Family atmosphere returns to Speedbowl
Waterford — Like most family reunions, the one held Saturday in Waterford was joyful and really loud, and a spirit of camaraderie held inimitable domain over all. Hundreds turned out for the celebration and, if they all don’t literally share the same DNA, the sense of kinship suggests it might as well be otherwise.
That was the aura at the New London-Waterford Speedbowl for the racetrack’s 2017 Blast Off event — and a quilt of summer humidity after a morning monsoon, which pushed back the schedule about an hour while grounds-folks drained water from the track, did little to dampen the mood.
“It’s like I was born and raised at this track,” said Uncasville’s Lynn Plourde, walking into the Speedbowl in the early afternoon with her husband, Peter. She laughed. “Actually, I wasn’t born yet. My mother was here when she was pregnant, and my father, Ed Moody, was a track champion driver. We’re really happy it’s open again.”
After the March arrest of track owner Bruce Bemer on charges of an alleged connection to a human trafficking ring, there was concern the track would be permanently closed. But longtime semi-professional racer George Whitney formed a limited
liability company and signed a lease with Bemer’s attorneys to start organizing races.
Saturday’s nine-race schedule quelled a lot of anxiety for drivers, crews, support staff and track personnel — and generations’ worth of fans.
From early morning, they all began to stream onto the grounds with its threeeighths-of-a-mile track, the newly painted grandstands on the north side and two vast pit areas at either end of the loop.
Close friends Linda Corliss and Julie Winsor were on duty at the pit entrance booth where drivers log in. It’s just one of various duties they each perform on racing day — and their passion for the sport takes them not just to the Waterford Speedbowl but also to Connecticut’s two other racing venues, Thompson Speedway Motorsports Park and Stafford Motor Speedway.
“A lot of us work at all the tracks because it’s a passion,” said Corliss, who was a member of her driver father’s pit crew growing up. “We were introduced to it by our families and this whole thing is one big community. Some people will say racing is in your blood, and it’s true.”
Winsor added that, while the Waterford Speedbowl wasn’t granted a NASCAR affiliation this year, the lack of a national sanction doesn’t hurt the popularity. “This is the most exciting track in New England,” she said. “I think every driver here has a full-time job outside racing. They’re here because they love it, just like the people who show up, watch or volunteer. We all know each other. It’s a 100-percent Speedbowl family.”
Walking through one pit area and on to the next, one instantly gets a solid sense of camaraderie and familiarity as several classes of cars go through final tune-ups, practice runs and qualifying heats before the evening’s feature racing. Without question, the volume is extremely loud — as though The Who was a V-8 engine — but it’s also an occupational by-product and everyone seems quite used to it.
“Come on up in the trailer and it’s a little quieter,” said veteran mini-stock driver Jacob Perry, looking forward to getting behind the wheel. Yes, Perry is all of 15 years old, but he won three races last year and has an extensive genealogy — Perry Family Racing — connected to the Speedbowl. “My grandfather was a racer and my father builds motors for racing cars,” he said. “I can’t imagine doing anything else with my life, and I’m planning to make it as a professional NASCAR driver. I love it here. I love the atmosphere and that people care about each other.”
Perry paused to greet a well-wisher, then continued. “I think the Speedbowl will always be here. A few years ago it went on the market and a lot of us were scared, but it’s still here. Earlier this year, there was trouble, but I was one of the few optimists because this is an important place. And it worked out.”
On the far side from the grandstand, SK modified driver Diego Monahan calmly watched as a variety of Legends cars tore around the track in a practice run. He’s been racing for 18 years, and has been in love with racing since his father brought him and his brother to the track as children. “I think anyone here today would tell you that the people here and the track itself — it’s family,” Monahan said. “You might get an argument between drivers once in a while, but it’s like a family argument. I’m so glad to be back.”
He thought for a moment and reflected on a question about what he’d feel if the track hadn’t opened back up. He said, “Well, then we’d have to travel because it’s what we do. I’ve raced as far south as North Carolina and all through New England. But we only live a mile from here, and my daughter Emma races here. This is home. There isn’t a better track.”
In the parking lot, former racer and longtime fan Jeff Soukup and his friend Kelly Burgess were grilling salmon in finest tailgate fashion. He’s actually from Stafford Springs and has raced all the Connecticut tracks, but he loves the Speedbowl. “Wherever you’re racing, there’s just this connection,” he said. “But this place is special and the people are special. Y’know, when these small, privately owned tracks go out of business, no one will replace them. The scandal here with the owner is really bad, but it has nothing to do with the track or the sport of the people who love coming here. And that’s important.”
“The scandal here with the owner is really bad, but it has nothing to do with the track or the sport of the people who love coming here. And that’s important.” JEFF SOUKUP