(Press Release from the Modified Racing Series)
Two former champions came out on top Sunday as the Valenti Modified Racing Series and Lee USA Speedway presented twin 50-lap Cone races and a full field of modifieds all part of the racetracks 35th annual Russ Conway’s Oktoberfest in memory of Conway who passed in August
Woody Pitkat, of Bellingham, MA, and Anthony Nocella, of Woburn, MA, were the victors.
Pitkat, piloting the Stan Mertz # 6, started fourth in a field of 30-cars, survived a red flag and four caution flags to go on to win the first 50-lap segment for his fifth series win and his first of the 2019 season. Pitkat won a rain shortened race last October.
Pitkat was chased to the finish by hard charging Tommy Barrett, of Millis, MA, driving the NH based John Corliss entry, Les Hinckley, of Windsor Locks, CT, finished third, with Ronnie Williams, of Ellington, CT, and Brian Robie, of Sunapee, NH, rounding out the top five.
Matt Galko, Max Zachem, Rob Richardi, Carl Medeiros Jr, and Ben Byrne finished sixth through tenth.
The race was stopped on lap two when Cameron Sontag, of Sterling, MA, and C.J. Bolton of Weare, NH, came together with Sontag getting airborne and coming down on top of Bolton. Neither driver was injured but both cars were significantly damaged.
20-cars finished on the lead lap.
Race Summary
Lee USA Speedway
Sunday October 6, 2019
Distance: 50 Laps
Entrants: 30
Caution Flags: Lap 1, 2 (Red) 14, 28, 31,38,43,44
Best Lap Time: 14.979 Best Speed 90.126 (Les Hinckley III)
In race two, Nocella wheeled the Nocella # 92 to his 15th career series win and his second cone win this season. He shared the honors with Jeffrey Gallup in May
Things were a little calmer in the second go with Williams, Barrett, Hinckley and Pitkat the class of the field covering the top five positions at the checker.
Sixth through tenth were Robie, Zachem, Beech Ridge winner Tony Ricci, Jon Kievman, and Josh Cantara.
15-cars of the 26 that took the green were on the lead lap.
Race Summary:
Entrants: 26
Caution Flags Laps 7, 25, 46, and 47
Best Lap Time: 15.182 Best Speed: 88.921 (Donnie Lashua)
The Thirty Two Signs “King Kone” award was presented to Pitkat for scoring the most points after the two races.
The Hard Charger Awards, posted by a local fan from the Lee area, went to Tommy Barrett and Brian Robie. Each received $ 400 from the anonymous fan. The series thanks both for their contributions.
Capri Tools, of Pomona, CA, came on board to sponsor prizes to the teams with the highest point totals at Lee and the top three finishers at Thompson CT this weekend.
What ungodly hour did this show finally end??
Glad to hear they got a great car turnout I think that’s their largest field this year. Hopefully Thompson will have a number like that.
Hey JD, the WHOLE show ended around 9pm and that includes the enduros after the mod race.
I went on social media after the Patriots game to see who won and they hadn’t run either mod race or the 150 lap pro stock race yet. 9pm on a Sunday in October is insane. Sunday shows need to be over by 5-5:30 outside of July and August. Glad I skipped that nonsense.
The World Series will be over before 6pm. That’s how you do it.
As Mr. Mertz said he would and he ran the SK package with the 650 4 barrell he said he would use for short race duration’s. Just an amazing accomplishment.