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It was a relationship that was born of the most unfortunate of circumstances when Woody Pitkat landed behind the wheel of the Danny Watts Racing NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour car.

But what was born of tragedy, will remain intact for the 2018 season.

Team owner Danny Watts confirmed to RaceDayCT Thursday that Woody Pitkat will drive full-time for his team in 2018 on the Whelen Modified Tour.

Pitkat took over the Watts owned ride following the death of short track racing legend Ted Christopher on Sept. 16 of last year. Christopher was killed in a plane crash while flying to Riverhead (N.Y.) Raceway to compete for Watts in a Whelen Modified Tour event.

Pitkat ran the final three events of the 2017 season for Watts.

“Woody is going to be my driver for next year,” Watts told RaceDayCT. “We’re still working some other stuff out with crew members and stuff like that. But Woody will be my driver.

“I think he’s my best choice. After last year, changing three drivers, I had enough and I don’t want to do that no more. I think last year was probably one of the toughest seasons I’ve ever had. I just figure let’s leave what we had in place, make a few adjustments, and go ahead with it for this year.”

Said Pitkat: “It’s nice to know that I have that for next year and he’s willing to run the full tour. He’s committed to running the full season as long as everything goes good and we get along and everything, which I think we will.”

Watts ran his first full-time season on the Whelen Modified Tour in 2016 with Ron Silk. Silk got the team its first series win in 2016 at the New London-Waterford Speedbowl. Silk left the team after three races in 2017, with Christopher replacing him with the team. Christopher made eight starts with the team in 2017 before his death.

Driving for the team exactly one week after Christopher’s death, Pitkat had an eighth place finish in his debut for the team on Sept. 23 in the F.W. Webb 100 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway. He was running in the top-10 a week later in the NAPA Fall Final 150 at Stafford when mechanical issues ended his day. He was in contention to win in the season ending Sunoco World Series 150 at Thompson Speedway on Oct. 15 before settling for a seventh place finish.

“Obviously it would have been nice to be able to top it off at the World Series because we had a decent car and I felt like we could have had a shot to win there if we didn’t get spun,” Pitkat said. “… I think everything is there. Danny spends the money, he’s got good equipment. It’s just a matter of like anything, having the chemistry and having everybody work together. I’m looking forward to it. I think it’s going to be pretty good.”

In addition to running full-time on the Whelen Modified Tour, Pitkat will – as usual – have his hand in a few other rides. He will once again run full-time in the SK Modified division at Thompson for team owner Stan Mertz and also in the Late Model division at Thompson for owner Jeff Hartwell.

He also expects to run a selected schedule of Valenti Modified Racing Series events, Tri-Track Open Modified Series, the two new Open Modified events at Stafford Motor Speedway and other Open Tour Type Modified events for car owners Danny Stebbins and Steve Greer.