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ROWAN PENNINK WINS "VMRS 80" AT STAFFORD MOTOR SPEEDWAY
Capturing first
ever VMRS Victory at Stafford - Pennink has a “Two Fer”
Night
by Denise
DuPont |
 After
two weeks of rain, Stafford Motor Speedway opened up
its race season on Friday, May 20th. With picture
perfect weather, the Valenti Modified Racing Series
(VMRS) made the trip to CT. for their second race of
the 2016 season. After pulling off the best racing
that we have seen so far this season at Monadnock,
the competitors continued to provide a great race
show for Stafford fans with only one caution in 80
laps.
Rowan Pennink of Huntingdon Valley, Pa., started the
race on the pole and held onto that lead for a few
laps. Then with four circuits in the books, Pennink
slowly dropped back to fourth as Woody Pitkat took
over the top position. In fourth, Pennink maintained
a steady pace and conserved. ”We had to bite our
time at the beginning a little bit and wait for when
the time was right to go. Gary and Brian did a great
job letting me know when it was time to go and we
were able to make the move,” Pennink confessed
post-race.
 The
laps quickly clicking off and when the half way
flags flew, Pennink started his move charging
forward. A late race caution provided the
opportunity and he took his chances to dive under
the leader, Woody Pitkat. Once he snatched the lead,
Pennink continued to propel forward and clinch his
first ever VMRS win at Stafford Motor Speedway. So
after a VMRS championships and ten VMRS wins,
Pennink finally conquered the half mile oval.
“I have to thank these guys on the #25 team. They
gave me a great car tonight”, stated Pennink in
Victory Lane. “There are a lot of new guys on our
team and they are stepping right up to the plate and
getting it done. To give me a car like that, they
did an awesome job!”
The only caution of the night occurred on lap 60
when Anthony Nocella and Dave Schneider were racing
hard for the same position. They made contact, spun
and were both able to pull away from the incident.
On the restart Pitkat’s car was just not as tuned in
as it was before. Coming off of turn four, Pennink
was able to run high and then complete a slow
slingshot under him to pass for the lead. Once by,
the race was Pennink’s as he advanced his lead to go
forward and win. “I knew when I was able to hang on
the outside of Woody and I would probably have
something for him.” Pennink expressed about his
plan. “So I figured I would try that crossover which
I did not think was going to work that good. I just
checked up and crossed him right over. I had an
amazing bite right off the corner and I was able to
drive right off and away from him. I was able to get
about five car lengths lead and I was then able to
stay there and finish out the race. In the end I
guess the cross over worked out real good!”
“That was the first win in a long time for that #25
car. It is awesome to get back into victory lane
with the #25 car especially here at Stafford. We
have had a lot of good runs here at Stafford, but we
could not just close the deal off. Tonight we had
the car to do it and we got it done. Not only is it
my first win at Stafford in the VMRS but it is also
my first win in a tour type modified here as well. I
am finally happy to get that one under my belt.” So
the #25 Roscoe Racing Casella owned modified team
broke their loosing streak and have shown they will
be a contender to reckon with in 2016 race season.
 Woody
Pitkat from Stafford Springs, won his heat race and
started on the outside pole. He hung back in second
position until lap 4 when he made his pass under
Pennink for the lead. There was a lot of action in
the top five with the swapping of positions behind
Pitkat especially after the half-way mark. Pitkat
just kept his eyes on the rear view mirror and
continued to maintain his position until the caution
on lap 60 broke his momentum. After the yellow,
Pitkat’s car was not as good and Pennink passed
under him for the lead coming out of turn four. “It
was tough out there leading trying to set my own
pace”, admitted Pitkat. ”Knowing when to go hard and
when not to. I tried to save something until the end
in case there was a late caution like that.”
Running at his home track, Pitkat was ready to seal
the deal with an 80 green laps of racing. But the
late race caution was not part of his strategy and
with it he quickly saw his winning plan crumble.
“After the caution when we went back green, we had a
left front wheel hop pretty bad and it did not clear
out until about 15 laps into that last run. And by
then Rowan was checked out.”
“So I just have to say congratulations to them. I
have to thank my guys. We were a lot better tonight
then when we started the race season at Monadnock so
to come out of here with a podium finish I just have
to thank my crew and sponsors. The car is in one
piece and we can work on it for next weekend. It was
a good rebound from the SK race.” Earlier in the
evening Pitkat participated in a 40 lap SK Modified
feature race. He was involved in wreck that
prematurely ended his night only 10 laps into the
race. A podium second place finish in the VMRS race
definitely was a great rebound for the driver.
 Keith
Rocco of Berlin, CT., began the feature in fifth and
quickly was up in the second position. He ran
competitively there holding off advances from the
rear while trying to pass for the lead. But his
equipment was a little spent and he was a little too
short in the end to maintain his second position or
pass Pitkat for the lead. “This is a different type
of racing you have to save a little bit to the end.
And I did not save enough.” Rocco stated from his
third place slot in victory lane.
This was Rocco’s first run with the VMRS series this
year and his goal was to take the win at one of his
Ct. based home tracks. But in the end, his pulled
off a third place and brought his car home in one
piece. “We would have liked to win but it is what it
is. I have to thank everybody on the team and our
sponsors. The car started off really and just got a
little tight at the end. We did not have quite
enough for Pennink but it was a great night.” So in
the end it was really not a bad night at all for
Rocco.
Dave Etheridge had a strong run finishing fourth and
Mike Willis, Jr. took home fifth.
Pennink left the track after having a sweeping night
taking home two modified wins “It was good to win
the SK Modified race and then follow it up with a
win in the MRS. I could not have done though without
two awesome cars and teams. They out two great cars
underneath me.”
With the second VMRS race checked off the schedule,
the VMRS teams will head back to the shop and
prepare their strategies and equipment for their
first visit to Speedway 51 (formerly Riverside
Speedway), Groveton, NH on Saturday May 28th.
Notes from
Stafford Motor Speedway:
Earlier in the evening, Rowan Pennink and Ryan
Preece were in a battle for the SK Modified feature
win. Then swapped the lead a few times until Pennink
was the victor. This was the second SK Modified win
in a row for Pennink after his Spring Sizzler
victory.
Rowan Pennink
“I knew we had a good car and he caught me coming
from the back. But it always seems like there is a
little bit of a draft coming down the back with
those SKs here and I think that is the reason that
he caught me and I think that is the reason that I
got right back by him too. We both had good cars and
luckily I was able to hold him off.”
Chris Pasteryak
After winning the first 2016 Valenti Modified Racing
Series (VMRS) race at Monadnock Speedway, Chris
Pasteryak selected to sit the race out and support
his father Charlie Pasteryak. Charlie finished
Stafford with a solid seventh.
Chris plans to run the inaugural Modified Touring
Series (MTS) 200 lap race at Monadnock Speedway on
Saturday, May21st.
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Source:
Denise DuPont /
TheChromeHorn.com
Posted:
May 21, 2016 |
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