Pride, In The Name: Vin Beedle Proud Watching Mr. Rooter Racing Name Grow

Vin Beedle

WATERFORD –Vin Beedle rattles off the teams, and the divisions roll on like a never ending assembly line. Beedle’s Mr. Rooter Racing Team touches across the spectrum of short tracks in the state.

But it’s at the Waterford Speedbowl where the Guilford businessman, who owns the Mr. Rooter franchise in southern Connecticut, shines.

Beedle has, without question, become the crown-wearing king of driver and team support at the Waterford Speedbowl.

His stable at Waterford includes three SK Modified teams (Keith Rocco, Ed Puleo and Joey Mucciacciaro), a Street Stock team (Josh Galvin), an SK Light Modified team (Victoria Bergenty) and even a Bandolero team (Jonathan “Johnny P Lightning” Puleo).

“You hear a lot about teams and what they do, the difference with our team is that our guys are chatting daily,” Beedle said. “Me and Ed [Puleo] are in the shop every day. He works for me, he’s my best friend, he’s like a brother to me. We probably spend more time together than we do with our wives. But we’re a very strong team between Ed, Josh, John Bergenty, so many people. We have Keith [Rocco] and his whole team. I talk to Keith every day. We bounce stuff off each other everyday. Our guys in competition in some places, but we all use each other’s strength to utilize and make everybody better.”

In addition to the stable at Waterford, Beedle is also involved with Rocco’s SK Modified efforts at Stafford and Thompson and his part-time endeavors with the Valenti Modified Racing Series and the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour. He also is involved with Shawn Monahan’s Street Stock ride at Thompson Speedway.

“All the teams are doing well,” Beedle said. “I think we’re at 20 wins between the Thompson program, the Waterford program, the Street Stocks and Limited Sportsman and right to Johnny P Lightning in the Bandolero. Twenty wins is not bad at this point in the season. I’m very happy.”

And Beedle takes much pride in this weekend’s event at the Waterford Speedbowl. For the third consecutive year, the visit by the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour to Waterford is sponsored by Beedle’s business. The race is known as the Mr. Rooter 161.

“This is our third year,” Beedle said. “I did it the first year to give it a shot. I always wanted to have my name on a big event such as that. And it’s become like my race now at Waterford. That’s a double-edged sword sometimes. But we look forward to it every year. My employees take pride in it. I have a lot of employees come, family members, friends, business associates. It’s become part of our yearly ritual now.”

At Waterford Beedle has two division leading drivers in his stable with Rocco (SK Modifieds) and Galvin (Street Stocks).

Galvin, who has six wins in nine races this year, is looking for his first division championship after finishing second in the standings the last two years.

“Josh is doing tremendous,” Beedle said. “He’s improved so much the last two years. Is this his year? It’s all in the hands of the racing gods, the car, his skills. I hope he does pull it off this year. I think he’s on a good track to do so. He just needs to keep focused and we need the equipment to keep being good for him. That’s what we pride ourselves in, making sure that car is ready every week.”

Mucciaccioro is the newest member of the stable, making his debut with the team last week. The Wolcott teenager is focused on running a schedule of mainly Southern Super Late Model events this season, but Beedle is committed to running him in the team’s third SK Modified as much as possible

“We’re going to kind of go every couple weeks and review things. If he’s happy and I’m happy then we can keep moving forward,” Beedle said. “If for some reason I’m not happy or he’s not happy, then that happens. I’m focused with Ed and Keith, those are my two No. 1’s in the stable you could say. He’s an up and coming kid and he’s doing well down south, but that car has to be needed if necessary for the other drivers.”