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PITKAT TOPS
VMRS FIELD AT
NEW HAMPSHIRE MOTOR SPEEDWAY DEBUT |
 17-lead
changes, and a hard fought battle right down to the
finish, highlighted Saturday afternoons 50-lap race
for open-wheel Modifieds when the Valenti Modified
Racing Series made it’s first ever start at New
Hampshire Motor Speedway, Loudon New Hampshire.
Woody Pitkat, of Sturbridge, Massachusetts, led the
race 9-times before taking down his first VMRS win
for 2017 and his fourth series victory. Pitkats’s
last series win was October 15, 2016, at Thompson,
Connecticut.
The race was part of The New England Short Track
Showdown produced by race organizer Bob Guptill.
Pitkat edged Ted Christopher of Plainville,
Connecticut by 0.017 at the Sunoco Checkered Flags
Pitkat was quick to point to his crew lead by car
owner Dan Stebbins for making the win possible. “It
was an awesome day. I wouldn’t be here today if it
wasn’t for the crew. We had a terrible day yesterday
(practice sessions) so to be able to win for these
guys.. we chased an electrical issue all day
(Friday) and only got three laps of practice.”
Pitkat continued, “ Mike Pettit came over to help us
and the crews that were (parked) near us also helped
us. It’s so cool to win at Loudon. To be able to
pull into victory lane here is pretty awesome. To
see all the guys smiling and to finally win for
Mayhew (Tools) is just awesome.”
Pitkat was pleased to see the race go as good as it
did especially for VMRS regulars Sammy Rameau &
David Schneider. Pitkat instructed both drivers on
the art of drafting at a planned practice session
for all competitors last month.
“That’s what you want,” said the series 2015 series
champion. You want a good competitive race and not
someone coming in and winning by 20-car lengths.
I’ll help anyone. It’s important to help those guys
so they are not running around the back.”
“I gotta thank Jack (Bateman) for bringing the
series here and Bob (Guptill) for doing everything
he could to get us up here.”
Pitkat led the race 9-times, runner-up Ted
Christopher five times, and Eric Goodale 3-times
before crashing out of the event.
Zane Zeiner ran a strong race and checkered fourth,
with Geoff Gerhard rounding out the top five.
David Schneider, Anthony Nocella, Donnie Lashua, and
Rob Richardi Jr. were sixth through tenth place
finishers.
15-drivers finished on the lead lap.
Heat Race Winners: Masse (1) Christopher (2)
Pitkat (3)
Next Event: Claremont Speedway
Claremont, NH.
Friday July 7, 2017
Race Summary
New Hampshire Motor Speedway
Loudon, NH
Race # 5
July 1, 2017
Entrants: 26
Distance: 50-laps
Margin of Victory: 0.017
Average Speed: 42.706
Best Lap Time: 30.016
Best Speed : 126.652 (Pitkat)
Cautions: Laps - 1, 12, 40, 42, and 46
Unofficial Order Of Finish:
Pitkat (1) Christopher (2) Masse (3)
Zeiner (4) Gernhard (5) Schneider (6) Flannery
(7) Nocella (8) Lashua (9) Richardi (10) Kay (11)
Fournier (12) Meservey (13) Gallup (14) Mead (15)
Dolan
(16) Goodale (17) Rocco (18) Rameau (19) Dauzat (20)
Willis (21) Savary (22) Doucette ( 55) Shaw (24)
Seidell (25)
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Source:
John Spence Sr. / Valenti Modified Racing Series
Posted:
July 1, 2017 |
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