The lifeblood of motorsports, especially at the grassroots level, is sponsors.
In most cases the names and faces behind many of those sponsors aren’t known.
When it comes to the Monaco Modified Tri-Track Series the support system involved includes those who not only want to associate their brands with the series, but who are also big fans of the series who want to be a working part of each event.
That fact was evident Sunday when the Monaco Modified Tri-Track Series kicked off its 2023 season at Thunder Road International Speedbowl in Barre, Vt.
Monaco Ford came on as the series title sponsor before the 2022 season and Monaco Ford ownder Dave Monaco was a fixture at all events in 2022. Following the 2022 season Sign Pro was added a major sponsor of the series. The new relationship with Sign Pro was quite visibly evident at Thunder Road with a striking new design on the series trailer and in victory lane where their eye-catching new signage and trophies were getting all sorts of attention.
Dave Monaco and Sign Pro owner Pete Rappoccio were both on hand at Thunder Road Sunday.
Pitkat said he was moved on Sunday by the appreciation he felt not only seeing Dave Monaco and Rappoccio at the event, but with the communications he had with both of them.
“Obviously they’re big sponsors of the series, to be able to have them at the first race, and obviously it’s probably a four or five hour ride for them, they could have came to [an event at Stafford Speedway or the New London-Waterford Speedbowl] to show their appreciation for us being there,” Pitkat said on the most recent Unmuffled podcast. “The fact that they were there and them just being happy that we were there. They came over and they talked to me. I’m sure they reached out to the other drivers
“[Rappoccio] came over to me right before the feature and said ‘You’re doing an amazing job, keep it up, I’m proud of you.’ To hear that, to hear that from a sponsor, that somebody thinks you’re doing well and they’re proud of what you’re doing and what you’re bringing to their series, it meant a lot to me to hear that from those guys. … We wouldn’t be able to be up there racing without their support.
“It was really a heartwarming feeling to me to hear that from … a sponsor of the series. … I just thought that was really cool. It was a warm feeling. Something you don’t really feel. You go to the race track and obviously you see people, and you see the same people for so long, but when you have a sponsor of a series come over and be that grateful and really be appreciative of what you’re doing and what you’re bringing to the track, it meant a lot to me.”
To hear plenty more from Pitkat listen in on the latest Unmuffled. Pitkat hit all the bases, from local racing, to national racing to the Indy 500, to the Hartford Whalers and Boston Bruins, to Stafford Speedway and the Spring Sizzler, there were few topics Pitkat didn’t address. And the episode also includes an interview with Jimmy Blewett, who addresses how he ended up in the SK Modified division this year at Stafford with Petty Cash Motorsports and why he thinks the team has got off to such an impressive start, and more.
Leave a Reply