Two staple events remain on the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour schedule for 2019.
Up first, teams will head back to Stafford Motor Speedway in Connecticut for the annual NAPA Fall Final, where the track will also wrap their NASCAR Whelen All-American Series season.
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The most important headline entering the NAPA Fall Final 150? The championship battle.
It’s a two-man race, with Doug Coby looking for his sixth NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour title and Justin Bonsignore seeking his second straight. Coby leads by 21 points entering the half-mile, and has quite the resume at the Connecticut track.
On top of his two NASCAR Whelen All-American Series division titles at Stafford, Coby has 12 victories in Whelen Modified Tour action, including a checkered flag in the NAPA Spring Sizzler earlier this year. In August, Coby led the first 152 laps of the Stafford 150, a race that went into NASCAR overtime, but didn’t win. He finished third.
Bonsignore, on the other hand, doesn’t list Stafford as one of his best tracks. He is winless in 36 starts, but seems to have found the speed that could translate to a win. In his last five Stafford starts, he’s qualified inside the top four. He’s finished sixth in the last two races there, but run inside the top five consistently. With the gap standing at 21 points, he’s going to need to make something happen at Coby’s home track.
Behind them, still mathematically in contention, Ron Silk (-64pts) and Craig Lutz (-77 points) are both hoping that they can pull off a miracle. Lutz has finished inside the top 10 in his last eight Stafford races, including two second-place efforts. Lutz also has nine consecutive top 10 finishes this season.
Coming off a major triumph at New Hampshire Motor Speedway in the second annual Musket 250, Bobby Santos III and car owner Dave Sapienza will look to keep their momentum rolling into Stafford, a place where Santos is quite familiar with Victory Lane. The Franklin, Massachusetts, former series champion has six wins in 38 starts at the Arute-family owned track.
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RACE FACTS
RACE: NAPA Fall Final 150
PLACE: Stafford Motor Speedway, Stafford, Connecticut
DATE: Sunday, September 29
TIME: 3:15 p.m. ET (approx.)
TELEVISION: NBCSN, Friday, October 4, 7 p.m. — FansChoice.TV (Live Broadcast) — 3:15 p.m. (approx.)
TRACK LAYOUT: Half-mile paved oval
2018 WINNER: Kyle Bonsignore
2018 POLE: Justin Bonsignore
SCHEDULE: Saturday: Garage Opens: 8:15 a.m., Practice: 11-11:40 a.m., Final Practice: 12:20-1 p.m., Qualifying: 2:30 p.m. Sunday: Garage Opens: 8:30 a.m., Autograph Session: 11-12 p.m., NAPA Fall Final 150: 3:15 p.m. (approx.)
COMMENTARY: Sapienze and Santos end tumultuous season on high
CHAMPIONSHIP STANDINGS
- Doug Coby Ldr.
- Justin Bonsignore -21
- Ron Silk -64
- Craig Lutz -77
- Eric Goodale -125
ENTRY LIST
- Melissa Fifield, Fifield Racing
- Woody Pitkat, EHR Racing
- Doug Coby, Mike Smerligio Racing
- Matt Swanson, BHE Racing Enterprises
- Sam Rameau, Rameau Racing
- Patrick Emerling, Emerling Motorsports
- J.R. Bertuccio, TBA
- Blake Barney, Barney Motorsports
- Timmy Solomito, Flamingo Motorsports
- Ken Heagy, Buoy One Racing
- Joey Cipriano III, Gunsmoke Stables Racing
- Jimmy Blewett, Bertuccio Racing
- Kyle Bonsignore, Kyle Bonsignore Racing
- Calvin Carroll, Carroll Motorsports
- Gary McDonald, McDonald Motorsports
- Tyler Rpykema, Rpykema Motorsports
- Wade Cole, Wade Cole Motorsports
- J.B. Fortin, Fortin Motorsports
- Andrew Molleur, Mike Molleur Racing
- Bobby Santos III, Sapienza Racing
- Kyle Ellwood, Rodenbaugh Racing
- Timmy Catalano, Catalano Motorsports
- Justin Bonsignore, Ken Massa Motorsports
- Mark Bakaj, Jason Nogiec Racing
- Tommy Catalano, Catalano Motorsports
- Eric Goodale, Goodale Racing
- Rob Summers, KLM Motorsports
- Chris Pasteryak, Pasteryak Racing
- Walter Sutcliffe, Jr., Last Minute Racing
- Ron Silk, Kevin Stuart Motorsports
- Anthony Nocella, Anthony Nocella Racing
- Chase Dowling, Tomaino Motorsports
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