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CHRIS PASTERYAK WINS THE 'STAFFORD 80' RACE
AT STAFFORD MOTOR SPEEDWAY
Pasteryak
Captures Eleventh VMRS career Win
by
Denise DuPont |
 The
‘Stafford 80’ Valenti Modified Racing Series race
started the night as with three action packed heat
races. With only ten laps to get to the front,
drivers raced hard to get one of the six transfer
positions. In the end heat races were won by Keith
Rocco, Mike Willis Jr. and Todd Szegedy. A capsule
drawn determined that the top six qualifying
positions would be inverted. This brought Dylan
Kopec from sixth to the pole with veteran Norm Wrenn
on his outside to start the race.
The race looked from the beginning that it was going
to be a typical VMRS feature race with only one
caution early on at lap 6. The caution flag flew
then for Dan Meservey, Jr. who has spun his way
through the front stretch infield spewing dirt and
dust in the air. After that, the laps continued to
click off quickly with Woody Pitkat leading the
field at his home track. Pitkat passed Todd Szegedy
for the lead on lap 13 and did not look back. He was
ready to make it two for two night with his SK
Modified win already in the books earlier in the
evening.
Then on lap 58, Carl Medieros, Jr. spun in the
backstretch and came to a stop bringing out the
second caution. The yellow flag brought race action
to a quick stop and broke the leader’s momentum.
Then as the old adage goes: “Cautions breed
Cautions”. The field return to racing only to be
back under yellow one lap later when two cars made
contact and spun just after turn three. Kyle James
who was collected in the spin was able to pull away
while Medieros pitted with a right rear flat. With
twenty-one of the twenty-six car field still on the
track, the race went back green after a brief delay
caused by a report of oil on the track.
 The
green flag flew once again on lap 59 for a
twenty-one lap shootout. Then as the leaders came
around turn two, Szegedy’s #85 snapped around to
bring out yet another caution. Several cars were
involved in the accident. Pennink’s #25 modified
sustained the worst damage though after making hard
contact with the backstretch wall. After the impact,
Pennink quickly exited his car when some flames
erupted. Track crew addressed the small oil fire and
the Roscoe modified was towed hammock style into the
pits. While track crew cleaned debris, Szegedy was
able to pull away on his own.
The race resumed and only ran one lap before cars
collected up and spun to bring out the fifth and
final caution on lap 60. During the caution Szegedy
pitted. The Stuart race team took off the hood off
the #85 only to find a pierced radiator leaking. So
after a strong run another competitor’s night was
ended.
On the next and final restart, Pitkat did not come
up to speed after missing a shift. “I definitely
missed a shift but I do not think that I spun my
tires,” confessed Pitkat. Pasteryak was able to pull
pass Pitkat on the outside and was the new leader
followed in second by Dylan Kopec. Pitkat wasted no
time getting into second and chased Pasteryak for
the top position. In the end Pasteryak crossed the
finish line first for his second VMRS win in a row.
Pitkat was second and Mike Willis, Jr. completing
third had his first ever podium finish.
“I would rather be lucky than good,” stated Chris
Pasteryak in victory lane. “I do not think that the
best car won tonight.”
Pasteryak then described what he saw on the final
restart. “He left a little bit before I did. When we
got to the shift point it looked like he spun the
tires and I didn’t. To tell the truth, I really
thought that he was going to just drive back around
me. I did not have anything for him and it showed.”
Pasteryak summarized his night as a lot of luck and
being at the right place at the right time. “I was
so lucky in my heat race.” He started his heat race
last and missed two incidents to finish fourth. He
began the feature race twelfth and managed to avoid
incidents until he finally had the opportunity to
pass for the lead on the restart. “I missed the big
wreck off of two. Keith could have gone left instead
and he went right and the #85 collected him. It has
been my year man and I am going to enjoy it. Winning
at Stafford feels great, the points will take care
of themselves.” Pasteryak has won the last 3 out of
four races so he is on a roll.
 On
the last restart when the front two cars came to the
shift box Pitkat missed a shift and Pasteryak in the
second place car was able to go on the outside
around him. “That is the deal with the box.”
Described Pitkat. “The leader sets the pace and the
guy on the outside will have his front right wheel
ahead of you and will get out of the box ahead of
the leader. So the leader is at a disadvantage.”
Pitkat definitely had a fast car but he could not
make it past Pasteryak for the lead before the laps
ran out. “He was real loose and I tried to run him
down.” Pitkat stated about his run at the race He
made his way to second but his chase ended there. “I
do not give up, I race every lap as hard as I can. I
was trying and I thought that I could catch him, but
I just couldn’t. He (Chris Pasteryak) was
pretty good. Once I caught up to him he slowed down
and protected his lane. At that point I probably
over worked the thing (#42 modified) to try to get
back the lead. It is what it is and we will just go
on to the next one.” Pitkat was disappointed that he
did not win, but a second place finish was a good
reward for his efforts.
Mike Willis, Jr. won his heat race and started the
race in fifth. He pitted towards the end of the race
which was not in the team’s plan but ended up being
a good call. Willis was then able to make his way
through the field and end his day with a podium
finish.
“For once we finished here,” stated Willis. “For
some reason we are always in the wrong spot here and
are involved in a wreck. Tonight someone was in
front of us that helped us out through that wreck on
the back stretch. All I saw was smoke and cars going
everywhere and I thought I was done for it. Some
body hit me in the rear and turned me towards the
wall. But then I was able to then get around Rocco
who was sitting right there in the middle of the
track and it turned out to be pretty easy.” With
luck on his side Willis completed third, his best
finish in VMRS competition.
When the caution flag flew on lap 58, Willis pulled
in to pit. “I misunderstood my dad and pitted. But
it ended up to be a good call because the car was
loose. The car was awesome after that.” So the pit
stop was not what the team planned but in the end
was the move that placed them where they needed to
be. “We have been struggling lately ever since we
crashed at Claremont (Speedway). But the team never
gave up and finally found what the problem was. I
have to thank Kenny (Barry) for that and for giving
me a great car.” Mike Willis, Jr. finished Oxford
Plains race in nineteen and came back at Stafford to
finish third. Ted Christopher finished fourth and
Norm Wrenn for fifth. Dave Etheridge, Keith Rocco,
Dylan Kopec, Dan Meservey Jr., and Matt Swanson
rounded up the top ten.
The VMRS teams will now celebrate Labor Day weekend
and have a month off before they return to racing
Octoberfest weekend at Lee USA Speedway October 10th
and 11th.
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Source:
Denise DuPont /
TheChromeHorn.com
Posted:
September 6, 2015 |
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