Hometown Hero: Woody Pitkat Scores First Valenti Mod Series Victory At Stafford Speedway

Woody Pitkat (Photo: Tim Bradbury/Getty Images for NASCAR)

Woody Pitkat (Photo: Tim Bradbury/Getty Images for NASCAR)

STAFFORD – Last August Woody Pitkat made history at Stafford Motor Speedway when he won his first NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour event, in the process becoming the first driver ever from Stafford to win a Tour event at the historic half-mile oval.

Friday Pitkat grabbed another personal milestone in another touring Modified division.

Pitkat held off Keith Rocco over the closing laps to win the 80-lap Valenti Modified Racing Series feature at Stafford.

It was the first career Valenti Modified Racing Series victory for Pitkat.

Pitkat won his third career Whelen Modified Tour event April 26 at Stafford in the NAPA Auto Parts Spring Sizzler. He also won a Whelen Modified Tour event last September at New Hampshire Motor Speedway.

“They just keep clicking,” Pitkat said. “I hope it doesn’t show that this is the only place I can win. But, I mean, it’s showing that I’m in top notch equipment and I’ve got great people backing me. A great supporting cast.”

Rocco, of Wallingford, was second and Todd Szegedy of Ridgefield third.

Pitkat started his racing career at Stafford in the entry level DARE Stock division as a teenager and worked his way up through the ranks at the track.Thirty Racewear MRS At Stafford 280

“It’s definitely a huge feat,” Pitkat said of getting his first Whelen Modified Tour and Valenti Modified Racing Series victories at Stafford. “It’s nice to be able to go to places and show up with a good attitude and go out there and just focus on giving [the team] your best feedback. It starts at the shop. We have unbelievable cars right from when we unload. Your confidence is up.

Pitkat is driving on the Valenti Modified Racing Series for team owner Peter Kulessa. He finished second in the season opening Valenti Modified Racing Series event at Monadnock Speedway in Winchester, N.H. on May 2.

“I knew we were going to have a good car,” Pitkat said. “We’ve had a good car this year. We put a notebook together last year with these guys and just kept working on it and working on it.”

Rocco battled at the front with Ryan Preece for much of the early stages of the event. Pitkat went by Rocco for the lead on lap 49 but Rocco retook the top spot on lap 52.

But on lap 68, Pitkat deftly used a lapped car to get by Rocco coming out of turn four and retake the lead for good.

“I tried to use the lapped car,” Pitkat said. “At that point I kind of almost still felt that Keith was just letting me go to kind of ride to get me to work on me toward the end. You never know with Keith.”

Said Rocco: “We had a lot of good cars up front in the beginning and at the end some of them faded. Still, Woody was strong. He snookered me on the lap car and got by me.”

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Comments

  1. Joe tobin says

    Great job woody !!!
    Your one of the best !!

  2. Jason Thompson says

    Great job Woody.. What a race!

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