Valenti Modified Racing Series Heads To Vermont’s Devil’s Bowl
Canaan, NH. — The Valenti Modified Racing Series returns to the State of Vermont for the first time in five years, Friday night, July 24, when the series competes for the first time at Fair Haven’s famed Devil’s Bowl Speedway. The series last race in the Green Mountain State was May 2010, at Barre’s Thunder Road Speedbowl.
Friday’s race marks the halfway point of the season with Stafford Springs, CT, hot-shoe Woody Pitkat, riding a 34 point lead into Vermont over second place driver, Todd Patnode, of Richmond, NH, entering the Newport Chevrolet ‘100.’
Canton, MA, veteran, Richard Savary, and Ridgefield, CT ace, Todd Szegedy, are stacked third and fourth in the standings. Savary has tallied 208 points with Szegedy only four points behind. Both are entering the event.
Chris Pasteryak, of Jewett, City, CT, a two-time series champion, currently sits fifth in points heading to Devils Bowl Friday night.
His father Charlie, a 40-year veteran driver of the open-wheel modifieds, will join him.
Three-time series champions, Jon McKennedy, of East Chelmsford, MA, and Kirk Alexander, of West. Swanzey, NH, are both entered for the series inaugural Devil’s Bowl run.
Veterans Norm Wrenn, of Nashua, NH, Dan Meservey, Jr, of Brewster, MA, and Russ Hersey, of West Swanzey, NH. are expected.
Magnus Racing Products Rookie of the Year contender Dennis Perry, of Pawcatuck, CT, Matt Mead, of Richmond, NH, Donnie Lashua, of Canaan, NH, and Dave Schneider, of Northport, NY are competing at Devils Bowl.
Modified racing is nothing new to Devils Bowl. The track opened in 1967 as a dirt facility with modifieds headlining the card.
Paved in 1971, modifieds were the top weekly division in the first asphalt season. Hall of Famer Richie Evans (9/01/71) won at Devils Bowl. New Hampshire legend Donnie Miller won on 6/24/73. Three-time national champion Bugsy Stevens won the 150-lap Modified portion of the “Schaefer 300” on 9/16/73
“Devils Bowl has been on our radar for quite some time,” said Series president Jack Bateman. “It’s a first for most of our drivers although we hear Todd Patnode has some experience there.”
Media Coordinator Justin Louis said this week. “Everyone has been looking forward to having the Valenti Modified Racing Series at Devil’s Bowl since we announced the event over the winter. Our fans love open-wheel cars, and the track layout is perfect for touring Modifieds. We’re expecting a lot of action at the Newport Chevrolet 100.”
Qualifying heats begin at 7:30 PM.
Sources: John Spence, Sr./VMRS PR