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ROWAN PENNINK
LOOKING FOR REPEAT PERFORMANCE
IN VALENTI MODIFIED RACING SERIES 80 AT STAFFORD SPEEDWAY |
When
the Valenti Modified Racing Series returns to
Stafford this Friday, June 24 for the VMRS 80, Rowan
Pennink will be hoping for a repeat performance of
the May 20 VMRS 80 that notched his first touring
division modified feature victory at the CT half
mile facility. Pennink not only won the VMRS 80
feature but also drove to NAPA Victory Lane in the
40-lap SK Modified® feature event.
“I’m hoping it goes just like it did last time the
MRS was at Stafford,” said Pennink. “We won the MRS
race with the 25 car and the SK race with the 99
car. It was a pretty good night for us and hopefully
the track will be the same as it was and we can have
another good show.”
Pennink’s victory in the VMRS 80 was a methodical
drive, leading the first 10 laps of the race before
surrendering the lead to Keith Rocco. Pennink then
fell to fourth in the running order and slowly
worked his way back up to second before a late race
caution flag came out with 20 laps to go. Pennink
took the lead from Woody Pitkat on that lap-60
restart and led the final 20 laps to take the
checkered flag. Pennink credits an early season test
with the #25 Gary Casella owned team as a leading
contributor in the successful race strategy.
“We went and practiced at the start of the season
with the 25 car and I knew after that practice that
the guys on the 25 team did their homework because
the car was the best it’s ever felt at Stafford,”
said Pennink. “I think we proved that we are the car
to beat in the race back in May. The Modified Racing
Series races have a lot to do with tire conservation
and we were able to do what we needed to do in that
department, hopefully we can do everything the same
as last race because that worked out for us.”
With a third and sixth place finishes in the 2
NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour races held at Stafford
to go along with his VMRS victory, Pennink is
looking for more trips to NAPA Victory Lane in
touring modified events.
“I’ve been real close to winning with the 93 Tour
car when I ran with that team and I’ve been real
close before with the 25 but wasn’t able to actually
get a win until that last race in May,” said
Pennink. “The 3 car has been good at Stafford in the
2 Whelen Modified Tour races so far this year and we
usually have a good car at Stafford so hopefully the
wins will start coming a little more regularly.”
The VMRS 80 back in May at Stafford saw a podium
sweep by weekly SK Modified® drivers and Pennink
thinks that advantage will come to the forefront
once again in the race.
“We certainly hope we’re among the cars racing for
the win but I think that Stafford is a pretty
technical track and it’s definitely an advantage for
the guys who run there every week like Teddy
[Christopher], Keith [Rocco], and Woody [Pitkat],”
said Pennink. “I think they’re going to be the tough
ones out there but there’s also some strong teams in
the Modified Racing Series that could be among the
contenders for the win.”
In addition to the VMRS 80, Pennink is looking
forward to the 3rd Annual NAPA Auto Parts SK 5k that
will be held on July 8th. Pennink won the very first
SK 5k and is eager to repeat the feat after not
being able to properly contend for the win in last
year’s edition of the $5,000 to win race in the #99
NAPA Van Wickle Auto Supply machine.
“Things have been going pretty well for us so far
this season,” said Pennink. “We have a couple of
wins so far and I think we needed a couple more laps
last week to get up there and race for the win with
Eric [Berndt]. Those guys put a great car under me
every week and hopefully we can keep on finishing up
front. I’m really excited about the NAPA SK 5k. We
won the first race and then last year we had some
issues and weren’t able to contend for the win. It
seems like the 99 car only gets better and better as
the race goes on and with that race being a longer
distance event, I think we’ll have a really good
shot at winning it again.”
The June 24th VMRS 80 will be the second of three
Valenti Modified Racing Series events to be held at
Stafford during the 2016 season. The VMRS returns on
September 2nd. Tickets for both VMRS events are
available and on sale now. Tickets are priced at
$27.50 for adult general admission tickets, $5.00
for children ages 6-14, and children ages 5 and
under are admitted free of charge when accompanied
by an adult. All ticket prices include 10% CT
Admission Tax. Reserved seating is $30.00 for all
ages.
For more information, contact the Stafford Motor
Speedway track office at 860-684-2783 or visit us on
the web at
www.staffordspeedway.com.
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Source:
Scott Running / Stafford Motor Speeedway
Posted:
June 23, 2016 |
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