PHOTO: Joe Doucette celebrates with his crew after taking his first career Valenti Modified Racing Series victory at the Oxford Plains Speedway. (T.J. Ingerson/VMM Photo)

–by T.J. Ingerson

OXFORD, Me. — For the first 90 laps, it was the Chris Pasteryak show at the Oxford Plains Speedway. The former series champion from Jewett City, Connecticut, Pasteryak had been uncontested for the entire race after starting on the pole. He thought he had survived after Joe Doucette snuck inside of him, but used a lap car as a pick and pulling back out to the lead.

But Doucette, of Framingham, Massachusetts, fought back and was able to get back to the inside of Pasteryak with just four laps to go, taking the lead and securing his first career victory in the Valenti Modified Racing Series in the Brackett Mechanical/RB Performance 100.

“I’m absolutely speechless,” said Doucette. “I’m just ecstatic. This is what it is all about. This is blood, sweat, and tears for the past four years in this series. I didn’t think we were ever going to get it the way we were going. The crew did an outstanding job. I’m just absolutely speechless.”

Doucette knew he had a good car from the beginning of the race, and knew he had something for Pasteryak when he caught him.

“I knew I was better than him off the corners down low,” explained Doucette. “He was better on entry. I knew I had to get in there, had to make it stick, and had to get completely beside him. I knew after that, we may rub a little, but I knew he’d race me clean.”

Pasteryak knew Doucette was better than him, and thought he had made the winning move by getting Doucette stuck behind the lap car.

“I had him pinched behind a lap car once and I thought maybe that would be enough,” said Pasteryak. “He had me beat. I did all I could to hold him back for as long as I did. I just got beat by a better car tonight.”

Preston, Conn., native Max Zachem rallied from the 16th starting position to finish third. Rowan Pennink, of Huntingdon Valley, Pa., and Norm Wrenn, of Nashua, N.H., completed the top five.

Jeff Malave, Mike Holdridge, Les Hinckley, Dwight Jarvis, and Jack Bateman rounded out the unofficial top ten.

A promise Doucette made to his team will earn him another first later tonight.

“I’ve never had a drink in my life, and I promised these guys I’d have a beer if I won,” smiled Doucette. “So I guess I got to have a beer with them.”

The first beer will now always be the sweetest.

UNOFFICIAL RESULTS — Brackett Mechanical/RB Performance 100
Valenti Modified Racing Series — Oxford Plains Speedway, Oxford, Me.
Saturday, July 23, 2011

Pos.-(Start)-Driver-Hometown

1. (6) Joe Doucette, Framingham, Mass.
2. (1) Chris Pasteryak, Jewett City, Conn.
3. (16) Max Zachem, Preston, Conn.
4. (14) Rowan Pennink, Huntingdon Valley, Pa.
5. (13) Norm Wrenn, Nashua, N.H.
6. (5) Jeff Malave, Manchester, Conn.
7. (9) Mike Holdridge, Madison, Conn.
8. (4) Les Hinckley, Windsor Locks, Conn.
9. (10) Dwight Jarvis, Ascutney, Vt.
10. (12) Jack Bateman, Canaan, N.H.
11. (8) Jacob Dore, Sanford, Me.
12. (17) Louie Mechalides, Tyngsboro, Mass.
13. (3) Todd Annarummo, Swansea, Mass.
14. (15) Leo Oliviera, Raynham, Mass.
15. (11) Rob Goodenough, Swanzey, N.H.
16. (2) Tony Ricci, Westbrook, Me.
17. (7) Jon McKennedy, Chelmsford, Mass.