Tag Archives: Donnie Lia

Bonsignore had both skill and luck by winning the Bud 150 at Thompson Motorsports Park

 

 

Justin Bonsignore can now lay claim that he's won both the Icebreaker and the Bud 150 at Thompson.  (Credit: NASCAR Home Tracks photo)

Justin Bonsignore can now lay claim that he’s won both the Icebreaker and the Bud 150 at Thompson Motorsports Park. (Credit: NASCAR Home Tracks photo)

By Lou Modestino

Sometimes it is better to be lucky than good and sometimes a driver can be both.

Justin Bonsignore was just that as he was able to miss the late accidents that collected some of the lead pack cars and hold off a strong challenge by Matt Hirschman on a green-white-checkered finish to win the Budweiser King of Beers 150 at Thompson Speedway Motorsports Park.

It was the second consecutive NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour win for the Holtsville, New York native at Thompson and his third of the season. Doug Coby followed Hirschman in third with Ryan Preece and Ron Silk completing the top five.

Bonsignore became the first driver to win back-to-back races at Thompson since Ted Christopher scored four consecutive wins at the track from 2010-11.

The race was relatively calm through the first half mark with only three cautions. However, business picked up in the field over the final 75 laps of the contest with the yellow flag displayed for several multi-car accidents. The most significant of those incidents came on Lap 124.

Silk was leading the race with Donny Lia, who led the first half of the race before pitting under caution, second and Tommy Barrett Jr. third. Patrick Emerling spun in Turn 1 collecting both Lia and Barrett ending their night.

Coby took the lead past Silk on the ensuing restart on Lap 134 and remained out front for just two laps until Bonsignore made his move past the points leader on Lap 136 where he remained the rest of the night.

Timmy Solomito finished sixth with Christopher seventh and Todd Szegedy eighth. Glen Reen and Spencer Davis completed the top 10.

With the win, Bonsignore was able to slice five points off of Coby’s lead entering the night and will head to Bristol Motor Speedway for next Wednesday’s Bush’s Beans 150 just three points (367-364) out of the top spot.

NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour-Budweiser King of Beers 150
Unofficial Results
Thursday
At Thompson Speedway Motorsports Park
Thompson, Conn.
Lap length: 0.625 miles
(Start position in parentheses)
1. (9) Justin Bonsignore, Holtsville, NY, Chevrolet, 150 laps, 78.763 mph.
2. (16) Matt Hirschman, Northampton, PA, Chevrolet, 150.
3. (4) Doug Coby, Milford, Conn., Chevrolet, 150.
4. (8) Ryan Preece, Berlin, Conn., Ford, 150.
5. (11) Ron Silk, Norwalk, CT, Chevrolet, 150.
6. (5) Timmy Solomito, Islip, N.Y., Chevrolet, 150.
7. (19) Ted Christopher, Plainville, Conn., Chevrolet, 150.
8. (13) Todd Szegedy, Ridgefield, Conn, Chevrolet, 150.
9. (17) Glen Reen, Wilbraham, Mass., Chevrolet, 150.
10. (18) Spencer Davis, Dawsonville, Ga., Pontiac, 150.
11. (12) Keith Rocco, Wallingford, Conn., Chevrolet, 150.
12. (24) Gary McDonald, Ronkonkoma, N.Y., Pontiac, 150.
13. (21) Jamie Tomaino, Howell, N.J., Chevrolet, 149.
14. (22) Jimmy Zacharias, Candor, N.Y., Chevrolet, 149.
15. (23) Wade Cole, Hartland, Conn., Chevrolet, 148.
16. (15) Woody Pitkat, Stafford, Conn., Chevrolet, 147.
17. (20) John Beatty, Jr., Merrick, N.Y., Chevrolet, 142.
18. (6) Eric Goodale, Riverhead, N.Y., Chevrolet, 137, accident.
19. (2) Ron Yuhas, Jr., Groton, Conn., Chevrolet, 137, accident.
20. (7) Patrick Emerling, Orchard Park, NY, Chevrolet, 133.
21. (14) Rowan Pennink, Huntingdon Valley, Pa., Chevrolet, 129, accident.
22. (1) Donny Lia, Jericho, NY, Dodge, 124, accident.
23. (3) Tommy Barrett, Jr., Millis, Mass., Chevrolet, 123, accident.
24. (25) Melissa Fifield, Wakefield, N.H., Chevrolet, 105, brakes.
25. (10) Bobby Santos, Franklin, Mass., Chevrolet, 13, accident.

Race Statistics
Time of Race: 1 hour 11 minutes 25 seconds
Margin of Victory: 0.316 seconds
Fastest Qualifier: D.Lia (119.706 mph, 18.796 seconds)
Caution Flags: 8 for 37 laps.
Lead Changes: 4 among 5 drivers.
Lap Leaders: D. Lia 1-75; G. Reen 76-82; R. Silk 83-133; D. Coby 134-135; J. Bonsignore 136-150.
Standings: 1. D. Coby, 367; 2. J. Bonsignore, 364; 3. T. Christopher, 346; 4. B. Santos, 329; 5. R. Preece, 327; 6. R. Silk, 327; 7. M. Hirschman, 305; 8. T. Solomito, 304; 9. W. Pitkat, 303; 10. E. Goodale, 299.

Santos gets the biggest Modified win of his career at NHMS’ Sunoco 100

 

 

Bobby Santos, III of Franklin scored his biggest NASCAR Modified win at the New Hampshire Motor Speedway in Loudon, NH when he won the hotly contested Sunoco 100.  Credit: NASCAR HomeTracks photo)

Bobby Santos, III of Franklin scored his biggest NASCAR Modified win at the New Hampshire Motor Speedway in Loudon, NH when he won the hotly contested Sunoco 100. Credit: NASCAR HomeTracks photo)

By Lou Modestino

Bobby Santos entered the Sunoco 100 looking for a little extra magic to change his fortunes at the “Magic Mile.” He waited until the final lap, but he got it. Continue reading

Bobby Santos was content to finish second in the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour race at Waterford

 

 

Bobby Santos,III won the NASCAR Wheden Modified Tour race at Waterford at the wheel of Sal Tinio's machine.(Credit: NASCAR Home Track photo)

Bobby Santos,III won the NASCAR Wheden Modified Tour race at Waterford at the wheel of Sal Tinio’s machine.(Credit: NASCAR Home Track photo)

By Lou Modestino

Bobby Santos followed Donny Lia for much of the first half of Saturday night’s race. But Santos wasn’t content to finish second. Continue reading

Bobby Santos knew the way to Spring Sizzler victory lane

Bobby Santos, III is back on the rebound having hit the winners circle again at the Spring Sizzler at the Stafford Motor Speedway. Credit: NASCAR Home Track photo.

Bobby Santos, III is back on the rebound having hit the winners circle again at the Spring Sizzler at the Stafford Motor Speedway. Credit: NASCAR Home Track photo.

By Lou Modestino

No one needed to show Bobby Santos the way to Victory Lane at Stafford Motor Speedway; he’s a frequent visitor.

The Franklin, Mass., driver won the NAPA Auto Parts Spring Sizzler 200 on Sunday for his 11th career NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour victory, with six of those coming at Stafford, including three of the last four Spring Sizzlers. Continue reading