Barrett & Pennink Lead VMRS into Thompson Race Thursday
Seven races into the Valenti Modified Racing Season, Tommy Barrett and Rowan Pennink are going toe to toe for the points lead. Barrett of Millis, MA, driver of the Victory Bar & Grill modified has 288 points; Pennink in the Gary Casella owned #25 is only two points away.
Pennink is fresh off his most recent win at the Oxford Plains Speedway in Oxford, ME, causing the points to tighten up even more. With Thompson Speedway next on the VMRS schedule, a track where Pennink’s three wins leads the series. Barrett will surely feel the pressure. The pair of point leaders not only have to worry about each other, but also Richard Savary of Canton, MA as he has his eye on the prize, being only 20 markers behind, and seems to be gaining momentum each week in the Alloy Wheel Repair #99.
Barrett and Pennink are not only close in the points battle, but in races won this year. Barrett has two victories this year, June 21st at the Stafford Motor Speedway in Stafford Springs, CT and July 13th at Canaan Fair Speedway in Canaan, NH. Pennink also has two feature wins this year. His first on April 20th at the high banks of Monadnock in Winchester, NH, and on July 20th at Oxford Plains. Barrett and Pennink are both well ahead of the other series drivers with total number of cars passed from start to finish in each feature run, with Barrett having passed 43 cars, and Pennink having passed 42.
No matter what happens at the top of the points race, there are other drivers right behind, ready and willing to knock Pennink and Barrett from the lead. Drivers like Steve Masse in the powerful #13, whom opened up the VMRS season with his victory at the Waterford Speedbowl in Waterford, CT, and Louie Mechalides in the Kevin Stuart owned #85 coming off his exciting run at the Seekonk Speedway on June 8th certainly can and have given many of the drivers in this series a run for their money.
Rookie drivers to the series like Dylan Kopec and Dana Smith, running 16th and 17th in points, respectively, keep looking better each week as they visit tracks they have never raced before. Kopec of Palmer, MA driving the Chris Kopec owned #66 has been gaining experience each race and Dana Smith of Sunapee, NH in his #74 has shown he can run with the best of them with an outstanding performance at Canaan that unfortunately led to a disappointing finish. More talented drivers waiting in the wings include Norm Wrenn of Nashua, NH, Chris Pasteryak of Jewett City, CT, Max Zachem of Preston, CT, Anthony Nocella of Woburn, MA and Mike Holdridge of Madison, CT have good reason to bump off the points leader: at least 10,000 good ones.
Sources: Jim Snape/YankeeRacer.com