Art Barry (right) has been responsible for giving winning Modified race cars to drivers for over six decades. (Credit: Jim Dupont photo)
By Lou Modestino
Justin Bonsignore of Holtsville, New York completed his goal Saturday night, December 6, when he officially became the 2014 Valenti Modified Racing Series champion at the 11th annual VMRS Awards Banquet at Best Western Executive Inn, Manchester, NH. Continue reading
Woody Pitkat proved his worth by winning at NHMS for his second career NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour victory (Credit: NASCAR Home Track photo)
By Lou Modestino
Woody Pitkat held off Todd Szegedy on a green-white-checkered finish to earn his second NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour victory in Saturday’s F.W. Webb 100 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway. Continue reading
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.
Justin Bonsignore has just a one point edge over Rowan Pennink going into the Valenti Modified Series Wings and Wheels race at Waterford. (Credit:: Justin Bonsignore photo)
By Lou Modestino
With a new driver sitting atop the point standings and a roster full of competitors eager to get back to racing, the Valenti Modified Racing Series returns to action this Saturday night, August 9, when the series visits the famed Waterford Speedbowl in Connecticut for the 7th annual Wings and Wheels race program. The series has been idle since July 18. Continue reading
Doug Coby is always one of the top drivers when he races a Modified at Stafford Motor Speedway (Credit: NASCAR Home Track photo)
By Lou Modestino
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Keith Rocco has won over a dozen races this year and is especially good at this home track Stafford Motor Speedway. (Credit: NASCAR Home Tracks photo)
By Lou Modestino
The Valenti Modified Racing Series made its second of three visits during the 2014 season to Stafford Motor Speedway for the 4th Annual Lincoln Tech 80. Taking the checkered flag was Keith Rocco, who joined Tommy Barrett, Jr. as the only VMRS drivers to win more than one race at Stafford. Continue reading
Point leader Rowan Pinnink goes into Stafford’s VMRS event with the point lead. (Credit: Rowan Pinnink photo)
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Reigning Valenti Modified Racing Series Champion Rowan Pennink of Huntingdon Valley, Pennsylvania sits atop the point standings when the series returns to Stafford Motor Speedway, Stafford, Connecticut, Friday night, July 18. Continue reading
Ryan Newman won the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour Shootout at New Hampshire Motor Speedway (Credit: NASCAR Home Track photo)
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Twice before, Ryan Newman drove the venerable 7NY Modified to Victory Lane in a NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour race at New Hampshire Motor Speedway. Continue reading
Richard Savary’s Modified efforts turned around quickly when he hired Joey Kourafas as his crew chief (Credit: Richard Savary photo)
By Lou Modestino
Richard Savary used a different approach Friday night breaking away from the norm. He charged to the front from his 11th starting position, challenged early front runners Tom Carey Jr., and Todd Szegedy to take the lead on lap 55 and go to win the Valenti Modified Racing Series sanctioned ‘Port City 100’ at Lee USA Speedway, Friday night, June 27. Continue reading
By Lou Modestino
The Valenti Modified Racing Series returns to New Hampshire Friday night, June 27, when the series invades Lee USA Speedway, a mainstay on the series schedule since 2004. Continue reading