Longtime Modified driver and team owner Carl Pasteryak passed away Friday following a brief illness.
Pasteryak, of Lisbon, was 71 years old.
Pasteryak, who had been involved in Modified racing in the Northeast for more than 45 years, competed regularly with the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour for 25 years. In recent years he was involved with the racing efforts of his nephew, Chris Pasteryak.
Carl Pasteryak got his start racing Modifieds in 1976 at Stafford Speedway with his brother Charlie – who was just under five years younger than him – working alongside him as a crew member.
Charlie Pasteryak ultimately joined his brother on the track and the pair became stalwarts on the Whelen Modified Tour and great to be affectionately known around Northeast racing as the Polish Pavers. The pair operated the Pasteryak Asphalt company.
Carl Pasteryak made nine starts on the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour in its first year of existence in 1985.
For 25 consecutive years from 1985 on he made at least three or more starts every year with the series. He made his last series start on Oct. 4, 2009 in the Fall Final at Stafford Speedway.
Over 25 seasons Carl Pasteryak made 354 Whelen Modified Tour starts with five podium finishes, 15 top-five’s, 91 top-10’s and three pole positions. He had second place finishes at Martinsville (Va.) Speedway (1990) and Stafford (1999). Tim Connolly held off Carl Pasteryak on a green-white-checkered restart to win the Connecticut Classic 150 on May 29, 1999 at Stafford Speedway.
With 665 starts between them, Carl Pasteryak and Charlie Pasteryak (311 series starts) had the second most Whelen Modified Tour starts by a combination of brothers in series history. Only the Fuller brothers with 692 starts between Rick Fuller (438 starts), Jeff Fuller (240 starts) and Bobby Fuller (14 starts) had more than the Pasteryak brothers.
“NASCAR mourns the passing of Carl Pasteryak, who was a pillar of the modified community in the Northeast,” read a statement released Friday evening through the NASCAR Roots social media accounts. “In addition to racing for 25 years in the Whelen Modified Tour, Carl was a proud brother (Charlie) and uncle (Chris) of racers. He will be missed at the track, and his family and friends are in our thoughts.”
Carl Pasteryak went on to compete with the Modified Racing Series after leaving the Whelen Modified Tour and was joined later on track in competition by his nephew and Charlie Pasteryak’s son Chris Pasteryak, who is still involved regularly as a Tour Type Modified driver racing locally.
My Thoughts and Prayers go to the Entire Pastreyak Family, always enjoyed Watching Carl, Charlie and Chris race, all are always Class People on and off the Track!
R I P Carl
Used to sit in turn 4 with his dad at staford great family
WOW, I am in shock at the news of Carl’s passing.
My condolences go out to Rose, Charlie, Chris and the entire Pasteryak family. Godspeed Carl.
My thoughts, prayers & sympathy to the Pasteryak family, Carl’s friends & fans… he will be missed 💔🙏🙏🙏
Ilost a good friend he will be missed I enjoyed the years we raced together he treated me like family
Sorry to hear, RIP Carl
condolences to Carl’s family + friends..
RIP Carl and Condolences to his family and friends. I always like to root for the likes of Carl and Tony Ferrante when they ran the Tour; good drivers/ good people. I remember Carl during a Tour race at Thompson stopping to help a driver in turn 1 whose car was on fire to get out
condolences to the family, thoughts and prayers to a good friend and classmate
God bless Carl Rose Charlie and Chris
I enjoyed the whole family rip Carl 🙏🙏🙏🙏
RIP friend! Thanks for the memories and prayers to your family.
Condolences and prayers to the family. Carl was a good man. RIP.
From the Flying 70 team.
Our sincere condolences to Rose, Charlie, Chris Pasteryak and Isaac. Carl was a true professional and a good friend. We appreciate his untiring commitment to keeping the roads in Norwich in great shape. Carl,I will miss our conversations in between loads.
So sorry to hear about the loss of Carl Pasteryak. He and Charlie were always teams I rooted for and I continued by rooting for Chris as well. Thought and prayers to family and friends.
Sorry to hear this. I always rooted for the Pasteryaks. I remember one of my first races I loved the Blue 5 of Charlie’s. I transitioned to rooting for Chris in the legends and modifieds. RIP and my heartfelt condolences to Carls family and friends.
The Pasteryak cars were and still are amongst the prettiest and cleanest modifieds you’ll ever see on the track. Always a class act “RIP Carl” and condolences to the Pasteryak family.