Lori Leal of Fairhaven gives a shout as she holds up her trophy for winning first place in the Powderpuff car race at Seekonk Speedway on Saturday, 8/5/23. Submitted photo.
By Beth David, Editor
Fairhaven resident Lori Leal and her daughter Tori Price are promoting* a change.org petition to get Seekonk Speedway to bring back the Power Puff race, which used to be part of the Thrill Shows. The Powder Puff is an all female race, and the decision by Seekonk to remove it from the thrill shows has “crushed many women’s hearts,” writes Ms. Price on her Facebook page.
Sign the petition, she writes, “not just for my mother but for all of the female racers, and for all of the little girls in the crowd that happen to be the powder puffs biggest fans!”
Ms. Price said her mother got “spun out” when racing with the men, who are just too aggressive.
Seekonk did not even notify anyone, they just pulled the races from the schedule.
“This is a new low for Seekonk Speedway management,” writes Tori. “So many women, including my mom, LIVE for this race. We are fighting like hell to get it back! Please help us save so many womans passion for racing at our local track!”
In a statement on its website, Seekonk Speedway said the decision to remove the Powder Puff was difficult and not taken lightly, and “it was purely a business decision driven by the need to evolve and adapt to changes in the racing landscape.”
The track has added the Crown Vic Cruisers division this year.
The statement says that the Powder Puff races have come and gone over the years, with varying frequency. It also says they “remain open to the possibility of bringing them back in the future.”
The statement notes that they have more than 20 women drivers in the weekly divisions.
“We truly hope that the women who enjoyed racing in the Powder Puff events will continue to find new ways to race,” reads the statement.
The change.org petition says that the Powder Puff races gave women a way to develop confidence behind the wheel, gain track experience, hone in on race skills, and show the young female fans in the crowd ‘Hey! We can do it too!’”
Lori Leal of Fairhaven does a victory lap with her first place trophy for winning the Powder Puff Feature race during the Memorial Day Thrill Show on Saturday, 5/25/24, at Seekonk Speedway, her third Powder Puff win. Submitted photo.
It says for many women, the division is a passion for them.
“With this petition, we are hoping the track will see the fan appreciation and interest in the Powder Puff Division, and the value of the division for many of their drivers. We hope they will make accommodations to keep this division running in their 2025 season, and for many years to come.”
Ms. Leal as won the Powder Puff on several occasions; Tori is the mechanic; and the Neighb News has run stories on her success (5/30/24, 8/10/23).
“Do it. That’s what I say,” said Ms. Leal in our 8/10/23 issue. “It’s very very exciting and it’s a huge adrenaline rush.”
Find the petition at https://tinyurl.com/2p9z2c8n
Seekonk’s statement is at https://www.seekonkspeedway.com/racing-news/whats-new-for-2025
*Corrects errors from previous versions, they are promoting the petition, they did not start it.
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