Richie Pallai, Jr. Some of you know him as an athlete, others know him as a classmate, but there are a select few of us here who know him as a NASCAR racer.
While the weather was still warm, Richie went to races around New England nearly every weekend. He has competed against, and out-driven others that were aged up to fifty years old.
In fact, since the beginning of August, he has placed in the top ten in four out of five races. Although he is not yet racing against the likes of Dale Earnhart Jr. and Jimmy Johnson just yet, he is getting closer to competing against big names like these.
Currently, he races on the Whelend modified tour; which is a minor league in NASCAR.
VOICE: When did you start racing?
RPJ: I started at age 16.
VOICE: When and how did it feel to get your first win?
RPJ: My first win came on June 30, 2006 in the SK light division. It happened in Stafford Springs, Connecticut at the Stafford Motor Speedway. It felt unbelievable. I took the lead on lap 18 out of 20. It was my first year ever racing!
VOICE: What has been your greatest achievement in this sport?
RPJ: I won the 2009 Spring Sizzler on April 26. This event was in the SK Modified division, which is the equivalent to the Daytona 500 of NASCAR racing.
VOICE: Do you have any future plans in this sport?
RPJ: Well, I made my debut in the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour on October 4 of this year and qualified 3rd. This is the minor NASCAR league. In April, the tour is starting up again at the Thompson International Speedway. In total I will have fifteen races on this tour. I’m traveling across the eastern seaboard from New Hampshire to Tennessee and Virginia.
VOICE: So do you expect to go to the official NASCAR league?
RPJ: It’s always been my dream to race in the Sprint Cup Series, but money has always been an issue. You need to get the right sponsors to see you at the right time in order to have a shot at making it big. I’m only 19 now, which is around the ideal time to get involved in the Spring Cup Series. So now is the time to do my best and get noticed. It used to be that you would start racing professionally at around age 30, but now it’s different. The opportunity is now.
VOICE: How fast can your car go, and what has your worst accident been?
RPJ: On the Whelend Modified Tour, the speed exceeds 190 mph. Anytime you get in a car, you get nervous because it could be your last time. But then it becomes like any other team sport, and you become competitive. I have to rely on my crew chief, my spotter, the rest of my crew and my Dad to keep me safe, focused and on the right track. On July 4, 2008, I hit a wall going 130 mph, which knocked me out cold. It taught me to take a step back before I take two forward. Now I have a better understanding of when and when not to be aggressive.
Although this school probably does not have a lot of NASCAR fans, it is great to know that someone who has been featured on Sports Center so many times is among us. To find out more about Richie, you can visit his website.
