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07/19/2011 |
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LOUIE MECHALIDES TAKES RICKY’S PURPLE
TO THE WINNER CIRCLE
Mechalides Gets First
2011 Win and Big Purse
by
Denise DuPont |
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Saturday, July 16th the Valenti Modfied Racing Series (VMRS) went to Canaan
Fair Speedway for the fourth annual “Ricky’s Race For Kids”. In addition to
the normal series drivers, there were several NWMT drivers in attendance to
vie for the projected $36,000 purse money that was posted. The winners
portion being - $12,000.
Louie Mechalides drew for the pole, led every lap and won the 112 lap race.
The #85 team was the only car in the field to sport the Ricky Miller purple
so it was appropriate that the purple team take the checkers and the win. ”I
really did not want to draw the pole but when it was a good place to start.
The car was really good so I was lucky be able to have run all those laps
that hard and still have a car at the end of race.”
The race was caution laden with ten cautions marring the momentum of the
race. Leading the race Mechalides was ahead of the accidents and managed to
avoid any damage. “I cannot believe how many cautions there were in the
race,” said Mechalides while reflecting on the race. “We usually have two
caution and we had about five cautions before lap 10. We could have done
without all the cautions. I could have gotten stuck in the back. But it was
a good race.”
 The
cautions benefited Mechalides because he was surrounded by the strongest of
survivors “After the cautions I knew that I had all good cars starting on
the outside of me. I was trying to race with them and not loose any spots.
Mike Stefanik and Kirk (Alexander) were all fast. So I knew I had my hands
full. They all run pretty good.”
Modified champion Mike Stefanik jumped into the #66 car of Ed Marceau to
make a run for the money. The team had a great night but it was one spot
short. Stefanik finished second after also surviving the many accidents. “A
second place finish is good for just dropping in at the last minute we got a
little tight at the end.”
Stefanik came to Canaan immediately following the NWMT race at Loudon. The
team did not have enough time to complete their normal race preparation
which including tires. “I think that we missed our tire sizing just a little
bit. It was a problem that we got here a little late and did not get a good
tire selection, which is not really any body’s fault. It is just the way the
weekend went. Being over at the big track and not being able to have all
your guns loaded when you pull into the pits it hurts a little bit. But I am
not going to complain about a second place finish. It was a good run. The
car does not have any scratches on it. So we should be ready to go to
Seekonk on Wednesday and try it all over again. “
VMRS regular Norm Wrenn had his best finish of the season. Wrenn started
mid-way in the field and executed his plan to finish the race as best he
could. Not only did he follow his pre-race strategy but he also probably
surpassed the team’s expectations. “The race was awesome. I started I think
fourteenth and we had a plan going into this I was going to find a few open
spots and coast because it was a long race and we needed to stay out of
trouble. There were a lot of cautions and I stayed out of trouble. There was
a bad crash on the front stretch and I was coasting at the time luckily. We
had a little front end damage when a car came over the front end but luckily
I was not pacing aggressively at the time. It probably saved me from being
out of the race at that point. “
 Wrenn’s
car appeared to get better as the race went on. Coasting and finding the
open spots saved enough of his car to ensure a strong podium finish.
“Towards the end we were actually reeling in the leaders on every lap. I was
able to get by the #43 as he spun his tires to get into third spot. . At the
very end I was talking to myself, “Let’s not crash here. Let’s just get to
finish and be happy with a third place. I did not want to be aggressive at
the end and take a chance and place my nose where it did not belong.”
VMRS past champion, Kirk Alexander, came to Canaan to win. He did not win
but he had racing fun and was paid to do it. Alexander completed the race in
fourth. “It was a awesome day and a great payday. We went forward and
improved our position so that is really cool.”
The VMRS drivers are use to competing on the track with a lot of green lap
racing. When they have an off night an circumstances cause several cautions,
drivers and teams find themselves in unfamiliar territory. “The car was
awesome. I just did not need those cautions. The car stagger would open up
under the cautions and it would take about six or eight laps to get it back
to where it was good enough to run with them. Those cars up around me were
really fast. I was lucky that I had an awesome race car. We had a good car
tonight and started thirteenth and we finished fourth. I buzzed the tires on
the restart when I thought that I had a shot to get back into second. I was
racing with Mike Stefanik and Louie and I wish I could have done it without
all the cautions. “
 The
existing point leader for the series, Chris Pasteryak, also enjoyed racing
on the track even though he was involved in an incident. “It was an exciting
race. It was a lot of fun. I kind of got spun early when I chopped a guy
which was a racing deal.”
On a close tight fast track, cautions do occur and Pasteryak was caught up
in a few himself. “Then I got caught up in another racing deal. We probably
could have earned a second place finish but I was more worried about the #0
(Mike Holdridge) trying to get by me on the outside and I got into Les
(Hinckley). I turned him sideways in turn one and I finished fifth. I guess
I got one coming from him but I will go to apologize to him in a few
minutes. Other than that we have four wheels on it at then end of the
night.”
The VMRS teams will head next weekend to Oxford Plains Speedway on Saturday,
July 23rd as part of the TD Bank 250 weekend.
Canaan Fair Speedway Race Notes:
So why were there so many cautions and damaged cars
at the annual “Ricky’s Race For Kids”?
Chris Pasteryak shared his thought why: “This is a fast track and we started
four more cars than we usually do. We also started some guys that do not
normally race with us, you add to that twelve grand and on top of that a
full moon. It is just modified racing. It has been like this since I was a
kid. Some nights are good and some nights are bad. It was not the prettiest
of races but we had a good crowd.” |
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Source: Denise DuPont
/ TheChromeHorn.com
Posted: July
19, 2011 |
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