Two stops at two historic Connecticut ovals are going to
play a major role in the championship battle for the NASCAR Whelen Modified
Tour.
Friday, the first of those stops brings drivers back the
Stafford Motor Speedway for the Stafford 150, the second of three events at the
half-mile this season. The NAPA Spring Sizzler, originally scheduled for April,
didn’t take the green flag until the middle of May.
Let’s hope Mother Nature has better plans this time around.
Doug Coby grew up racing at Stafford Motor Speedway.
The Milford, Connecticut, driver, and now five-time Whelen
Modified Tour champion, spent his days rising through the ranks of racing on
Friday night’s as part of Stafford’s NASCAR Whelen All-American Series program.
Coby won a championship in both the Late Model and Pro Stock divisions at the
Arute family-owned facility before he went to the big dance.
Fifty-five starts later in Whelen Modified Tour action at
Stafford, his success is definitely no fluke. Coby has 12 wins and 23 top-five
finishes to his credit, including a victory in the NAPA Spring Sizzler this
season, where he led 20 laps en route to what was his second win of the
campaign. Since then, he’s also added another checkered flag. Coby leads by 28
over Ron Silk with seven races to go, and while he looks to continue to add to
the record books, a little bit of home cooking could be in order.
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Speaking of Silk, the Norwalk, Connecticut, native is no
stranger to Stafford himself. In 47 of his own starts, Silk has one victory
(2011), but has made a habit of finishing well. He finished third in the NAPA
Spring Sizzler in May, leading 11 of the 200 laps. During his pairing with his
current team, Kevin Stuart Motorsports, Silk has three top-five runs in five
races.
The 2011 Whelen Modified Tour champion is also coming off a
major triumph at New Hampshire Motor Speedway, where he captured the win in the
Eastern Propane & Oil 100.
Chase Dowling might be the car to beat. Driving for veteran Jamie Tomaino, Dowling is coming off a podium run at NHMS, but showed plenty of speed in the Sizzler. The rising star, who is a former frontrunner in Stafford’s SK Light and SK Modified divisions, led 78 laps in the Sizzler and was leading the field before a rear-end issue sidelined him in the final laps.
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Craig Lutz is another driver to keep an eye on. Lutz has
seven consecutive top 10 finishes at the half-mile, including back-to-back
second place runs. In the Sizzler, Lutz finished second to Coby, leading five
laps before Coby slid around in the final laps.
Joey Cipriano III, Andrew Molleur and Mark Bakaj, all
drivers who run weekly at Stafford, are also expected to compete.
RECAP + RESULTS: Ron Silk keeps Tour title hopes alive with NHMS win
NASCAR MODIFIED STAFFORD 150
PLACE: Stafford Motor Speedway, Stafford, Connecticut
DATE: Friday, August 2
TIME: 9:15 p.m. ET
FREE STREAM: FansChoice.TV
CONFIGURATION: Half-mile paved oval
2018 WINNER: Doug Coby
2018 POLE: Chase Dowling
SCHEDULE: Garage Open 1:45 p.m.; Final Practice 4-5 p.m.; Group Qualifying 6:35 p.m.; Driver Autograph Session 7:15 p.m.; Stafford 150: 9:15 p.m.
CREW CHIEF HANDOUT
The starting field for the Stafford 150 is limited to 31
starters, including provisional positions. The first 25 drivers will secure
starting positions through the qualifying process. The remaining six positions
will be awarded through the provisional process.
NASCAR group qualifying is in place for this event.
Qualifying order will be determined by each vehicle’s fastest single lap from
the official practice session. The number of groups for qualifying will be
determined by NASCAR. Each group qualifying session will be five (5) minutes in
duration and the fastest single lap speed of each vehicle will determine the
starting positions 1st through 25th. Adjustments or repairs may not be made on
a vehicle after the vehicle enters the track to begin the qualifying session.
Vehicles may not return to the track or make any further qualifying laps unless
directed to do so by a NASCAR official or in the event of a caution. If a
vehicle returns to pit road, the vehicle’s qualifying attempt is complete. Once
a vehicle’s qualifying attempt is complete the vehicle must proceed directly to
the designated impound area once it enters pit road. In the event of a caution,
all vehicles must exit the track. Vehicles that elect to continue must proceed
directly to the re-entry area of pit road and stop to the outside of pit road.
No adjustments or repairs may not be made to any vehicle on pit road or in the
re-entry area during a caution.
The maximum tire allotment available for this event is
eleven (11) tires per team. Four (4) tires must be used for qualifying and to
begin the race. The tire change is four (4) tires, any position.
ENTRY LIST
01 Melissa Fifield, Fifield Racing
1 George Brunnhoelzl, Eddie Harvey Racing
2 Doug Coby, Mike Smerglio Racing
3 Matt Swanson, Boehler Racing
06 Sam Rameau, Rameau Racing
7 Jon McKennedy, Tommy Baldwin Racing
07 Patrick Emerling, Emerling Racing
16 Timmy Solomito, Flamingo Motorsports
18 Ken Heagy
19 Joey Cipriano III, Gunsmoke Stables Racing
20 Max Zachem, Max Zachem Racing
21 Jimmy Blewett, Bertuccio Racing
22 Kyle Bonsignore, Kyle Bonsignore Racing
25 Calvin Carroll, Carroll Motorsports
33 Wade Cole, Cole Motorsports
34 J.B. Fortin, Fortin Racing
35 Andrew Molleur, Mike Molleur Racing
36 Bobby Santos III, Sapienza Racing
38 Kyle Ellwood, Rodenbaugh Racing
45 Timmy Catalano, Catalano Motorsports
46 Craig Lutz, Goodale Racing
51 Justin Bonsignore, Ken Massa Motorsports
52 Mark Bakaj, Nogiec Racing
54 Tommy Catalano, Catalano Motorsports
57 Todd Cooper, FDNY Racing
58 Eric Goodale, Goodale Racing
64 Rob Summers, KLM Motorsports
75 Chris Pasteryak, Pasteryak Racing
77 Gary Putnam, Curb/GP Racing
78 Walter Sutcliffe, Jr., Last Minute Racing
82 Woody Pitkat, Danny Watts Motorsports
85 Ron Silk, Kevin Stuart Motorsports
88 Mike Rutkoski, Buzz Chew Motorsports
99 Chase Dowling, Tomaino Racing
CHAMPIONSHIP STANDINGS
- Doug Coby Ldr
- Ron Silk -28
- Justin Bonsignore -38
- Craig Lutz -75
- Eric Goodale -78
- Chris Pasteryak -100
- Woody Pitkat -101
- Patrick Emerling -101
- Timmy Solomito -102
- Matt Swanson -107
- Blake Barney -108
- Jimmy Blewett -111
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