Hey what do you know, looks to me like Mark Martin is not done yet!
Another win by an old guy at the oldest track on the circuit.
Welcome to alll of you who are new to both Pipe Smoke and Motorsportsnews.net . Last week I had the chance to talk to Jim Vicevich on his radio show which broadcasts from 9am-noon on WTIC 1080 in Hartford Ct. While racing is not normally one of Jim’s topics he was nice enough to let me get in some plugs and added a link to the site. I would like to welcome Jim and his listeners to the PS family.
The bodyshops will be busy this week! Was that 18 cautions?
As far as the suspensions for the NASCAR drug testing, I am not going near that one! All I will say is that,you use, you lose.
Here at PS, I do a bit of commentary on the news of the day and a bit of historical review. Being a bit of a geezer myself, it is fun to take a look back, just to see who we really are and where we have come from. What I will not do is comment on news that has already been covered elsewhere. If you want blood guts and gore, please find another site.
In honor of my new readers, I would like to crank up the old time machine. Racing in the Nutmeg state goes back to the turn of the century. At one time there were over forty race tracks operating in the state of which 4 remain. Limerock Park is 1.5 mile road course which has held Camping World East events. Stafford Springs Motor Speedway is a former fairgrounds half mile which hosts the Whelen Modifieds. The Waterford Speedbowl in Waterford is a 1/3 mile oval which hosts the True Value Modifieds and other taveling series in addition to it’s weekly programs.
The crown jewel of Ct racing and of southern New England is the Thompson Speedway, located in Thompson Ct. The fast 5/8 mile oval was built by John Honeig on his farm after the 1938 hurricane. It was the first paved oval in the US and the only Ct track to host the Cup series. The 1951 season was the first time that Cup cars took to the oval. They would return again in 1969 and 1970.
Neil Cole took the first race, but Ct natives would be sprinkled through the field. They included Dick Egan of Springdale Ct in 3rd, Bill Cintia of Waterbury in 9th, Charles Gattalia of New Haven in 11th and George Cavana of S.Glastonbury in 13th. That first race also included other New England natives including drivers from Providence R.I. and Fitchburg Mass.
By the time the Cup cars returned in 1969, the series had changed radically. David Pearson took the 1969 race and Bobby Isaac the 1970 event.
All statistics courtesy of www.racing-reference.com
Joey Logano may be the newest Cup driver from the state, but as you can see, he is far from being the first. I have to admit that my favorite is Randy Lajoie. His family has roots at the Speedbowl. His dad Bob, was a legend in the weekly modifed ranks. I saw Randy work his way through the system of old, competing in the modifeds and Busch North.
Till next week, you can find me on facebook, in a recovery room, or in the Sound Off Ct. chat If I get asked, I might just do a weekly bit on Jim’s show. Might even open a door to something that helps pay some bills.
