Legends champs invade Speedbowl for Summer Shootout.

WATERFORD — When a race has a purse of $2,000 to win, people are going to notice it — especially past champions.

Jason Palmer, the four-time Legends champ at the New London-Waterford Speedbowl, has noticed it. Joey Ternullo, the 2015 Wednesday night champ, has noticed. So has Cory DiMatteo, the 2015 Saturday champ.

Those are some of the drivers expected to be on hand Saturday for the 35-lap Summer Showdown, the most lucrative race of the Legends car season at the Speedbowl.

Palmer and Ternullo are definites to join the field, while DiMatteo is a probable for double duty Saturday. He is expected to return to the SK Modified field after being involved in a serious wreck two weeks ago and also may be behind the wheel of the no. 14 Legends car owned by Sean Fitzmaurice.

The Summer Shootout is just one of the attractions on Saturday’s race card. The SK Modifieds also have big race — the 80-lap Blast off originally scheduled for May 6. The overall purse is more than $17,000, with more than $4,000 going to the winner. The Mini Stocks, Sportsman, SK Lite Modifieds and Speedbowl Trucks will be competing in 25-lap features.

The Legend drivers, however, are looking forward to their 35 laps in the spotlight. Another champ headed to the Speedbowl in 2016 and 2017 Saturday night champ Kyle Rogers, the only back-to-back Saturday champ.

Despite the prestige of the race, however, Rogers says he’ll be approaching the Summer Showdown as if it were just another stop on the regular-season schedule.

“If I put too much pressure on myself, bad things are going to happen,” Rogers said. “I have to treat Saturday’s race like I do everything else.”

Rogers, however, admits Saturday’s Summer Showdown is a big deal.

“I think it’s cool,” Rogers said. “There’s big money and hopefully we’ll get a good car count. But you still can’t afford to get too emotional.”

Rogers has competed in several extra-distance races over the years at the Speedbowl, so he has developed a strategy.

“I like to take it easy in the beginning so I can have something there at the end,” Rogers said/ “You have to be mentally prepared for anything, because almost anything can happen in 35 laps.”

While Rogers has won back-to-back titles, he has yet to win a race. Saturday would be a perfect time for him to grab his first big trophy.

“That would make it a whole lot better,” Rogers said. “The competition is going to be tough. This year guys like Mike Blaskey, Peter Bennett and John O’Sullivan have run up front all season. I just hope I can hang up front with those guys.”

The night will start for the Legends with time trials to determine the lineup for the heat races. Those drivers that do not qualify through their hear race will have a consolations race, plus a B Main which will give the drivers one more chance to get into the big dance.

“I’m not a good time trialer,” Rogers says. “I’m one of those guys that likes to chance something. I’m going to have to work on being a better leader than a follower.”

Rogers also says he’s encouraged by an event that took place at Stafford Motor Speedway June 22 in the SK Modified feature.

“Joey Cipriano won his first SK race and I spot for him,” Rogers said. “It was nice to see him finally get that monkey off his back. I hope the same thing can happen to me.”

If he can make that breakthrough at the Summer Showdown, everyone will notice.

Speedbowl notes

Palmer is the all-time Legends win leader at the Speedbowl with 52 victories. He also has 17 Late Model wins, giving him 69 wins, moving him ahead of Bruce Thomas Jr. for eighth on the all-time list. Only Keith Rocco, Phil Rondeau, Don Collins, Bob Potter, Allen Coates, Charlie Webster and Ted Stack have more wins than Palmer does. The next target for Palmer is Stack, who has 70 wins.

Because racing was canceled on June 23, there remains a four-way battle for the points lead in the SK Modified division. Dylan Izzo leads with 94 points, followed by Kyle James with 93, Todd Owen with 91 and Rob Janovic Jr. with 90. .The biggest point lead is owned by Jonathan Puleo, who has a 15-point edge over Wayne Burroughs in the SK Lite division. Puleo, who has won all three SK Lite races contested so far, has 104 points out of a possible 106. In other point fights, Palmer leads by six over Ryan Morgan in the Late Model standings, Shawn Gaedeke has a two-point edge over Jon Porter in the Sportsmen, Doug Curry has an eight-point margin over Nick Pappacoda in the Mini Stocks, Duane Noll leads by eight points over Jim Boyle in the Speedbowl Trucks and Peter Bennett has a six-point lead over Scott Limkemann in the Saturday Legends … The Speedbowl will kick off the first of four Classic Car Nights Saturday. Those fans displaying their 1896-1978 cars will receive a voucher redeemable for one complimentary grandstand ticket. The other dates are July 28, August 25 and Sept. 29