5-TIME SK MODIFIED® CHAMPION BOB POTTER RECALLS INAUGURAL CARQUEST TECH-NET SPRING SIZZLER AT STAFFORD SPEEDWAY
(Stafford Springs, CT)—When the green flag falls on the CARQUEST Tech-Net
Spring Sizzler on May 1st this year, it will mark the start of the 40th
edition of “The Greatest Race In The History of Spring.” The CARQUEST
Tech-Net Spring Sizzler is the longest continuous running event on the
Whelen Modified Tour calendar and the Sizzler has had some of the biggest
and best names in modified racing find their way to CARQUEST Victory Lane.
The Spring Sizzler was born in 1972 with Dr. Dick Berggren, Lew Boyd, and
Bruce Cohen putting the race together at a time when all the prestigious
events were held in the fall. Their new idea for a major race in the
springtime was an overwhelming success with over 100 cars in the paddock
area and an overflow crowd of 11,500 packing the Stafford grandstands. Jack
Arute purchased the rights to the race from Berggren, Boyd, and Cohen after
that inaugural Sizzler and it has been the showcase event of the Stafford
schedule every year since.
As part of the celebration of 40 years of the CARQUEST Tech-Net Spring
Sizzler, Stafford Speedway is inviting drivers who took part in the
Inaugural Spring Sizzler to take part in a special pre-race. One of those
drivers is Bob Potter, who after placing ninth in that inaugural Sizzler,
would go on to record 5 Stafford SK Modified® track championships, a record
that stood until 2007 when Ted Christopher recorded his sixth Stafford track
championship. Driving for Roger Bonville in the #110 Coupe, Potter recalls
the grand spectacle that was and continues to be the CARQUEST Tech-Net
Spring Sizzler.
“The Spring Sizzler was one sensational race, I can tell you that,” said
Potter. “I had never seen so many cars in the pits as there was for that
race, it was like a Race of Champions event. It was a short race and the
purse money was out of sight. There were cars from all up and down the east
coast, so you were going up against the best of the best. That first race
was run what you brought, so there were dirt cars, asphalt cars, fuel
injected cars, there were a lot of different cars. The crowd was also huge
for that race, there were so many people there, I remember people sitting on
the banks and I think they eventually had to start turning people away at
the gate.”
With so many cars on hand, there was an extra premium placed on qualifying
through one of the four heat races. If a driver couldn’t get qualified
through their heat race, there were two last chance consi races to get into
the field.
“Qualifying was very tough,” said Potter. “With the cars and the drivers
that were on hand, you really had to have everything going right for you to
get qualified. We had been pretty good at Waterford and between Waterford
and Stafford there wasn’t much that we had to change on the car, so we felt
like we were pretty prepared when we showed up at the track. We had a big
block and a small block engine, and we decided that we needed all the power
we could get, so we came with our big block to Stafford. It was a huge
accomplishment for us to make the show.”
Potter finished the race in 9th place, just behind Bob Santos in the #09
Coupe, which earned him $450 of the then record $15,000 purse that was
offered for the race.
“I remember it was a short race and there weren’t a lot of cautions,” said
Potter. “I think I followed Bobby Santos around the track for half of the
race. It was an all out race with no pit stops to change tires or anything
like that. Those guys really stuck their necks out with the purse they
offered to us. And it wasn’t just the money, there was a ton of
contingency. I don’t think that there was anyone who went home without
something. There were rocker arms, camshafts, intakes, clutches,
carburetors, shocks, springs, and other parts that were part of the
contingency. I remember we got a set of rocker arms along with our purse.
There weren’t any unhappy owners or drivers that day, everyone went home
with something.”
The race was 80 laps long and the race was completed in just under 30
minutes with Fred DeSarro coming home as the winner in the Len Boehler owned
“Ole Blue” #3. Ed Flemke had dominated the race, taking the lead from pole
winner Bobby on lap-7 and he held the lead until lap-71 when his water pump
failed and dropped him out of the race after it looked like he had victory
well within his grasp. DeSarro led the final 9 laps to take the checkered
flag and a winner’s check of $2,250. Flemke made up for his Sizzler
disappointment one year later as he took the Bob Judkins #2x to victory with
DeSarro right behind him. The Boehler owned car would not return to
CARQUEST Victory Lane in the CARQUEST Tech-Net Spring Sizzler until 2004
with Jerry Marquis as the driver.
Further tracing the pedigree of CARQUEST Tech-Net Spring Sizzler champions,
there have been 22 different winners in 39 races with 8 drivers winning the
race multiple times. Of the 22 CARQUEST Tech-Net Spring Sizzler winners, 9
have won a Whelen Modified Tour championship. Ted Christopher leads all
drivers with 6 career Sizzler wins, Mike Stefanik has won the Sizzler 4
times, while Maynard Troyer, Richie Evans, and Rick Fuller each have 3 wins,
and Greg Sacks, Reggie Ruggiero, and Mike Ewanitsko have each won twice.
Those who have won the Sizzler once include: Fred DeSarro, Ed Flemke, Bugsy
Stevens, Geoff Bodine, Bob Polverari, Jimmy Spencer, Brian Ross, Jeff
Fuller, Jan Leaty, John Blewett, III, Jerry Marquis, Tony Hirschman, Doug
Coby, and Donny Lia. Christopher will try to add to his hefty Sizzler win
total and break a tie he currently holds with Troyer as the only drivers to
win the Sizzler three years in a row.
The 40th Annual CARQUEST Tech-Net Spring Sizzler gets underway Friday, April
29 with a practice session for Stafford’s weekly divisions. The practice
session will be open to the public at no charge. The run for the Coors
Light Pole position gets underway on Saturday, April 30 with time trials for
the Whelen Modified Tour cars, along with heat and consolation races for
Stafford’s weekly divisions. In the 31 Spring Sizzler events run since
1980, the fast qualifier has gone on to win the race 7 times. Saturday will
conclude with feature events for the SK Light, Limited Late Model, and DARE
Stock divisions. The Sizzler concludes on Sunday, May 1 with the CARQUEST
Belts and Hose Pit Party followed by Stafford’s SK Modifieds® and Late
Models joining the Whelen Modified Tour in feature action.
Tickets for the “Greatest Race in the History of Spring” are on sale now at
the Speedway Box Office. Tickets are priced at $35.00 for adult general
admission tickets, $5.00 for children ages 6-14, and children ages 5 and
under are admitted free of charge when accompanied by an adult. Reserved
seating is priced at $38.00 for all ages. As always, Stafford Motor
Speedway offers free parking with overnight parking available.
For more information on the 40th annual CARQUEST Tech-Net Spring Sizzler®,
or to order tickets, contact the Stafford Motor Speedway track office at
860-684-2783 or visit us on the web at www.staffordspeedway.com.