Dennis Gada Focused On Speedbowl Priorities
Waterford, CT — Why does Dennis Gada have six Waterford Speedbowl championships? Why is he a definite contender to win a record seventh in 2008? Jeff Pearl, one of his toughest competitors, believes he has the answers.
“When things are not going right, when things are going badly he stays positive,” offers Pearl. “That’s why Dennis Gada wins championships.”
Admitting “it would be nice to stand alone,” Gada begins his chase at the SK-150, the headline event of the April 12-13 11th Budweiser Modified Nationals. Ten divisions fill up the busy two-day “Mod Nats” agenda.
The championship, however, “is not priority one,” says Gada. “Having a good time and racing with [son] Joey is.” Joey and his cousin Adam are Legends competitors and the third generation of the most successful family in Speedbowl history.
He and his father Bob, uncles Chris and Larry and brothers Bobby, David and Michael have almost 100 victories. Dennis has 59 of them, 57 in SK action. He won five straight titles driving for Harry Wyant and then a sixth as an owner/driver in 2006.
“I would like number seven but it is not like I’m in bad company,” he says about the others who own six Speedbowl championships – Hall of Famer Bob Potter and Phil Rondeau.
He is racing, he says, because wife Debbie and daughters Shannon, 12, and Sarah, 6, “like going to the track. They especially like going to victory lane so I guess there is some pressure on me.”
Gada returns to action with the Chassis Dynamics car that produced seven wins and a second in the final standings last year. He is also finishing up a car that has sat idle for some 13 years that will serve as a backup. The cars of Adam (brother David’s car) and Joey are in the same garage.
Outside entries make the SK-150 victory lane especially satisfying. This year’s entry list includes 2006 winner Frank Ruocco, Kenny Horton, Rob Summers, Doug Coby, Jeff Malave as well as Speedbowl regulars Ron Yuhas Jr., defending champion Rob Janovic Jr., Jeff Pearl and Dennis Charette.
The SK-150 has been both good and bad for Gada. He won in 2003. “I am proud we won,” he says. “I like having my name on that list. It is a big race with all the big guns on hand.” He went on to a sensational season winning both the track championship and the NASCAR regional crown.
Last year he didn’t qualify well, faced two mechanical problems and wound up 25th, earning just two points. He missed the championship by 10 points. Playing catch up is almost impossible at a place as competitive as the Speedbowl. Gada, however, carried on.
“We had a great year,” says Gada. “We didn’t win the championship and that was a little let down but we gained ground throughout. We won seven features. I can’t blame the race.”
The championship runs begin with extra-distance Mod Nats features for the Late Models (50), Sportsman (30) and Mini Stocks (30) as well. The Legends, the NEMA Midgets and NEMA Lites, the Pro4 Modifieds, AllStar Race Trucks and Allison Legacy Cars are also on the docket.
Sources: Dave Dykes/Waterford Speedbowl PR.