Christopher Runs From Back to Claim VMRS Win at Thompson
Posted By Tj Ingerson On July 30, 2012
Categories: Valenti Modified
PHOTO: Ted Christopher made a charge from the back to claim his second career Valenti Modified Racing Series win at Thompson on Sunday. (VMM file photo)
THOMPSON, Conn. -- Ted Christopher started 30th in the 33-car field and charged his way to the front to score his second career Valenti Modified Racing Series win.
Point leader Rowan Pennink led the first 68 laps before he was shown the black flag for a water leak. Christopher was able to inherit the lead and ran to the victory.
“A lot of people like to ride and I don’t like to ride,” Christopher, of Plainville, Conn, said in the series press release. “I try to pass as many as I can. There are a lot of guys I don’t know (in VMRS). It’s better for me to get away from people and see how it plays out. I just kept picking them off.”
Christopher was able to work around second place runner Todd Owen on a lap 58 restart and sat behind leader Pennink. The No. 25 Gary Casella-owned car was black flagged on lap 64 for his water leak, handing the lead over to Christopher.
“I was behind him and I could never get throttle up and off,” Christopher explained. “And then I saw him spraying the water.”
Timmy Jordan made his return to the Valenti Modified Racing Series a good one with a second place finish from his 19th starting position. Jordan, of Plainfield, Conn., took a few weeks off after suffering a myriad of incidents early in the season.
“The racer in me came out today,” Jordan said in the series press release. “We’ve had such bad luck. We’ve been around the front all year and have had horrible luck. I think today we proved we can do it. If we don’t get a wheel taken off we can finish up front. I’m happy with it. I hate losing, I’m frustrated, but we had to build somewhere, it’s a starting point and I’m looking forward to going to Waterford, my home track.”
Tommy Barrett, Jr., returned from a two race suspension to score a third place finish. Barrett, of Millis, Mass., made a late race charge after he suffered issues in the first half of the 75-lap feature event. Jon McKennedy, of Chelmsford, Mass., finished fourth and vaulted back into the series point lead. NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour point leader Doug Coby, of Milford, Conn., finished fifth.
Defending series champion Chris Pasteryak finished sixth, with Louie Mechalides seventh, Owen eighth, Norm Wrenn ninth, and rookie Mark Bakaj tenth.
The race was slowed by nine cautions flags and took one hour, 15 minutes to complete.
The Valenti Modified Racing Series takes a week off before heading to the shoreline oval track of Waterford Speedbowl in Waterford, Conn., on Saturday, August 11.
UNOFFICIAL RESULTS -- Thompson 75
Valenti Modified Racing Series -- Thompson Int’l Speedway, Thompson, Conn.
Sunday, July 29, 2012
Pos.-(Start)-Driver-Hometown
1. (30) Ted Christopher, Plainville, Conn.
2. (19) Timmy Jordan, Plainfield, Conn.
3. (15) Tommy Barrett, Jr., Millis, Mass.
4. (2) Jon McKennedy, Chelmsford, Mass.
5. (22) Doug Coby, Milford, Conn.
6. (5) Chris Pasteryak, Lisbon, Conn.
7. (6) Louie Mechalides, Tyngsboro, Mass.
8. (10) Todd Owen, Somers, Conn.
9. (3) Norm Wrenn, Nashua, N.H.
10. (7) Mark Bakaj, Lebanon, Conn.
11. (21) Geoff Gernhard, Salem, Conn.
12. (34) George Sherman, Framingham, Mass.
13. (1) Rowan Pennink, Huntingdon Valley, Pa.
14. (24) Dave Etheridge, Portland, Conn.
15. (11) Rob Goodenough, Swanzey, N.H.
16. (16) Larry Barnett, Moosup, Conn.
17. (28) Dennis Charette, Southington, Conn.
18. (25) Roy Seidell, Easthampton, Mass.
19. (8) Max Zachem, Preston, Conn.
20. (12) Jeff Malave, Manchester, Conn.
21. (20) Melissa Fifield, Wakefield, N.H.
22. (26) Richard Savary, Canton, Mass.
23. (33) Mike Stefanik, Coventry, R.I.
24. (17) Anthony Nocella, Woburn, Mass.
25. (14) Matt Mead, Richmond, N.H.
26. (9) Joe Doucette, Framingham, Mass.
27. (31) Rich Ferreira, Blackstone, Mass.
28. (13) Dave Schneider, Northport, N.Y.
29. (18) Les Hinckley, Windsor Locks, Conn.
30. (32) Steven Reed, Freehold, N.J.
31. (4) Mike Holdridge, Madison, Conn.
32. (29) Steve Masse, Bellingham, Mass.
33. (23) Todd Szegedy, Ridgefield, Conn.
34. (27) Leo Oliviera, Raynham, Mass. - Did Not Start