Patnode Wins Second Victor Johnson Memorial 100
Todd Patnode took down the win in Saturday’s Victor Johnson Memorial 100 Presented By Swanzey Oil. The first 67 laps of the race had no cautions. The last 33 laps of the event had 8 cautions. Patnode would win his second Victor Johnson Memorial race in three years. Patnode would take the lead from Russ Hersey with 29 laps to go.
Patnode talked about his win. “ Most of the stuff that happened was behind us. I am glad we had to be at the front when all that stuff was happening. I really didn’t get to see any of it.” Patnode Said
Patnode thought the beginning of the race was great. He was thinking during that long green flag run, he would have to pick up the pace. “ I’d been riding and didn’t see Russ (Hersey) at that point.” Patnode Said
It all played out in Patnode’s favor as he would win the event. “ It was a good race. It was kind of disappointing we had so many cautions right there at the end and I obviously don’t know why. I knew we had a lot of them in the last 20 laps.” Patnode Said
Patnode raced with Victor Johnson in Pro Stocks and Modifieds. Johnson passed away in May 2011. Patnode thought that Victor Johnson was an all around great guy. One memory he had of racing with Johnson was when the Monadnock Speedway had a Tour Type Modified division and Johnson won the race.
Point leader Jon McKennedy had a tough night at Monadnock Speedway. He started 12th in the feature and would work his way into the top 5. The right front A-Frame broke for McKennedy. McKennedy rode around for about 20 laps.
McKennedy and Richard Savary talked after the race. “ We’ve had a few issues the last few races. We talked. We voiced our opinions. I think we both agree the last few races are passed us and move on. Tonight’s outcome had nothing to do with that.” McKennedy Said
McKennedy would finish in 19th.
Richard Savary would finish in 2nd place. “ Eventful is a good word. I don’t know if there was a full moon or whatever tonight. It wasn’t a lot of good clean racing out there. There was a lot of contact throughout the field which makes frustration for everybody.” Savary Said
Savary had to race his way in as he won the 15 lap Consi and would start in 19th position. He got up to second and had a good car. He was involved in an incident and came into the pits for adjustments and came to the front. Savary would finish in second.
Savary feels there is always a common dominator in racing and that is yellows breeds yellows. “ The first 60 laps or whatever went without a yellow. People had spread out and were racing. There wasn’t that side by side racing push and shove. Fast cars were making their way to the front or fast cars were out front leading off. When you have restart after restart and everybody’s thinking. I have to go this time. I have to get him on this restart or I have to fill that hole. That’s the big thing Jon (McKennedy) and I were talking about is contact made that would not be made if you were racing. If you were single out and racing with somebody, you fill the hole and they know you are filling the hole and then you race off.
Savary feels things are good between him and Jon McKennedy. “ As far as I am concerned we should have that talk a while ago as he said we’ve raced for years with each other on the tour, Star Speedway, and a lot of places. He’s obviously very talented. He obviously has a fast race car but sometimes maybe I am not getting that same respect back. We have a good race car. We’re competitive also. I’ll race somebody how they race me. We had a good conversation. We shook hands but I think going forward. We’re going to be fine.” Savary Said
Donnie Lashua would finish in third place. He described the 100 lap race as pretty eventful. He started out and the car was really good at the beginning and he was just trying to ride some laps behind the drivers that were right there in front of him. He knew they would be good at the end. “ Me and the 15 (Pasteryak) just had a little mishap a little too close and we were both loose. We touched. We both went around.” :Lashua Said
From then on out for Lashua, it was just stay out of trouble the just way up through. He missed the accidents. He had a really good car at the end.
Mike Willis, JR would finish 4th. In the long green flag run, he almost went a lap down. He came in made some adjustments. He would miss a lot of the wrecks. He came home in one piece and he will definitely take that.
The next event for the Valenti Modified Racing Series will be this Saturday night at the Oxford Plains Speedway as part of the HP Hood Oxford 250 weekend.
Story And Photos By: Matthew Wiernasz/Yankeeracer.com