From his peers: NASCAR Modified regulars hold huge respect for Rowan Pennink

On Tuesday, Rowan Pennink announced he would be retiring from competition in racing effective immediately.Pennink suffered a back injury over the most recent offseason and even though back surgery steered him back in the right direction for a short time, pain returned just months later.

The Huntingdon Valley, Pennsylvania, driver made the decision to step away from driving to spend time focusing on his health and his family. He leaves behind a legacy filled with accolades in the modified ranks — including three NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour wins and two championships in the SK Modified division at Stafford Motor Speedway in Connecticut.

Short Track Scene pieced together comments from drivers, officials and others in the racing community on the sudden retirement of Rowan Pennink.

Keith Rocco, a three-time SK Modified champion at Stafford, has been racing with Pennink for years in the Division I NASCAR Whelen All-American Series class:

“He was always a fierce competitior, you could run side-by-side with him,” Rocco said. “You never had to worry about having a grudge with him, because he races hard and he races to win. We were always able to race, put on good hard battles and never walk away with a grudge. Those are the kind of people I like to race with.”

Justin Bonsignore — the current points leader on the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour — raced with Pennink for years, in multiple different modified divisions in New England:

“I’ve known Rowan and his family all the way back to when we raced go-karts. We had a trailer fire on the way to a race once, and his mom was one of the people that helped us go through all of the equipment with the rest of his family. She got right in there in the nasty equipment left after the fire and that is something that stuck with me for a long time,” Bonsignore said. “We grew up around each other and traveled a lot, we were friendly. We have raced in SK’s, the Whelen Modified Tour, and obviously the last few years we had some hard battles, but I always appreciated racing against him because you always knew where you stood. He was a hard-nosed racer. He raced you how he wanted to be raced. If you raced him clean, he raced you clean, and if you raced him rough, he was going to race you rough. I wish him the best with his new family and his health. That is what is most important.”

Mike Boehler, who was Pennink’s car owner for the last three years on the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour:

“Three years ago, we needed to regroup, and the Pennink’s were looking to stop running their own stuff. Rowan had some equipment to help us upgrade, we had some crew guys, it worked out. The Pennink’s, they do things as a family. All I can say about Rowan is that he races every lap like he was going to run in the race. There was no taking it easy, letting up, nothing like that. He was a hard-nosed racer, up on the wheel every single lap. The last few years with Rowan have been awesome. He really takes care of the cars, because he drives them like they were his own. For us to be able to compete at this level, we are all really happy.”

Tom Fox, who is the current Director of Racing Operations at Stafford Motor Speedway, has watched Pennink race for years:

“I was shocked that Rowan was retiring, and he had a great career ahead of him,” Fox said. “He won many championships, had another 20 years available to race with him. He was on track to be one of the most successful drivers in Stafford history. We’re all disappointed to see him go, his family, all of them, I am definitely going to miss them being there. He was a team-player for Stafford — he always knew what to do based on the circumstances.”

Jimmy Wilson, who is in his sixth season as the Director of the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour, watched Pennink transfer from his family operation to Boehler Racing:

“Rowan is a great competitor, and a fierce competitor,” Wilson said. “One thing that I have always admired about him, is when we had to have those discussions that do take place in the trailer (after a race), I truly believe that when he gets into it with someone, and they leave the track that day, it is over. It doesn’t carry-over to the next race. He races you as you race him. He is just an all-around great guy. Someone that anyone can go up and strike a conversation with. He was always respectful to anyone that he was around.”’