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WOODY PITKAT ADDS THE 2015 VMRS CHAMPIONSHIP TO HIS RESUME
Pitkat Finishes
His Race Season on the Top
by
Denise DuPont |
 When
the year started it was supposed to be another
normal race year for Woody Pitkat of Stafford, CT.
Last year he drove the #42 Valenti Modified Racing
Series (VMRS) when it fit in his busy schedule and
the team had fun while doing it. This year as racing
schedules fell, Pitkat was able to participate
almost fulltime with the series. He missed only one
race due to a NWMT conflict. On Saturday October
17th, Pitkat captured his first VMRS Championship at
Thompson Speedway Motorsports Park (TSMP).
“It is pretty amazing when we started out we did not
even think we were going to run for the
championship, we were just going to have fun and
race.” Confessed Pitkat about the championship
accomplishment. “At our last year’s banquet we were
looking at the schedule and said maybe we could run
them all. And at that time I really wished that I
knew that I would have made other plans. All and all
it worked anyways. We came out of the box pretty
consistent and we were good the whole year. We did
falter a little bit over the summer though. We broke
an axle at Claremont ad then at
 the
deal in Beech Ridge we lost some points there and
the race. Other than that we had a good car.”
Last year Pitkat had an opportunity to jump behind
the wheel of the #42 VMRS modified when the ride
became available. Ken Barry contacted Pitkat to see
if he was interested and Pitkat jumped at the
opportunity. It was a part time ride, the team raced
and had fun and proved to be a real good match. “To
get in this thing (#42 modified) last year and run
consistent but not win was frustrating last year. I
knew if I got back into it after these guys worked
real hard over the winter that we would be a team to
contend with in the series.” And Pitkat proved that
he could be a contender and a front runner.
“It actually was just an awesome season.” Stated
Pitkat. “We struggled a little bit and missed one
race because of a NWMT race conflict. When we came
down to the last couple of races it made it close
and interesting. I have to say hats off to my team,
car owner, crew chief and sponsors!”
 Looking
back at the year Pitkat expressed what his
highlights of the year in the VMRS competition were.
“We were really strong at the Stafford (Motor
Speedway) races. Then again we were really good
everywhere. This team made it fun to go to tracks
like Seekonk (Speedway). Lee (USA Speedway), Beech
Ridge (Speedway), Claremont (Speedway) which were
places that I have never been to. These were places
that I had never even seen and we were able to take
the car right out of the box and be able to contend
not only for top fives but also for wins. Not only
did this make my life a lot easier but it was also a
lot of fun.”
Runner up for the 2015 VMRS Championship was prior
champion Chris Pasteryak of Jewett City, CT. He
started the final race for the series mid field and
made his way through the field into the top five
where he finished. The odds were a long shot that he
would surpass Pitkat for the championship but he
gave it a good try. “Chris (Pasteryak) had a bad
start to the season and then he picked it up when we
had a bad season,” Pitkat stated about this years
close championship rival. ”Then last week we
capitalized on things and we came into tonight
ready. Congratulations to them (#5CT Pasteryak
team). They won five races and we won two. So
obviously they were real good. Hats off to Chris and
his team.”
“All of this is just unbelievable!” Congratulations
to Pitkat and the #42, Peter Kulessa race team and
their 2015 VMRS championship.
Notes from
Thompson Speedway Motorsports Park:
Would you have done
anything different to 2015 Race Plans if you knew
then what you know now?
Woody Pitkat
“I may not have pushed to run Stafford and ran the
VMRS series every week if I knew we were going to
try to push this deal to a Championship. In the
beginning we were not going to, we were just going
to run races and have fun doing it. Then when we
started running very consistent and were up front in
the points, I wanted to keep going and the team was
on board with it. I cannot thank them enough. They
ran for championships before and they already knew
how stressful it is. I really did not understand how
stressful it was until this weekend. So yes it was
stressful but I am glad that I was able to do it.
Next year we will just keep going and hopefully we
will have some fun.”
Your thoughts on this
weekend?
Woody Pitkat
“The reason why I am here this weekend and being
able to run for three championships is because of
the crew and everybody that worked so hard to get me
the equipment. I am just the lucky guy who comes
here to the race track and has the opportunity to
run. In the end it all starts at the race track.
Wins are run at the race track and I could not do it
without any of the guys on my teams.”
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 restould 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:
Denise DuPont /
TheChromeHorn.com
Posted:
October 18, 2015 |
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