Richie Pallai, Jr. Focusing on NWMT, Stafford
Richie Pallai, Jr. of Yorktown Heights, NY will compete part-time on the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour and the SK Modified® division at Stafford Motor Speedway. He will drive the #39 MAHLE Performance and Lucas Oil car for Hurricane Motorsports. The team has reduced their schedule to the NWMT events at Stafford and New Hampshire Motor Speedway due to lack of sponsorship.
Pallai will not run the SBM 125 at Star in June because he does not have a backup car available for the race at Loudon.
Pallai is attending graduate school and works for Hilti North America. A former player for Connecticut College and New York University, he will continue to play hockey this season, his last under eligibility.
“(I’m) in a transition place in my life where I’m trying to start my career,” Pallai said. “Hopefully in the future we will be able to get back to racing more on a full-time basis.”
(This is the) first year I will have my Dad as my crew chief in my life so I’m looking to have fun working with him and hope to run strong in each race,” Pallai said. “Especially SK races where we had much success up until 2009 in my last season at SMS. (I) expect to run for wins each time we show up with the #93 SK.
John Bergenty, Chuck Madigan, Glen Cardichi, Glen Tyler are among the team members for Hurricane Motorsports.
Pallai Pallai has won in three divisions at Stafford: SK Light Modified, SK Modified and the Sr. Outlaws most recently. He has made 46 NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour starts since 2009.
Pallai finished last in the NAPA Auto Parts Spring Sizzler at Stafford when his car suffered suspension damage on lap 17. “We broke a torque arm and it came through the sheet metal and actually hit me,” Pallai said. “We think we had a good car. We just fell in line behind the #52 and was gonna ride.”
Sources: Nicholas Teto/YankeeRacer.com