In one of the biggest short track events in the country, Richie Pallai Jr., driving his Bosch Platinum Ir Fusion #2 SK Modified car, scored his first career SK Modified victory at the 38th Annual Tech-Net Spring Sizzler presented by CARQUEST on April 26. With this win, Pallai set out in quest of the 2009 NASCAR Whelen All-American Series championship at Stafford Motor Speedway. The Sizzler was a 40-lap NASCAR Whelen All-American Series SK Modified feature.
While Richie has found success in auto racing at an early age and experience level, this 19-year-old has spent most of his life focused on hockey, a sport he will play collegiately this winter at Connecticut College.
"Growing up, I was big into hockey, so I really never had racing on the agenda," Pallai said. "But I also grew up around the Modifieds."
Pallai's father, Rich Sr., is the vice president of marketing for CARQUEST Auto Parts. The elder Pallai took his son to many events over the years and that's where he caught the racing bug.
In 2005, Jack Arute Jr. helped get the younger Pallai into racing as he competed in Mini Sprints. Pallai moved up to an SK Light Modified in 2006 and quickly graduated to the SK Modifieds – Stafford’s premier NASCAR Whelen All-American Series division – the following year.
Pallai is once again piloting the #2 SK Modified® with primary sponsorship from Bosch Spark Plugs.
Sizzler First Big Win
"The first thing I said after we took the checkered flag at the Sizzler was 'this is the Sizzler. This is the Spring Sizzler. This is what everyone comes to see.'" Pallai said. "To get my first win in the Spring Sizzler, in front of all these people, all my fans, my dad, my dad especially. To win in front of him is something I've always wanted to do. It makes me proud. It couldn't be any better."
Pallai was running third behind leader Frank Ruocco and second place Jeff Malave on a lap 30 restart. Coming out of turn 2 Ruocco seemed to pinch Malave up to the wall. The move set off a massive chain reaction wreck that collected almost every car on the track. Pallai got through the big wreck clear and it was the stroke of luck he needed to take the direct path to victory lane.
As Pallai looks forward to the Whelen Modified Tour this year, he knows that even with all the laps he has turned in both the SK Modified® and SK Light Modified divisions at Stafford over the past three seasons, he faces fierce competition throughout the tour. “I think the longer distance races suit my driving style. Last year in the 150-lapper, we didn't really start turning fast laps until around lap-90. It's all about finding a rhythm and saving the car so that you can get going at the end of the race, which is how I like to race."
Contending for Championship
In addition to making his Whelen Modified Tour debut, Pallai's main focus for the 2009 season will be contending for the SK Modified® track championship at Stafford. In 2008 Pallai turned in a career best fifth place finish along with 7 top-10 finishes under the guidance of Stafford's 2005 track champion Lloyd Agor and his championship winning crew chief Chuck Madigan. Pallai's 2008 season culminated with leading over half of the Fall Final SK Modified® feature before being collected in an accident, a performance that has Pallai looking for bigger and better things this year.
"I really think there's no reason why we can't be contenders for the championship this year," said Pallai. "This is going to be my second year together with Lloyd and Chuck, and it's great to be able to work with them because they have been there and done that. I think we showed everyone at the Fall Final what we are capable of doing. We had the dominant car until we got taken out. I don't see any reason why we can't get our first win this year. If we can get a couple of wins this year and finish on the podium a few more times, I really think we can contend for the championship. We have everything we need to be contenders."
