Pennink Eyes First Valenti Modified Crown
Posted By Tj Ingerson On October 10, 2013
Categories: Regional | Valenti Modified
PHOTO: Rowan Pennink (left) and his Gary Casella-owned (right) team will look to celebrate their first Valenti Modified Racing Series championship on Sunday at Lee USA Speedway. (T.J. Ingerson/VMM photo)
Fourteen division set for Fall Classic
--by T.J. Ingerson (@TJIngerson)
VMM Editor
LEE, N.H. -- All eyes will be on Rowan Pennink on Sunday at Lee USA Speedway as he will look to clinch his first Valenti Modified Racing Series championship.
The Huntingdon Valley, Pa., driver has a 90 point lead as the series heads to its penultimate event of the season and, unofficially, just needs to finish 14th or better in the 100-lap Oktoberfest event on Sunday, October 13 to capture the championship.
The pilot of the Gary Casella-owned Roscoe Racing No. 25 has captured two wins this season in his 15 series starts and has scored 12 top-five place finishes and 13 top-ten place finishes. Pennink is also a former winner of the Oktoberfest event at Lee.
Two-time series champion Chris Pasteryak, however, will look to keep his hat in the championship fight in the Laticrete 100 on Sunday. The Lisbon, Conn., driver sits second in the standings despite missing one race earlier in the season and has yet to visit victory lane in 2013.
Tommy Barrett, Jr., holds down the third spot in the standings, one point shy of Pasteryak, and is the defending race winner at Lee. The Millis, Mass., youngster has stepped foot in victory lane twice this season.
Veteran Louie Mechalides of Tyngsboro, Mass., sits fourth in the series standings while Richard Savary of Canton, Mass., has experienced a breakout season and sits fifth in the standings.
Laticrete International of Bethany, Conn., has announced that they will add additional purse money to this weekend’s event. Laticrete, a worldwide leader in adhesives and waterproofing products, was to sponsor the rained-out event at Lee in June.
An additional $500 will be handed to Sunday’s Valenti Modified Racing Series winner, while an additional $300 will be given to the race’s runner-up. An extra $250 will go to third place, while an additional $200 and $150 will be given to the fourth and fifth place finishing drivers, respectively. An extra $150 will be rewarded to the top finishing rookie driver.
While the top-five drivers remain in championship contention, there are a list of drivers that could play the role of spoiler and fight for the win.
Three-time winner in 2013, Steve Masse, will look to solidify his spot at the series’ win leader for the season and add an additional win. But, reigning series champion Jon McKennedy will look to snag his first win of the season in the Art Barry-owned No. 21 Spafco car, which has run on a limited schedule this season. Longtime series veteran Les Hinckley is also expected to enter the event and will look to capture his first win of the season after running a part-time schedule.
Other drives expected include Norm Wrenn, Max Zachem, recent winner Anthony Nocella, Mike Holdridge, and Vermont favorite Dwight Jarvis.
The Valenti Modified Racing Series 100-lap event is part of a 14-division card for the season ending Oktoberfest. The mighty Modifieds will be joined by the Northeast Midget Association with their full-sized Midgets and Lites. Lee will also host 50-lap open competition events for the Pro Stocks and ACT-type Late Models.
Qualifying for Sunday’s feature events will take place on Saturday, October 12 and is set to begin at 2:00pm. Sunday’s events start at 12:00pm.