(Stafford Springs, CT)---When the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour comes to Stafford Motor Speedway this Friday for the 22nd Annual Stafford 150, hometown driver Woody Pitkat will welcome back a familiar sponsor.  Pitkat has announced that American Sleeve Bearing, located at 1 Spring Street in Stafford Springs, will return as an associate sponsor of his #11 Spectro Oil Ford, reuniting Pitkat with the sponsor that helped him break into Stafford’s Late Model division after starting his career in the DARE Stock division.

“I saw Howard [Buckland] a few times over the winter at the main street diner and kind of hinted a little bit to him and then I saw him in May and he said he’d like to get back into racing a little,” said Pitkat.  “He helps the Saunders twins [Albert and Cliff] in the DARE Stocks and I asked him if he could help me out with the Tour car and he said that would be a good way for him to get back into racing.  Every time I talk to Howard, he’s always real excited about Albert and Cliff and how well they’re doing in the DARE Stock division.  Howard and ASB was my first ever real sponsor with the Late Model.  And they were my big backer throughout my whole Late Model career.  Even when I drove for Pat [Kretschman], he was still helping me out.  This will be the first time he’ll be helping me with an open wheel car, so hopefully we can get a good finish for him.  If things go well, he might be able to help us out with the Tour car for the Fall Final.”

Although Pitkat has made limited starts in the Whelen Modified Tour this season, he has posted three top-10 finishes in only 4 starts.  With two eighth place finishes at Stafford thursfar this season, Pitkat is hoping for another good finish to be able to reward American Sleeve Bearing for helping to sponsor his car.

“I really appreciate him coming on and helping us out with the Tour car.  It’s definitely huge to have him back with us.  It’s hard enough to get any kind of sponsorship as it is.  I’m excited to have ASB back with us, and I feel like we have a very good team with very good people and top-notch equipment.  I just hope we can have a good finish this Friday night to say thanks to Howard for helping us out.”

Pitkat says that his team has the right people in place and good enough equipment to get the job done this Friday night in the Stafford 150, he and his team just need a bit of good fortune to fall their way.

“Every time we’ve tried something, we haven’t been able to hit on all cylinders,” said Pitkat.  “We’ve run 4 times and we’ve finished in the top-10 3 times.  If we can just put everything together, I think we can challenge for a win a or a top-3 finish.  If we can get a good time trial lap, we don’t have to beat the car up trying to get to the top-10.  Then we need to have a good pit stop and make the right calls on the pit stop.  If we can do all of that, I think we’ll have a good car at the end of the race.  The guys on the team are working really, really hard on the car.  They want to win and I want to win.”

Tickets for the 22nd Annual Stafford 150 are available and on sale now at the Speedway Box Office.  Tickets are priced at $33.00 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 $35.00 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, contact the Stafford Motor Speedway track office at 860-684-2783 or visit us on the web at www.staffordspeedway.com.