Race Chatter on WNRI.COM, 99.9 fm, 1380 am, Tune in radio, Alexa, Apple, Echo,Etc.: Rowan Pennink makes it 2 Wins in 5 Starts at Stafford,Conn. SK Mod. Race 5-22-15

Saturday, May 23, 2015

Rowan Pennink makes it 2 Wins in 5 Starts at Stafford,Conn. SK Mod. Race 5-22-15

Posted by Wayne G. Barber

In the 40-lap SK Modified® feature event, Woody Pitkat led the field to green and he and Tom Bolles stayed side by side for the first two laps before Bolles got out of shape in turn 2, allowing Pitkat to get clear into the lead. Ted Christopher was now second and he made a move to Pitkat’s inside on lap-4 and he moved to the lead on lap-5. Matt Galko was now on Pitkat’s inside for second with Todd Owen and Joey Cipriano lined up behind them.

Pitkat was able to hang strong in the outside groove and he cleared Galko for second on lap-7. Owen got around Galko to move into third with Galko now side by side with Bolles for fourth place.

Owen was looking hard to Galko’s inside in a duel for second and he was finally able to take the position on lap-13 as Christopher continued to lead the race. Pitkat also got by Galko to move into third and Cipriano was now on the inside of Galko for fourth place on lap-15. The caution came out with 18 laps complete as Bolles spun in turn 3, which collected Branden Dion and Tyler Hines. Mike Christopher, Jr. spun ahead of the turn 3 melee and he was able continue at the rear of the field.

Christopher took the lead back under green with Owen right on his bumper. Pitkat was third, with Rowan Pennink behind him in fourth and Glen Reen was up to fifth. Owen and Christopher touched on lap-21, with Owen falling back several car lengths but able to maintain second. Owen was right back on the hard charge and he closed right back up to Christopher’s bumper as behind them, Pennink moved into third, with Pitkat in fourth and Ryan Preece was up to fifth.

Preece went around Pitkat to move into fourth on lap-25 and Owen nearly got on the inside of Christopher for the race lead. Owen tried the outside groove on lap-26 but Christopher was able to hold him off and Pennink was now on the inside of Owen for second. Preece was right behind Pennink and Owen in fourth with Glen Reen holding off Justin Bonsignore for fifth.

Preece got around Owen to move into third on lap-30 and the caution came out for Ronnie Williams, who came to a stop in the middle of turns 3+4.

Christopher took the lead on the restart while Preece slid to the inside of Pennink in a duel for second. Pennink got a good run in the outside groove and he pulled back alongside Christopher in a fight for the lead on the next lap. Things settled into single file briefly on lap-33 with Christopher leading Preece, Pennink, Owen, and Reen.

Pennink made a power move on the inside of Preece to move back up to second on lap-35 with Christopher still in the lead. Pennink was now glued to Christopher’s back bumper with Preece, Owen, and Reen lined up behind them.

Pennink again used turns 3+4 as his strong point on lap-37 as he got to the inside of Christopher and he took over the race lead. Christopher tried to return the favor on lap-38, but he got sideways and backed into the turn 3 wall to bring the caution out.

Pennink and Preece were side by side for the lead on the restart, but as the cars came to the white flag, Owen made a move to get by Preece and move into second. Owen gave it all he had, but he couldn’t make a move on the final lap as Pennink took down his second win of the 2015 season. Owen finished second, with Preece, Reen, and Galko rounding out the top-5.
Source; Stafford Speedway Press Release