For the 2019 Granite State Pro Stock
Series Season, car owner Wright Pearson has tabbed northeast racing legend
Tommy Rosati to pilot one of his two entries. Rosati, the 1979 Oxford 250
winner and multi-time pro stock champion, hasn’t competed in 17 years, but
that’s not deterring the duo.
Rosati has a history
of success throughout New England, in just about every type of race car. He won multiple
championships at both Riverside Park and Stafford motor speedway in Pro Stocks,
and the record books will show numerous poles and a win in what is now known as
the K&N East series. 1994 was Rosatis most succesful year in NASCAR
competition running the Busch North Series, where he and his Tic Tac sponsored team
ran 18 of the 20 scheduled races. They scored one win, six top five’s and 10
top ten’s while leading 415 laps and finishing ninth in the final point’s
standings. During his lengthy career he also ran Modifieds, Pro-four modifieds
and made two starts in what is now the Xfinity series.
In the summer of
2018 during a conversation with Tommy O’Sullivan, Pearson found out that Rosati
had “gotten the itch to race again”. Weeks later, the team and driver got
together for a test session at Monadnock Speedway. The test went so well that
they agreed to return to the track for the 2018 JBH 100. Unfortunately, due to
a scheduling conflict, the plan was derailed but the seed had been planted.
Just before Thanksgiving Rosati called Pearson and told him “I’m all in for whatever
you want to do”. Subsequent talks have led to a very busy season as Pearson has
three cars and a fourth on the way to be run across three different series.
Throughout his
career Rosati has had the opportunity to compete on most of the tracks that the
Granite State Pro Stock Series visits. When asked about the tracks that he will
race on this year he said “I really like Lee and Waterford. I think we should
run really well everywhere we go, but those two are the ones I am most looking
forward to”. Rosati then added that “Speedway 51 is the only track I have never
competed on, so I’m looking forward to to racing there”. When asked about goals
for the season he said “I think we can win two to three races and contend for
the championship”.
Both Pearson and
Rosati want to focus on the GSPSS schedule but have ambitious plans for 2019.
“We are going to focus on Granite State as long as things are going well”
stated Pearson. “We want to have some fun and not tear up equipment and as long
as that’s happening we will continue to chase the series championship”. Rosati
then added “This could be my last chance so it needs to be fun for everyone”. “When
it stops being fun we will do something else”.
One of the details
that pushed Rosati to make this happen was the friendship between himself,
Pearson and former car owner Tom O’Sullivan. In 1997 Rosati won the last of his
championships at Stafford Motor Speedway driving a car fielded by O’Sullivan.
On the crew during those years were Tom’s sons Mike and Tommy who has also
driven a car for Pearson in the past, and will step into the role of spotter
for 2019.
These days its Mike O’Sullivan doing the
driving for the family owned team and he looks forward to competing against his
hero. “I have the utmost respect for that Guy” states O’Sullivan. “I watched
him drive for my father when I was eight or nine”. When asked about Rosatis
influence on him, Mike had this to say. “When I started driving in late 1996 we
had two cars. He’d follow me or I’d follow him and he’d talk to me on the radio
for two or three laps at a time. Imagine the advantage of learning like that”
he added.
Now the the two will
be competitors, both with the same goal of winning the 2019 GSPSS title. At the
same time they will be pseudo team mates. When asked about crew Pearson said “I
don’t have a whole lot of help. We’ll park with the O’Sullivans and some of
Tommys (O’Sullivan) old guys are gonna help out. Also, I’m sure Mikes Guys will
jump in if needed”. “Tommy (Rosati) asked me what would happen if we got a flat
and I told him we would get it changed. My back is pretty screwed up so it
might be tomorrow but we will get it changed” he added with a chuckle.
Pearson also plans
to run a second car in just short of half of the 2019 GSPSS races. Brandon Barker
will be doing the driving and his pit crew will help out when that car runs. “I
think the first race we will run both cars will be the Lee race in May” Said
Pearson “Brandon has a real good group so that will be a big help on the second
car”.
The new pairing can
be seen throughout the 2019 season anywhere the Granite State Pro Stock Series
Races. The first opportunity for series to hit the track will be at the new
Claremont Motorsports Park. The third mile oval in Claremont NH will host a
test session Saturday April 27 followed by the first race of the season Friday
night May third.
Follow the series
and check out the 2019 schedule on Facebook and Twitter as well as the website
at www.gspss.net.
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