“Grandpa Jim” Ready For Another Season At Speedbowl

By admin March 11, 2008

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.

“This could only happen to me” he said over the crackle of the cell phone. “I must be getting old. I’m a Grandpa now, you know.”

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.

An “elder statesman” in a division populated by many young chargers, Procaccini, 56, has been at it since the old Enduro days at the former Riverside Park Speedway.

“I started about 16-years ago in the Enduro and Figure-8 classes,” he said. “I didn’t come from a racing-background, and I was no kid when I began driving. After a while in those divisions, with a few hard-hits, I figured it’d be safer and easier on the body to get into a situation where at least the cars were all going in the same direction.”

One of the most consistent sportsman performers in recent years, the Trumbull, CT resident has amassed ten career victories, the first in 202. He won twice last year. He ranks 11th on the all-time winners list.

“I make do with limited help, though there are key individuals that contribute to the upkeep of the car in order to get me to the track every week,” he continues. “If I don’t crash, it makes for a lot fewer long-nights in the shop, so I try to keep it between the boards. Basically, my wife Debbie is a good sport about it. She’s got limited interest in racing, and she worries a lot. As soon as she hears me pull-into the driveway after racing, it’s like a huge sigh of relief. I’m very lucky that she puts-up with a hobby like this and I really appreciate her patience.”

He approaches the coming season with “realistic goals like always” he says pointing out “it’ll be pretty much a carbon-copy of last year’s effort. We did learn a bit more about suspension and chassis geometry over the winter and I’m going to try and incorporate some improvements in that department.”

Long-time sponsors Louie’s Lunch and Rings End Lumber are back.

“I’m getting older and the hard hits hurt a bit more, so this could be my last year,” he admits. “My wife tells me I say that all the time though, so we’ll have to see how I feel about it at the end of the season.”

Sources: Dave Dykes/Waterford Speedbowl PR

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