Pitkat Powers To VMRS 80 at Stafford Motor Speedway.

Posted by Wayne G. Barber                  Story & Photos by Jim & Crystal Snape

      Stafford Motor Speedway, Stafford Springs, Connecticut

Woody Pitkat Win #2 photo Crystal Snape

They say there's nothing better than home cooking and if you ask Woody Pitkat, I think he'll agree. The hometown driver is two for two in the Peter Kulessa owned Patterson Farm sponsored number 42, at the Stafford Motor Speedway.

Pitkat paced his march to the front battling first with Rowan Pennink of Huntingdon Valley, PA, then with Todd Szegedy of Ridgefield, CT, before setting sights on race leader Steve Masse of Bellingham, MA.

Masse set his usual torrid pace at the point until lapped traffic changed the outlook of this race. In turn four Masse went high and Pitkat dove low and Pitkat came away with the lead, a lead he never relinquished for the remainder of the 80 lap battle.

Pitkat said "I made my move in lapped traffic, unfortunately for Steve (Masse) he picked the slow lane. The only scary moment I had is when (Dylan) Kopec's engine blew, I slipped in his oil and bounced off the fence.

Chris (Pasteryak) had a good car, he raced me really clean and fair and I didn't race him that way at Monadnock (Speedway). I have a lot of respect for Chris, I always have, I felt bad at Monadnock, I screwed up, hopefully we can put that behind us and have some good races."

Todd Szegedy stayed in contention all race long and drove his way into the runner-up spot, but could only watch Pitkat motor away in the final few laps."We were just off a little bit and Woody was much better than we were, we just got a little work to do to get better" Szegedy commented.

Chris Pasteryak, fresh off his VMRS victory at the Lee USA Speedway a week earlier, mounted a challenge to make it two wins in a row, but came up short. "Car was just a little too snug with a couple of cautions, it seemed to free up a bit and then the right front just went away and I just wanted to hold on to third, but I looked like a hero for a lap or two anyway" Pasteryak commented.

Rounding out the top 10 were early race leader Steve Masse, fourth. Seekonk winner Richard Savary was fifth, second year modified driver Carl Medieros Jr, turned in one of his best performances of the year, sixth. 2014 rookie of the year, Mike Willis JR improves each time out, finished seventh. Todd Patnode is just around the corner for his first win of the year was eighth. And another improving driver, Dennis Perry was ninth and Dan Meservey came back from a late race spin to finish 10th.

Track – Stafford motor Speedway 0.500 miles.

Race – Fifth annual VMRS 80.

Cautions – four – lap 56, 58, 58, 61.

Margin of victory – 2.071.

Best lap time – 18.857.

Best speed – 95.455.

Best lap by – 31X, Steve Masse

total time – 44: 58.413

　

Unofficial finish.

1 – 42 – Woody Pitkat.

2 – 85 – Todd Szegedy

3 – 5ct – Chris Pasteryak

4 –31x – Steve Masse

5 – 99 – Richard Savary

6 – 50 – Carl Medieros Jr.

7 – 38 – Mike Willis JR.

8 –05 – Todd Patnode

9 – 96 – Dennis Perry

10 – 45 – Dan Meservey Jr.

11 – 53 – Norm Wrenn

12 – 77 – Matthew Mead

13 – 79 – Jeff Rocco

14. – 56 – Michael Keeler

15 – 04 – Branden Dion

16 – 93 – George Sherman

17 – 16 –Colbey Fournier

18 – 68 – Keith Rocco

19 – 25 – Rowan Pennink

20 – 7 – Bobby Drown

21 – 19 – David Schneider

22 – 66 – Dylan Kopec

23 – 43 – Kirk Alexander

24 – 31 – Ryan Preece.

25 – 17 – Donnie Lashua

26 – 22 – Roy Seidell, JR