Woody Pitkat Joining #50 Skowyra Owned Team for 2014 SK Modified® Season at Stafford Speedway
Stafford Springs, CT — Prior to the 2013 season at Stafford Speedway, SK Modified® driver Woody Pitkat put together a last minute deal to drive for Steve Greer. Fast-forward to the off-season and Pitkat has once again switched teams. Pitkat will be driving the #50 Skowyra family owned car that was formerly driven by Michael Bennett in 2013. Adam Skowyra, who was once the team’s driver, will serve as crew chief and Pitkat thinks they can accomplish big things together.
“I’m definitely excited about the season, I think that they have a lot of potential,” said Pitkat. “They have good equipment and they haven’t had results that show just how good their stuff is. Adam works on Ryan Preece’s Whelen Modified Tour car and I think it’s going to be good working with Adam this season. I know Adam is pretty smart and one thing I noticed at the shop was that he helps out other guys while trying to get done what he is doing, so that is good to see someone going through the same things I went through when I was racing my own Late Models.”
Between Skowyra, Richie Pallai, and Bennett, the #50 car has yet to make a trip into victory lane at Stafford. That fact hasn’t deterred Pitkat at all as looking ahead to what lies in store for the new combination; he sees a trip to victory lane.
“They have good knowledge and if you need something, they’ll get it and they have good equipment,” said Pitkat. “Obviously the goal every year is to win races and be a contender for the championship and I’m not looking at anything differently this year. Stafford is my home track and you always want to do the best that you can every year and I want to do the best that I can for Adam and everyone on the team. I’m excited about this season. If anything, I think Adam might put more pressure on himself to give me the best car that he can. I don’t want him to worry about winning races or the championship, I just want to go out there and have fun this year. It might take a couple of races for us to get going but the first goal will be to get the car on the podium. To be a championship team, you have to have all the pieces of the puzzle. You need a good team, a good car, and good driver and I’m hoping that maybe I can be that piece of the puzzle that they’ve been missing.”
As well as joining a new team, another challenge for Pitkat this season will be driving a new style of car. Pitkat has predominantly driven Chassis Dynamics cars at Stafford and in joining the #50 team; he will be driving a Troyer chassis. Although Pitkat will have to get used to a new style of chassis, one bonus he has is the fact that his Thompson car and his Whelen Modified Tour car are Troyer cars, so help is right around the corner if he runs into any chassis issues this season.
“It’s going to be a different experience driving a Troyer car rather than a CD car that I’ve been accustomed to at Stafford,” said Pitkat. “I’ve driven a Troyer car at Thompson so I’m familiar with it and I’ll have the same motor from Jimmy Paige that I had in the 27 car last year. If I ever have a problem with the car, I can go to my tour team or my Thompson team and ask them what we need to do to get the car better.”
The #50 car will carry sponsorship this season from Les’ Auto Center, Flamingo Motorsports, Jimmy Paige Plumbing and Heating, B.A. Muzio Plumbing and Heating, NAPA of Tolland, American Sleeve Bearing, East Coast Logistics, and John Blewett Recycling. Pitkat will make his 2014 debut at the 43rd Annual Spring Sizzler on April 25-27.
For more information, contact the Stafford Motor Speedway track office at 860-684-2783 or visit us on the web at www.staffordspeedway.com.
Sources: Scott Running/Stafford Motor Speedway PR