Waterford Speedbowl Late Model division competitor Rich Staskowski was charged with driving under the influence by Waterford Police Saturday evening at the facility after he was involved in a destructive ride across track with a truck and trailer during the running of an HDRA Drag Racing event.
Rich Staskowski
Sergeant Tim Silva of the Waterford Police said driving under the influence was the only charge against Staskowski, who is from Hope Valley, R.I.
Attempts to reach Staskowski Saturday night were unsuccessful. Staskowski had participated in a Late Model division event at the Waterford Speedbowl early Saturday afternoon.
Witnesses described a somewhat confusing and chaotic scene taking place Saturday evening on the track as the facility played host to the HDRA Drag Racing event on the front stretch of the one-third mile oval.
The drag racing event took place after four stock car features had been run during the afternoon at the track.
Staskowski, driving a truck towing a racecar-hauling trailer, – with two males and a female also riding in the truck – was seen trying to exit the main pit area at the track.
Instead of pulling out the exit way near the pit sign-in booth at the facility, Staskowski instead drove his truck and trailer through a ramp leading onto the track in turn four. The ramp is an entrance-way for racecars to come onto the track during competition.
While driving onto the track Staskowski’s truck made contact with and tore down a tire wall built near the entrance of the ramp. Staskowski then proceeded to drive the truck down the front stretch of the track as two riders were staged on the opposite end of the front stretch prepared to make a drag run on all-terrain vehicles as part of the drag racing competition.
Staskowski was stopped by a track official on the front stretch but then sped away through the track infield, in the process, tearing down timing and scoring equipment used as part of the drag racing event.
Staskowski then exited the track through a back stretch gate and raced through the secondary pits and out into the parking lot of the facility before his truck was stopped in the parking lot by track officials.
According to multiple witnesses, when police did arrive on scene Staskowski had moved into the passenger seat of the truck with the female in the truck moving into the driver’s seat. Witnesses said Waterford Police performed a field sobriety test on Staskowski in the parking lot of the facility and then took him into custody.
Staskowski had finished fifth earlier in the day in the 50-lap Late Model feature, part of the NASCAR Whelen All-American Series stock car portion of Saturday’s combination event at the track.
The day had originally been reserved for the drag racing show, but stock car events were added after the second day of Finale Weekend was suspended due to rain last Sunday. The first 34 laps of the Late Model feature had been run last Sunday. The final 16 laps of the event were the first of four stock car events run at the track on Saturday.
Track owner Terry Eames said Saturday night that track officials were still trying to figure out the total costs of damage done to the drag racing timing equipment.
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This sounds like an episode of the old “Dukes of Hazzard” television show. As Jeff Foxworthy would say: “You might be a redneck if…………”.
He should lose his Nascar license for life. People could have been hurt or worse. I hope the court system throws the book at him. You can’t fix stupid.
some people have no respect……hope terry steps up to the plate a tosses this guy out for life…..hey rich can you spell…..DUMMY.DUMMY.DUMMY…theres no exuse for being a dummy… ….
It has been very clear this season (if not during previous seasons) that Shawn is a very biased “reporter”. If this “news” was about one of his beloved racers, this would be a non-story. His agenda against Rich Staskowski has been apparent since April and anyone who reads his “musings” can clearly identify it. Shawn’s “journalism” is reprehensible and a serious disservice to Connecticut short track racers and fans.
So Shawn shouldn’t have reported this? I wasn’t there so was he making this story up because he doesn’t like Staskowski? I think Shawn should be banned from the bowl for life for reporting this “non story”…… if this is just a made up news story. Because we all know how Shawn likes to make things up. Driving on the track drunk and stuff is no big deal and shouldn’t even be reported on… unless someone got killed. Now that’s news worthy.
Not a fan, did Shawn make up the part about him being arrested? If not, a crime occurred and it is newsworthy. What if someone had been run over? Would that have met your threshold for a newsworthy story?
They should let Scott Fern. Punch him in the face
No no. Scott fearn only sucker punches people half his size. Cowardly. Maybe that’s why him and shawn love each other. #secretlovers
And Rich Staskowski’s crew chief Patrick Beattie checks in. Thanks for being a loyal reader Patrick. Take the wheel next time.
Shawn I wasn’t even there. And neither were you on either incidents. Most REAL reporters report things that THEY actually see. I know its tough to see much from your parents basement. # momstillpicksoutyouclothes #mom!!aremyhotpocketsdoneyet?
Patrick Beattie, the fact that you’ve turned to Facebook to try to make excuses for what took place and criticize people at the track for trying to stop it from happening is disturbing and shows a level of ignorance that is truly unfathomable. But keep on keeping on man. You just make yourself look more ignorant by the second. I get it, your friend did something dumb and now you have to deflect by making elementary school level personal comments. It shows a level of maturity that’s pathetic, but hardly surprising. Though even more pathetic is you taking to other electronic forums to defend the actions of your friend and say what happened to him was unfair and that it should have been overlooked. The fact that someone wasn’t smart enough to know they were in no shape to drive is sad, and the fact that someone was ignorant enough to put people’s lives in danger is even sadder. That the lives and safety of others means that little to someone speaks volumes and the fact that you’d try to make excuses for those actions also speaks volumes about the kind of person you are.
Being a bully instead of a real journalist also speaks volumes about the person you are, Shawn.
If one is going to report why not give all the facts. Did the speedbowl lock the gate with teams still in pits and not open it when asked?
COWARD!! Deleted all my posts. Can’t handle any criticism.
Are you people serious? I wasnt there and I didn’t see what happened. Why are you mad at a reporter for reporting? Friends family and fans of this moron are mad at Shawn for reporting instead of the driver for drinking and driving? If this idiot had left the track and f got pulled over maybe it wouldn’t be a story or nearly as big of one…… He tore through the infield of the race track in what was probably 15000 lbs of stupidity…. I don’t care if that idiot ever races again. I’ve been to Waterford, I’ve seen him race, he’s a good driver… None will remember his name in 5 yrs .. Don’t care.. see ya later.. people make mistakes but that is not acceptable. Then the big tough guy puts a woman in the front seat to take the fall for it.. not someone I want my kids emulating.
Kevin. maybe they didn’t open the gate cause they dumass was drunk, so instead of parking it he goes on a rampage through the infield… Don’t worry he’ll be back next year like nothing ever happened cause that’s how the bowl works…
Kelly the article says quote “Staskowski, driving a truck towing a racecar-hauling trailer, – with two males and a female also riding in the truck – was seen trying to exit the main pit area at the track.
Instead of pulling out the exit way near the pit sign-in booth at the facility, Staskowski instead drove his truck and trailer through a ramp leading onto the track in turn four.”
I do know that the track locks one gate in the dirt pits which they always have at certain events however I have never seen them lock the gate by pit sign-in booth when an event is going on. Either way that is no excuse for what he did so it doesn’t matter. If the track locked him in and refuse to open it and let him leave he could have always got the police. Oh wait under his condition he probably didn’t want to do that. If for whatever reason the track refused to let him leave and locked him in I say thank you to them. That was one less person driving while intoxicated on the road that could kill someone. Also I do not see the track just letting this go. I have seen people suspended and fined for much less.
Patrick Beattie, nothing was deleted. Get a grip on yourself, really. Wow.
The south gate(pit sign in gate) was indeed locked. The drag racing people use the north gate(“dirt pits”). I noticed the gate was closed and couldn’t care less if it was locked or not. I drove down the backstretch pit road, and went out the north pit area. Really not that earth shattering to figure out, unless you have had a few too many, I guess. Rich’s truck and trailer were not the only ones left in the south pit when the gate was closed and locked. He was, however, the only one to do what he did. What also baffles me is how the passengers in his truck didn’t make him stop when he pulled onto the track, and when he hit the turn 4 tire barrier.
::grabs bag of popcorn::
I on the other hand was there and watched it and Shawn’s report is accurate. I watched him do it and get arrested in the parking lot I was standing about 30 feet away in the parking lot and watched it happened with a scanner. So I’m backing Shawn 100 percent on this one.
Kelly as I understand it the gate was closed, and also that that teams were told the gate would be closed at a certain point in time. That said, really, is that the concern here? Did a closed gate force someone to drive onto the track DURING an event and put people in danger? Let me ask you Kelly, let’s say nobody stopped that truck in the parking lot and it pulled out onto Route 85 and a half-mile down the road it crossed the center line and killed a mother and her baby driving to the grocery store to buy diapers. Would you say, “Well, maybe if the woman had just waited until Sunday to get diapers she and her baby wouldn’t be dead?” That’s essentially what your “the gate was closed” argument is essentially saying. What’s stunning is that in some twisted way you try to rationalize someone consciously and knowingly putting the lives of people in danger on a gate being locked? Really?
Shawn its cause anyone that was with him is gonna try and cover for him. It takes a real big man to throw ur wife into it too huh Shawn. Even after he pays for fines and damages he won’t be able to afford to drive for Dan barsansky next year unless he sells his own car cause I heard next year rich is in the 81 car full time.
Again you are all speculating. Richs wife was driving out. When she realized the gate was locked, she asked rich to get her out. ( she is uncomfortable backing the trailer up) he had no intentions on driving home like that. His wife drives the truck and trailer home EVERY weekend, cause rich does not drive home drunk. Ask anyone who has some beverages with us. His intentions were to never hurt anyone, or attempt to destroy property. Just looking for a way out of the pits.while we are all speculating, when Rocco hit the light pole in the pits, was he also drunk?? No one knows.. but that was never an issue with corcheesy. It was written as a funny article. What if a toddler had been standing under that pole and was killed?
Now that is damaging speedbowl property. But….. To Shawn its hilarious. And he claims to be non biased. What a joke
Patrick Beattie, really? Come on? You’re really trying to rationalize here that sometimes it’s a good thing to drive drunk if it involves helping out a woman who can’t operate a vehicle in reverse? You’re really trying to compare someone speeding throughout the facility drunk in a truck and trailer to someone bumping into a rickety light pole in the pits? Stretching there just a bit Patrick. Patrick, the truck was going straight when it got onto the track, so why didn’t he then let the sober driver take over? Why did he speed away when officials asked him to stop? Why did it take track employees driving in front of his vehicle to get him to stop in the parking lot? Answer away, the floor is yours.
@patrick @shawn guys it doesn’t matter Terry is going to lose the place to the highest bidder soon and I hope they pave it and put a stop and shop there so Rocco can never win another national championship again. I bet Terry didn’t like Shawn writing about the upcoming foreclosure sale of the speedbowl did he? Just remember drivers… Cash your checks fast before you can’t. It doesn’t matter guys
Andy, you’re a jerk
Ya and I believe Thompson took away his credentials for writing crap about that track too. Don’t deny it Shawn. You constantly write stuff that may not be true. The Enquirer may be looking for false mediocre journalists. You will have to leave your parents basement though… Are you ready to handle that?
Wow, did we suddenly go back to 5th grade? Arguing back and fourth like a couple of school aged children…
Here is my opinion… Rich was wrong. He made a mistake that endangered the safety of others. He should be removed from the Speedbowl for the period of 1 full racing season for consuming alcohol and being in the pit area. It is an extreme safety hazard weather you are walking around or driving, it’s just a giant mistake and should have 0 tolerance. Terry Eames needs to step up and make that call.
As for Shawn and Patrick… Shawn, you are a “professional” and in my eyes, you are not acting very professional here. If you have a problem with what Patrick is saying or has to say… Find a way to contact him outside of the public forum. You are only making yourself look bad Shawn…
Dingus, you’re right. The back and forth with Rich Staskowski’s crew chief Patrick ends here.
Even a blind squirrel finds a nut once in a while…
Wow, this is nuts. Please tell me someone got the video of this drunken idiot! The drunk was wrong for everything he did, period. Now, be gone. Does anyone know whether or not all the moneys owed to competitors have been paid up-to-date this year? If not, you best get on that this week!
“When she realized the gate was locked, she asked rich to get her out. ( she is uncomfortable backing the trailer up) he had no intentions on driving home like that”…. hmm, if that is true, I’m wondering why Rich didn’t back up then.
Yes Patrick Thompson doesn’t like Shawn because he reported that there wouldn’t be weekly racing anymore. Ohhh and look what happened no weekly racing.So I suppose Shawn just pulled that story out of thin air. Have you been living under a rock ?
I see the hillbilly way of life is sti alive and well at The Waterford Speedbowl!
Still
To ease some tension here, out of all the comments and responses, this one from caught the most of my attention:
“Most REAL reporters report things that THEY actually see.”
LOL do what now? I didn’t know reporters/journalists working for major news networks are already at the scenes of breaking news stories before the events actually happen so they could witness them THEN report about them… that’s why they interview witnesses.
THANKFULLY, nobody was hurt
I was there and saw all of it happen. Couple of observations~ Track officials did not empty the pits BEFORE allowing the drag racers in! This in itself invited huge problems full well knowing what is normal “accepted after race activities”. ~ Locking the south gate was absolutely wrong! That gate was the only gate those racers ever use. Only the drag racers use the north gate.
Regardless of which gate as locked or not locked I’m pretty sure driving across the track in a drunken stuper was not the answer to getting out
rocco hits everything else why not the light pole.
This is genius. I mean why didnt his passengers “make him stop”. Lol you can’t really be serious how do you suggest one “makes” a grown man who was allegedly under the influence stop? I’m sure his wife was telling him stop the whole time. Jesus like everyone’s dogging him like that ain’t enough now dog the passengers too. The ignorance….
Sounds just about right for the speedbowl,it’s management, and blind supporters.But don’t worry, Stop and Shop would never locate on that property with such and foul and lingering odor.