Perhaps everyone in the house for the SK 150 thought it was impossible…well almost everyone.  Pitkat and his TSI Harley-Davidson/The Davidson Company team were not about to give up that easy.

Pitkat made up his two laps thanks to a strong car and timely “Lucky Dog” rewards to charge back through the field late, eventually passing Ronnie Silk for the lead on lap 143 for the victory.

Now, Pitkat has 4,000 reasons why a racer should never give up, even when odds are stacked against him.

“Never have I been able to come back after being two laps down. You usually do not come back through two laps down,” said Pitkat.  “I was thinking this would be a fine top-10 after being two laps down. Then I thought on a restart maybe I will get a couple of guys here and then we will be a top five.  Then I was up there.

When Woody Pitkat suffered a flat tire early in the CARQUEST SK Modified 150 at Stafford Motor Speedway Friday night, all hopes seemed lost for the Stafford native to make his hometown fans celebrate a in the division’s crown jewel event that paid $4,000 to win.

Many wrote Pitkat off when handling issues early in the event kept him at the rear of the field.  Then, the flat tire caused Pitkat to spin through the infield.  Before long, Pitkat was down two laps and seemingly down for the count.  The probability of Pitkat making up those two laps and coming home victorious seemed unlikely at best.

From Two Laps Down to Victory Lane; Pitkat Tops Field at Stafford

Pitkat Continuing Stafford Speedway Dominance With Comeback Performance for the Ages

“I really did not think that I had anything for (the leaders) until I got there.  Then it was time to get up on the wheel using the ‘never say die’ attitude.  My spotter got on the radio and started to tell me how many laps we had to go.  The only thing that he told me there was 37 laps to go.  That was like a regular feature and I was trying.”

Winning his second straight SK Modified race at Stafford in such remarkable fashion was not only a shock to many in attendance for the longest-distance event at the track for the open-wheel division, but also the driver.  Rules for the 150-lap feature dictated that caution laps would count, meaning laps could be lost on pit road.  But, because caution laps counted, Pitkat was able to take advantage of the “Lucky Dog” award on two occasions, putting him in contention for the victory.

“When I was a couple of laps down in the back, why beat (the car) up?  I knew that I had to stay in front of the #5 car (Dave Nordman) to get the ‘Lucky Dog,’ so they told me not to use the equipment up.  I rode around and waited for ‘Lucky Dog.’  I got it and went around still a lap down. So I rode around, saved the tires and I was the ‘Lucky Dog’ again.”

Once back on the lead lap, Pitkat started chugging back towards the front.  Even when they were down, Pitkat and the #52’s “never give up” attitude paid off at the checkered flag.

“When I got the ‘Lucky Dog’ the team said ‘Don’t worry about it.  We are not out of it.’  We have learned to never say die.  I got up through and they told me to save the right-rear tire.  I went on the top side and bottom side, inside, outside or whatever I had to do to get to the front.”

The win was Pitkat’s second-straight victory of the season and third overall.  Pitkat now sits third in the SK Modified point standings, only 44 tallies out of the lead.  Earlier in the night at Stafford, Pitkat brought home a fifth-place finish in the Late Model feature at Stafford. 

Pitkat will look for his third-straight Stafford SK Modified victory on Friday, August 1st.  On Thursday, July 31st, Pitkat will wheel the #99 Hitchcock Pool Water Sunoco Modified entry at Thompson International Speedway.

For more information on Woody Pitkat, contact Mike Twist at (207) 499-2565 and check out woodypitkatracing.com.

Woody Pitkat in victory lane.  (Jim Dupont Photo)