THOMPSON – The 2019 season in the Late Model division at Thompson Speedway ended in a way Woody Pitkat wanted to forget.
Pitkat went into the final event of the year battling for the division title for his Jeff Hartwell owned team at Thompson. A wreck in the final event at the Sunoco World Series last October wiped away any hopes for that title.
For Pitkat, it may have taken nearly a year, but Thursday he got the chance to replace that sour ending with some good news for his team.
Pitkat put the misery of the 2019 ending behind with a perfect opening to 2020 racing at Thompson.
Pitkat held off the charges of Derek Gluchaki and led from start to finish to win the 30-lap Late Model feature Thursday at Thompson Speedway.
“I didn’t know how we were going to make out,” Pitkat said. “We had a pretty big wreck here at the World Series battling for the championship. That was a big blow for us. I really wanted to win for [car owner Jeff Hartwell] and his team. He’s been racing here since I started back in 1999. It’s crazy to think, just looking back, I started racing in 1996 and it’s already been 25 years, so I’m getting up there with all those other guys.”
Gluchaki was second and Jake Johnson third.
“I just can’t thank these guys enough,” Pitkat said. “They worked really hard over the winter. … I knew [Gluchaki] was going to be good there I always have fun racing with him. I was trying to figure out the restart lines, this and that. But it’s great to be in victory lane. This crew, they’ve been together forever. I remember them when I was racing when I was 21, 22 years old. Just a great group of guys.”
Ryan Waterman used a late pass of Shawn Monahan to win the 20-lap Limited Sportsman feature.
“I knew [Monahan’s] car was getting a little loose,” Waterman said. “I just had to bide my time. My car was great all day.”
Monahan was second and Larry Barnett third.
Josh Carey topped the field in the 20-lap SK Light Modified feature. Buddy Charette was second and Nathan Pytko third.
Jared Roy scored victory in the 15-lap Mini Stock feature. Dave Trudeau was second and Tommy Silva third.
Congrats to Woody and your crew. Great job.
There’s a really decent-sized crowd here tonight, but there are no cars. Other than the Late Models (decent car count, really good race), we’re looking at single digits. And only 4 or 5 SKs and Lites.
What’s the story? People saving their cars for Stafford or Waterford?
I really expected the increase in the purse would result in decent fields of cars.
Great job holding off the late charges on those late restarts. Woody had to earn this one.