Misc Modified Events

Banner photo:  Don Bunnell in the #318 coupe he drove to a victory in the 1976 Bicentennial 200

Modified Championships

In the 1950’s & 1960’s, there were several “Championship” race promotions, usually named after the calendar month or whichever season of the year the event was held.  But during the 1960’s, there were a string of events at the end of the season called “Modified Championships” that always attracted the Speedbowl’s biggest stars.  The original and most common promotional title was the Connecticut State Modfiied Championship.  They varied in length from 50 laps to 100 laps, which the last 3 events were.  There was a different winner every time the event was run.  It was not run in 1967, returned for one year in 1968 before being discontinued permanently.

Hott Wheels 100

One of the last successful promotions from the original Speedbowl ownership group was the Hott Wheels 100 event.   In its first year of 1973 it was an open competition event slated to start the Speedbowl’s season.  The original date was rained out twice, and finally ran on April 22 as the second event of the year.  George Allum took the win, one of his 4 victories in the first 6 events that season.  Ollie Silva dominated the second event in his #0 car, basically a Super Modified with a Pinto body on it.  He lapped the entire field during the event with a majority of the field lapped at least a 2nd time as well.  Hott Wheels 100 brought big names throughout the northeast’s modified scene, but was discontinued after only 2 years when the track was sold to Harvey Tattersall Jr prior to the 1975 season.

The Fall Stinger

The Fall Stinger was a United Stock Car Racing Club event that president Harvey Tattersall Jr started at Westboro (MA) Speedway.  When he bought the Speedbowl in early 1975, he moved the event to the shoreline oval.  It was the only career wins at the Speedbowl for winners Bob Polverari and John Rosati.  Like many United promotions, when Dick Williams took over in 1978, he did not carry over the same events.  However, the Stinger returned for one season in 1979 when Tattersall returned, then discontinued altogether.

Waterford 200

The Waterford 200 started in 1976 as the Bicentennial 200 in celebration of America’s 200th birthday.  Speedbowl regular Don Bunnell won the event in his #318 coupe and took home $1776 for the victory.  The following season, it was rebranded to the Waterford 200.  Like many United promotions, when Dick Williams took over in 1978, he did not carry over the same events.  It returned for 1979 and 1980 (both won by Bob Potter) before Williams took over again in 1981 when it was discontinued.

Matco Tools 100

Dick Williams and his Coastal Racing League promotional team began their 2nd stint as Speedbowl operator in 1981.  They introduced an annual Labor Day Weekend Modified event called the Matco Tools 100.  It was run every year of Williams’ last tenure at Waterford (1981-84).  It was dominated by Bob Potter who won the 1st 3 in a row.  

Waterford 200 – The Showdown

In 1989, the Korteweg family created a different version of the old Waterford 200 called The Showdown, now featuring SK Modifieds (or CT Modifieds as they were sometimes called during the Korteweg era).  The initially started out as a 200 lap event run as the last point event of the season.  In 1991, it was moved to Labor Day Weekend, where it remained for 3 seasons (although the 1993 event was rescheduled to late October due to rain).  In 1992, the SK race was shortened to 150 laps, with Late Models (30) and Ltd Sportsman (20) lap counts added in to account for the 200.  In 1994, the event was again moved to a mid-summer event in late July with another adjusted lap distribution among the 3 divisions.  All winners of the SK race were Speedbowl Champions, although none of them won the Showdown during their championship season.  This event was discontinued in 1995 when Terry Eames became the new Speedbowl promoter.  

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