Tapley’s ‘Work of Passion’
Sleep is a luxury for Scott Tapley of Poland Springs, Maine. Tapley works as the Race Director at Lee USA (NH) Speedway, Thompson (CT) Speedway Motorsports Park and the Mr. Rooter New England Truck Series (NETS).
The New England Truck Series will carry a new identity with a title sponsor this year. The series announced sponsorship from local racing supporter Vin Beedle at their banquet. Beedle’s Mr. Rooter sponsorship has included Modifieds, SK Modifieds, and Street Stocks. He will have a team in the trucks this year for Ted Christopher, Josh Galvin, Keith Rocco and Ed Puleo.
Beedle recommended Tapley to series owner Lorraine Pard. Beedle sponsored cars at Waterford when Tapley worked as an official. Tapley brought Beedle to the Valenti Modified Racing Series by sponsoring their Rookie of the Year award.
“Vinny believes in my abilities to maybe make a difference and that was very humbling,” Tapley said. “… When I talked with them about possibly joining this season, I wanted to make sure first and foremost that 2014 director Chris Austill would still be involved and be willing to expand his role to the competition side and we were able to make all that happen, which is going to be so great for the MRTS teams.”
“Mr. Rooter’s involvement in the series is going to bring the Trucks to that next level as I know that Vinny Beedle will put 100% of his resources into making the Mr. Rooter Truck Series a top level touring series in the next 3-5 years.”
Tapley has similar goals to when he worked with the Valenti Modified Racing Series for two years. Tapley increased the digital presence of the New England based Modified circuit through social media, fantasy racing, and as the webmaster.
“The goals for the Truck Series are to follow those same lines with increasing their visibility and to elevate the stage that they are competing on. I’ve been around the Truck Series since 2010 when I would help at their Speedbowl events and I really think the product of racing a truck can be a very affordable and desirable destination for racers that are either looking to move up to try a touring deal or to provide existing touring series drivers another place that they can race and have a good time and help grow the competition level on the race track.”
With such a hectic schedule, Tapley believes in the staff around him. The fact that three racing organizations want to utulize Tapley in their racing programs speaks volumes.
“I have a lot of great people that do a tremendous job in their management and it makes my job much easier. Without people like Josh Vanada (Thompson General Manager) and Bill Callen (Lee USA General Manager) doing such a great job on their end, it would never be possible.”
This also allows him to gain experience throughout New England’s facilities.
“For me, it’s about trying to get better each event and the more that I can work, the more I believe I can elevate my ability to be a better director.”
“My philosophy is very basic to me; it’s to make sure that from when the gates open to when they close, every person had the same opportunity to succeed with a level playing field.
“Do I think I get it right all of the time? Absolutely not. But I can tell you that I will work my hardest to try and do so because at the end of the day there are no trophies for us as officials. The only reward I have at the end of every night is to make sure that I always have my integrity intact.”
Whether it is making calls about on track actions or inspecting cars post-race, credibility is essential.
“It’s honestly the best feeling in the world, when you work so hard to try and prove your worth to the sport, it’s so rewarding to be recognized for that integrity and be offered positions at some of the most desired, and historic facilities in short track racing has been like a dream come true in a lot of ways.”
“I think a lot of the challenges that exist right now are just getting the trust back of the short track driver and fan. For some, they have endured many years of back room deals and things like that that caused a distaste for the sport. For me it’s about showing those people, not just telling them, but showing them with actual work, that just because this happened to you that way several years ago by someone else don’t mean that’s how I do my job. There have been some major messes left in the short track world, whether it’s car rules getting out of hand or not paying competitors or other instances similar. That we now inherit and have to convince those people that the culture is changed and it’s all about the product on the race track.
“I was told a quote by one of my first bosses I ever had as a teenager that has always stuck with me “don’t tell me about what you’re going to do, show me that you did it” and that is what we, as an industry, need to do, we need to make positive changes today because talking about doing it tomorrow might be too late.”
Tapley is active online as a website and graphics designer as well. His clients include JustinBonsignore.com, MrRooterTruckSeries.com, RyanPreeceRacing.com, RowanPenninkMotorsports.com, and WaddellCommunications.com. Since January 1, Tapley has been focused on building 13 new websites for clients. Once that is completed, he will be able to focus on his statistics site.
One of Tapley’s biggest contributions lately has been NortheastRacingStats.com. The web site features indepth analysis of local short tracks, an aspect that is largely ignored or unavailable for weekly competitors. Visitors can obtain information about car counts, positions gained or lost, laps led and completed, The site offers an annual membership for $19.
The concept for NERS dates back to his time with the Valenti Modified Racing Series. Tapley wanted to include statistics in the website that he designed. The feature was so well received that Tapley received inquires to expand it.
“I’m kind of stats nerd, whether it’s racing, football, baseball, hockey. … I started compiling some other data and since I can I never do anything halfway, I ended up taking in the entire region of Motorsports stats to compare and contrast performance, passes, and car counts. I really feel like it gives me an edge in the sport because I’m very in tune with what every single driver has done and with the car count numbers I can really dissect where and when problems or success arises from.
“It’s just a passion to want to know more I guess and I thought I’d share it with people and it has been well received
NERS will feature updates “multiple times a day during the season.” Tapley intends to bring fantasy racing if he can get it “to where I want it. The goal is to, each week, have a fantasy contest that might be the Street Stocks at Oxford one week for a prize and then the Whelen Modified Tour the next week or SK Modifieds the next week…keeping it fresh and new is the number one priority all season long.”
Tapley has been the cohost of In the Pits for two years. The weekly radio show airs Fridays 9AM to 10AM on WWJB-FM 96.3 The Big JAB. The Portland station has hosted the “most listened to” auto racing talk show in New England for 11 years.
“It’s great to be able to talk to the fans in real time and I also have no problem answering any questions. I’ve had a few calls asking why I did this or that the week prior, which I love. I love the transparency that it gives to my job at the track and the connection I get to make with folks from all over New England.”
Tapley will be traveling to Daytona and New Smyrna for Speedweeks next week.
Tapley’s passion for racing has grown since attending his first race at age one at Oxford Plains (ME) Speedway. He worked on his father Gary’s race car from age 10 until Gary’s retirement in 1993. Tapley spent the next four years working for a “longtime family friend” Hall of Famer Bob Greeley and his driver Bruce Haley.
Tapley left the local racing scene to attend the University of Northwestern Ohio from 1998 to 2001.
Tapley joined Ryan Moore’s Late Model effort after moving back to Maine. Moore raced in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East (then called NASCAR Busch North) in 2003 until the team closed in 2005. Moore relocated to North Carolina for an opportunity at Dale Earnhardt, Inc. Tapley began working with Matt Kobyluck at the 2005 finale. He moved to Connecticut in 2006. His tenure with Mohegan Sun Racing included a pair of Toyota All-Star Showdown victories and the 2008 championship over future Sprint Cup drivers Austin Dillon and Trevor Bayne. The team shut down in 2009 when Mohegan Sun’s funding ended.
The seeds for Tapley’s future success as an official began in 2008. As the founder of the SXR Series, Tapley hosted Go Karting events at the team’s shop. It grew to feature 35 drivers per race and “sort of (a) cult following.” People that attended his races included former driver and Waterford Speedbowl official Tom Fox and promoter Terry Eames. Tapley offered to assist Fox when his schedule allowed.
He became the Assistant Race Director in 2010, and was promoted to director in 2011 after Fox’s departure. A two year stint with the shoreline 3/8 mile oval led to an offer at the regional level. He worked with the Valenti Modified Racing Series as director until last summer.
Sources: Nicholas Teto/YankeeRacer.com
New logo for YankeeRacer designed by Tapley
