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03/28/2014 |
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WOODY PITKAT
LOOKING FORWARD TO NAPA SPRING SIZZLER AND NEW BEGINNINGS
WITH #88 BUZZ CHEW TEAM ON WHELEN MODIFIED TOUR |
As
the sun is ready to rise and shine over another NAPA
Auto Parts Spring Sizzler at Stafford Motor
Speedway, one driver that is looking forward to the
race is Woody Pitkat. In the off-season, Pitkat
moved from the #79 team to the #88 Buzz Chew Auto
team and he will take over the driving duties from
Bryon Chew. While the #88 team is based in Old
Forge, NY, Pitkat has already been to their shop
several times in preparation for the 2014 season and
he is excited about what he has seen at the shop.
"I brought a couple of seats up to them around
Christmas time and we mounted one seat in the new
car and put a seat in one of the old cars," said
Pitkat. "I've been back to the shop a couple more
times since then. Spot, the crew chief, has been
unbelievable and this is the best deal I've ever
had. I'm so appreciative of what they've done for me
so far, they've given me snowmobiles to ride, we've
stayed at their house, it's been pretty cool. It's
been great to get up there and see how they maintain
the cars and what they do to prep the cars and try
to gel as a team early on. I've been so looking
forward to the season, I've told them to send me a
selfie of the racecar because I haven't seen the
complete car yet. We're supposed to practice at
Thompson this weekend and I feel like this is my
best opportunity yet on the Tour. They have great
equipment, the cars are prepped awesome, and
everything is there so it's up to me now to show
what I have in a Tour car. If I can't run up front
or win now with this equipment, I probably shouldn't
be on the Tour. They have Troyer cars with Billy the
Kid engines so I'll have the same combination of
chassis and engine as the SK car. I really have to
thank Billy because he put in a good word for me
with Bryon to get me that ride this season and I
have to thank Buzz and Bryon for giving me the
opportunity to drive their car. They're a great
bunch of guys and I can't thank them enough. We have
great sponsors with Buzz Chew Chevrolet, Elbow East
Restaurant, NAPA Tolland, Goodridge Hoses, and Billy
the Kid and hopefully I can get the job done for
them."
In three seasons of competition, Chew has a career
best finish of fourth at Monadnock this past season
and a career best finish of 17th in the points
standings. Pitkat is coming off of his best season
on the Whelen Modified Tour with a 9th place finish
in the points and he is confident that teaming up
with the Chew team will lead to great things this
season.
"I am hoping we're going to run well," said Pitkat.
"I saw Mike Stefanik when I was traveling to the
banquet in North Carolina and the first thing he
said to me wasn't hi or anything like that, he told
me that I'm going to win races this year in the 88.
That was an awesome feeling to hear something like
that from Mike who has won so many races and 7
championships. A lot of people are talking about
we're going to be a team to be reckoned with this
year and I don't see any reason why we can't do
that. I run weekly at Stafford and Thompson, I've
won at Waterford, I've raced at Monadnock before,
I've been fast at Bristol and New Hampshire before,
and last year my two best finishes were at Riverhead
believe it or not. I have the confidence in myself
that I can run good now we just have to see how good
the cars are going to be. Bryon qualified outside
pole at Bristol and he was third at New Hampshire
and he was in the top-5 at the Fall Final last year
so they have good setups everywhere. I'm anxious to
get going to see the difference in the Troyer
chassis versus the Raceworks and Chassis Dynamics
cars I've driven in the past. I think some of the
guys might have a slight advantage on us by going
down to Florida, but we're going to test at Thompson
and Stafford before the races and I think it makes
more sense for us to test at the tracks that we'll
be racing at this season. I don't feel any extra
pressure, I just have to get on the same page with
the guys and gel as a team and give them the best
feedback that I can. They have 3 cars and 4 engines
so we'll have two prepared cars on hand at the track
at all times."
While Pitkat is still in search of his first career
Whelen Modified Tour victory, Stafford would be a
logical place for Pitkat to collect that first win.
Pitkat has 27 career SK Modified® wins, 39 Late
Model wins, and 3 DARE Stock wins at Stafford and he
nearly had his first career win in the Fall Final at
Stafford in 2012. Pitkat says that if he were to
pick up his first win not only at Stafford but in
the NAPA Auto Parts Spring Sizzler, it would be the
biggest win of his career.
"It would be huge, by far the biggest win of my
career," said Pitkat. "Just knowing the people who
have won that race in the past, growing up in the
town and with the extra laps knowing how big the
race is. I was real close that one year at the Fall
Final driving for the Hills. It would be huge. Being
a few extra laps, you have to have the right
strategy with when to pit, when you're going to pit,
and how many tires you're going to change. With all
those factors, the Sizzler is a harder race to win
than other races on Tour. I've been trying for so
long and I know Doug Coby probably felt the same
way. I remember when he was hopping between three
different cars in one year and he got the
opportunity he needed with a great team and won a
championship and now he is with another great team.
I'd like to be able to follow in his footsteps and
be able to do the same thing with these guys."
Pitkat has a good record at Stafford when it comes
to extra distance events, having won features in
both the SK Modified® and Late Model divisions. He
says that the longer races suit his style and that a
good qualifying effort won't necessarily win you the
race, but it will go a long way in helping you to
win the race.
"I've always done better in the longer races," said
Pitkat. "I think it comes down to my strategy is to
cruise and be there at the end. I used to ask Jimmy
Fuller what he would want me to do and he would tell
me to cruise around and if I had anything at the end
of the race to send it. I remember one night Ryan
[Preece] and I started next to each other in 12th
and 13th and we passed everyone on the outside and
we were out front after about 15 laps. That wasn't
our plan but when you get out front, you can kind of
set your own pace and let a guy go if he is pushing
you or you can step up your own pace. I think it's
always a plus to qualify up front. That Fall Final
when I finished second, I remember we qualified
third or fourth and someone once told me it's a
whole different race when you start up front and it
was a totally different race. When I came in after
the race I was disappointed finishing second but at
the same time I was wondering where some guys
finished because I didn't see them at all during the
race whereas when you're running in 15th, you can
see the whole field. I'd rather qualify in the top-5
or at worst the top-10 and be able to run my own
race. You have to have a good pitstop and get back
out in the same spot as when you went into the pits.
A good qualifying lap is going to be a positive and
something that you want to have for the race."
The 43rd Annual NAPA Auto Parts Spring Sizzler gets
underway Friday, April 25 with a practice session
for Stafford's weekly divisions. The practice
session will be open to the public at no charge. The
run for the Coors Light Pole position gets underway
on Saturday, April 26 with time trials for the
Whelen Modified Tour cars, along with heat and
consolation races for Stafford's weekly divisions.
Saturday will conclude with feature events for the
SK Light, Limited Late Model, and DARE Stock
divisions as well as a feature event for the
Northeast Mini Stocks. The Sizzler concludes on
Sunday, April 27 with the NAPA Auto Parts Pit Party
followed by Stafford's SK Modifieds® and Late Models
joining the Whelen Modified Tour in feature action.
Tickets for the "Greatest Race in the History of
Spring" are on sale now at the Speedway Box Office.
Tickets are priced at $38.50 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. Reserved
seating is priced at $42.00 for all ages. As always,
Stafford Motor Speedway offers free parking with
overnight parking available. All tickets are good
for both Saturday and Sunday admission. All ticket
prices include 10% CT Admission Tax.
For more information on the 43rd annual NAPA Auto
Parts Spring Sizzler, or to order tickets, 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 Speedway
Posted:
March 28, 2014 |
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