First pole propels Pintaric’s career
07-01-2013, 07:58 AM
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Le Mans Master
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First pole propels Pintaric’s career
This is in my local newspaper today:
http://www.vindy.com/news/2013/jul/0...ric/?newswatch
I really have to remember that when you are speaking to a reporter, anything and everything you say can be used...lol.
http://www.vindy.com/news/2013/jul/0...ric/?newswatch
First pole propels Pintaric’s career
By Doug Chapin
dchapin@vindy.com
After becoming a household name in racing circles last year for a somewhat dubious reason, Canfield resident David Pintaric has reverted to his winning ways.
On June 8 at Watkins Glen International, Pintaric won the pole position for the Trans Am Racing Series event that weekend at the famous track in upstate New York.
“I hope this doesn’t make me sound too goofy, but I almost teared up when I did it. My first goal was just to get in the top five. If I were in the top five I figured I would be in good shape for the race,” said Pintaric, a rookie on the Trans Am circuit who already has two fourth-place finishes in five races. “I didn’t expect to be that fast, but after the first hot lap was so quick without me pushing the car, I knew I had a chance for the pole.”
Pintaric, who got started in club racing in 2004, had to wait to see if his qualifying time held up.
“When the checkered flag flew, indicating the session was over, we all jumped around, celebrated and felt pretty good. So then immediately the top three qualifiers have to go in the impound to make sure things are legal per class rules. I put my car on the scale and they’re checking out the car and the chief technical director says everything is OK and just a flood of emotions hit me,” Pintaric said.
“I have been following and watching racing for all my life. To be able to be a part of it is one thing, to be a pole winner is even more remarkable. When you look at all the people who had previously won the pole at Watkins Glen, these are people I grew up reading about in magazines when I was in high school. For me to be in that same group, it’s like you’re pinching yourself, am I really doing this.”
Unfortunately, Pintaric did not fare as well the next day in the actual race.
“I was leading the first four laps until the transmission broke which was very frustrating,” he said. “But so far in the series I’ve been showing pretty good speed, which shows by winning the pole, so we’re making a splash. We just finished the first half of the season and I am in position six in points, we’re in very good shape to get fourth. We’re doing well.”
Pintaric, who is affiliated with Kryderacing of Canal Fulton, won series titles from 2010-12 in the semi-pro Viper Cup series. While running in that circuit, Pintaric became semi-famous for a spectacular crash in May 2012 at Road America in Elkhart Lake, Wis. A web search of Pintaric leads to video of the crash, and an interview in which he praises the car for its safety standards.
“People talk about the danger of racing but I see so many people who died of just natural causes, just day-to-day activity. I’m doing what I like to do. There is no death wish here,” he said. “We do what we have to do and we take safety very seriously.
“That [crash] is proof of it. I hit the wall at 105 miles-per-hour and did five cartwheels. Yeah, I was knocked out, but I had no broken bones, just some bruising, and I was able to race a car the next day. We are serious about this, not just going fast and the preparation, but also the safety factor.”
Pintaric is a 1980 graduate of Liberty High and a 1985 graduate of Youngstown State University. He is president of WRP Investments, a company founded by his parents, and is able to sponsor himself as a driver.
“My sponsor is my family business. That’s the case with a lot of guys, we’re kind of like gentlemen racers,” he said. “When we were younger we focused our efforts on business and making money and now we can do what we want to do.”
The Trans Am Series, halfway through its 10-race schedule, has a break before its next event, Aug. 16-17 at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course in Lexington. It is the closest race to home for Pintaric.
“We’re expecting a big crowd. It’s going to be a lot of fun at that event,” he said.
The move up to the Trans Am Series is a big step for Pintaric, but at some level racing is racing.
“Driving is driving. I used to get very nervous before races and a guy who I raced with and became friends with, he would recognize how nervous I was getting before a race and he would pull me aside and he said, ‘You know what, just drive the [expletive] car.’
“The driving isn’t any different but a significant difference is the races are 100 miles whereas amateur races were no more than 45 miles. It is much more physical. In my first race this year it was hard for me to get out of the car I was so exhausted. The car gets very hot, 140 to 150 degrees. It is draining. It is physical to drive, it’s a workout and now it’s twice as long.”
But Pintaric is certainly not complaining.
“To be able to do this, are you kidding me?” he said. “This is the ultimate guy thing. I’m just fortunate enough to be able to do it. It gives me something to look forward to every day.”
By Doug Chapin
dchapin@vindy.com
After becoming a household name in racing circles last year for a somewhat dubious reason, Canfield resident David Pintaric has reverted to his winning ways.
On June 8 at Watkins Glen International, Pintaric won the pole position for the Trans Am Racing Series event that weekend at the famous track in upstate New York.
“I hope this doesn’t make me sound too goofy, but I almost teared up when I did it. My first goal was just to get in the top five. If I were in the top five I figured I would be in good shape for the race,” said Pintaric, a rookie on the Trans Am circuit who already has two fourth-place finishes in five races. “I didn’t expect to be that fast, but after the first hot lap was so quick without me pushing the car, I knew I had a chance for the pole.”
Pintaric, who got started in club racing in 2004, had to wait to see if his qualifying time held up.
“When the checkered flag flew, indicating the session was over, we all jumped around, celebrated and felt pretty good. So then immediately the top three qualifiers have to go in the impound to make sure things are legal per class rules. I put my car on the scale and they’re checking out the car and the chief technical director says everything is OK and just a flood of emotions hit me,” Pintaric said.
“I have been following and watching racing for all my life. To be able to be a part of it is one thing, to be a pole winner is even more remarkable. When you look at all the people who had previously won the pole at Watkins Glen, these are people I grew up reading about in magazines when I was in high school. For me to be in that same group, it’s like you’re pinching yourself, am I really doing this.”
Unfortunately, Pintaric did not fare as well the next day in the actual race.
“I was leading the first four laps until the transmission broke which was very frustrating,” he said. “But so far in the series I’ve been showing pretty good speed, which shows by winning the pole, so we’re making a splash. We just finished the first half of the season and I am in position six in points, we’re in very good shape to get fourth. We’re doing well.”
Pintaric, who is affiliated with Kryderacing of Canal Fulton, won series titles from 2010-12 in the semi-pro Viper Cup series. While running in that circuit, Pintaric became semi-famous for a spectacular crash in May 2012 at Road America in Elkhart Lake, Wis. A web search of Pintaric leads to video of the crash, and an interview in which he praises the car for its safety standards.
“People talk about the danger of racing but I see so many people who died of just natural causes, just day-to-day activity. I’m doing what I like to do. There is no death wish here,” he said. “We do what we have to do and we take safety very seriously.
“That [crash] is proof of it. I hit the wall at 105 miles-per-hour and did five cartwheels. Yeah, I was knocked out, but I had no broken bones, just some bruising, and I was able to race a car the next day. We are serious about this, not just going fast and the preparation, but also the safety factor.”
Pintaric is a 1980 graduate of Liberty High and a 1985 graduate of Youngstown State University. He is president of WRP Investments, a company founded by his parents, and is able to sponsor himself as a driver.
“My sponsor is my family business. That’s the case with a lot of guys, we’re kind of like gentlemen racers,” he said. “When we were younger we focused our efforts on business and making money and now we can do what we want to do.”
The Trans Am Series, halfway through its 10-race schedule, has a break before its next event, Aug. 16-17 at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course in Lexington. It is the closest race to home for Pintaric.
“We’re expecting a big crowd. It’s going to be a lot of fun at that event,” he said.
The move up to the Trans Am Series is a big step for Pintaric, but at some level racing is racing.
“Driving is driving. I used to get very nervous before races and a guy who I raced with and became friends with, he would recognize how nervous I was getting before a race and he would pull me aside and he said, ‘You know what, just drive the [expletive] car.’
“The driving isn’t any different but a significant difference is the races are 100 miles whereas amateur races were no more than 45 miles. It is much more physical. In my first race this year it was hard for me to get out of the car I was so exhausted. The car gets very hot, 140 to 150 degrees. It is draining. It is physical to drive, it’s a workout and now it’s twice as long.”
But Pintaric is certainly not complaining.
“To be able to do this, are you kidding me?” he said. “This is the ultimate guy thing. I’m just fortunate enough to be able to do it. It gives me something to look forward to every day.”
Last edited by BuckeyeZ06; 07-01-2013 at 08:52 AM.
