Chris Pasteryak Claims Stafford 80 Victory

Stafford Springs Speedway, Stafford Springs, Connecticut

Photo by Simply the Best, Crystal Snape

With one of the most exciting seasons on the MRS schedule winding down, Chris Pasteryak of Jewett City, CT just keeps cranking it up.

Pasteryak won't want to see this race season come to an end, after all he just claimed his second Stafford Speedway victory of his career, it was his second consecutive win with the MRS, his third in the last four, his fifth in the last eight and his 11th overall, VMRS victory.

The 2011 MRS champion also added to his current points lead.

Dylan Kopec, of Palmer, MA and Stormin' Norman Wrenn of Nashua, NH paced the 26 starters to the green flag of John Spence Jr and Kopec would lead the first eight laps. Rowan Pennink of Huntingdon Valley PA, who started in row two, powered his way past Kopec on a restart. Penick's lead would be short-lived, however, as Todd Szegedy of Ridgefield, CT used an outside pass on Pennink to become the new race leader on lap 12, a lead that would only last one lap.

Local favorite Woody Pitkat of Stafford Springs, CT started mid-pack in the field, but within 13 laps he used his familiar inside slingshot move on Szegedy and looked to be on his way to another Stafford victory as he and Szegedy pulled out to a comfortable lead over the pack behind them.

 

Photo by Simply the Best, Crystal Snape

On lap 58 a minor single car spin brought out the second caution of the race, which tightened up the field for the restart. That restart had Pitkat on the pole with Szegedy outside, behind them Ted Christopher of Plainville, CT and Keith Rocco of Berlin, CT made up row two. Early race leader Kopec was fifth with Pasteryak restarting sixth.

It only took one lap before yellow was displayed again for contact and a spin between Kyle James of Ashaway RI and Carl Medeiros Jr of Westport, MA.

 

The restart of lap 59 saw Szegedy try to muscle the lead from Pitkat, but Szegedy lost control off turn two, causing a crash which eliminated Pennink, Todd Patnode, Kirk Alexander and Chase Dowling.

The final restart of the event had Pitkat and Pasteryak wheel to wheel off turn four, but Pitkat missed a shift and Pasteryak took advantage, pulling away to become the final leader of the event.

For the next 20 laps Pitkat chased Pasteryak, closing to within 0.118 seconds at the finish line.

Reporter Jim Snape

In victory lane Pasteryak said "A lot of dumb luck really, starting 12th I didn't want to charge early and was hoping for a caution, which came out and we restarted sixth, then coming out of turn two all hell broke loose, the 85 lost it. It wasn't anything anybody did, it was just a racing accident. I restarted fifth and the next thing I knew second, third and fourth are all backed up and then I'm sitting in second, so that's pretty cool. Then the next restart the guy who's been racing here for 20 years and has won in everything misses a shift. It happens, I lost a race two years ago to Dwight Jarvis at Monadnock and I lost one to Teddy at Waterford the same way. I guess you've got to lose a couple to win one and tonight we won one."

Race Story by Jim Snape and

photos by Simply the Best, Crystal Snape