WEST SPRINGFIELD, Mass. – Shawn Monahan, the new general manager/promoter of the New London-Waterford Speedbowl came to the Frank Maratta Auto Show & Race-A-Rama Saturday with some good news for fans inquiring about the schedule at the track for 2015.
Monahan confirmed to RaceDayCT Saturday morning that the Speedbowl will add a Tri-Track Open Modified Racing Series event to their schedule for the 2015 season.
The Tri-Track Open Modified Racing Series will make its Speedbowl debut with a Sunday afternoon show on Sept. 13.
“We want to make it very clear that we want to work with our friends in motorsports,” Monahan told RaceDayCT Saturday. “We’re real excited about it. I love working with Dick Williams. I think he wants to give a lot back to the teams and its going to be great. The payouts are going to be awesome and I’m expecting it to be one of the biggest front gate events of the season. The stands will be packed. I’m looking forward to it.”
The Tri-Track Series debuted in 2014 with events at Lee USA Speedway in Lee, N.H., Star Speedway in Epping, N.H. and Seekonk (Mass.) Speedway.
The series was the brainchild of Williams, a longtime racing promoter, and longtime Modified racing fan Jim Schaefer.
This year the series will run events at Lee (May 17), Monadnock Speedway in Winchester, N.H. (June 13) and Seekonk (July 1), in addition to the event at the New London-Waterford Speedbowl.
“It’s going to be a really good show,” Monahan said. “We’re going to promote it really well. You’ll see some good cooperation between a few area racetracks helping to cross promote each other.”
Tom Fox, Stafford Motor Speedway director of racing operations and competition, will serve as the series director for the Tri-Track Open Modified Series in 2015.
Nice
Keep the good news and progress coming shawn!…. all positive vibes about the new bowl today at the auto show!
Haven’t seen so many people looking forward to a season there in years!
Wouldn’t this event now make this the Quad-track Open Modified Series?
The second bit of good news to come from there this year. First the track lives on and now they bring this excellent series in!
We can’t really call it a tri-track series anymore. Bit of an oxymoron.
Umm, does New England really need another modified “tour”?
At one point it was nice that there was some open shows for the modifieds, but at what point does a group of open shows become a series?
Here is hoping that the open race “series” doesn’t grow much larger than it already is. New England doesn’t need another watered-down 20 car tour, there are already too many of those.
Awesome news. Great job Shawn. The Speedbowl is the perfect race track for one of these races. I am sure the place will be packed. A win-win for all involved. The race teams , the fans and above the track. I wish the new staff great success.
Sounds like a good idea to me. I thought Quad Track when I first heard about it this afternoon but it is a non points race 2 months after the Tri Track series; maybe we should call it the Tri Track- All Star race.
Thompson has a special show that weekend so maybe some fans will stick around for Sun.
Hope the teams have enough $$$ left to make that race.
See you there!!!
Tri-State Series!
This is the only series that I know of that pays $450 to show up, 10k to win, so if this kind of money doesn’t attract cars I don’t know what will
Purse alone does not always attract large, quality turnouts. For instance Seekonk has been running a $10k to win open show for a while now, in 2012 and 2013 they had lousy turnouts, last year, the first year of the tri state series, had a huge field and a packed house. I think this had more to do with the promoters reaching out to the owners and drivers and getting them to commit to the series. Lets hope they can continue to keep up the good work.
Adding another race , will make it difficult for drivers/owners and fans to choose which ones to attend.
I agree with Andy. This was unique in the beginning but now its just a mini tour made up with the same cars and tracks as the VMRS.
How many teams registered to run the full series by the March 1st deadline?
Great news!… Yes, a clever, appropriate new series title is worthy of thought… Another concept I think is worth exploring is a throw-back to the old All Star Racing League concept of having each of the participating tracks select their team of three drivers, and an in-series recognition for the best team. Nothing like a good old fashion rivalry… Personally, I miss seeing Star on this schedule…
I think maybe the new Waterford brass is biting off way to much to chew. Cater to the locals, not these touring divisions. Build on the fan base and the guys and gals that make the show every week. But we will see how it goes.
Mark, there is not one series that pays u to show up to race except the tri track series, it is getting bigger every year, so if u love modifieds please support it, if you don’t care for modifieds don’t bash it,
This is not another touring series just high paying open shows like years ago and it draws cars and drivers from the Whelen tour, VMRS and ROC. Let’s face it, the Whelen Tour and VMRS does not pay what it should especially when you are fielding a 70k race car never mind the cost of traveling, tires and racing fuel. NASCAR is doing nothing for the Whelen tour except driving car owners away because they can’t afford the series anymore due to the new rules, low paying events and very little if any prime TV time to gain exposure for their sponsors. Frankly I applaud Dick Williams for the concept and these guys get paid what they deserve to race for.
I just checked Thompson’s schedule and there is nothing scheduled for the same weekend as far a modified event so not an issue. While I am not certain what they will call it now there are 4 tracks involved however how about the “Yankee All Star Shootout” (since we are digging out names of yesteryear). That way if the number of tracks increases or decreases you don’t have to change the name from year to year. Taking it one step further, if one individual begins to dominate put a bounty on them, say an additional $1,000.00 to the person who beats them as long as the person is still running in that event (just like the old days at Thompson for DeSarro).
Some constructive advice for the new management team; crawl before you walk and walk before you run. Please make the necessary repairs and spruce the place up before you open the new, New London Waterford Speedbowl so when the fans walk through the gate it is a facility everyone can be proud of and they can see the new team truly means business. If you can’t at least put out a schedule so the fans can be assured there will be changes for the positive going forward. Best of luck and look forward to seeing the new facility.
Touring shows can bring in more & new fans to a track. If the locals put on a good show, which Waterford’s divisions are capable of doing, more return for a regular show. A plus for any track.
I like Tom Neff’s idea of a throwback to the old All_star racing league. Only old-timers like me would remember it but it was pretty popular back in the late 60’s early 70’s. Promoted competition between tracks as well as race teams, Would need some tweaking for modern day racing but might result in some added interest to the series.