Woody Pitkat celebrates victory in the Valenti Modified Racing Series Saturday at the Sunoco World Series at Thompson Speedway
And Saturday Woody Pitkat tested just how incensed he could get them.
Pitkat came out on top of a late race restart skirmish for the lead with Steve Masse and the held off Jon McKennedy on the closing lap to win the 50-lap Valenti Modified Racing Series feature at the Sunoco World Series Saturday at Thompson Speedway.
The boo’s rained down heavily on Pitkat as he got out of his car in victory lane and gladly saluted the crowd with raised checkered flag.
On a lap 45 restart hard racing between Pitkat and Masse for the lead sent Masse into the turn two wall.
“Whatever,” Pitkat said of the crowd reaction. “I’m here to win. I’ve had such a bad year. I don’t care if people are spitting and kicking at me. It is what it is. The leader dictates what line he wants to take. It was just two people going for the win. One guy has to lift when you get down into the corner and it wasn’t going to be me. I was the leader and I felt like I was dictating. I didn’t think I killed him that bad. I guess I’ll have to watch the tape and see.
“I’m here to win and you’ve got to do what you’ve got to do. The car was obviously not great towards the end there. … I knew if I drove it in there pretty good it was probably going to send him up the hill. But nobody is doing anything intentional out there. Everybody is driving as hard as they can because they want to win.”
McKennedy, of Chelmsford, Mass., was second and Anthony Nocella of Woburn, Mass. third.
It was the first Valenti Modified Racing Series victory of the season for Pitkat, who was the series champion in 2015.
“I’ve got to thank my guys for working so hard,” Pitkat said. “We had such a bad year this year. It’s a new team, jumped on board and I think they thought we were going to be just as good as last year with the other team and it didn’t work that way. It’s good to end here on a good note and have a good momentum for the race next weekend and try to have a good [off season] and build for next year.”
This series has no consistency what so ever, God forbid you touch another car with your front bumper, but you can nerf bar the guy on the outside till he has to lift or get into the wall, and it is okay? I saw the same thing as earlier in the year at Stafford where TC ran McKennedy up, and Woody did the samething to Masse. I lost all respect for Woody on this one, I would rather finish second with some class, than win by pulling a move like that.
Typical bush league maneuver from a bush league driver. He should enjoy it as it will be his last in that car. Owner of the 52, please call Hinckley. You will get a far better driver, a clean racer, and win way more often. And then the arrogance of him to to insult the crowd just shows his class. A real POS.
Typical bush league maneuver from a bush league driver. He should enjoy it as it will be his last in that car. Owner of the 52, please call Hinckley. You will get a far better driver, a clean racer, and win way more often. And then the arrogance of him to to insult the crowd just shows his class. A real POS.
Agree, what a joke. Not surprised the 52 did it, just his style.
Really Dirty Deed by Pitkat to send Masse into the fence. Woody is a great driver but is the first to whine if the same is done to him. The usually popular Woody was loudly booed after the race. His poor attitude in post race interview needs an adjustment which I am sure will be coming in the future from Mr. Masse.
No idea how Whiny Woody can be proud of that win. My opinion of this guy has just gone down, down, down across the 2016 season.
way to go woody…..get the win. hope to see you at walls turkey derby
It sounds like Woody is the new TC!
This is obviously the acceptable way to race in 2016. Pull the pin and throw it in and if they don’t lift, drive them into the concrete, real bush league move, what a hack!
A real racer would have raced for the win. The old “I did what I had to do” line is bs. He did what he WANTED to do. Personally, I’d rather finish P2 knowing I did the best I could if I couldn’t get to the stripe first cleanly. If I ran the MRS he would’ve been stripped of the win, or worse.
What a sad excuse for a driver. I don’t think I’ve heard anyone be booed that loudly in a while – not even TC. That low life can be proud of his pathetic win but I am sure the favor will be returned by Masse when the opportunity arises.
Savary pulled the same crap with Rocco in 3&4 then Rocco retaliated the next lap and they were both put to the rear. What is the difference?
The difference? Rocco’s retaliation move took out more cars than just Savary. Hack job on both moves
I think the VMRS officiating staff have selective vision! Time for Jack to retire, talks out if two sides of his mouth.
Wood sounds like your the only person who has ever done that,I’ll bet none of the clowns that posted have never been in that situation,so you got the win for your team ,good job. They don’t remember Evans and Bodine going for the win at Martinsville,and they are remembered as two of the best,let them cry they’ll get over it
Elect, I have to agree with you on this one, I have to wonder if those posting how bad it was were at Thompson today? Masse is no rookie, he raced in the Sunoco Modifieds a few years back, he knows how it is at that track, if you are on the outside and the driver on the inside sends it in there, you have two choices, LIFT is what most drivers do, or take your chances and bounce off the wall or worse get towed off the wall! Masse drove to the pits on his own, so I would have to say it could have been much worse, so why all the crying? Do you really think Pennick wanted to lift when Preece dove under him on the last lap of the Sunoco Mod race, I doubt it but the difference is he used his head and chose to lift rather than bounce of the wall or worse. It happened in the WMT race several times today, if I recall correctly, it happened to Pennick again, which he used his head and lifted and it also happened to Pitkat who also lifted. I am not saying they wanted to lift, but they knew that was the way to go, it appears Masse needs to stop crying about Pitkat and think about what he could have done differently, one word sums it up, LIFT! And Speedy, Masse did what he wanted to do also which was NOT LIFT, he got what most drivers get when they make that choice in that situation. Hopefully Masse learned something last night, if he didn’t he has no one to blame but himself! Again, Just my thoughts…
That’s some pretty warped thinking, just my thoughts. It’s the guy on the inside that does a no talent move and decides that 8 tires are better than 4, and according to you it’s the outside guy’s fault? Anyone can take it in ten men and clean the guy out… That’s racing???
Watch the video joe. Pitkat never even hit him! All he did was drive him up like everyone does but masse decided to drive it in 4 car lengths deeper then he did all night. Suxs for him should of lifted and done the crossover
Well then explain why woody says he did what he had to do to win? He would only make that statement if he knew he was in the wrong. It’s typical for him and others. And to make an excuse that you had a bad year so therefore drive like a moron is pathetic. Sit back and observe objectively is all i will say.
just my thoughts, should i just run single file at waterford take no chances and lift when i could possible wreck? im sure youll pay to come watch
just my thoughts, should i just run single file at waterford take no chances and lift when i could possibly wreck? im sure youll pay to come watch
I was thinking the same thing. Waterford could get interesting next weekend. People at Thompson were saying many drivers were not going to Lee but Waterford instead. Was there anything else that Lee could have done as far as scheduling? And about Rocco, some guy asked the question right before Rocco’s wreck. “Why can’t Rocco get a WMT ride?” A minute later he takes out the 99 and my buddy says “that’s why Rocco doesn’t have a tour ride”
Well Stephen M Masse, if you are on the outside with two to go at Waterford and say TC, Rocco, Pitkat or Savary just to name a few are winning you have two choices, “Lift” and try the crossover move, or don’t lift and if you bounce off the wall, you can always boo hoo again! If I recall correctly, you are the same Stephen M Masse that did not have such a swell start to the 2016 MRS season, so bad in fact that you took some races off and were thinking of hanging up your helmet. You changed your mind, fixed your car and went to Waterford and won the $10,000.00 race, I for one was happy for you! Did Pitkat have anything to do with the wrecks that led up to you thinking about calling it quits? I do not think so, futhermore one thing the MRS officials are consistent with is their A B rule, if Pitkat had touched you, McKennedy would have been declared the winner. Stop crying and concentrate on winning Waterford! By the way, good thing you never ran Modifieds with those like Jimmy Spencer, you would have never lasted! Again, Just my thoughts…
What ever happened to racing people cleanly and with respect?
Humphry – it died when Dale Earnhardt became a ‘hero’.
I wasn’t there on Saturday, so let me be the voice of reason. Steve Masse is a clean driver. He is a good driver. Woody is a good driver. Is he clean… No. I heard it was a pretty rough move on Woody’s part. I guess you gotta do what you gotta do. And these racers have to be OK with what they do. If they can look at themselves in the mirror and be good with that, then good for them. If they can, then what are you going to do. Nobody wants to fail. But if success for you means you did someone else wrong then it is a cheap victory. And when the dust settles and you look back on your career, you realize that by taking an opportunity that presents itself and do what you gotta do, it may be hollow. Steve Masse is one of the drivers I pay to see when I go to the track. He is one guy I want to see what can he do. Woodrow Pitkat is not some one I would pay to watch. When he is at a track I see what he will do to win. One is respect and one is curiosity. A Wonder and a Freak Show I guess at the end of the day. We pay to see them all. But some racers I would have to be paid to watch, some I don’t. Keep doing what you are doing and great things will come Mr. Masse. That is the end of year rant from me.
Enough is enough already
You people are rediculious. Stephan you wrecked yourself Saturday night! Did Woody drive you up? Yes he did just like everyone does at Thompson to pass especially for the lead. Did he give you a lane to race in? Absolutely but just not the one you wanted. Did he ever bump you, nerf you, or bang wheels with you? Nope he didn’t! Yet everyone makes it out like woody just blew it in there smashed you and put you in the wall. Steve you drive it into turn one harder then you ever have in your whole life got your car out of shape and into the loose stuff and the rest is history! If you where at anytime in control of your car you would have been able to pinch down on woody in the corner to let him no you where out of racing room but you couldn’t cause you lost control of your car and fenced yourself. The more youNd your stupid spotter rant and rave the more you look like clowns and it’s obvious that you guys must feel better telling yourself’s and everyone one else on social media that it was Woody’s fault when it was actually yourself! Not sure how you sleep at night when you no you wrecked yourself but tell everyone else other things. Do yourself a favor Stephan and RUN YOUR CAR NOT YOUR MOUTH!!! People will respect you more that way