By Lou Modestino

Wins at Thompson Speedway Motorsports Park don’t come easy and Justin Bonsignore earned a hard-fought one on Sunday.

The 26-year-old from Holtsville, N.Y., outdueled pole sitter Woody Pitkat for the win in the Icebreaker 150 presented by Town Fair Tire. It was his first Icebreaker victory and fourth of his NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour career covering 61 starts. Bonsignore’s second tour victory came at Thompson in September 2012. His previous best Icebreaker finish was a fifth-place effort in 2011.

Bonsignore said after the win, “I hope everyone enjoyed it today. We tried not to be aggressive but you had to bel This is going to be (my) year.  The new Spafco chassis really helped us today. I can’t wait for Stafford (Spring Sizzler),” revealed Justin.

Pitkat, who won his first Coors Light Pole Award in Saturday’s qualifying, came up just short in his bid for a first Whelen Modified Tour win and finished second for the third time in his 79-race tour career. Woody remarked, “We came up through (the pack) and that’s the way it is.” Doug Coby, last season’s runner-up in the championship standings, crossed the line in third followed by Timmy Solomito in fourth. Eric Goodale rounded out the top-five finishers in the kick-off event for the tour’s 30th season.  Coby revealed, We hung around all day and we swung into a good finish.”

Ron Yuhas Jr., Ron Silk, 13-time Thompson winner Ted Christopher, in the Bob Caton Berkley Racing entry, defending tour champion Ryan Preece and Jimmy Zacharias completed the top 10.

The NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour is back in action next on Sunday, April 27 for the NAPA Spring Sizzler 200 at Stafford (Conn.) Motor Speedway.

NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour-Icebreaker 150 pres. by Town Fair Tire

Unofficial Results

Sunday

At Thompson Speedway Motorsports Park

Thompson, Conn.

Lap length: 0.625 miles

(Start position in parentheses)

1. (2) Justin Bonsignore, Holtsville, N.Y., Chevrolet, 150 laps, 73.481 mph.

2. (1) Woody Pitkat, Stafford, Conn., Chevrolet, 150.

3. (14) Doug Coby, Milford, Conn., Chevrolet, 150.

4. (12) Timmy Solomito, Islip, N.Y., Chevrolet, 150.

5. (10) Eric Goodale, Riverhead, N.Y., Chevrolet, 150.

6. (13) Ron Yuhas, Jr., Groton, Conn., Chevrolet, 150.

7. (17) Ron Silk, Norwalk, Conn., Chevrolet, 150.

8. (11) Ted Christopher, Plainville, Conn., Chevrolet, 150.

9. (4) Ryan Preece, Berlin, Conn., Ford, 150.

10. (15) Jimmy Zacharias, Candor, N.Y., Chevrolet, 150.

11. (7) Matt Hirschman, Northampton, Pa., Chevrolet, 150.

12. (21) Ken Heagy, Calverton, N.Y., Ford, 150.

13. (16) Rob Fuller, Boylston, Mass., Chevrolet, 150.

14. (20) Jamie Tomaino, Howell, N.J., Chevrolet, 150.

15. (19) Glen Reen, Wilbraham, Mass., Chevrolet, 150.

16. (22) Wade Cole, Hartland, Conn., Chevrolet, 150.

17. (6) Patrick Emerling, Orchard Park, N.Y., Chevrolet, 148.

18. (9) Bobby Santos, Franklin, Mass., Chevrolet, 142.

19. (24) Melissa Fifield, Wakefield, N.H., Chevrolet, 136.

20. (8) Keith Rocco, Wallingford, Conn., Chevrolet, 135, steering.

21. (3) Donny Lia, Jericho, N.Y., Dodge, 123, accident.

22. (5) Rowan Pennink, Huntingdon Valley, Pa., Chevrolet, 116.

23. (25) Tommy Barrett, Jr., Millis, Mass., Chevrolet, 100, ignition.

24. (18) Mike Stefanik, Coventry, R.I., Chevrolet, 95, engine.

25. (23) T.J. Zacharias, Candor, N.Y., Chevrolet, 19, oil pressure.

Race Statistics

Time of Race: 1 hour 16 minutes 33 seconds

Margin of Victory: 0.589 seconds

Fastest Qualifier: W.Pitkat (120.167 mph, 18.724 seconds)

Caution Flags: 7 for 36 laps.

Lead Changes: 7 among 4 drivers.

Lap Leaders: W. Pitkat 1-16; J. Bonsignore 17-20; R. Pennink 21-78; W. Pitkat 79-99; J. Bonsignore 100; D. Lia 101-123; W. Pitkat 124-141; J. Bonsignore 142-150.

Standings: 1. J. Bonsignore, 47; 2. W. Pitkat, 43; 3. D. Coby, 41; 4. T. Solomito, 40; 5. E. Goodale, 39; 6. R. Yuhas, Jr., 38; 7. R. Silk, 37; 8. T. Christopher, 36; 9. R. Preece, 35; 10. J. Zacharias, 34.