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07/11/2011 |
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CHRIS PASTERYAK WINS LATICRETE PORT CITY 100
AT LEE USA
SPEEDWAY
Twenty-Nine
Minutes to Win It
by Denise DuPont |
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On
Friday, Jane 8th, the Valenti Modified Racing Series (VMRS) went to eastern
New Hampshire to the 3/8 mile high-banked oval of Lee USA Speedway. The
series competed in fast pace racing action as they managed to dodge heavy
rain showers plaguing the area all around the track. With only one caution,
the teams may have made a new record for themselves completing the race in
twenty-nine minutes.
2008 Champion Chris Pasteryak started the race in seventh and passed for the
lead on lap 53. He maintained in his lead as the laps clicked off and was
the first to cross the finish line when the checkers flew. This was
Pasteryak’s second win for the 2011 race season.
 “Good thing that it (the race) was not too much longer because I think that
we had something going on with the motor,” said Pasteryak from victory lane.
“The thing was only running on seven cylinders. It definitely got a little
bit worse as the race went along. Hopefully we find something simple before
Canaan. But tonight I really
think
that it helped us rather than hurt us.”
Pasteryak has broken his wrist and has had many challenges in the past at
Lee USA Speedway. A win and running up front was a nice change for his track
experience. “That was the most fun that I ever had at Lee. Normally I do not
run up front here.”
He made several attempts to pass for second as the race approached the half
way mark. He got down on the bottom of the track and made what appeared to
be the moves needed to pass but second place runner Louie Mechalides held on
strong. Each time he failed, Pasteryak would settle back in third while he
regrouped. Finally giving it his all, Pasteryak managed not only to take
second but also the lead spot on lap 53. “That was as fast as the car could
go at that point. That was why I could not quite
finish the deal, but as it
was it worked out alright. Hopefully it was a decent show for the fans and
it (the race) did not take too long. Wow, of all nights for the series not
to
have a Victory Lane. But we got the show in any ways and that is what is
important.”
Dwight Jarvis has been getting better at each race this year and is looking
forward to his first win. But at Lee it was not his time to be number one.
His second place finish though will hopefully bring him closer to his 2011
goal to be in victory lane. “We have been getting better and better here.
The car was real good tonight. We did a lot of work on it in between the
heat and the main race. They had it (the car) real good and if we had a
yellow I night have had something for Chris. Getting around a lap car I got
into the backstretch wall and it kind of freed it up at the end.”
Defending track champion Jon McKennedy started the race in the rear of the
field after his win last week at Monadnock Speedway. With the fast paced
race at Lee and only one caution, the race was certainly a challenging one
for McKennedy who was looking to make it two in a row. “The race kind of
stunk. It was a short race. With only one caution and starting nineteenth we
lost it in a couple of ways. Racing here it is tough.
 You just have
to ride around to save the tires. We got back up to third but we wished we
had another caution up towards the end. But it was not meant to be.”
So to ensure he would have a chance to run for the win, McKennedy’s saved
his tires for the end. He has a lot of laps at Lee which makes him aware
that in the end there you need rubber to win. “The track is just worn out.
There is no grip and the asphalt here is probably the worst of all the
asphalts that we race on at all the other tracks. So it is hard to start
deep in the field and maintain your tires and try to pass cars. It is really
abrasive on tires. The first twenty laps I had to ride around way in the
back so it would have been really nice to have seen another caution.”
Without the caution that he wanted McKennedy settled for a podium finish as
his mind was already racing ahead for what he needed to do for a win next
week.
Les Hinckley came to Lee with a car to win. His hopes were shattered when he
and Richard Savary made contact on lap 25 causing the #99 car of
Savary to spin. Even though he may not have agreed with the official’s call
to
send him to the rear, Hinckley went back to the back of the field,
regrouped and started his charge to the front all over again. It was
frustrating but Hinckley does what a good racer does, he just raced. He was
rewarded for his efforts with a solid fourth place finish. “The car was
great. We drove from the back up to forth and the guys need to be commended
fro that. It is just frustrating because we gave up all that track position
with the caution that I got put to the back for which I do not agree with. I
know what the rule is but in a situation like that I do not see how that is
my fault. I have had numerous competitors come up to me and say the same
thing. Especially with no cautions here it makes it difficult to get back to
the front. I have to be happy with fourth, but it is just disappointing with
how good the car was to give up all that track position.”
Because of the incident Hinckley work hard to get to the front with a head
of steam behind him. He had a good car and rather than to block his charge,
the other drivers let him by. “I was pretty aggravated in the car and you
work hard here. The race was fast paced that is for sure. Without any
cautions you kind of loose your sense of time. The pace was fast and for the
most part from what I could see it was a pretty clean race. The guys (other
drivers) gave me room when I needed it when we were coming up through. But
in the beginning of the race there was a guy backing up the first fifteen
laps that would not give you anything.”
The #2 team of Ken Barry came to the track with a brand new car and had
their sights on a win. They did not capture a win but fished the race fifth.
The team also used the race to shake out the car for next week’s big race.
“We missed it just a little bit. But it is a brand new car and as far as
racing, this was the first lap that it has ever seen at a race track. So
that was pretty good. But we just did not get it quite tightened up enough
but that was fine. We will take it, a fifth place the first time out.”
Barry was totally worn out when the race finished. Shaking out a new race
car and competing in a fast tight race on the small oval was almost too much
for the driver to handle all at once. “Twenty nine minutes that is pretty
fast pace for a race particularly at this place, it is pretty demanding on
the driver. The car around (the track) pretty good. I am kind of glad a nice
fast race got in. Hopefully I can come back and do it again.”
So with a fifth place finish and a new car ready to run, Barry will take his
notes and lessons learned to head to Canaan next weekend with a winning
plan.
Next Weekend the VMRS teams head to Canaan Fair Speedway, Canaan, NH for the
July 16th $12,000 to win “Ricky’s Race For Kids”.
Race Notes from Lee USA Speedway:
The fourth annual “Ricky’s Race For Kids”, will carry a purse of $36,350,
the largest payoff in the eight year history of New England’s premier
modified racing series. The race is scheduled for July 16 at Canaan Fair
Speedway, Canaan, NH.
The driver’s thoughts on “Ricky’s Race For
Kids”:
Chris Pasteryak
“I am a qualified starter and that is great.”
Dwight Jarvis
“We are really looking forward to that is one of my better tracks. Hopefully
and maybe we will get one (win) up there.”
Jon McKennedy
“We should run good I have a win there and a third so it is a good track for
me. I am looking forward to it.”
Les Hinckley
“I am excited. We have won a couple races there and I like the race track a
lot. The money aspect of it always gears you up so I think that we have as
good a shot as anybody.”
Ken Barry
“We are really excited. We worked our butt off the week, both the crew and
my father trying to get this new car done so that we could shake it down
tonight for that race. I have only run Canaan once. We were running third
with ten to go and we lost a motor So I think that we have a shot as good as
anybody to win it so hopefully we go up there improve by three or four spots
there.” |
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Source: Denise
DuPont / TheChromeHorn.com
Posted: July
11, 2011 |
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