Column: Decision To Reinvent Procedure During Race Makes For Bad Precedent Going Forward At Speedbowl
Over the years there have been plenty of strange and weird occurrences during racing events at the New London-Waterford Speedbowl.
Saturday night’s SK Modified feature at the track will go down as part of the historic lore of weird ones that will be remembered.
And ultimately, when the race was over, the strangeness was almost poetic when one considered who was standing in victory lane.
On a night when the tow trucks did the most work in saving an event, it was a driver who’s family is in the wrecker business standing in victory lane.
Anthony Flannery won the 35-lap SK Modified feature Saturday at the Speedbowl. It was the second career SK Modified win at the track for Flannery, of East Hampton, and his 41st win overall at the shoreline oval.
Andrew Molleur of Shelton was second and Troy Talman of Oxford, Mass. third.
On the second lap of the event of the massive turn one wreck collected 12 of the 15 cars in the starting field. Track officials made the decision to suspend the event and run two features while allowing crews to make repairs to their cars. The race resumed with 13 of the original 15 cars in the event on track.
Talman was leading the race when the lap two wreck took place. The wreck was started when second place running Billy Anderson and third place running Adam Gada got together battling for position. Flannery, who was running fifth at the time of the chaotic pileup, was one of the cars involved in the wreck. Talman, Gada and last place running Jeff Fialkovich were the only three cars not in the pileup. The chaos saw cars piled on cars like a scrap heat. Rob Janovic Jr.’s car came to rest on top of Eric Berndt’s car which was on top of Dennis Charette’s car with Todd Owen’s car also in that heap.
Jason Palmer of Berlin won the 30-lap Late Model feature. It was the 41st Late Model victory at the track for Palmer and his 94th feature win overall at the Speedbowl, tying him with Bob Potter for fourth on the track’s all-time win list.
Jordan Hadley of Waterford was second and Brody Monanah of Waterford third.
Zack Sangermano of Plainfield won the 25-lap SK Light Modified feature.
Isaiah Newcomb of Plymouth, Mass. was second and Evan Bourgeois of East Haddam third.
Jared Roy of Sterling topped the 25-lap Mini Stock feature. John Bavolacco of Stratford was second and Bill Sylvia of Preston third.
Dylan Cote of Griswold won the 25-lap Legends feature.
Randy Cabral of Plymouth, Mass. won the 25-lap Shane Hammond Memorial NEMA feature. Chase Locke of Chester, N.H. won the 25-lap NEMA Lights feature.
Wild and strange at the Speedbowl.
Isn’t that normal for that place?
Truth is stranger than fiction.
Ha I looked at Waterford on Race monitor. Saw they had 1 lap completed, then a second recorded race of 34 laps. I figured they got rained on and ran some less horsepower divisions on a questionable track. I guess I was incorrect. Not sure how I feel about the decision. As a fan I am all for it. No one wants to see a 3 car race for 30+ laps. As a racer it doesn’t seem fair to let them repair their cars. The winner was a car involved in the lap 2 wreck. So assuming he wouldn’t have been able to restart the decision took the win away from another driver. I guess I would side in favor of the decision as local short track racing is in the entertainment business and the decision made for a better race. Looking forward to Sids view. He puts out some great videos. this should be a good one.
Dafella was there last night. Wasn’t he? 🤣🤣🤣🤡🤡🤡😷😷😷
I think the Bowl made a good decision to allow time for repairs after the big wreck. No one wants to watch a 3 car “race” for 34 laps for a track’s top division. And, I find it hard to believe that the “winner” of such an event would feel good about such an “achievement”.
I’m not sure a rule/formula can be developed to determine when a stop/repair/restart is appropriate. Judgement calls are required to address unusual situations like last night’s.
Note: Matt Buckler (on the mic while in his golf cart), Sean Foster (looking very GM-like with his headset on), Heidi McDonough (singing the Anthem) and Bruce Bemer (seen hanging around the concession trailers) were all quite visible at the Bowl last night.
The rules are the rules. Big mistake to not let the 3 cars race.
That was a wild wreck, but those of us who have raced mods there, and have been going there our entire life know full well, that is a possibility of happening, every lap, in every division. Waterford is a momentum track, with very close racing, when something happens, it happens fast, with many cars piling in at speed, it’s just one of the challenges of racing there. Fortunately This wild wreck had no injuries, and the few cars i saw in the pits, didn’t seem to have catastrophic damage. Nice cool evening, nice breeze, a couple doozie wrecks, but also some great racing too.
Great to see and hear Buckler again. He sounded like his usual self last night. Nothing like seeing a full field of nema lites race around the speedbowl and go green to checker. The regular nema midgets on the other hand just aren’t getting very many anymore.
No matter what decision was made it would be debated either way. I can see both sides of the argument and is there a correct answer?
Maybe an extended caution with the laps not counting by holding the cars at the start finish line for a set period of time? Nope can’t do that, violates the rules.
A red flag and allowing teams to work on the cars, again a timed event? Nope can’t do that, violates the rules.
By the rules, the race continues with as many cars that can compete, lead lap, lap or laps down which ever.
I don’t condone Mr. Foster for his decision but he has created a precedent for future similar circumstances that could rare their ugly heads.