An Eighth Different Winner at the Bowl??
Canaan NH — It was Ringo Starr who once told us “It Don’t Come Easy.” Perhaps those song lyrics could apply to the True Value Modified Racing Series as a second win at Waterford Speedbowl has been hard to come buy. In seven races held at the famed Connecticut race track, seven different winners have found victory lane. No one has doubled up at “The Bowl.”
That could change Saturday night, Aug 15, when New England’s premier Modified Racing Series makes its next stop on the 2009 tour. Or, is it possible an eighth different driver could score the Sunoco Race Fuels checkered flag.
The previous races run have provided some surprises for modified race fans. A rookie driver has scored a series win there. Four drivers with roots at Waterford have won. And one driver, who had never seen Waterford until arriving there, also found victory lane.
In June 2006, the first appearance of the TVMRS, rookie driver Bobby Grigas, in only his third race with the series, captured his first ever modified win in a rain shortened event.
The following year (2007) two races were staged at “The Bowl” with local favorite Rob Summers, showing the way around his home track, winning his first and only race with the series. In September of that season, series hot shoe Kirk Alexander captured his first Waterford victory.
May 2008 saw David Pinkham make his first ever visit a memorable one as he took down the victory. As long as Pinkham has been a racer, around 25 years, all he knew about Waterford, was what he’s read in trade papers. He knew going in, that the legendary race track has a boat load of history. When he headed back to Maine, he was part of it.
One month later, a second driver with a connected past at Waterford roared to victory. With his young son watching, Les Hinckley picked up his 11th career win with the TVMRS. Hinckley, and avid member of Red Sox Nation, is second on the all time series win list with 11 victories.
Last August, local driver Chris Pasteryak inched closer to the TVMRS championship as he won his first ever series race in front a large vocal crowd. The second generation driver cut his teeth at Waterford in Legends cars and SK Modifieds.
Back in May, Doug Coby, a long-time Waterford competitor, piloted the Czarnecki Brothers racer to his first win with the TVMRS. An ecstatic Coby will always be remembered for his wild post race victory cruise through a rain soaked and mud
covered infield.
Point leader Jon McKennedy (356) takes a 48 point advantage into Waterford as he seeks his first ever title. Veteran Rob Goodenough and young driver Stephen Masse are tied for second in the standings with 308 each.
McKennedy has been victorious this season at Twin State Speedway, Claremont, NH; Seekonk, MA; Oxford Plains, ME; and Beech Ridge Motor Speedway, Scarborough, ME.
Goodenough won the season opener at Monadnock Speedway, Winchester, NH; while Masse scored at Thunder Road, Barre VT.
McKennedy, shaking his head said this week, “Waterford is tough to win at. Hopefully we can figure the place out.” He’d like to become the eighth different winner.
Saturdays race will be the second annual Wings N’ Wheels event. The TVMRS will be joined by the ISMA Supermodifieds, NEMA midgets, and the tracks weekly SK- Modified division. Qualifying begins at 5 PM. For more information, log on to www.speedbowl.com.
Sources: John Spence, Sr./True Value Modified Racing Series PR