Matt Puskarich To Run For The 2007 Street Stocks Track Championship At The Owosso Speedway

Every driver in the world of Auto racing has to start somewhere and hone their skills at the local weekly racing level with hopes of advancing their respective careers and move on up the proverbial racing ladder. For 17-year-old Belmont, Michigan teenager, Matt Puskarich, his climb up the rung has him soaring to new heights as the 2007 racing season approaches.

For the upcoming 2007 season, Matt Puskarich and his Puskarich Racing Team will run the full schedule of events in the Street Stocks division at the fast 0.375 Mile High-Banked Paved Oval of the Owosso (MI) Speedway in Ovid, Michigan with hopes of capturing the 2007 Street Stocks Track Championship. In addition, Puskarich will also make the big step up to an Outlaw Bodied Super Late Model and run all three races within the newly resurrected Triple Crown Series for the high-powered machines.

“Our racing program will include a couple of new efforts. First, we will step-up our Street Stock program and we full expect to compete to win every time we drive onto the track and we hope to challenge again for the 2007 Track Title. “ Stated the Belmont, Michigan teenager. “We’re also going to begin our Super Late Model program at Owosso during the three races there. We hope to run the Super about 8-10 races total in 2007. “ He added.

In addition to his racing efforts, Puskarich also plans on graduating from Rockford High School in Rockford, Michigan in May and then later in the fall, Puskarich will begin his college career at Ferris State University in Big Rapids, Michigan with hopes of getting into the Automotive Engineering Technology program.

The 17-year-old comes from a family that has raced for many years. Matt’s Grandfather; Don Puskarich, along with his great uncle and great grand-dad), raced in 17 races in the NASCAR Winston Cup Series (Now NASCAR Nextel Cup Series) in the Mid 1970’s and early 1980’s! Plus his Dad, Darren Puskarich ran Outlaw Bodied Super Late Models during the 2003 season at Owosso with Matt on the pit crew.

As far as the 2006 racing season was concerned for the Puskarich Racing Team, it was a career year for the Belmont, Michigan teenager as he finished a strong second in the final Street Stocks Points Standings and was in the hunt for the 2006 Track Championship right up until the final points night during Season Championships Weekend in September.

The 2006 season didn’t start out as well as Puskarich hoped however as he lost a motor during Practice at the 2006 Preseason Preview show at Owosso! “We started the season with high expectations, we had a new car, our engine partially refreshed and looking to compete at an even higher level. Our expectations were met with a series of tremendous disappointments. “ Explained Puskarich. After six laps of practice, our top engine exploded! “

While the team was discouraged, something occurred that first weekend of the 2006 season which at the time didn’t seem that significant over the course of the season it defined the teams’ commitment to fight in the face of adversity. “That first night was not a normal points night and by showing up, we received 15 points like all other competitors. “ Continued Puskarich.

“We could have loaded our car on the trailer, broken motor and all, and taken it home to figure out our next steps, but we didn’t! We borrowed an engine from fellow competitor and teammate; Cody Houghtaling and changed the engine at the track in time for racing activities that same night! We didn’t know that it would become a defining behavior for our team. “ Puskarich stated.

The 17-year-old to struggle with the “new car blues” working the bugs out of the car, and unable to find the competitive combination to race even at the level that they’d previously performed at during their best efforts the previous two seasons. After seven nights, Puskarich stood a respectable seventh in the point standings and hadn’t logged a single Top Five finish. Then finally, things began to click for the Puskarich Racing Team.

In late June, they started tweaking the back-up engine in the car. “We were very nervous having already lost our “primary” engine back in April. “ Puskarich added. During the Feature that night, Puskarich ran in second place throughout the evening before being passed on the last lap, nevertheless, Puskarich came home with a solid Third Place showing. “That night was only the second time in three years that we’ve finished that high. Not only that, it was the first time that we were competitive enough to win. It was a great feeling. “ Exclaimed the Western Michigan pilot.

It all came together the following weekend as Puskarich Qualified sixth in the field and on lap 10 of the 25-lap Feature, Puskarich found himself leading a Feature for the first time in his career and made no mistake the rest of the way in capturing his first career Street Stocks Feature victory at the Owosso Speedway.

From that point forward, Puskarich emerged as a top contender every week the rest of the season and would challenge eventual 2006 Track Champion, Mark Ragsdale for the Street Stocks Championship. Puskarich would rack up Six Top Three finishes in the last 10 races and nearly won the points championship.

“My team really demonstrated that a lot of hard work and commitment can go a long way. “ Puskarich stated. During that successful stretch, Puskarich and crew experienced a bit of deja vu from April as they lost another engine late in the season and were forced to make a second engine change in the Owosso Speedway pit area.

“Many other ‘fluke’ activities occurred during practice, heat races, and mains that could have been disastrous but our team overcame the adversity. “ Puskarich added. “Without question we were the team to beat during the last 2/3s for the season. “ He ended.

Puskarich began his racing career in 2004 in the Street Stocks division at Owosso Speedway after spending the previous season on his Father, Darren Puskarich’s Outlaw Bodied Super Late Model Pit Crew. During his rookie season, Puskarich finished a respectable 11th in the final points standings. Then In 2005, his Sophomore season, Puskarich was a vastly improved driver as the Belmont, Michigan teenager was in the hunt for several feature wins while finishing a solid fifth in the final points standings once again running a Street Stock at Owosso.

“I want to thank my Mom, Dad, and Sister along with Cody Houghtaling and the Owosso Speedway gang because they’ve really made it possible for me to race. “ Puskarich appreciatively stated. “I want to continue to progress my racing career and we’ve learned to fight through difficulties and have a determined attitude expecting to win when we show up. “ He Ended.