03/03/15

March 3, 2015

  The wheels of progress turn slow at times but at the track known as the Speedbowl the new owner Bruce Bemer and new General Manager Shawn Monahan have shifted into high gear and are running wide open despite a heavy blanket of snow that covers the Connecticut shoreline oval. First off the new manager and owner have opted to take a step back as they have re-named the facility the New London-Waterford Speedbowl. When the Speedbowl was built in 1951 it was called that by the original owners. It was during the Harvey Tattersall years that the name was shortened to the Waterford Speedbowl. Another tidbit is the fact that the new management are considering a NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour Series event in addition to a Valenti Modified Racing event and maybe a Tri-Track series event. Lets hope this happens!

  As of last Saturday night it was one down and two to go as Shawn Monahan put the word out that the New London-Waterford Speedbowl would be part of the Tri-Track Series. The Tri-Track Open Modified Racing Series will make its Speedbowl debut with a Sunday afternoon show on Sept. 13. Said Dennis Perry, "So excited about the tri track event at the bowl. No doubt in my mind this will be the premiere modified show of the year. With the bowl offering the best in short track racing and the purses James Schaefer and the racing guys put up this show could rival some of the big dirt shows in cars and attendance." The Waterford event will be a non-points race," said Tri Track series promoter James Schaefer. "Teams that have already pre-entered with the Tri Track Open Modified Series will not have an additional entry fee for this race." Even though the purse collection is in its beginning stages, Schaefer said he expects the purse to be around $5,000 for the winner of the race. If everyone pre-registers, the lion’s share could boost to as much as $10,000.

  Snow has also buried the Thompson Speedway Motorsports Park, the Staffoed Motor Speedway and the Seekonk Speedway. Despite all that plans are in the works for 2015 opening events.

  The 41st running of the Icebreaker will begin TSMP's 75th season. As of this Friday, March 6, only six weeks remain before the northeast Connecticut countryside comes alive with the sounds of racing engines. Headlining the nine-division event will be the first championship race for the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour, a 150 lap contest. Leading TSMP's four NASCAR Whelen All-American Series divisions will be the Sunoco Modifieds, who will compete in a 75-lap feature to begin the 2015 season as a way of celebrating TSMP's 75th anniversary.

  For the second year running, the Icebreaker will once again feature a Fan Appreciation Party on Sunday morning to allow the fans to meet the drivers and get a closer look at the cars that will be competing. In addition to the Whelen Modifieds and the Sunoco Modifieds feature events will be run for Late Models (25laps), 2 - Limited Sportsman (20laps), 2 - Mini Stock (15laps), Lite Modifieds (20 laps), Granite State Pro Stock Series (40 laps), NEMA Lites (20 laps) New England Truck Series (20laps) and Vintage Outlaws (15 laps)

  The Stafford Motor Speedway will present the 44th ANNUAL NAPA AUTO PARTS SPRING SIZZLER on Sunday April 26. The Sizzler is a NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour Series event and will go the 200 lap distance. Other feature races will be for NASCAR WHELEN ALL-AMERICAN SERIES; SK MODIFIED® 40 laps, LATE MODELS 30 laps, SK LIGHT MODIFIED, 20 laps, LIMITED LATE MODELS 20 laps, DARE STOCKS, 15 laps, U.S. LEGEND CARS 20 laps and the MR. ROOTER NEW ENGLAND TRUCK SERIES.

  The Seekonk Speedway is still working on their schedule as they plan on opening the first week in May.

  On the speedway stock market scene last week two of the three speedway stocks were down. Dover Entertainment had a positive ending as they went up 0.02 to 2.50. Speedway Motorsports dropped 0.13 to 23.72 and the International Speedway Corporation dropped 0.90 to 31.08. NASCAR cup sponsor Sprint went up 0.29 to 5.12 while NASCAR fuel supplier Sunoco (Energy Transfer) dropped 0.72 to 59.48 and NASCAR tire supplier Goodyear dropped 0.97 to 26.72. The car manufacturers were down for the week. Ford dropped 0.06 to 16.34 and General Motors dropped 0.34 to 37.31 while Toyota dropped 1.53 to 135.37. In the home improvement sector, Home Depot went up 2.51 to 14.75 and Lowes went up 0.53 to 74.09. In the area of big team sponsorship McDonalds went up 3.71 to 98.90 and Coca-Cola went up 2.15 to 104.39 while Target dropped 0.04 to 76.83, Aarons Rentals dropped 0.92 to 29.81 and FedEx dropped 1.52 to 176.98.

  On the tube this coming week:

  Wednesday, March 4
3:00 AM, NASCAR Race Hub, FOX Sports 1
4:00 AM, NCWTS Atlanta race re-air, FS1
5:30 PM, NASCAR America, NBC Sports Net
6:00 PM, NASCAR Race Hub, FS1
　
  Thursday, March 5
1:00 PM, How It's Made - NASCAR Car Bodies, SCI
5:00 PM, NASCAR America, NBCSN
6:00 PM, NASCAR Race Hub, FS1
6:30 PM, NASCAR America - Celebrate the States, NBCSN
　
  Friday, March 6
3:00 PM, NSCS Las Vegas practice, FS1
4:30 PM, NXS Las Vegas practice, FS1
5:30 PM, NASCAR Race Hub - Weekend Edition, FS1
6:00 PM, NXS Las Vegas final practice, FS1
7:30 PM, NSCS Las Vegas qualifying, FS1
　
  Saturday, March 7
2:00 AM, NASCAR America - Celebrate the States, NBCSN
2:30 AM, NASCAR America - Celebrate the States, NBCSN
4:30 AM, NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Las Vegas qualifying re-air, FS1
10:00 AM, NSCS Las Vegas qualifying re-air, FS1
2:00 PM, The 10 - NASCAR's Greatest Races, FS1
2:30 PM, NSCS Las Vegas final practice, FS1
3:30 PM, NASCAR RaceDay, NXS, FS1
4:00 PM, NASCAR Xfinity Series Las Vegas race, FS1
　
  Sunday, March 8
3:00 AM, Classsic NASCAR - 1979 Daytona 500, FS1
3:00 AM, How It's Made - NASCAR Car Bodies,Hurley Sticks, Tube Power Amplifiers, Thermal Coffee Pot, SCI
3:30 AM, NXS Las Vegas race re-air, FS1
2:00 PM, How It's Made - Impact Wrenches, Marble Sinks, Plantain Chips, NASCAR Cars, SCI
2:00 PM, NASCAR RaceDay, FS1
3:00 PM, NSCS Las Vegas race, FOX

   That’s about it for this week from 11 Gardner Drive, Westerly, and R.I.02891. Ring my chimes at 401-596-5467.
E-mail: smithpe_97_97@yahoo.com.

Phil Smith has been a columnist for Speedway Scene and various
other publications for over 3 decades.

Source: Phil Smith / Champ Trail
Posted: March 3, 2015