Pennink Celebrates Spring Dash Win at Monadnock
Winchester, NH. – With the Valenti Modified Racing Series celebrating it’s 10th anniversary and where the series got it’s start, Rowan Pennink of Huntingdon Valley, PA, did his own celebrating when he captured the Bond Auto Parts “Spring Dash 100” Saturday night at Monadnock Speedway, Winchester, NH. The victory, Pennink’s eighth series win, makes him the sixth different driver to win the annual April race.
The series second event of the year felt more like a winter-fest as 40-degree temperatures and blustery winds chilled a good crowd on hand considering the conditions.
Pennink took the lead on a lap 94 restart when he bolted by local favorite Todd Patnode, of Richmond, NH. A fast closing late race charge from Tommy Barrett, of Millis Mass, pressured Pennink to the finish.
[Photo Gallery] by Crystal Snape
Pennink, who started 13th in a 25-car field, moved to fourth on lap 75. He rolled by Barrett on the 88th circuit, moved to second for a pair of laps on lap 93, and led the final six laps to notch the win.
Pennink played it right over the final 25 laps. “We had to see how the race was going to play out. Brian (Crowley-Spotter)) and I together stayed patient. We didn’t use up the car too much. Kept the tires under it and waited for a caution. The race played right into our hands. Want to thank all the guys on the Roscoe Racing team for an awesome job.”
Runner-up Barrett looked like the driver of a year ago when he made his popular late race charge and was in contention for the win. After a rough outing at Waterford, CT, two weeks ago, Barrett was pleased with the finish.
“Our usual strategy is to lay back in the field and come in to swap tires. We went 52 laps without a caution. Decided to ride around in the front. I thought I had something for him. (Pennink) Thought I could get around him but he was doing a good job holding me off. I’ll take it after Waterford and move on from here and hope for a good finish at Thompson.”
Louie Mechalides, of Tyngsboro, MA, made a late race charge of his own when he slipped by Patnode on the final lap. Patnode settled for fourth, with Max Zachem, of Preston, CT, rounding out the top five.
Richard Savary, Tim Jordan, Mike Holdridge, Jim Boniface, and Norman Wrenn finished sixth through tenth.
Outside front row starter Holdridge led the first 50 laps when pole-sitter Zachem moved by. Patnode wrestled the lead from Zachem on lap 72.
26 competitors entered the race. The only driver that did not compete was popular Dwight Jarvis. The Ascutney, VT, driver was to begin his 40th season but was involved in a qualifying heat skirmish that sidelined him from the event.
18 of the 25 drivers finished on the lead lap. 6 caution periods slowed the race, which took 53 minutes to complete.
The next event for the VMRS will be Sunday, May 19, at Thompson, CT, Speedway.
Race No. 2 – Monadnock Speedway
Entrants: 26 (25 starters)
Distance: 100 laps
* Denotes Rookie of the Year Candidates
Time of Race: 53:05:780
Margin of Victory: 0.479
Best Lap Time: 12.520 (0-Holdridge)
Lead Changes: 6 (among 4 drivers)
Lap Leaders: Holdridge (1-49) Zachem (50-71) Patnode (72) Zachem (73) Patnode (74-94) Pennink(95-100)
Cautions: 6 cautions, on laps -52,60,71,72,94,97
Heat Winners:Richard Savary, Max Zachem and *Dana Smith
Re-Draw Selection:Savary choose a 6 position re-draw
Re-Draw Results: Savary-3rd, Zachem 1st, *Smith 5th, Boniface 4th, Holdridge 2nd, Spiers 6th (Masse ineligible for re-draw as he was previous event winner)
Finish Pos. Start Pos. Car No. Driver Hometown Laps Completed
1 13 25 Rowan Pennink Huntington Valley, PA 100
2 11 9 Tommy Barrett, Jr. Millis, MA 100
3 10 85 Louie Mechalides Tyngsboro, MA 100
4 7 24 Todd Patnode Richmond, NH 100
5 1 79 Max Zachem Preston, CT 100
6 3 99 Richard Savary Canton, MA 100
7 17 47 Tim Jordan Plainfield, CT 100
8 2 0 Mike Holdridge Madison, CT 100
9 4 88 Jim Boniface Winchester, NH 100
10 15 53 Norm Wrenn Nashua, NH 100
11 25 5 CT Chris Pasteryak Lisbon, CT 100
12 14 1NH Rob Goodenough Swanzey, NH 100
13 18 13 Steve Masse Bellingham, MA 100
14 20 66 *Dylan Kopec Palmer, MA 100
15 8 97 *Arthur Heino, Jr. Newport, NH 100
16 5 74 *Dana Smith Sunapee, NH 100
17 16 77 Matt Mead Richmond, NH 100
18 6 18 Eddy Spiers Beacon Falls, CT 100
19 19 90 Jeff Pearl Salem, CT 97
20 9 92 Anthony Nocella Woburn, MA 94
21 23 22 Roy Seidell, Jr. Easthampton, MA 94
22 22 07 Melissa Fifield Wakefield, NH 93
23 21 98 Etienne Cliche Valle -Junction, Que. 86
24 24 19 Dave Schneider Northport, NY 72 (DNF)
25 12 17 Todd Owen Somers, CT 72 (DNF)
Sources: John Spence, Sr./VMRS PR