Pitkat Has Busy Memorial Day Weekend

Young Racer Celebrates With Strong Showings Everywhere

Forget cookouts and time around the swimming pool.  Memorial Day weekend was all about racing for Woody Pitkat.  The Connecticut driver ran four races in three days throughout New England.

On Thursday night, Pitkat finished fifth in the Sunoco Modified ranks at Thompson International Speedway (CT).

Friday night was a mixed bag of results for Pitkat.  He ran into trouble in the SK Modified feature at Stafford Motor Speedway when he was black-flagged for a fluid leak.  He was credited with a finish of 24th.  In the Late Model feature, Pitkat finished in the third position to salvage the evening.

Even after three races were in the books, the biggest event of Pitkat’s weekend was still yet to come.  On Saturday night, Pitkat headed up I-91 to Monadnock Speedway, where he finished 14th in the True Value Modified Racing Series event there.

“We’re trying to find a happy medium with our set-up.  Last time we were way too tight and this time we were way too free,” said Pitkat.  “We are getting there. It is a little bit of a struggle but we came today and we were real loose. We softened up the rear and I think that it is now a little too free. Now we have to soften up the front to compensate for it and I think that we will be all right."

Getting behind in his heat races and starting the feature in the 17th position hurt Pitkat’s chances.

“I didn’t do that good in the heat race,” said Pitkat.  “I started in the back so I guess and I qualified, so I guess it was OK, because to a lot of people that is like a win. We went in the show and the first 50 laps stayed green and the car was really good.   Think that I drove up to seventh at one time. So it was really good. Then at the end it was just way too loose. I do not know if I just burned the tires up. I am new to long races like that. I told them after the caution came out that I need to head to the gym or something because I am not use to these long races. You just have to stay up on the wheel and that is it. I think that I will be all right.

“It is just a learning experience. We are just trying to get as much seat time as we can.  I think today we got a little more respect from a couple of guys. We may not go to Canaan next week, but we will go to Waterford and hopefully we will do well there.”

Woody Pitkat had several rides for the weekend including the #52 SK Modified, the #48 Late Model and the #29 True Value Modified Racing Series entry.  (Jim DuPont Photos)