Doug Coby tops Whelen Modified Tour field at Stafford

Doug Coby is back home, and back at the top of the speed charts.

The Milford, Connecticut, driver topped the only NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour practice session at Stafford Motor Speedway on Friday ahead of the Stafford 150. The 12-time Stafford winner, who earned another NAPA Spring Sizzler victory in May, toured half-mile with a quick lap of 18.593 seconds (96.811 mph).

Patrick Emerling, who was pushed in by a tow truck early in practice, survived a minor issue to post the second fastest lap of the session. Emerling’s time driving the No. 07 Sahlen’s Chevrolet was a lap of 18.602 seconds (96.764 mph).

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In 22 career Stafford starts, Emerling has two top-five finishes, but the Orchard Park, New York, driver has top 10 finishes in six of his last seven starts at the Connecticut oval.

Chris Pasteryak was third (18.606 seconds/96.743 mph), while Chase Dowling and Bobby Santos III rounded out the top-five. Dowling led 78 laps in the Sizzler, before a rear-end issue sidelined him in the lead. Santos returns to Stafford for the first time this year, driving for the injured Dave Sapienza, but he is a six-time winner at the track.

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Jon McKennedy was sixth, followed by Justin Bonsignore, Ron Silk, Craig Lutz and Matt Swanson.

The NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour returns to the track for qualifying ahead of the Stafford 150 at 6:35 p.m. on Friday evening. The 10th race of the season will take the green flag at 9:15 p.m. and air live on FansChoice.TV.

The complete practice times can be found below.

1. Doug Coby
2. Patrick Emerling -.009
3. Chris Pasteryak -.013
4. Chase Dowling -.031
5. Bobby Santos III -.038
6. Jon McKennedy -.048
7. Justin Bonsignore -.055
8. Ron Silk -.070
9. Craig Lutz -.128
10. Matt Swanson -.131
11. Joey Mooch -.144
12. Joey Cipriano III -.145
13. Rob Summers -.145
14. Eric Goodale -.176
15. Blake Barney -.177
16. Kyle Bonsignore -.194
17. Jimmy Blewett -.194
18. Timmy Solomito – .229
19. Sam Rameau -.267
20. JB Fortin -.314
21. Gary Putnam -.332
22. Woody Pitkat -.341
23. George Brunnhoetzl III -.360
24. Amy Catalano -.431
25. Calvin Carroll -.441
26. Tommy Catalano -.466
27. Andrew Molleur -.515
28. Kyle Ellwood – .525
29. Timmy Catalano -.582
30. Mark Bakaj -.622
31. Mike Rutkoski -.658
32. Walter Sutcliff -.737
33. Wade Cole -.933
34. Melissa Fifield -1.552

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