Commitment To Tri-Track Series To Keep SK Mod Points Leader Dennis Perry From Speedbowl Event

Dennis Perry

Dennis Perry

When Dennis Perry was piecing together a racing schedule for the 2016 season, he never thought he’d be having to make a decision in early June to abandon a division points lead at the New London-Waterford Speedbowl.

The reality is, Perry didn’t even think he’d be racing an SK Modified at the Speedbowl until July.

Perry has been one of the biggest surprises at the Speedbowl in 2016. But, the Pawcatuck driver, who is currently sitting at the top of the SK Modified division standings at the track, will sit out this week’s 35-lap NASCAR Whelen All-American Series event for the division.

Despite a fantastic run of finishes through the first five events at the Speedbowl in 2016, Perry will stick with his commitment to running the NorthEast Race Cars & Parts Tri-Track Open Modified Series. The Tri-Track Series runs its first of five events this year Saturday – the Ron Bouchard Tribute – at Monadnock Speedway in Winchester, N.H.

“We’ve just got to go for the money, unfortunately that’s where it’s at for us,” Perry said. “My plan had never been to run the Speedbowl to start. I wasn’t planning on going until July. … We just started running the Speedbowl and things have gone well. We race on what we win and we’ve had a good run.

“We talked about it as a team. We could step back from the Tri-Track Series. The car is not even done yet, we have a lot of work to do this week. But we looked it at it from the money and basically what you make for a top-five finish at the Speedbowl we can make for not even qualifying [for the Tri-Track event.]. It’s unfortunate. It’s a poor state of affairs for racing. I don’t blame the Speedbowl for it in any way, shape or form. I think [general manager Shawn Monahan] and [owner Bruce Bemer] have done a great job and done a lot to support the racers. … I’ve got to go where the money is at.”

Perry has three top five’s in SK Modified five starts this year at the Speedbowl and his worst finish is a seventh. He had a second place in one of two SK Modified features run on May 21. He leads five-time SK Modified division champion Keith Rocco by four points at the top of the standings. Perry said there’s a possibility his car could be at the track with another driver.

“We knew we had a good car,” Perry said. “Things have gone very well. Things have finally clicked. I’ve cut back on what I’ve been doing so I’ve been able to focus more on my own stuff. Of course I say that, I’ve cut back to basically working on four cars now. My son [14-year old Jacob Perry is a rookie in the Mini Stock division] is my main focus. But things have just gone very well at the Speedbowl. Getting back to the same track that I grew up at. I haven’t raced there in years, but it’s like riding a bike. You get back on that track and you know you’re way around. And we’re bringing good stuff to the track. It’s been a lot of fun. We’re actually having a ball down there. It stinks that we’re going to miss it.”

Comments

  1. Bob Freeman says

    Glad to see Dennis having a good season. He was always a better driver than his finishes may have indicated.

  2. To many touring modified series. Time for the tracks to get together and choose one to support. All of the touring series not just the modifieds are starting to effect the quality and car counts in weekly track racing.

  3. Justafan says

    100% the right decision he is not running for points so its a no brainier go where the money is…. And considering the fact that the bowl will more than likely rain out this week anyway he won’t even skip a beat

  4. I don’t know, I get the logic but championships are hard to come by. I gotta imagine its tough to let a points lead go by the wayside even if it wasn’t their intent to run for points. Especially if they are having as much fun as they say. Nobody will remember what he does at Monadnock a week after its over. You go into record books if you win a title. Waterford ends up going against all these touring series so it is tough for everyone.

  5. darealgoodfella says

    What’s the SK points fund pay vs the Tri-Track purses and points? That could be a factor.

  6. Crazy in NY says

    Race where you want Dennis and to hell with all these nay-sayers. Ed Flemke was famous for chasing
    money shows and would say you can’t eat trophy’s or points. If there are too many Modified series
    !?!?!? then if the Tour folds that won’t be a problem any longer (WINK). I say BS, competition makes you better.

  7. if Sk’s paid what they should then nobody would run Tri Track,how is it that speedbowl purse hasn’t changed in 20 years?

  8. Crazy in NY says

    Why? Where else you going to race on Sat night in CT?

  9. The SK’s are the premier division at the area tracks and they don’t pay them crap. I don’t disagree with Dennis’s decision on this one. Good luck!

  10. You have to support the higher paying shows, otherwise they will go away. It is sad that the top divisions at the ct tracks pay so lousy.

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