Derek Pernesiglio to Pull Double Duty at Thompson: Reporting and Racing in World Series Weekend
NASCAR on Fox Sports 1, pit road reporter, Derek Pernesiglio has a very busy week this week. Friday morning he’ll drive from his Charlotte, NC home to report the last NASCAR K&N Pro Series East race of the season at Road Atlanta in Georgia, where Dylan Kwasniewski brings a five point advantage over Brett Moffitt into the finale.
Right after the race, Jeremy Catania, broadcast spotter for the TV crew and brother of Thompson Sunoco Modified driver John Catania will take Derek to the Atlanta airport to catch a late evening flight landing in Boston and finally arriving at Thompson Speedway long after midnight.
Pernesiglio’s schedule for the weekend consists of doing his familiar reporting duties for the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour broadcast on Sunday and driving a NEMA Midget for the family team. “It’s going to be a crazy weekend,” said an excited Pernesiglio. I’ve never raced and reported in the same day, there won’t be much down time.”
The Thompson Speedway holds a soft spot in Pernesiglio’s heart, he’s been coming to the track since his single digits and worked there as a track announcer eventually spring-boarding him to a television career. “I’ve been coming to the World Series since I was four years old, said Pernesiglio, I’ve been a fan there, a driver there, an announcer, heck my first time pit reporting gig of any kind was on the PA for a Tour race there in 1997. To report the Whelen Modified Tour race on Fox Sports makes the career feel like it’s come full circle.”
On the racing side, Derek will drive a NEMA Midget for legendary open-wheel car owner and father “Mazda” Pete Pernesiglio. After taking a ten year break from driving he was bit by the racing bug again at Thompson of all places three years ago. “I was field producing a video for the NASCAR Banquets, explained Pernesiglio. A car owner showed up with two cars and one driver, my brother talked him into letting me drive and it was back in the saddle again!” When asked about his predictions for the race Pernesiglio was diplomatic. “I’m not going to push it like a year ago, said Pernesiglio, last year I put so much pressure on myself for a top ten finish I got in over my head and put Dad’s car in the wall, a top ten would feel like a win but I still have to report after the NEMA feature so I’m not going to put the car in a dangerous position.”
In the months preceding, Pernesiglio has been sticking to his open-wheel roots racing a Mini Outlaw Sprint Car at the Millbridge Speedway close to his Charlotte home where he’s won four races and the tracks 2013 Winter Series championship. “The Mini Outlaws are fun, said Pernesiglio. “They have a hundred horsepower and weigh about four hundred and fifty pounds. They’re light, snappy little cars like a midget and I’ve had more seat time going into this race than than we did last year.”
Known as the “Indianapolis of the East” the World Series falls on October 18th, 19th and 20th and has been the grand fall finale of racing events in the Northeast hosting sixteen divisions of racing from the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour and International Supermodified Association to the NEMA Midgets, Pro 4 Modifieds and stock cars. The NASCAR K&N Pro Series and Whelen Modified Tour can be seen on Fox Sports.
For more information on the World Series of Speedway Racing racing visit www.thompsonspeedway.com.
For more information on the Northeastern Midget Association visit www.nemaracing.com.
For more information on the NASCAR K&N Pro Series and NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour visit www.hometracks.nascar.com.
Sources: Derek Pernesiglio