Dick Watson

Dick Watson was one of the more consistent winners at the Speedbowl in the 1960’s and 1970’s driving numerous cars to victory lane over the years.

Starting out in the 1950’s, his first Speedbowl win would come late in the 1960 season driving in the Modified division. He would win 7 more times in the decade driving for various car owners such as John Barnett who owned the #7-11 “Gold Scorpion”, Bill Congdon’s #76 and then Bob Garbarino’s #V4 “Mystic Missle”. While driving for Garbarino in 1965, they won the Connecticut State Modified Championship, which combined points from multiple asphalt tracks in the state. Watson & Garbarino left the Speedbowl to compete at NASCAR tracks in the late 1960’s. Watson even made a start in the NASCAR Cup Series race at Thompson Speedway in 1969.

In the 1970’s driving iconic Speedbowl cars like Norm Kies’ #21 and Fred Beaber’s #716, Watson won 13 more Modified features from 1970-1975. Watson hung up his helmet after a violent crash during a qualifying heat at the Speedbowl in 1976, where he suffered a concussion, lower back injuries, and several broken ribs.

Then after two decades away, Watson returned to the Speedbowl in the 1990’s for their annual Legends of the Speedbowl (later called Heroes of the Bowl) events that put retired Speedbowl greats in Strictly Stock cars. Watson became a dominant force in the annual event, and similar to his Modified career, he drove for several different car owners. In 1993 and 1995, he drove Ignazio Puleo’s #7 to the win. In 2000, he drove Ed Gertsch Jr’s #83 to the win and then in 2002 he drove Joe Mancini Jr’s #74 to a record 4th Heroes of the Bowl win.

Dick Watson was recognized as one of the Speedbowl’s 50 Favorite Drivers in 2000 and inducted into the NEAR Hall of Fame in 2003. He passed away on October 24, 2004, just two years after his last Speedbowl win.

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DICK WATSON
SPEEDBOWL PHOTO ALBUM