Joe Doucette Wins First Valenti Modified Series Race at Oxford Plains
Oxford Plains, ME — As the saying goes, “good things come to those that wait.” Joe Doucette and his dedicated crew waited longer than they wanted too. For five years, the Framingham, MA., racer and his team towed their racecar all over New England chasing their dream.
Saturday night, July 23, Doucette and his dedicated crew finally attained their goal. In a perfectly executed late race charge, Doucette nabbed the Valenti Modified Racing Series 100-lap event at the Oxford Plains Speedway, Oxford,
ME. Doucette becomes the eighth different winner this season and the fifth different winner of the Oxford race.
Before a huge “Oxford 250” weekend crowd, pole-sitter and present point leader Chris Pasteryak, Lisbon, CT., jumped into the lead at the drop of the green flag and appeared to be in cruise mode when a lap 62 caution flag brought the race leader back to the rest of the field. Up to that point, Les Hinckley, Windsor Locks, CT., and Dwight Jarvis, Ascutney, VT., staged a torrid second place battle until Doucette came into the picture and second place on lap 73.
Doucette chased after Pasteryak, reeled him in, and made several attempts to pass the leader but the 2008 series champion was equal to the challenge. Until lap 97. Doucette, with the huge crowd cheering on each pass attempt, finally was able to squeeze by Pasteryak, to go on and win his first ever VMRS race.
“I don’t know what to say, I really don’t,” an emotional and exhausted Doucette stated in victory lane. “I can’t believe it’s finally happened. That race was quite a workout. I have to thank Chris for running me clean, I expected nothing less from him,” he said. “I always figured we’d win one of these things some day, but I never thought it would come on a flat track.”
Pasteryak, settled for second, Max Zachem, Preston, CT., third, Rowan Pennink, Huntingdon Valley, PA., fourth, and Norm Wrenn, Nashua, NH., fifth.
Six through tenth were Jeff Malave, Mike Holdridge, Hinckley, Dwight Jarvis, and Jack Bateman.
A season low 18 cars entered the Oxford event. 10 cars finished on the lead lap. 17 cars started the race. The event was slowed by one caution flag and was completed in 30 minutes.
Race Summary:
Oxford Plains Speedway
Oxford, Maine
July 23,2011
Distance: 100 laps
Time of Race: 30:30:724
Margin of Victory: 0.721
Best Lap Time: 15.177 Pasteryak
Best Speed: 88.950 Pasteryak
Lead Changes: 1
Lap Leaders: Pasteryak (1-96) Doucette (97-100)
Cautions: 1 (Lap 62)
Sources: John Spence, Sr./VMRS PR