Ted Christopher (Photo: Getty Images for NASCAR)
WATERFORD – For the bulk of the 2013 and 2014 seasons at the New London-Waterford Speedbowl, Ted Christopher it seemed was the most snakebitten driver of the SK Modified division at the shoreline oval.
Week after week Christopher seemed to have a car ready to take to victory lane, and yet it never happened.
The waiting for what seemed to be the inevitable finally ended Saturday for the Plainville driver.
Christopher put the rough luck and wrong way finishes behind him, holding off the charges of Keith Rocco over the closing laps to win the 35-lap SK Modified feature at the New London-Waterford Speedbowl.
“I’ve really got to thank those guys on the [Doug DiPisa owned Prestige Motorsports team],” Christopher said. “Doug stepped up this year and bought a Troyer car. It’s been a great racecar. Keith’s got this place definitely dialed in. Sometimes you’ve got to join them to beat them. I got the same stuff that he does pretty much. It’s nice to have a car that will go wherever you want to go. And it’s fun racing like that. We had a great car.”
Rocco, of Wallingford, was second and Nick Ladyga of Voluntown third.
It was the first SK Modified division victory at the Speedbowl for Christopher since July 3, 2004. After more than a decade away from the track as a regular, Christopher returned to the division as a full-time in 2013.
“One thing about this place is it’s so much fun to race when you can race,” Christopher said. “When Keith will give you the outside and they’re letting you race, and you can go up and down, I don’t know what it is with the racetrack, but it’s been that way for years. It was that way years and years ago and its still that way. It’s just a fun racetrack.”
Christopher went by Diego Monahan for second on lap 16 and then went to the lead by Ed Puleo on lap 17 restart. Rocco got to second on the same restart, leaving the pair to battle for the front the rest of the way. Christopher deftly blocked every challenge Rocco had for him the rest of the way.
“I was a little bit nervous,” Christopher said. “I just hit my marks and we pulled away a little bit at the end. Tonight was our night. That thing was just amazing. It’s been a great car since the beginning of the year. They’ve really stepped up and he’s got a great setup underneath that thing. You can drive it where you want.”
Said Rocco: “It was like me and Ted were running the same tire tracks. He was a little tight. I was a little tight. I was hoping for a restart and hopefully get a shot and run the top. The top was the place to be tonight. Congrats to Ted. It’s been a long time and he deserved it.”
He has to pass tech first
Steve,
He already cleared tech.
Fist congratulations to the whole 13 team. But I was wondering what happened to the dominance the CD chassis used to have there?
Way to go TC, nice to see some new faces in Victory Lanes at the Bowl this year.
With a good car TC is still the guy to beat anytime/anywhere
Good job TC and Dipiza brothers and the bear
Way to go TC and Dipiza brothers and the bear
Congrats TC! I would have been there but my cooler is no longer legal at the bowl. It’s only legal at Thompson, Indy and Pocono, but not at Stafford or the bowl. I guess they don’t need the money.
Bob, if you don’t go to a track because your cooler is not allowed, it appears you are the one with the problem. Seek help.
Glad Teddy won, they really are good guys that work hard but have fun. I also have to retract my post after week one…I didn’t think there’d be much competition but, 3 races, 3 winners! That’s GREAT!
Bob, apparently the cooler rule works. When people put a priority over their cooler and alcohol, there is a problem. Are you going to the track to watch the races or consume alcohol? If the cooler rule is keeping you and your precious alcohol out of the track, then it appears the cooler rule is working.
Congrats to TC!!!!!
Just for the record I don’t drink. I leave a town west of New Haven about 3:00pm. I pack my dinner, a couple of sodas and a snack or two. I’ve been using my “playmate”for years with no problems. Since Thompson, Pocono and Indy still allow it I will continue to attend events at their tracks. If NLWS does not want my money it’s fine with me. For years I’ve taken the playmate to the bowl with no issues. So why the change in policy?
How do we know what is in Bob’s cooler? How do you know that he doesn’t pack specialty items that he requires due to a heath issue?
If Bob wants to vote with his feet then so be it, let him do it. If he chooses to let Stafford and Waterford management know it by expressing his dissatisfaction in the comments section of a racing news site without malice then let him do it…
Short track racing needs all the fans it can get.
Well, I find it to be very strange that someone uses the criteria of a cooler not being allowed in a track to determine if they will attend a racetrack. You live in CT, and are going to go to Pocono and Indy where your precious cooler is allowed, but not Waterford because your precious little cooler is not allowed in Waterford? That is very strange.
So Nurse, looks like there aren’t any health related needs. And if there were, I would think a track would make that exception.
Here’s an idea so you can still attend Waterford…. pack your precious cooler with all your goodies, consume your sandwiches and what ever before you leave your car in the Waterford parking lot, attend the races, then after the racing, you can have your snacks while you wait for the traffic to lighten up. I really don’t want you to miss out on Waterford racing. And you don’t have to carry the cooler around in the track with you. Sounds good? That’s what I do. I pack my cooler, get to the track a little early, park and enjoy my dinner in the car. I leave the cooler in the car, and enjoy the races without having to carry the cooler. Then I return to the car after the race and have a snack while I relax and wait for the traffic to dissipate. It works great, and I don’t have to carry anything while at the race. Wouldn’t you like that?
From my own experience of attending many tracks over decades, I would prohibit all coolers from being brought into the stands. The amount of beer people bring in is staggering, and these people are just sloshed. And then these people are driving after all this drinking? And the coolers just clog the stands.
Way to go Team13 more to come im sure.
Forget the coolers heck I was told on opening day cant bring in a dunkin donuts coffee!!! Really coffee??? Was told part of the alchohol prevention program. Give me a break I can bring in a small cooloer bag with a 16oz pepsi bottle filled with jack,all they do is look in bad and walk right in. But I cant simply pop the cup lid and say see coffee?????? Pretty ridiculous I think. Mean while they got people buying beer after beer till they fall down in the grandstands,heres an idea shut down the beer stand. Oh wait cant do that,thats where they make all they’re money. Then there are the ones downing 24packs in the parking lot. But no coffee!!!!! Yea great policy….Lmao
I can’t believe this win is such a big deal for TC, but congrats!!!! Looks like Waterford will be a very competitive venue this season.
The NLWS has no issue with fans drinking or drinking too much, as long as they provide the beer and make the money. In my case it’s not about alcohol or drugs or any other contraband. The stands are hardly full and there’s plenty of room for a playmate cooler. I’ve been attending races at the bowl since the 50s, THE 50s! If they choose to exclude a guy like me over a cooler then they will probably go out of business. Maybe I should write to the EPA regarding the leaded gas, asbestos, carbon monoxide, and other toxins to which the NLWS is exposing their young fans.
The win was big for TC/Prestige because it took 2+ seasons to get it. Now, let’s see how long it takes TC to win at Stafford this year.
justafan, you bring up a good point. The guest relations bag/cooler inspection is about as credible as the car tech inspection. I’m sure a small elephant can get past guest relations inspections.
If these fans are so concerned about supporting a beloved local track, then they should understand that using the concessions is part of that support. Why bring your own food and refreshments into the track, when you can support the track? Then these people are going to be the first and loudest people to complain when the track goes into financial difficulties again, saying it was bad management, etc.
Bob, the handful of people such as yourself that have been going to the bowl since the 50s are meaningless to the future of the bowl. If you want to make an issue out of the cooler, go ahead, nobody else notices or cares. And go ahead and write that letter to the EPA to further prove how spiteful you are. The track isn’t excluding you, you are excluding yourself.
Your telling me you cannot bring an Ice Coffee from Dunkin Donuts in a clear cup into the Bowl?????