The Bottom Shot Podcast

Chuck Zentarski - "We Raced 66 Times Per Year With Two Cars and One Motor"

Sun, 13 Feb 2022 09:00:00 -0500

Season 3 episode 5 of the Bottom Shot Podcast with one of the all-time Stafford fan favorites, "The Polish Rocket" Chuck Zentarski. Kyle and Paul sat down with Chuck and talked for an hour and half and covered all topics from his first time at a West Haven Speedway as a kid, learning how to work on cars, his first time racing competitively, to his time as a Stafford Speedway official. Enjoy the latest episode of the Bottom Shot Podcast

Bruce Cohen - "I've had a heck of a ride in this racing deal"

Fri, 04 Feb 2022 09:00:00 -0500

The final member of the Ink Inc trio, the three who founded the Spring Sizzler back in 1972. Kyle and Paul take a trip up to Somerville, MA to sit down with Bruce Cohen a car owner, business man, race promoter, and a guy who seems to just know everyone in racing. Plenty of Spring Sizzler talk and more. Enjoy episode 4 of season 3!

Dick Berggren - "We brought the Sizzler concept to Jack and for some reason he said yes"

Sat, 29 Jan 2022 10:00:00 -0500

Season 3 Episode 2 of the Bottom Shot Podcast, this week the guys sat down with another member of the Spring Sizzler founders, Dr. Dick Berggren. "Bergie" has seen it all in racing, spending time as a driver, race promoter, broadcaster, and historian. Kyle and Paul cover all topics including how the Spring Sizzler came to be and that first race back in 1972. Enjoy the episode!

Lew Boyd - "The Day after the Sizzler We Cleaned...The Women's Restroom"

Sat, 22 Jan 2022 11:00:00 -0500

Season 3 Episode 2 of the Bottom Shot Podcast. This episode kicks off a 3-part series where the guys catch up with the three founders of the Spring Sizzler. First up Lew Boyd! Lew talks about his earliest days in racing including making a few extra bucks for flipping his race car to the early days of the Spring Sizzler and the outlook for the future of short track racing. Sit back and enjoy this episode with one of the great New England racing historians

Tom Fox - "I Learned How to Race from a Book"

Fri, 14 Jan 2022 16:00:00 -0500

The Bottom Shot Podcast is back! Season 3 of the podcast kicks off with Stafford Speedway's director of racing operations Tom Fox. The guys cover all topics ranging from Tom's early days in racing, learning how to build and race street stocks with his dad in the early days, and eventually taking over as director of racing at Stafford. Enjoy season 3 episode 1 of the Bottom Shot Podcast!

S2 E9 - Tom Fearn - "I got my start at Stafford Speedway on the roller rink in the clubhouse"

Tue, 06 Apr 2021 07:00:00 -0400

Season 2, episode 9 of the Bottom Shot Podcast. This week we sit down with 6x Stafford Speedway champion and 73x winner Tom Fearn. The guys cover topics including his early days in racing, roller skating at the Stafford Speedway roller-rink, serving as substitute drivers for some of the best modified drivers of all-time, to his winless 2020 season.

S2 E8 - Dan Avery "My very first race, I ended up on the pole and didn't make it to turn 1"

Wed, 24 Feb 2021 08:00:00 -0500

Episode 8 of season 2 of the Bottom Shot Podcast with guest long-time Stafford Speedway driver and car owner Dan Avery. We cover topics ranging from his first career start at Stafford in the early 1980's, current days as a car owner and occasional driver, an amazing Ted Christopher story, and even how Dan almost became the owner of Stafford Speedway in 1988. Hope you enjoy episode 8!

S2 E7 - "The Mayor" Joey Ferrigno "There was a race shop on my paper route"

Wed, 10 Feb 2021 08:00:00 -0500

"The Mayor" Joey Ferrigno is the next guest on the Bottom Shot podcast. A fan favorite, Joey is a former Dare [Street] Stock champion who has driver everything from the pace car to an SK Light Modified where he currently competes. We cover his career and how he got into the sport... delivering newspapers as a kid. We hope you enjoy episode 7!

S2 E6 - Wade Gagner - "When we build our karts it's safety first and speed second"

Thu, 04 Feb 2021 11:00:00 -0500

The Bottom Shot Podcast is back! We head into the 2nd half of our 2nd season with Wade Gagner, the founder of Stafford Speedway's Wild Thing Kart Series. Before taking on the karting series Wade was a weekly competitor in Stafford's Sportsman, Late Model, and Pro Stock divisions. We cover all topics ranging from Wade's biggest career win behind the wheel in the Pocono Race of Champions to the founding of the Wild Thing Kart Series. Hope you enjoy another episode of the Bottom Shot Podcast!

2021 Offseason Update - Special Guest Ray Evernham

Fri, 08 Jan 2021 13:00:00 -0500

Special Episode!

Kyle and Paul sit down to recap the crazy 2020 season and update the listeners with all the big news that has dropped in the last few weeks including new events, going independent, and more. Ray Evernham calls in to talk about the his new SRX racing series that is set to debut at Stafford, Saturday, June 12th. Enjoy the special episode!

S2 E5 - Ben Dodge "My first job at Stafford was making popcorn as kid in the 60's"

Tue, 22 Dec 2020 12:00:00 -0500

Season 2 episode 5 of the Bottom Shot podcast with the voice of Stafford Speedway, Ben Dodge. We go all the way back to Ben's earliest Stafford Speedway memories as a kid in the paddock and cover decades of short track racing experiences at Stafford, Riverside Park and more. Hope you enjoy another episode of the podcast!

S2 E4 - Todd Owen "I think you're a good kid but you look like a bum"

Fri, 04 Dec 2020 09:00:00 -0500

Season 2 episode 4 with SK Modified driver Todd Owen. Todd goes deep, telling his story from the beginning with all the highs and lows along the way. We cover topics ranging from Riverside Park, to the end of the Pro Stocks at Stafford, to a personal story of recovery and getting back to victory lane. Hope you enjoy episode 4!

S2 E3 - Bugsy Stevens "It was all just automatic to me"

Fri, 27 Nov 2020 12:00:00 -0500

We sat down with the legend himself, Carl Berghman aka Bugsy Stevens. Recorded in the legendary Boehler racing shop were Len Boehler and Bugsy Stevens went on to win 3 national titles. Also hear from Lew Boyd, author of "The Soul of a Modified".

Enjoy episode 3 of the Bottom Shot podcast!

S2 E2 - 2020 Stafford Speedway Champions

Sun, 22 Nov 2020 09:00:00 -0500

No championship banquet this season? No problem! We took the bottom shot podcast on the road and sat down with each of the 2020 Stafford Speedway track champions. Enjoy 5 mini-episodes combined into 1 as we stop by each champions race shop and... well talk shop!

Street Stock Champion - Zack Robinson
Limited Late Model Champion - Andrew Durand
SK Light Modified - Brian Sullivan
Late Model Champion - Adam Gray
SK Modified Champion - Keith Rocco

S2 E1 - Jack Arute Jr - "We had Jarzombek, we had Troyer, you go down the list they were all at Stafford"

Wed, 11 Nov 2020 14:00:00 -0500

The Bottom shot podcast is back! We sat down with Jack Arute Jr to talk about the early days of Stafford Speedway following the purchase of the track by the Arute family in 1970. We cover a wide range of topics including pinto revolution, the modified racing of the 1970's, Jack's broadcasting career and more. Hope you enjoy the show!

Episode 10 - Ryan Preece "I tore up a lot of race cars in the beginning"

Wed, 22 Apr 2020 15:00:00 -0400

Milestone episode for The Bottom Shot podcast, the big #10! This week NASCAR Cup Series driver and 2011 SK Modified champion Ryan Preece joins the show virtually to talk about his career. We cover all topics including his early days in quarter midgets and micro sprints, to his DNQ in his first two attempts to qualify for a Whelen Modified Tour race, to eventually getting the call every young driver dreams of to drive in the NASCAR Cup Series. Enjoy this episode with Ryan Preece driver of the #37 JTG Daugherty car.

Episode 9 - Scott Tapley "Im just the kid of a low buck racer"

Tue, 14 Apr 2020 10:00:00 -0400

The Bottom Shot Podcast is back with virtual editions of the show. This week Stafford Speedway Race Director and former Busch North Series fabricator and mechanic Scott Tapley joins the show. We cover some interesting racing topics including what its like to be a race director, growing up in a racing family, working full-time for Busch North teams, and where short track racing is heading. Enjoy the latest episode of the show

Episode 8 - Lisa Arute "First time at a race track I had no idea what I was looking at"

Thu, 19 Mar 2020 09:00:00 -0400

Special Episode! Lisa Arute, Stafford Speedway Vice President, Paul's mom, and official "Boss Lady" of Stafford Speedway joins the show. We cover all topics including how her day to day role at Stafford Speedway, her first time at the track, predictions for the future and more. Enjoy this special episode!

Disclaimer*** We recorded this episode prior to the coronavirus outbreak. Our schedule has since been updated. Opening night is Friday, May 22nd and the Spring Sizzler has been moved to May 30th & 31st.

Episode 7 - Michael Christopher Sr "First time we went to the Stafford..we showed up on the wrong day"

Thu, 12 Mar 2020 12:00:00 -0400

The one, the only, Mike Christopher Sr joins the guys to talk about his career. We cover his 3 career SK Modified championships, here how he and his brother Ted got their start in racing, learn about their go-kart and snowmobile racing days, cover modern day racing with his son Mike Jr and event talk about his return to the driver seat in 2019. One of our favorite shows to date, hope you enjoy episode 7 of the Bottom Shot Podcast

Episode 6 - Woody Pitkat "I was screaming like a Spice Girl" - Special Guest Doug Dunleavy

Thu, 05 Mar 2020 08:00:00 -0500

Woody Pitkat joins the guys for Episode 6 of The Bottom Shot Podcast. With 77 career Stafford victories Woody Pitkat ranks 2nd on the all-time win list. Woody walks us through his career dating back to his debut in Stafford's DARE Stock division back in 1996. We hear about his Late Model days, the move to the SK Modified division, and eventually the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour. The episode is capped off with a special guest appearance from track supporter and one of Woody's car owner Doug Dunleavy who dropped in to talk about the 2020 season and even provided some predictions for 2020. Hope you enjoy episode 6!

Episode 5 - Doug Coby - "It all started with a birthday party"

Thu, 20 Feb 2020 09:00:00 -0500

Episode 5 of The Bottom Shot podcast hosted by Kyle Rickey and Paul Arute. The guys sat down with 6-time NASCAR Modified Tour champion Doug Coby to talk about his career behind the wheel of a race car. Topics covered include some unheard stories about his early years driving quarter midgets and his move to Stafford Speedway Late Models at the age of 16. The guys also discuss his climbing of the racing ladder moving from Late Models, to Pro Stocks, to SK Modifieds, to the Modified Tour. Coby also gave some advice for young drivers aspiring to make it to the NASCAR Modified Tour and gave us a little scoop on his 2020 racing plans. Hope you enjoy this episode!

Episode 4 - Bo Gunning - "I usually go through 2, maybe 3 bumpers a night"

Mon, 27 Jan 2020 08:00:00 -0500

Episode 4 of the Bottom Shot Podcast. 3-time Stafford Speedway SK Modified Champion Bo Gunning joins the guys to talk about his crazy career that began in the late 70's and continued through the 2010's. Topics covered include epic battles with Johnny Anderson and Ted Christopher, winning championships at Stafford, and just a few stories about pit fights. Hope you enjoy this episode.

Episode 3 - Rick Fuller "We came to the realization you're a jerk if you're not racing"

Mon, 20 Jan 2020 10:00:00 -0500

Episode 3 of The Bottom Shot podcast, a Stafford Motor Speedway Production. Rick Fuller joins the guys this week to talk about his racing career spanning 25 years. Topics including his 3 NAPA Spring Sizzler wins, the tire wars on the Modified Tour, his time in the NASCAR Busch (Xfinity Series) and much more. We wrap up talking about his daughter Meg running in Stafford's Street Stock division. Hope you enjoy episode #3.

Produced by Bonssa Tufa

Episode 2 - Jerry Pearl "They Called me Coast and Collect"

Mon, 06 Jan 2020 12:00:00 -0500

Episode 2 of the Bottom Shot Podcast, a Stafford Motor Speedway production. This week Kyle Rickey and Paul Arute sat down with 2-time Stafford Speedway track champion Jerry Pearl. Stories ranging from one of his first times in a race car, to time trialing at Riverside Park without his shoulder harness, to getting passed by Fred DeSarro at Trenton. Jerry covered a wide range of topics from safety to racing with his grandsons Bryan Narducci and Alexander Pearl. Hope you enjoy the podcast

Episode 1 - Keith Rocco "We aren't Pit Road Queens"

Wed, 18 Dec 2019 09:00:00 -0500

Episode 1 of the Bottom Shot podcast. Paul Arute sat down with one of Stafford Speedway's top SK Modified drivers Keith Rocco. Stories from Rocco's career ranging from the early days working on Ted Christophers pit crew to his days behind the wheel of a street stock, to his first starts and championship at Stafford Speedway and finally to the epic feud between him and Ted Christopher. Enjoy the first episode with the man they call "Kid Rock"