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KEITH ROCCO TAKES VMRS WIN
AT THOMPSON SPEEDWAY MOTORSPORTS PARK
Woody Pitkat
Captures First Career VMRS Title
by
Polly Reid |
 Keith
Rocco of Wallingford, CT took the lead on the first
circuit, survived six cautions including a brush
with the wall to score a convincing victory in the
‘VMRS World Series 50’ at Thompson Speedway
Motorsports Park.
Woody Pitkat of Stafford, CT crossed for second, the
runner up finish was enough for Pitkat to clench the
VMRS Championship title in the Pete Kulessa owned
modified. While Dave Etheridge of Portland, CT
followed in third for an impressive podium finish.
Jon McKennedy crossed the stripe fourth and Chris
Pasteryak fifth.
“We had a great car all year, all the races we ran,”
said Rocco in victory lane. “We should have
contended for a lot more wins and had a lot more
than we did but, I’ve got to thank everyone on my
team, they worked real hard.”
“Congratulations to Pitkat, I knew he was going to
force the issue, but this thing, it was just fast
tonight.”
“It’s pretty amazing,” said Pitkat in victory lane.
“We didn’t even think we were going to run for a
championship, we were just going to run some races-
have some fun and race. Then at last year’s banquet,
Pete (Kulessa) was looking at the schedule and said
maybe we can run them all. All in all, it worked. We
came out of the box, we were really consistent all
year. I can’t thank Pete Kulessa enough for giving
me the opportunity, crew chief Greg Felton, Bob-
everybody who works so hard – Spafco- Kenny Barry,
thank him for sending me the text message letting me
know they were looking for somebody.”
 Pitkat
led the twenty-nine car field to green with Rocco,
Todd Szegedy, Dan Meservey Jr. and Dave Etheridge
the top five. Rocco got the edge on the first lap
and Szegedy, Pitkat, Meservey and McKennedy fell
quickly into single file.
The first yellow of the night waved on lap 7 when
Tony Anello spun on the front stretch. The field
gathered up for the restart and while Rocco held
strong on the restart, Pitkat made a move for second
with Szegedy, Meservey and now Ted Christopher the
top five.
The next yellow, on lap 11, kept the field close for
the start. Then as the field rounded the track into
the backstretch, the yellow waved again. Meservey
and Christopher, running fourth and fifth
respectively, connected on the backstretch sending
the duo spinning towards the grassy infield. Both
were able to continue but from the back of the pack.
Meanwhile, that incident set off a chain reaction
that rippled back in the field unfortunately
collecting up Roy Seidell, Jr., Todd Patnode and
Chris Jensen- the red flag was needed for track
cleanup.
Rocco nailed the next restart only to be reigned
back in immediately for a spin on the front stretch
involving Mike Keeler and a second spin on the
backstretch for Anello. Rocco set to task and while
McKennedy owned second place briefly, at the halfway
mark it was Rocco, Pitkat, McKennedy, Szegedy and
Etheridge the top five. Chris Pasteryak meanwhile
who was in contention for the VMRS title, started
eleventh and was now up to eighth with twenty to go.
Lap 35 was a game changer for the finish. As the
green flag run continued, just as the leaders made
their way around turn two, a pair of lap cars made
contact in front of the field. Reacting quickly,
Rocco went high and hit the marbles getting out of
shape brushing the turn two outside wall. Rocco
continued, Pitkat and McKennedy made it through but
Szegedy, running fourth was collected up. Szegedy
was able to drive away but had to restart from the
rear of the field.
The final caution occurred on lap 37 for the Kevin
Iannarelli car. He spun the #27 modified around in
turn four to set up a sprint to the finish. Rocco
was again strong on the restart, Pitkat tucked in
for second, Etheridge third, McKennedy fourth and
Pasteryak fifth. Ten to go, the top five separated
from the field and as the laps ticked off, Rocco
managed up to a three car length lead over Pitkat in
second.
 At
the checkers, Rocco sailed across the line for a
convincing victory, his second VMRS win at Thompson,
Pitkat in second secured the VMRS Championship
title, Etheridge a solid third and McKennedy fourth.
Pasteryak in fifth was there if Pitkat had issues
but ran out of time to challenge for the top spot.
Rowan Pennink who had taken the green 27th crossed
for sixth, Dylan Kopec in the hunt for a top five
finish settled for seventh, Mike Keeler, Anthony
Nocella and Eric Berndt completed the top ten.
Dennis Perry completed the race twenty-first which
was enough to capture the 2015 VMRS Rookie of the
Year title.
John Spence announced during the VMRS feature that
this would be the last race for Norm Wrenn- the
Nashua, NH driver is retiring from racing. A quiet
twelfth place finish in the final VMRS feature,
Wrenn carries years and years of accumulated
experience and wisdom with him as he moves onto the
next chapter in his life. Best of luck Norm – where
ever you chose to go, whatever you chose to do.
That’s a wrap for the 2015 VMRS racing season. Next
up will be the VMRS Championship banquet on November
7th in Manchester, NH.
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Source:
Polly Reid /
TheChromeHorn.com
Posted:
October 18, 2015 |
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