STAFFORD, Conn. – Doug Coby didn’t win the season-opener a couple of weeks ago, but he made everyone aware Sunday at Stafford Motor Speedway he’s still the driver to beat to win the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour championship.
Coby started from the pole and led a race-high 192 laps to win the NAPA Spring Sizzler 200 for his 18th career win overall and third in the 45th annual spring event at the historic speedway located in Stafford, Connecticut.
The two-time defending tour champion pulled ahead at the start of the race and quickly built leads by as much as three seconds over Todd Szegedy.
Coby lost the lead just twice in the race. Once when Justin Bonsignore edged him by inches at the line on a restart and the other when he pitted during the second caution of the race and Ted Christopher took the lead by staying on the track.
Coby was able to get past Christopher on Lap 105 and stay out front the rest of way to pick up his eight career win at Stafford.
Szegedy followed in second with Rowan Pennink third. Timmy Solomito backed up his season-opening win with a fourth-place finish and Justin Bonsignore finished fifth.
Completing the top-10 were Shawn Solomito, Bobby Santos, Chase Dowling, Brendon Bock and Max Zachem.
The race was slowed five times for caution with the only multi-car incident occurring on Lap 106 after Bonsignore and Ryan Preece got together during a restart.
The NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour returns to action on May 14 at New London-Waterford Speedbowl for the New England Cycle Center 161.
| Fin | Str | Car | Driver | Team | Laps | Points | B/Points | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 | 2 | Doug Coby | Dunleavy’s Repair/A&J Romano Const. Chevrolet | 200 | 48 | 5 | Running |
| 2 | 5 | 15 | Todd Szegedy | 15-40 Connection Chevrolet | 200 | 42 | Running | |
| 3 | 8 | 3 | Rowan Pennink | Cape Cod Copper/Canto Paving Chevrolet | 200 | 41 | Running | |
| 4 | 12 | 16 | Timmy Solomito | Diversified Metals /R.B. Enterprises Ford | 200 | 40 | Running | |
| 5 | 10 | 51 | Justin Bonsignore | M3 Technology Chevrolet | 200 | 40 | 1 | Running |
| 6 | 14 | 75 | Shawn Solomito | Eastport Feeds/Alex Anderson Inc. Chevrolet | 200 | 38 | Running | |
| 7 | 13 | 44 | Bobby Santos | Tinio Corp./Dan Kelley/Curb Records Chevrolet | 200 | 37 | Running | |
| 8 | 11 | 9 | Chase Dowling | S&S Asphalt Paving/Dunleavy’s Repair Chevrolet | 200 | 36 | Running | |
| 9 | 17 | 29 | Brendon Bock | Pro System Brakes/L.I. Performance Chevrolet | 200 | 35 | Running | |
| 10 | 15 | 20 | Max Zachem | Lu-Mac’s Package Store/VWS Chevrolet | 200 | 34 | Running | |
| 11 | 18 | 89 | Matt Swanson * | Spafco Race Chassis/FMR Racing Chevrolet | 200 | 33 | Running | |
| 12 | 9 | 64 | Rob Summers | HTE/Fast Track Elect/Complete Const. Chevrolet | 200 | 32 | Running | |
| 13 | 25 | 36 | Dave Sapienza | Frankie’s Towing/Wine Country Chevrolet | 200 | 31 | Running | |
| 14 | 7 | 0 | Ted Christopher | Dunleavy’s Repair/M&T Enterprises Chevrolet | 199 | 31 | 1 | Running |
| 15 | 22 | 8 | Donny Lia | Sypher Construction/Bardahl Chevrolet | 199 | 29 | Running | |
| 16 | 23 | 99 | Jamie Tomaino | Dunleavy’s Repair/Atlantic Sprinkler Chevrolet | 199 | 29 | 1 | Running |
| 17 | 3 | 28 | George Brunnhoelzl III | Dunleavy Repair/Island Intl. Chevrolet | 199 | 27 | Running | |
| 18 | 21 | 18 | Ken Heagy | Buoy One Seafood Chevrolet | 197 | 26 | Running | |
| 19 | 24 | 24 | Andrew Krause * | Supreme Manufacturing Chevrolet | 197 | 25 | Running | |
| 20 | 26 | 77 | Gary Putnam | Curb Records Chevrolet | 197 | 24 | Running | |
| 21 | 20 | 56 | Craig Lutz * | Lutz Motorsports/Moroso Chevrolet | 196 | 23 | Running | |
| 22 | 30 | 26 | Gary McDonald | Lakeland Landscape /TRC Electric Chevrolet | 195 | 22 | Running | |
| 23 | 28 | 33 | Wade Cole | Performance Engines/Kendall Oil Chevrolet | 194 | 21 | Running | |
| 24 | 6 | 58 | Eric Goodale | GAF Roofing/Supreme Skylights Chevrolet | 175 | 20 | Ignition | |
| 25 | 31 | 85 | Woody Pitkat | Stuart’s Automotive/Dunleavy’s Repair Chevrolet | 172 | 19 | Accident | |
| 26 | 4 | 82 | Ron Silk | Horton Avenue Materials Chevrolet | 172 | 18 | Accident | |
| 27 | 32 | 1 | Melissa Fifield | Eastern Propane & Oil Chevrolet | 122 | 17 | Brakes | |
| 28 | 19 | 46 | Jeff Goodale | Riverhead Building Supply Chevrolet | 117 | 16 | Power Steering | |
| 29 | 27 | 59 | Nick Salva * | Seekonk GP/Ed Bennett Properties Chevrolet | 110 | 15 | Running | |
| 30 | 29 | 6 | Ryan Preece | TS Haulers/Riverhead Raceway Chevrolet | 106 | 14 | Accident | |
| 31 | 2 | 4 | Jimmy Blewett | Starrett Dodge | 94 | 13 | Accident | |
| 32 | 16 | 38 | Tom Rogers, Jr. | Stakey’s Pumpkin Farm/CAC Ind. Chevrolet | 91 | 12 | Rear End |
* Denotes Sunoco Rookie of the Year Contender
RACE STATISTICS
Race Comments: Doug Coby won the NAPA Spring Sizzler 200, his 18th career NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour victory overall, and eighth at Stafford Motor Speedway. The following cars dropped to the rear under penalty prior to green flag for the reason indicated: Woody Pitkat (engine change), Ryan Preece (driver change).
Fastest Qualifier: Doug Coby, Time: 18.109 Seconds, Speed: 99.398 mph
Time of Race: 1 hrs., 27 mins, 16 secs
Average Speed: 68.755 mph
Margin of Victory: 1.131 Seconds
Caution Flags: Laps 54-64 (Cars #82 & 3 spinout (Turn 4) [38]); 96-102 (Car #4 accident (Turn 3) [36]); 107-112 (Cars #6 & 51 accident (Backstretch) [29]); 126-129 (Car #59 accident (Frontstretch) [8]); 173-176 (Car #58 & 82 spinout (Turn 4) [00]). 5 for 32 laps.
Lap Leaders: Doug Coby 1-64, Justin Bonsignore 65, Doug Coby 66-98, Jamie Tomaino 99, Ted Christopher 100-104, Doug Coby 105-200.
Total Laps Led: Doug Coby 193, Ted Christopher 5, Justin Bonsignore 1, Jamie Tomaino 1. 5 changes involving 4 drivers.
Top 10 Driver Points: Doug Coby 88, Timmy Solomito 87, Justin Bonsignore 82, Rowan Pennink 76, Chase Dowling 69, Bobby Santos 68, Donny Lia 67, Shawn Solomito 66, Max Zachem 66, Matt Swanson * 62