(Stafford Springs, CT)---When the Valenti Modified Racing Series returns to Stafford Motor Speedway on June 22 for the Lincoln Tech 80, defending series champion Chris Pasteryak will be looking for his second consecutive win at SMS.  Pasteryak won the Shark Cycle last August at Stafford to become the third different VMRS winner at Stafford in as many races and he is hopeful to become the first VMRS repeat winner at Stafford.

“It would be pretty cool to be the first repeat winner at Stafford, but it’s going to be tough,” said Pasteryak.  “You never know if Todd Szegedy or any of those guys are going to show up.  Of course you always want to be the first guy to do something, and it would be nice to be the first repeat winner at Stafford, but it’s not going to be easy.”

In addition to trying to become the first repeat winner at Stafford, a win for Pasteryak would go a long ways towards getting his 2012 season back on track.  Pasteryak is currently 8th in the 2012 VMRS points standings, and he is looking to climb his way up the standings starting with the race at Stafford.

“Outside of the Thompson race, the season has been pretty good for us,” said Pasteryak.  “The Thompson race wasn’t the best race for us, we got caught up in a wreck on a restart on the front straightaway.  Monadnock we got caught up in a wreck and the spoiler fell down at Waterford and we didn’t have any issues at Seekonk,  so we’re off to a bit of a slow start and we’re looking forward to Stafford and getting our season turned around.  I always seemed to run well in the Whelen Modified Tour races at Stafford and we’ve been pretty good in the MRS races.”

One of the keys to winning at Stafford in the Lincoln Tech 80 will be tire management.  The VMRS cars are not allowed to pit for tires unless they have a flat tire and drivers must qualify in a 12-lap heat race and run the 80-lap race on the same set of tires.

“I think the MRS race puts the race more in the hands of the driver,” said Pasteryak.  “With the Whelen Modified Tour races, you have the option of changing tires and there isn’t really a whole lot of thought, you just can go as hard as you can every lap.  In our race, you’re thinking right from lap one how to put yourself into the best position.  We have 12-lap heat race and then run the whole race, so the laps all add up.  I think the MRS race is more of a thinking race to put yourself into position and not burning the car up for the end of the race.  Track position is always at some point or another critical at Stafford, you have to have a fast car off the truck because we don’t’ have a lot of practice, and you have to make sure you have something underneath you for all 80-laps.”

For the MRS drivers, just getting qualified for the race can be an adventure.  Drivers qualify through 12 lap heat races with the drivers who advance the most positions during the heat races starting up front for the main feature.  Pasteryak says that this can present a challenge when it comes to strategy.

“There’s two different ways you can look at the heat races,” said Pasteryak.  “You can look at them as an opportunity to get a good starting spot, or you can look at it like you hope you don’t get tore up and you make the race.  It’s usually more fun to look at the heats as an opportunity.  It depends on what kind of day you’re having and what kind of car you have.  You usually know right away if you have something you can have fun with that night or not.  If you have a good car, you’re going to take a chance on moving to the front and if you have a bad car, then you’re already in trouble.”

The Lincoln Tech 80 will be the beginning of a busy weekend for Pasteryak.  Following the Lincoln Tech 80, Pasteryak will be hosting an Ice Cream Extravaganza at the Tolland Xtra Mart on June 23rd as part of his efforts to raise money for David’s House as part of the CARQUEST Champions For Charities.  The Ice Cream Extravaganza will take place from 2pm-4pm at the Tolland Xtra Mart, which is located at 153 Hartford Turnpike on Route 30 in Tolland.  For every cone, mil kshake, or hot fudge sundae that is ordered, Xtra Mart will donate 100% of the proceeds to Pasteryak’s fund raising efforts to benefit David’s House.

Tickets for the 2nd Annual Lincoln Tech 80 are available and on sale now at the Speedway Box Office.  Tickets are priced at $27.50 for adult general admission tickets, $5.00 for children ages 6-14, and children ages 5 and under are admitted free of charge when accompanied by an adult. Reserved seating will be priced at $30.00 for all ages.  All ticket prices include 10% CT Admission Tax.  As always, Stafford Motor Speedway offers free parking with overnight parking available.

For more information on the 2nd Annual Lincoln Tech 80, or to order tickets, contact the Stafford Motor Speedway track office at 860-684-2783 or visit us on the web at www.staffordspeedway.com.

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