The revolving door that is the general manager’s position at the New London-Waterford Speedbowl is swinging open once again.
Sean Foster confirmed to RaceDayCT Friday morning that he has been relieved of his duties as the general manager of the New London-Waterford Speedbowl.
Foster took over the general manager position at the Speedbowl in July 2022.
“My first year was just doing cleanup and working on the foundational aspects of the track,” Foster told RaceDayCT. “The thing that makes me most sad is that I wasn’t able to do anything there, meaning I didn’t get the chance to put my stamp on the place. Out of my tons and tons of ideas that I had for the place … all I did was change the logo and paint the walls. It makes me feel awful. … All I had the chance to do was a lot of intangible things that people didn’t get to see. That’s the biggest bummer of all this.”
Foster released the following statement Friday morning:
“Hello friends. So my days at the New London-Waterford Speedbowl have come to an end. Looking back I think of my eagerness to give the Speedbowl a promising future. Holding a high level of integrity was priority, while foundational improvements were a key focus through my first year. Beyond year one I envisioned creating a wow factor by implementing “cool stuff” that would make the Speedbowl unique and relevant. Unfortunately, we didn’t get that far. I don’t think the Speedbowl was ready for that… our visions just didn’t align. I am dedicated to elevating the sport of short track racing. I’ll use this as a springboard into my next endeavor. I appreciate Bruce Bemer giving me the opportunity to manage and promote his race track. There were many great memories with the Speedbowl Fam. The racers, staff, fans, and partners gave me plenty of reasons to look back and smile. It felt good to be part of something special.”
Foster was the fifth general manager at the facility since Bruce Bemer took over ownership of the track before the 2015 season.
Bemer was not available for comment on Friday morning.
One racing event remains on the Speedbowl schedule for the 2023 season. The track hosts its Crowning of the Champions night on Nov. 4. The track is also set to host its annual Smacktoberfest family fun show on Saturday.
Foster was a longtime short track racer, mainly at Stafford Speedway. He won 10 races over two seasons from 2006 to 2008 in the Limited Late Model division at Stafford Speedway. He was the 2007 Limited Late Model champion at Stafford. He also has one SK Modified victory at Stafford, coming in 2012. Away from racing, Foster had built a strong following locally through video production efforts and his former Short Track Racer website.
Another graduate of the famous “If I Ran A Racetrack University.”
In a year and a half he admittedly didn’t do a damn thing other than change a logo and paint the wall.
Smacktoba Lova,
Say what you will about Foster’s time there, but I think it falls in line with the others that have been there since 2015. A lot of ideas for change, but then ultimately not being allowed enough leash by track ownership to make those ideas reality. I remember Shawn Monahan arriving with a long list of visions he had as a promoter that never saw the light of day over his two years there. It’s interesting that of all those who have been in charge there since 2015, Mike Serluca may have had the most lasting impact of any and he never even got a chance to really run the place while it was operating. Serluca oversaw the 2019 season when the track didn’t run, but he was behind removal of the old grandstand and installation of new seating. Based on the pattern of the last nine years, I don’t see anything changing for the next person who assumes this role.
It’s the speed bowls loss. Sean was doing a great job considering what he came into. Hope he stays in that side of motorsports, and lands at a track that can appreciate him.
I personally don’t see how anyone can be successful running that place given the track record over the past several years. The long line of departed managers in my opinion sends a very bad signal to the competitors and fans as to the long and short term health of the place. It’s hard to imagine that anyone can paint a picture of a positive future there when it seems that energy and fresh ideas seem to be frowned upon by the owner and the status quo whatever that is, is obviously not working. The level of investment that fans and teams are willing to pour into the place is evident in paltry and declining car counts and from what I have been told largely poor attendance which go hand in hand. I fear that Waterford is dying a steady death as the product deteriorates just in terms of sheer numbers alone. It seems to me that the Bowl needs both physical plant changes (some of which are ridiculously obvious) and again real race administrators running the place with some kind of cooperation from the owner of the facility. The question is how much is the owner willing to invest in a failing product with a horrible business model. The Bowl is a special place to many of us but as an outside observer its future is bleak unless there is some kind of radical positive change. I hope that happens both for the future of the track and for those who have remained loyal to the place.
No surprise anymore. They couldn’t have waited until the actual end of the season though? Anyone’s guess as to who will be next. I don’t understand the reasoning. What is Bemers vision that he disagrees with all of them? My guess is DRG will awaken out of his slumber and make a prediction.
It would be cool to see Sean join the ACT/PASS guys operating Thompson but, I doubt that will ever happen- he would definitely help the marketing aspect I think. I wasn’t big on the beach balls but, the idea is solid and a good direction to make it seem more fun and appealing to people. This doesn’t really make sense for Waterford to do this if they were gaining traction.
Odd that no comment on why from the owner. Even generic sorry it just didn’t work out. Any chance the two guys running Thompson worked out a deal to run the place?
Declining car counts seem to be largely a function of the economics of the sport. The 602 is now roughly seven grand. The 604 is another two grand on top. It is a large barrier to entry for most people, Stafford has good car counts but they also have a much larger metropolitan area to pull from. Whoever takes over, hopefully they have ideas that can drop the barrier to entry for new cars
It is not the General Manager that is the problem it is the racing director, tech people and officials. They are and always have shown so much favoritism to certain people. Shawn did a lot to the track but I do not think he had any control over the officials.
It seems it’s only the GM that keeps on getting let go. Many of the officials and others who run the place have been there forever going back to the Eames days.
Not sure about ACT and PASS guys taking over the running of Waterford. They both have series and weekly tracks that run on Saturdays which keep them very busy, I am not sure why Waterford can’t make it work They run on the best day of the week There Saturday competition, Seekonk Speedway. doesn’t run a division of modifieds the most popular division in the area. Has any schedules come out with Waterford on them yet. Is there a chance Waterford closes down again. Are they trying to get me to go to their show next week? Is the show still on for next week?
Well said Tony Leckey.
Obviously the common denominator in this whole debacle is Bruce Bemer. As long as he owns the Bowl things will never change and the revolving door will continue.
“Declining car counts seem to be largely a function of the economics of the sport. The 602 is now roughly seven grand. ”
…
There’s Stafford that kind of makes that point sound more like an excuse. Then there’s the fact that at $7500, if that’s what a SK Light engine costs, is still over thirty percent cheaper then a winning Street Stock engine in the early 1980’s when adjusted for inflation.
Taint economics McGee it’s the albatross.
Well said Tony Lecky. Very disappointing.
Thank god! Every time we go there it’s freaking ridiculous. Takes forever, it’s a freaking marathon. I don’t want a 10 hour show. I want 3-5 hours. Stafford does it right. Cautions don’t take 90 years. The time in between races is quick. At Waterford you can order 2 pizzas in between races, and still have time to go get ice cream. It’s just a mess there. And it sucks because it’s such a fun track to watch a race at. The Stafford management should buy Waterford and run both tracks. They’ll get better drivers at both tracks, and can put on two great shows Friday and Saturday night for the New England fans.
Was Monahan let go before or after Bemer’s arrest?
Rafter Fan,
Monahan left at the end of the 2016 season, before Bemer was arrested.
I don’t think Bemer has intentions of keeping it a race track. The new stands can be taken apart and sold. There is still no Tower, just the same old bus….These are clues my friends.
Extremely disheartening to see Sean depart. There are those of us who chose to go back there simply because we believe(d) in his vision and efforts to bring the Bowl back from the doldrums.
Thank you Sean Foster for trying.
Doug,
One might assume you would know better than to blame it on the GM, Sean Foster considering in your words it’s been “every time” you go there. Now, if he had the full support and cooperation of everyone involved at the track and it still was an issue then a comment like this might have something to stand on. But Buddy, open your eyes before you blame the entirety of this track’s ongoing issues on one individual who cares more and knows more about short track racing than most.
I don’t know if you heard but the Speedbowl had a pretty successful event recently with the MMTTS and ACT putting on a special show. The paddock over flowing, would have been a packed grandstands were it able to get decent weather and go off on the day and time it was scheduled but successful nonetheless. You know who wasn’t there? The one single most important race news reporter and promoter of local race events. How could that be you ask, Mr. Courchesne has a mutually respectful relationship with Foster and the MMTTS is a marketing partner of RaceDayCt?
That face fans along with the blank billboards sums up the situation the Speedbowl is perpetually in. Owned by an amoral, thin skinned rich guy who’s parents handed him the keys to a comfortable, productive life and he’s spent his life using the preferred lane he was handed to find ways to avoid boredom buying a slew of diverse businesses. The Speedbowl just one toy to play with.
By now the blank billboards should have started to fill back up and the race media back in the bus reporting on races. It hasn’t happened because the track is more refuge then race facility for the owner run like a fiefdom complete with a mote to keep the infidels out.
The wet infield could be fixed but we’ve had almost double the amount of rainfall over the summer so that’s not critical. Could use a tower, updated rest rooms and a bunch of other stuff I suppose all tracks can use improvements. None of that would address the main issue.
That track doesn’t need one physical improvement to make it successful it has all the basic ingredients except one, good management. Not a rotting albatross stinking up the place but someone that can fill the back stretch up with companies that want to be part of the racing at the Speedbowl happy to have their company name associated with race sponsorship. An owner not trying to shut out the past by excluding those that reported on in but looking to the future.
Sean Foster was a sacrificial lamb he never had a chance but he’s not blameless for the result either. He’s the one who agreed to give the scorpion a ride across the river knowing full well he was a scorpion. When he got stung it should have come as no surprise.
So I have a question. And maybe to guys like Hillary, it will sound dumb. Please forgive me.
I’m not from the area, but I remember when the dust settled from the auction, it seemed like a collective sigh of relief, that a guy out of nowhere, named “Bruce” had a winning bid, and the place would not be apartment’s or an industrial park. Saved from death’s door. By a local businessman.
My question is, as I don’t know, was Bruce now or ever, a racing guy, or intrinsic with the local racing scene? Or did he just buy it because he could?
My opinion is, sans all the bad stuff, if it was bought just became he could, this ends badly. And its a shame. A lot of history, and a great track, particularly in its heh day.
And for those that say it needs a new owner (and I agree) can he legally sell it it?
I realize all the past threads and commentary, but we are a few years down the road now. Has anything changed? Is there a way out with a new owner, or is that just a pipe dream? Just a race fan, not a lawyer asking is all.
Bobf,
I can answer both questions. When Bruce was the high bidder at the auction in 2014 he really did not have much history or involvement in the racing community and no experience operating a track. As far as any legal issues that could get in the way of a sale, to my understanding there is nothing legally at this point that stops him from selling the facility.
Thank you Shawn.
Kind if explains a few things for me, as for the way the track is run currently.
As for he could sell it now, both good or bad, depending which way that could go imo.
Just a shame to see it continue to go this way management wise, sans everything else.
This is a total shame !!! Sean Foster is an awesome person and when the Bill Greco Terry Barabault SK43 Race was run on August 5th he totally accommodated not only my son Billy and I but the race team that gave us the honor of putting THE ICONIC #43WH ON THE CAR TO HONOR HIM HE ALSO ACCOMMODATED THE GRECO FAMILY THAT SHOWED UP MY COUSINS AUNTS ETC !! He also allowed one of my Uncles first modified on the track and the Las one he drove and sat in the ICONIC #43 PINTO BUT ALSO THE MODERN MODIFIED WE RACED !! And when this was brought up to him he was on board 100%!! He also brought back the beer and other adult refreshments that people complained were not there !! He brought in a variety of food vendors !!! He cleaned the place up and got things done to be sure we opened in July of that year because the way it was looking it was not !! But he did it !! I know Mr Beemer why he has done this I don’t know!! We get to a good place and car counts were going up !! Granted not by much but they were !!
I have heard rumors about the direction the track is tackling and if true its going to be exciting!! But please please please 🙏 WE DONT NEED PEOPLE TRASHING THE PLACE LIKE A CERTAIN WRITER WE ALL KNOW!! LETS JUST WAIT AND SEE !!
Mr Sean Foster I for one will miss seeing you and your wife when she came !! You made going to the bowl nice again picnic tables to sit down at and eat so your not eating in your seat and they put perfectly so you can also see the track !! Sir I wish you the best of luck in your next adventure and again I thank you for all the support you gave TO THE BILL GRECO TERRY BARABAULT SK43 MEMORIAL RACE ON 8-5-23
Richard Lauber
Ps these are my opinions not here to argue with anyone thank you
To Bobf Bruce is a racing guy and wanted to save local racing!! If people would JUST FLIPPING STOP TRASHING THE PLACE THE OWNER DECISIONS MADE LIFE WOULD BE BETTER PLUS PEOPLE HAVE SAID THE PLACE WAS CLOSING 20 YEARS AGO WE ARE STILL STANDING
SHAWN PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE STOP TRASHING THE PLACE HE IS NOT SELLING IT HAS. O INTENTION OF SELLING IT !! WHY DO YOU SPREAD TUMORS
Richard Lauber,
Let’s go over a few things because I think you’re either confused or apparenty under the influence.
1. You said of Foster: “He cleaned the place up and got things done to be sure we opened in July of that year because the way it was looking it was not !!”
Foster took over the general manager’s position in July of 2022, but the track opened normally for the 2022 seaoson. It had been opened and running for numerous weeks in 2022 before Foster took over the position of general manager.
2. In all three comments you made reference to people trashing the place and in one comment you said: “WE DONT NEED PEOPLE TRASHING THE PLACE LIKE A CERTAIN WRITER WE ALL KNOW!!”
I’m going to assume you’re making reference to me with that comment, since I’m the only writer publishing anything on any regular basis about the Speedbowl. Nowhere in anything published recently on this site have I “trashed” the Speedbowl or anyone there.
3. Nobody said anything about the owner selling the place. Someone asked what the status was legally for a possible sale and the question was answered. People ask questions and they get answers. Nobody said the owner is selling it. Nobody is spreading “tumors” as you said.
4. If you don’t like what’s published here, don’t read it. But don’t come on here making accusations about what is published here that have zero truth to them. And since you’ve already said you’re not here to argue with anyone then please don’t respond to any of this. Thank you.
The General Manager can only do what the budget will allow. If a budget is not allocated by those that control the funding, to do renovations for example, then the renovations aren’t going to happen.
It appears that the minimum needed to keep the place operating has happened. The person that controls the finances is responsible.
I said it many years ago, the GM is nothing more than a drone to follow orders of the owner, the owner controls the funding and therefore what renovations are possible.
Given the record of the owner, it is probably not a good idea for him to be a ‘hands-on’ kind with lots of exposure. The owner needs to stay sort of distanced, using others to run the track for him. I said this years ago when the owner was arrested, and it has been proven true ever since.
Truth is stranger than fiction. What has gone on with the 🚽 is its own doing, it is its own victim.
I only went to the Bowl once earlier this year and said I would not go back. I haven’t . Car counts were not great but the big issues for me: concessions were so few and so slow that I missed an entire feature waiting for food, and I left to get in line before the previous one ended; there were too many cautions for the number of cars in competition and it took way too long to clean them up; too many kids with too little car control driving over their heads and spending dad’s money IMHO. For the number of classes they run, the program starting time and and the length of the features I should have been out of there by 9 – 9:30 PM. It was more like 10:30 – 11. Since I have not gone back I’ve heard car counts have declined over the course of the season. If true, the only upside to that may be that fewer crashes will make the races finish earlier. It’s a shame to see such a great short track doing barely enough to keep the gates open when it could be thriving under the right ownership and leadership. Sadly, it sounds like Sean’s tenure was as futile as rearranging deck chairs on the Titanic, as were the tenures of those who preceded him and likely those who will follow. When I first started coming here it was to watch guys like Newt Palm, Charlie Webster, Dick Caso and Don Collins, and if you werent in your seat by the end of warm ups you couldnt find one. Racing can be great here again. Probbly not like1968, but great in relative terms to today’s racing environment. If the track owner won’t spend money on improvements and won’t back the people he hires to make changes to improve the on track product one has to wonder what the true intent of ownership is in the longer term. BTW, does Amazon have a distribution facility with such easy access to I 395 and I 95 is southeast Connecticut… just wondering???
I hear Mike Marfeo is coming back.
Feel bad for Sean. He worked his butt off. Having gotten there a day early for some of the race weekends, we know that Sean was out there working marking the lines for cars to park, updating the sign, etc. He was also working on Sundays when the racing school was there. Also, he was out there until at least midnight last Saturday before the Tri Track race trying to get the track and facilities dried out and ready prior to race day. How many previous Waterford GM can you say that about? Beemer is a fool.
In other words, Pannoni says Foster has done a horrible job.
Mark Andrews,
What a supremely disastrous plan that sounds like, and yet seemingly perfectly in line with so many other brutally awful management decisions made there over the last nine years. I guess, if that were to be true, it would just illustrate even further that ownership has no desire to see the place ever move forward or improve.
Let’s look back on how Marfeo’s previous tenure at the track ended.
Before the 2022 season began ownership at the track came to an agreement with the management of the Monaco Modified Tri-Track Series to bring the series back to the Speedbowl in early August of that year. At some point Marfeo went behind the backs of management of the Monaco Modified Tri-Track Series and began negotiations with another series promoter with the plan of cancelling the Monaco Modified Tri-Track Series event and replacing it with an event from another promoter. When this scheme got exposed in early June, Marfeo quit his position as general manager, literally during an event at the track (Clocking Out: New London-Waterford Speedbowl GM Mike Marfeo Quits During Event Saturday).
If bringing someone back to the position with that sort of track record of behavior is the direction things are going, that certainly doesn’t offer a lot of optimism for anything getting any better anytime soon at the track.
Truth is stranger than fiction.
UConn took Randy Edsell back.
Anything is possible, and in this case, even probable.
Sean that’s the name I was hearing battered about all day yesterday in the pit area.Nothing at this point would surprise me about the place.Ownership has proven again that they have no desire to fund or move forward into any more unfinished projects at the track that have been promised by the past 4 regimes.There is a spot now occupied by the Broadcast Bus or Beamer Bus or Bulls#!! Bus or whatever it’s called that needs bleachers and a Scorers booth.It provides the best seating to view the races there.Why this was never done or why there are no current plans submitted to Town is beyond me.Im done along with many others who have tried to be supportive of the place,of trying to understand ownership mentality.I thought with Foster at the helm the place was going into a direction of professionalism that was much needed.He was obviously hog tied in regards to his input and ideas for the future as well as being blindsided by reversal of decisions he made by various well intentioned officials and ownership.Truly beloved that with him there the black cloud over the place was shrinking and fans were starting to come back regardless of concessions or restrooms or scorers tower.Lets include the loss of racers due to inconsistent calls on and off track being overturned or overridden by mid week phone calls from owner or so called race director.People were still coming and for the Touring Series the car counts were decent.The Caddick Memorial Paid over 2000 to win and was promoted by family and friends of Caddick with little help from the track.It showed as there were less than 18 SK.lights there for a 2000 plus payday.At the end of every night announcers say Track owner and promoter Bruce Beamer.It will NEVER change.Its clear.And again the little bit of promise and momentum that was gained this season,regardless of aforementioned issues is now gone.Just making anyone racing there or watching to ponder what’s next.If Seekonk ever decided to run modifieds or sk lights even bi weekly it would be the nail in the coffin.Thier fast Friday program could also accommodate the Wednesday Waterford runners.A word of advice to all educated readers of this blog.Dont try to figure out or get upset any longer about anything to do with the bowl prior or going forward.The ownership has no desire to move forward,thinks without logic,will not pay enough to get good help in any position and is not capable of taking any professional advice.As long as you know this…..no need to get angry any longer.So sad.on track product remains the same other than car counts.The days of packed stands concession lines to the fence.Comraderie and Friendship between Drivers is in the past.Its over Johnny…….its over….
Shawn can we start a poll on the new general Manger at the bowl
Looks like some of you people are finally getting it. Surely took long enough. The owner does not give a 💩 about the fans, team owners, etc.
Why would the owner spend a dime? Folks are still showing up to the dump as is.
You people are like Charlie Brown and Lucy, and Lucy always yanked the ball at the last second. Yet you people keep going back for more of the same or worse. Blame yourselves for supporting this mess, not those that have been calling it out for the 💩 it has been, is, and will continue to be.
Here’s an idea for the poll: The new New London Speedbowl General Manager will last how many Scaramucci’s?
This is so exciting.
Maybe the new GM will provide decent lavatories, a race tower, decent concessions, etc. You know, all the stuff that has been promised all these years, and through all those other GMs.
To be clear, that was pure sarcasm.
The location might just be turned into a Winnebago dealership.
Haven’t seen Dafella this excited since Covid.
“Shawn can we start a poll on the new general Manger at the bowl”
Maybe we can get a like on DraftKings.
Went by the Bowl this am – nothing on marquee. Are they running Friday? How is anyone to know? The Bowl typically doesn’t run on Fridays. Chalk it up to another fail by “management”. Who is management? Heidi? The Vogelsongs? Austill? Webby? Bueller …….?
Jen,
The Speedbowl is running on Saturday with qualifying starting at 4. The schedule is on the website.
Jen would like to know what a facebook is and website.
Nah, I’m just stupid and thought the show was Friday.
Point being there was nothing on the sign out front for all those people that don’t have the internet. Seriously, they do exist. I have one that calls me for racing schedules all the time!
Hillary 2024,
I think the point trying to be made is about consistency of practice by a business. If they used the marquee to promote events every week and then suddenly just stop using the marquee, then you’re doing a disservice to your customers. Yes, obviously there are mulitple ways to find out if there is an event. But, if you post every event on the marquee and people who drive by regularly know every event is posted to the marquee, if the marquee is empty because management just stops using it, then if I was a customer driving by who looked at it daily, I would assume the events were done there.
Well it’s on the marquee as of a couple days ago. Needless crisis drama averted. And yes I know some old timers that still try to call the track to get details about events. I laugh at them.
Seems pretty obvious. Creepy Bruce saw Jen’s post and got the marquee updated right quick by gum. Way to go Jen!
Have we all calmed down now on this latest bit of drama prepared to look for what comes next?
The Speedbowl should be easy. If there is a 2024 season which I suspect is likely it will limp along as it has. Punctuated by real excitement when the circus comes to town. AKA the MMTTS and ACT show sure to wow the entire racing fan base.
So what’s next for Sean Foster? Pulled out of the stands, no experience he now has another experience to put on he resume in a line of diverse endeavors. Wouldn’t it be nice if he could land at another track or sanctioning group in some capacity? He’s done his time with the basket case and learned how not to run a track. Asked to do the impossible with no money or meaningful authority. Seems like a team player, well regarded in the racing community and lets face it. Getting fired by Creepy Bruce is not exactly a career killer. It may actually be viewed in a positive light.
Does Foster have any management training or skills? Doesn’t really matter not many in the world of local racing do they learn on the job.
Foster’s a free agent now and hopefully someone has the vision to give him a job the young man has shown some real potential wouldn’t you agree?
I would not call the race track a dump. Bruce has made a lot of improvements over the years. So many race teams would be very disappointed if the place closed- if you are from ct an love racing – support the track
Damoron will proudly call the place a dump until his last breath no matter what happens.
Anyone that says the owner has made a lot of improvements is part of the cult of bemer. He put in a new catchfence because the old one was falling down and he put high school soccer field bleachers in because the town made him remove the old grandstand. That’s it. That’s the “improvements”. The bathrooms are still disgusting like they were 15 years ago. There are no concessions. There is no tower. The parking lot drains onto the track after it rains. There’s a bus parked next to the track. And there’s a big gap between the bleachers where the best seats at the track used to be. Can we talk about who the idiot was that thought it would be a good idea to not have seats behind the flagstand at a race track? And why should he spend money to make real improvements when the people in his cult go around telling everyone about all the great improvements he’s supposedly made already?
Bemer is still facing paying huge sums of money for many civil liability claims pending in the Court. It takes just one nuclear jury verdict and he’s bankrupt.
I think all those claims have been completed
“I think all those claims have been completed”
There are a few still active on the CT Judicial website.
Well, the 🚽 will stay in the news this off-season.
Things to talk about are a new GM, remediation, the stupid bus, lack of concessions, lavatories, etc.
The more things didn’t change the more they stayed the same.