The view entering the Speedbowl Saturday morning
Better late than never.
Just over a month ago many around the local racing scene were wondering if there would even be racing at the New London-Waterford Speedbowl.
Saturday fans got to find out exactly how much racing they’ll get to see this season at the shoreline oval.
Track officials announced a 23-event weekly racing schedule for the facility this season, which includes one event for the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour and one event for the Valenti Modified Racing Series.
The schedule kicks off May 2 with a NASCAR Whelen All-American Series card.
The season will close with a special event on Oct. 24 that will include open Tour Type and SK Modified events.
The Whelen Modified Tour will compete at the track in the Mr. Rooter 161 on May 30. The Valenti Modified Racing Series will make its one visit to the track as part of the Aug. 8 Wings and Wheels event, which will also include the Northeastern Midget Association and the International SuperModified Association. The Tri-Track Modified Racing Series will also make its track debut on Sept. 13.
The schedule also includes events for the Mr. Rooter New England Truck Series, North East Mini Stock Tour, the North East Street Stock Tour, the Wicked Cool Midgets and the Granite State Pro Stock Series.
how much will it cost to get in the gate each sat. nite.
Cannot wait to get busy!
Looking forward to a great yaer
This looks cool. I really do love it! But are they really racing on July 4th!? I wont be able to go since I’ll be with my family.
i would pay close to $20 per night, but need to see the lap counts bumped up. For example, run the SKs 40 laps, SS and LMs 35 laps.
Additionally, make the heat races worth pts towards track championship, similar to VMRS.
Do we have a purse structure yet?
While I realize the new management is trying to develop a schedule that will be impressive my opinion is the season is running to late into October. Once you get by the second week you are living on borrowed time as far as the weather. I was hoping they were gong to run half a season, get the track back on its feet then go great guns for ’16 but I see that is not the case.
I just hope the front gate and concessions can support this ambitious schedule because if not the outcome will not be good for the new owner who I am certain would like to put a few bucks in his pocket to continue renovations.
Really hope they keep wacky Wednesdays, my kids loved going!
Read that they intend to move Wednesday to Thursday
First thing I’d like to say is thanks to Mr. Bemer for all of your efforts in preserving the Waterford Speedbowl. With race tracks disappearing every year, I’m grateful for what you did. You make it even more important that we support your effort in anyway we can. When looking at the new schedule, I’m a little disappointed that the Legends were not paired with any major shows and fewer Saturday shows. This is a division that should be attracting 25 plus cars and top drivers from throughout the Northeast. The Legends division is thriving at race tracks all around us including Seekonk, Riverhead, and NELCAR. They all have twenty plus cars each race and Riverhead sends people home because they don’t have enough room on the track. Due to mismanagement, the Legends division has been a catastrophe at the Speedbowl. Too many hot tempered fathers wanting to fight in the pits, not enough faith in tech, and over aggressive driving that leave several cars destroyed each night have hurt this division immensely. It has created an atmosphere where people are choosing to race elsewhere or decide to sell their equipment and get out entirely. I hope that Mr. Monahan and management recognizes the potential of this division, promotes it and is willing to make the necessary changes.
Hey lets give the guy a chance break out the firewood have some fun!! NOT all races need to be run in the heat, In NHRA they run the Turkey bowl at the end of the year in November in the cold $$ So with that this racing should be interesting, Whit that being said at least somebody’s thinking out side the box, Can’t wait , concessions high dollars, Entry ticket High dollars IT’S the end of the year,SUPPORT your local Track and stop crying!!! YOU ALL CRIED when the place was going to close . Now it’s open let’s get it on drop the green flag!! OPEN YOUR WALLET CRYBABY $$$$$ YOU DON’T known how lucky you are to have a track like this in your backyard . 20.00 a nite you can’t go to the Theater for that ! OH by the way I’m on a fixed income GOOD LUCK EVERYONE, see you at the NEW BOWL.
Sorry not NHRA NASCAR, NHRA it’s called the Dutch classis racer know thanks, again my apologies.
Legends1, the Legends division at the tracks you mentioned are thriving because they’re smaller tracks. IMO, Legends and Bandelaros need to leave the Bowl. Way to dangerous. The Legends are too light and too fast with too little safety protection for the driver. There’s virtually no “crushability” built into the car. Why? Because the Legends are designed to run on small, flat tracks like Seekonk, Riverhead, and Bethel. Not made for the relatively high-banked 3/8 mile Speedbowl. Do the Bandelaros even lift in the turns?
Yes, released schedule shows Thursday shows now, no Wednesdays. i think that’s a GREAT move, acutally!
Jason, legends run pretty much the same speeds at Seekonk as they do at Waterford… The difference in track size between the two is minimal… 1/3 to 3/8 is only .333 to .375… Those things also absolutely FLY at Riverhead. Your theory is flawed. Sorry.
Pave the infield at Waterford and run figure 8 racing,nice little ad on for fans,or demo derby.riverside park use to pack the place on those nites……..that brought me to the races 52years ago……later that same nite the old mods came out wow,I was hooked on racing every since that nite thanks to the demo derby….buddy crebs was my guy back then……………
Bob, I also used to go to Riverside starting 54 years ago. My favorite was Jocko Maggiacomo. Remember him?
So I’ll be paying $600.00 now to go to every race ??? What a deal !!! What about nascar license ?
Here is an ideal I’ve thought about for couple years now. Wrote to Waterford Speedbowl when riverside closed. They wrote back great ideal but thats as far as it went. Here it is again I was thinking that when the fans come to see the race and pay to enter ask on a there own willingness if they would like to donate to the winning purse for there favorate division? If so they could donate $1 up to whatever they feel they want or nothing at all? Think by doing that the people get more involved and the purse gets bigger in return the track gets higher car count cause more money at stake to win? Means possibly more fans in the stands? Lets face it money talks for the amount of money the guys and girls put into there cars to compete every week the winnings aren’t that big thats just been the history of small track racing except back in the day when you went to the junk yard got what you needed for cheap and went racing? Also I agree with Bob should pave the infield. That was included in my letter to the track also. I use to go to the figure 8 and also raced a few was alot of fun. I remeber how packed the stands were there wasn’t a seat to be found. If you can’t pave maybe with all the water that track gets when it rains make a mud bog in the middle and have 4×4 mud compotitions? Just few ideas to think about to keep the track profitable and keep it alive for many more years? ( Once you loose it you will never get it back specialy in Connecticut? )
Hard to see them opening in May with equipment still on site. maybe we need another miracle because nothing will happen until Eames move his junk out !!!! Or maybe he wants a monetary deal. lol Don’t hold your breath !!!
Hi – I’m the Deputy Chief at the Cohanzie Fire Company and we provide safety coverage at the speedbowl. We are looking forward to a great year under new management.
We are looking to hold training at the firehouse on 4/27, at 1800hrs. to go over the different styles/designs of the various race cars that will be at the track to get familiar in the event of a emergency.
I’m looking to see if anyone is available to bring their car to the firehouse so we can go over your car and see what is new from past years.
If available please call my cell phone at 860-625-2179.
Thank you,
John Mariano
I don’t think all Eames old equipment being left on the grounds would cause any delay. From what I recall all the stuff is not worth more than scrap value. I’m sure a quick call to one of the local metal recyclers would solve the issue promptly. Here is a suggestion, just give Eames an ultimatum of one week to remove the junk or else the new management will take it upon themselves. Problem solved.
my racing is going to be reduced , racing legends on Thursday is a bad day for most of the crew. after last year racing on sat. we never expect this change. took the wind out of my sails!
great to see the bowl opening. I have been going there for 30 years. great little track, but it does need upgrading- new lighting , new fencing, more food stands, improved bathrooms, pit road on the infild, more payout to the racers. maybe if they got rid of some of the support divisions they could pay more to the modifieds which is the ONLY division that really matters.
Please please park ambulance on infield like all the other tracks. They would be closer to the racers. The fumes are horrible for the welding crew !!!
Will there be any drag races this year?
If the track is going to open in May why has the website not been updated reference schedule?
Tony,
Did you try this? New London-Waterford Speedbowl 2015 Weekly Schedule
So what’s the story on prices? Can the seniors get a break?
Do you do Wacky Wednesday night still? What is the prices of admission?
Am interested in Nov 1 demolition derby day. What is the price of admission?