew Chief Danny Laferriere, Lia will enter the Northeast Race Cars and Parts Tri-Track Open Modified Series October 25 at New London-Waterford (CT) Speedbowl and the 13th Annual John Blewett, III Memorial North-South Shootout at Concord (NC) Speedway November 7.
Two of the most familiar voices in motorsports broadcasting and one of the sport’s premier authors will head up the list of presenters at the New England Auto Racers Hall of Fame 18th induction banquet Sunday, Nov. 8 at Maneeley’s in South Windsor, CT.
Ken Squier, the “play-by-play” man for CBS’ Daytona 500 telecasts for 20 years, and Jack Arute, a pit reporter at the Indianapolis 500 for ABC for several seasons, will induct owner/driver Joey Laquerre and road racer Sam Posey respectively. Award-winning writer Bones Bourcier will do the honors for one time modified star and 1985 Daytona Firecracker 400 winner Greg Sacks.
Ticket information for the banquet will soon be available on the New England Antique Racers website (NEAR1.org).
WATERFORD, CT – The Granite State Pro Stock Series’ finale at New London-Waterford Speedbowl will have an added twist, as The Racing Guys have put up extra money for drivers competing in the Bemer’s Big Show 150.
An extra $1100 will be up for grabs to Granite State Pro Stock Series (GSPSS) drivers, courtesy of the organizers of the Tri-Track Open Modified Series (TTOMS).
The winner of the Bemer’s Big Show 150, the final championship event of the season, will receive an extra $200 in their paycheck. The remaining $900 will be split by the top five Seekonk Speedway and Riverhead Raceway drivers in the field.
All the marbles will be on the line at the New London-Waterford Speedbowl when the Northeast Race Cars and Parts Tri-Track Open Modified Series concludes an action packed weekend on October 25.
Unlike the four races prior in 2015, the series season finale will be a non-points event. At the Speedbowl in September, Matt Hirschman was crowned the 2015 Tri Track Series champion after finishing on the podium in the Dunleavy’s 100.
This event will also hold a completely different format than any of the other four races this season. There will be no short distance heat races followed up by consolation races and a B-main feature. Instead, this event will be started with two 35 lap “qualifying feature’s” that will determine who will advance into the big show.
LOUDON, NH — Ryan Preece of Berlin, CT will make his NASCAR Sprint Cup Series debut in today’s Sylvania 300 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway. Preece is driving the No. 98x Mohawk Northeast/East West Marine Chevrolet for Tommy Baldwin Racing.
“It’s exciting,” Preece said. “Obviously, you’re on NASCAR’s biggest stage right here with everybody else. So just want to have a good clean day and have a good run so we got 300 laps to do that.”
Preece races regularly in New England. The 2013 NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour champion has won championships at Stafford (CT) Motor Speedway and Thompson (CT) Speedway Motorsports Park. Preece has won 83 Modified races and once in TQ Midgets.
N.C. Driver Wins National Honor For Third Time In Four Years
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. — It’s fitting Lee Pulliam took the call informing he was once again a national champion while on a lunch break during a Late Model test day at a race track.
The 2015 itinerary for the Semora, North Carolina, native resembles the 1970s racers chasing national points all over the map. Pulliam ran 51 races at seven different tracks – winning at six of them – in four different states over a nine-month period.
When he wasn’t at a race track, he was in his race shop.
Jordan Churchill finished 13th in his first Late Model start of the year driving the Gada No. 6. He finished sixth in his debut last October 5.
He “got offered the chance and decided to try it out,” Churchill said. “… It is very different then a Legend Car, luckily last year I was offered the same opportunity and did it then also. It’s way wider, which was a constant reminder and it was cool to have to climb in. They don’t feel much faster and they feel way less sensitive versus the Legend Car. It was a blast altogether and I’m thankful for the opportunities.”
Churchill plans include a busy Legend Car schedule. He will visit Seekonk (MA) Speedway today and for the DAV weekend. He will also race Saturdays at New London-Waterford, the $2,000 to win Bridgewater Raynham Overhead Door Battle of the Sound October 25 and Turkey Derby XLII at Wall (NJ) Stadium.
Thriving Chassis Company Offering Partner Gift Cards To New Customers
MOORESVILLE, N.C. (September 17, 2015) – Entering its second “build season” for Modifieds, and first for Super Late Models, LFR Chassis is looking forward to constructing more race-winning chassis and strengthening relationships with both new and current customers. After a busy year of growth and racing, the company is thrilled to enter the 2016 build season and offer its customers a little something extra.
“We’ve experienced very rapid growth at LFR, going from four employees to 14 in just 12 months,” said Rob Fuller, President of LFR Chassis. “When I acquired a company that built eight cars a year, and added the 10 modifieds I felt confident we could sell, I was geared up to produce 20 chassis per year. But in fact, in the past 15 months, we have manufactured over 70 chassis. Most of those chassis left our shop as complete cars, which adds to the workload. We are very fortunate, but at the same time, overwhelmed with the number of orders. Starting a new business, we had to get the shop entirely up and running from ground zero with machinery, parts inventory, and staff to meet the demand. It’s been crazy busy to say the least!”
LFR Chassis won the very first race it entered in the modified series with Doug Coby who has had a record year to date.
LOUDON, NH — Ryan Preece of Berlin, CT will make his NASCAR Sprint Cup Series debut in today’s Sylvania 300 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway. Preece is driving the No. 98x Mohawk Northeast/East West Marine Chevrolet for Tommy Baldwin Racing.
