G2 Radios presents The Waterford Speedbowl Message Board

It really is sad that this series has become such a "developmental" series...

Back in its "Glory days" you had the opportunity to possibly see your "home track" driver in that race... The days of seeing a TC, Jerry Marquis, Rick Fuller, even a Mike Stefanik in a "cup like" race car are no more...

Now its these 15/16 yr olds who are supose to be the NEXT BIG THING or (as much as i hate to use this term) SLICED BREAD... who you have no clue who they are or could care less about...

I think thats the biggest reason why fans don't pay attention to it any more... AND WHY ITS A DYING breed in the North east...

and how can you market a driver in that series??? you bill it as the "developmental" series and these guys who are in the series are in and out in 1 year... 2 TOPS???

The 47 is looking to something with Modifieds, the 5 now has several cars and I think he's probably just trying to free up some space and I believe the 35 will always be for sale if the right offer comes along. That, along with several new drivers entering the 2011 Late Model ranks should be a very interesting title chase.

That is, if there is a 2011 season.

No. It's more like NY and PA is modified country, both asphalt and dirt. What is there 20 or so asphalt tracks in New England? 4 or 5 of them even have a weekly modified class. Not even half of them have any or maybe just 1 show a year. The rest run late models and that's why the BGNN always did well and meant alot to new england.

Didnt know we we talking about dirt tracks? I will re-phrase for the sake of argument. The Northest is modified country,with the exception of maybe maine and vermont. Not sure what most people take into consideration when speaking of popularity,but to me its not a matter of what or how many tracks run mods as a regular division,but when i go to a race track for a big LM event and arrive late and still get a good seat,and go to a big modified race at same track arrive early and still have to look for a good spot tells me that Modifeds are a bigger draw. When at a track that runs a modifed car be it SK or full blown and 1/2 the crowd heads to the parking lot after they run tells me they saw what they came to see. If Thompson,stafford and the bowl all stoped running SK,s,MRS and Whelan tour races and replaced with all LM style cars do you really think that would fly with the local fanbase here? I dont. They can fidget with the support divisions all they want but without the mods they would struggle to get people to go. Exspecialy in CT. Maybe its just me because they are my favorite division,but crowd comparisons tell me that most people agree. This is Modifed country.

I remember 2 years ago when the bowl decided to give SK,s a week off and that night was the smallest crowd of the whole year. Coiencedence? I dont think so. JMO but without mods around here just wouldnt feel right

I'd have to agree.

When I was in highschool, we organized a class trip up to Stafford one Friday night, everyone loved watchin the Mods.

We're not talking dirt tracks, just threw that in to add to the point.

We're also not talking a weekly show here. But if we were, at this point (just like BGNN) you are right. Why are you right? Because the support divisions are a shell of what they were, just like the BGNN.

In the late 80's early-mid 90's the LM's ran with SS's and enduro cars a few times a year during the week. And they drew great crowds. It was because people wanted to see Rondeau, Fox, Stuart, Frye, Cote, Hoyle, Debbis, Jerry Young, Brouwer and so on. By no fault of the track and I've posted this before, the division isn't what it used to be. With Timmy gone this will only get worse.

Now to the point the BGNN was doing just fine, you could ring off names of guys that raced in the series, guys that if you followed racing you knew who they were, you saw mod guys crossing over and whatnot that I mentioned before. It was a goal for local teams to make it that far, now it's just way out of reach. I couldn't tell you more then 3 or 4 guys that ran the series in the past 3 years. Yes the drivers slowly change but the series isn't what it was and only one group is at fault for that. The crowds that came to see this series, which even in modified country did very well, don't care about some drive for diversity kid from California without any talent.

When they write and re-write the rules next year how much will it cost me to be a preferred vendor for items? Maybe this can be a way to get the bowl into the black...

My tips for next year...

Two unmodified Lobak # RCM-25-12-25 or Moroso #94050 mufflers must be used. The mufflers should be installed so they are removable for tech inspection processes. These can be purchased at Tiny's House of Race Mufflers www.tinyshouseofeverything.com or 860.555.5555

Any DOT street legal, 60 series or numerically higher "H" rated (or less) tire may be run. What better place to find these then Bobby's Tire Hut www.dontbeanutbuyattirehut.com 203.555.5555

Cars that have more trunk floor material removed must add 22 gauge (.030”) in its place. 22 gauge quality sheet metal can be purchased at Joe's Sheet Metal Emporium www.wehavesheetsof22gauge.com 860555-555 ext 22

I see where your going Warren and i tend both agree and dissagree. I also remember the days of CJ and rondeao jay stuart and such. But to me while the races were great it was more due the the drivers in the cars not the cars they were driving. Forget the whole BGN stuff that ship has long sailed. Thanks Nascar. I just truly believe that around here most fans attend a track to see the mods and enjoy the others while they are there. No Mods usualy means less ticket sales. Thats all im sayin.

A few thoughts of my own to better the season.

1 Can we get a complete schedule before march without all the prices being blanked out,and loaded with TBD's please? Im no race promoter but it cant really be this difficult to provide a darn schedule.

2 Offer like a weekly $2 discount to fans holding a stub from the previous week. A measly 2 bucks can go a long way in just sending the message of thanks for coming and we would like you to come back.

3 Fix the food booth problem,no explanation needed there.

4 treat the race teams better,and make consistant calls regardless of who may be involved. I for 1 am tired of seein driver a put to the back 1 week and driver b gets no penalty the next week for doing the same thing.

Do that and things will be better.

While Terry has done alot with the courts to keep the place going it would and will all be for not if we the fans and teams did not keep going back. Just give us more of a reason to continue going. At the end of the day there is always stafford and thompson and they are not goin away anytime soon.

I thought that they fixed the food booth problem(s) during the 2010 season! ps: I'm a fussy old fart.