Silk Scores First Valenti Modified Racing Series Win at Loudon
Loudon, NH. – Veteran modified racer Ron Silk, of Norwalk, CT, made it count Sunday afternoon when he garnered the Valenti Modified Racing Series 50-lap feature race at New Hampshire Motor Speedway, Loudon, NH. The event was part of the 2nd annual ‘New England Short Track Showdown’.
Silk bested Richard Savary, of Canton, MA, and Les Hinckley, of Windsor Locks, CT. in a hotly contested finish.
Northport, New York’s David Schneider rallied to finish fourth with series point-leader and reigning champion Anthony Nocella, of Woburn, MA, rounding out the top five.
The win was Silk’s first with the VMRS and it ended a two-year drought for car owner Kevin Stuart. Stuart, of Lowell, Mass, acknowledged his race teams last win was two years ago. Then team driver Todd Szegedy took down the honors July 8, 2016, at Claremont, NH.
The race paid $5,000 to win.
Silk started outside front row and was quickly joined by Nocella and Woody Pitkat, of Stafford Springs, CT, as the class of the field. The three swapped the lead position several times throughout the 50-lap sprint.
Three caution flags created very competitive restarts with several drivers making up ground and making things interesting over the final 12-laps. Jon McKennedy was making one of his late race charges when he developed brake issues and fell off the pace. Nocella was the victim of contact that forced him up the track losing positions. He overcame it for the top-five finish. Pitkat was troubled by a kill switch issue to knock him from winning his second consecutive series race at NHMS.
The victorious Silk spoke post race with race promoter Bob Guptill. “It’s awesome. Got off to a little bit of a rough start, not of our own doing but this feels great. I love racing at this race track and I thank all you guys for putting this on.” Silk concluded. “All the guys who work on the car they work real hard and it feels good to be back. Thanks to Stuart Automotive, New England Framing, Henry’s Diesel, Pettit Engines and Performance Plus.
Richard Savary post-race stated, “ It feels good to be out here on the podium with these guys. I didn’t have a very good heat race I blocked myself in and had to start far back in the field to get to the front to run with these guys. It’s pretty cool.”
Hinckley was making his first ever start at the Magic-Mile. Despite 19-series wins, he admitted that NHMS is a different deal. “ I had no clue and you’re at a disadvantage to start with. When you’re going so fast you’re so critical of what the cars doing -what the airs doing to it -whether it’s tight or loose. They ultimately gave me what I wanted. I think it was opposite of what they wanted but it worked out,” Hinckley said. “It was a lot of fun to experience it and I can’t thank Art Barry enough.”
Sixth through tenth were Donnie Lashua, Mike Willis Jr, Anthony Flannery, Derek Robbie, and Jonny Kay.
20 of the 24 cars that started the race finished on the lead lap.
Heat winners were Nocella and Silk.
Next Event:
Saturday, July 7, 2018.
Monadnock Speedway
Winchester, NH.
Race Summary:
New Hampshire Motor Speedway
Loudon, NH.
Race # 5
June 24, 2018
Entrants: 26
Distance: 50-laps
Cautions Flags: 3
Margin of Victory: 1.043
Average Speed: 71.446
Best Lap Time: 29.808
Best Speed: 127.778
Unofficial Order of Finish:
(1) Silk, (2) Savary, (3) Hinckley, (4) Schneider, (5) Nocella, (6) Lashua, (7) Willis Jr, (8) Flannery, (9) Robbie, (10) Kay, (11) Rameau, (12) Etheridge, (13) Richardi, (14) Sontag ( 15) Rock (16) Dolan, (17) Shaw (18) McKennedy, (19) Doucette, (20) Bolton, (21) Pitkat, (22) Perry, 23 Dauzat, (24) Gallup
Sources: John Spence, Sr./VMRS PR