Boyle Ready to Make Some Noise in the Truck Series
Waterford, CT- When the Northeast Street Stock Tour shut down at the end of the 2016 season, Jim Boyle of East Windsor was a driver without a touring series.
It didn’t take long, however, for Boyle to re-invent — and re-invigorate — his career. The former Super-X car champ at the Speedbowl, with two career wins, decided to go big — into the EXIT Realty Truck Series.
One year ago, Boyle had three victories in the truck series, including a victory at the New London Waterford Speedbowl. He returns to the Speedbowl this weekend for the 2018 Budweiser Blastoff. Last season he finished second in the Truck Series, but he knows that getting into victory lane Sunday won’t be an easy chore.
“There are so many trucks that are evenly matched.” Boyle said. “The top five or six drivers are very equal. And if you hit the set up right, at least eight guys can wind up in victory lane. It’s just a lot of fun. I have a great time in this series.”
Boyle was having a great time on the Street Stock Tour when it ceased operations. He wasted no time in making his next move.
“The opportunity to buy a truck just came up,” Boyle said. “I was able to buy a truck from Allen Coates and keep going. I like traveling, but I also like the idea of a shortened season. I like having some life in between races, not an every night situation.”
Boyle hasn’t thrown the keys to his Street Stock away —he has an ambitious schedule of big races, including events at Bristol and Richmond.
“We’ll be competing in the bigger Street Stock races and also 12 truck races,” Boyle said. “That’s plenty for me.”
“I’m not complaining,” Boyle said. “We brought the truck home in one piece after both races. That’s pretty good.”
Of his three wins in 2017, the trophy he received for winning the World Series at Thompson Speedway Motorsports Park shines the brightest.
“Thompson has always been my nemesis,” Boyle said. “But we dominated at the World Series. We started on the pole and never looked back.”
Thompson has run a Street Stock race on the Thompson road course, but found the oval track to be a torture chamber — until the World Series.
“I really needed an oval track win to complete the set,” Boyle said, “and I finally got one.”
Boyle’s sponsorship team consists of Cliff Nelson Motorsports, Jeff’s Custom Graphics, Metal Techno Post, Pop’s Exhaust, Sal’s Glass and DJ David Brand.
His crew chief is Rick “The Bear” Charette, joined by James Boyle Jr., Steve Barrett, Allison Boyle, Deanna Boyle, Jeremy Washburn and spotter Brandon Wilkinson.
He is racing for two people who won’t be at the track this year. His two brothers, David and Charlie, passed away in the past year, leaving him with a heavy heart.
“They are still with us,” Boyle said. “That’s why we’re looking forward to a good season, maybe even a championship.
“A good season though, for me would be to finish in the Top 5 in points with no wrecks. And maybe we can get a couple of wins. I would like one at the Bowl, and maybe one on the Thompson road course. We already have visited victory lane on the road course in a Street Stock, so maybe that will give us an advantage.”
Something else will give him an advantage too — his determination.
The Speedbowl Truck Series will be one of 15 divisions competing during Blastoff weekend. For more information, contact speedbowlct.com.
Press release from the New London Waterford Speedbowl
For more information, call Mike Serluca at 860-442-7233 or e-mail: mikes@speedbowlct.com
