LONDON, ON- With the hours counting down until Matt Pritiko makes his NASCAR Canadian Tire Series debut, the London, ON driver appears cool, calm and collected as he completes his final preparations.
“This deal came together for us in February”, begins Pritiko. “And from the moment the ink began to dry, I’ve been thinking about Canadian Tire Motorsport Park”
“I think I’ve raced this event 1000 times in my mind already”, admits Pritiko with a chuckle. “So, I guess you could say I’m ready”
Pritiko’s months of mental foresight was put to use last week, as he took his first laps around the spacious 2.459 road course in Bowmanville, ON during the NCATS open test session on May 8th.
“It felt fantastic to finally get that seat time under my belt”, says Pritiko. “The NCATS car is so different from anything I’ve ever raced before. So, our main objective was to let me get a proper feel for the racecar. I raced with the Grand Am Series before moving over to oval track Pro Late Models, and the NCATS cars are alot heavier, and respond completely different”
Despite Pritiko’s inexperience with the car’s weight and power, the personable 25-year old wasted little time acclimating himself to the new ride.
“My second time out in the car, I felt comfortable”, explains Pritiko. “Which was encouraging for our entire team. Because, once I had a feel for the car, we were actually able to start making small changes throughout the session, to find a setup that will put us closer to what we need for race trim”
Pritiko’s much talked about NCATS debut will be a joint effort between Derek White Motorsports and DJK Racing.
“I’m incredibly fortunate to be aligned with these teams”, says Pritiko. “Derek White has provided me with some fantastic equipment. And DJ Kennington has already made some adjustments to the car, and given me some great advice on what to expect on race day. I feel very comfortable heading into May 18th”
The Pinty’s presents the Clarington 200 is scheduled for May 18th at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park. Gate times and ticket prices can be found at www.CanadianTireMotorsportPark.com.
Matt Pritiko’s NASCAR Canadian Tire Series Debut will be made possible thanks to sponsorship from Global Warranty, Toyota Town, Serengeti Sunglasses, AQUAhydrate, NAPA Certified Body Shop, Cadillac Industrial Cleaning, Driven Steering Wheels, Burwell Auto Body, SellToWin.com, Snap’d London and In2Communications.
Fans can follow along with Matt’s pre-race preparations via his Matt Pritiko Motorsports page on Facebook, or on Twitter @MattPritiko.
By Spencer Lewis (@itsspencerlewis)
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