Bennett off to a sizzling start in 2018
WATERFORD — Peter Bennett ended the 2017 riding a wave.
This year it’s turned into a tsunami.
He already has two wins in the New London Waterford Speedbowl’s Legends
car competition — one on Saturday and one on Wednesday — and is leading
the Saturday point standings by six points over Scott Limkemann. He is
second in the point chase on Wednesdays, seven points behind leader
Michael Blaskey.
Bennett says it’s just a matter of starting 2018 the way he ended his
rookie season in 2017.
“I ended last year with eight straight Top 2 finishes between Waterford
and Bethel and I just tried to carry that momentum into this year,”
Bennett said. “Last year I was trying to learn the ins and outs of the
car and this year I feel more confident. And I’m getting more help from
people at the track.”
Bennett said in 2017 he had to overcome the intimidation factor.
“It was my first year, so I was intimidated by the other drivers, and I
was intimidated by the asphalt,” Bennett said. “I had run go-karts on
dirt and sometimes I caught myself dirt-tracking the car last year. But
the more track time I got in a Legends car, I got a better handle on the
car. It really boosted my confidence, Once I figured out what the car
needed, I was able to put some good races together.”
While he’s been a Legends driver for less than two seasons, he has been
a Legends fan for much longer than that.
“I’ve always dreamed of running at the Bowl since I was a little kid,”
Bennett said. “I know that the SK Modifieds is the premiere division at
the Speedbowl, but the Legends always has been my favorite. Racing a
Legend at the Bowl is a dream come true. I grew up going to Wild and
Wacky Wednesday and watching guys like Jason Palmer and Anthony Flannery
and I pictured myself out there. I never forgot those emotions of how
much I wanted to be out there. Now I’m living the dream.”
And he’s living that dream at full speed.
“The races that I came from the back to get to the front are the ones I
remember most,” Bennett said. “Doing that makes you feel good.”
Bennett, however, considers himself a points racer instead of going all
out for victories.
“My goal is to go for the championships on Wednesday and Saturday, but I
know it’s going to be difficult,” Bennett said. “There’s so much good
competition. Kyle Rogers has won back-to-back Saturday titles and
drivers like Mike Blaskey and John O’Sullivan are tough to beat.
“The goal also is to have a nice clean season. I want to run everyone
hard and everyone clean. But I’ve been fortunate when I have to come
from the back of the pack. It’s not as daunting a task that it used to
be.”
Bennett started his racing career in 2010 with the Nutmeg Kart Club at
the Berlin Fair. He won a championship in 2016 and still is involved
with the Nutmeg club as a flagger.
He purchased a Legends car in 2017 and has been on the move at the
Speedbowl ever since.
Bennett’s sponsorship includes Portofino’s Restaurant in Berlin, Realtor
Tom J. Perra, Wayne’s Townline Service in Southington, Johnny Olson’s
Quality Used Cars, Kingsley Plumbing and Heating and J&J Racing.
His crew consists of his dad and his mom.
“It is a family operation,” Bennett said.
A family that has been hanging out in the fast lane so far in 2018.
Wild and Wacky Notes
Wild & Wacky Wednesday resumes June 13. The Legends (25 laps), Super X
Cars (25 laps), X Cars (25 laps), Bandoleros (20 laps) and a Big Wheel
race will be on the card. The Wacky event is a water balloon “Bucket”
toss. Opening ceremonies are scheduled to get under way at 6:45 p.m.
…The Super-X Car has been the most wide-open division with four winners
in four races. Ray Reed won the Opener, followed by Jason Larivee, Marc
Shafer and Dave Yardley. In the point standings, Yardley leads by 11
over Shafer, who did not compete in last week’s feature because of a
broken drive shaft….The hottest driver at the Bowl may be Blaskey, who
has two wins and two second places in four Legends races… The X-Car
division continues to be the most popular at the Speedbowl. A field of
23 drivers competed in last week’s feature.
