Coby Dominates to Third NAPA Spring Sizzler Win
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 193 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 in the first half of the event. While Justin Bonsignore, Jamie Tomaino and Ted Christopher were each credited with laps led, Coby left little doubt through the afternoon he had the winning car.
Todd Szegedy followed in second with Rowan Pennink third. Timmy Solomito backed up his season-opening win with a fourth-place finish and Bonsignore was 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 following a restart.
With the win Coby ascends to the top of the points standings by one over Timmy Solomito, 88-87.
The NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour returns to action on May 14 at New London-Waterford Speedbowl for the New England Cycle Center 161.
NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour-NAPA Spring Sizzler 200 Results
Sunday
At Stafford Motor Speedway
Stafford, Conn.
Lap length: 0.5 miles
(Start position in parentheses)
1. (1) Doug Coby, Milford, Conn., Chevrolet, 200 laps, 68.755 mph.
2. (5) Todd Szegedy, Ridgefield, Conn., Chevrolet, 200.
3. (8) Rowan Pennink, Huntingdon Valley, Pa., Chevrolet, 200.
4. (12) Timmy Solomito, Islip, N.Y., Ford, 200.
5. (10) Justin Bonsignore, Holtsville, N.Y., Chevrolet, 200.
6. (14) Shawn Solomito, Islip, N.Y., Chevrolet, 200.
7. (13) Bobby Santos, Franklin, Mass., Chevrolet, 200.
8. (11) Chase Dowling, Roxbury, Conn., Chevrolet, 200.
9. (17) Brendon Bock, Franklin Square, N.Y., Chevrolet, 200.
10. (15) Max Zachem, Preston, Conn., Chevrolet, 200.
11. (18) Matt Swanson, Acton, Mass., Chevrolet, 200.
12. (9) Rob Summers, Manchester, Conn., Chevrolet, 200.
13. (25) Dave Sapienza, Riverhead, N.Y., Chevrolet, 200.
14. (7) Ted Christopher, Plainville, Conn., Chevrolet, 199.
15. (22) Donny Lia, Jericho, N.Y., Chevrolet, 199.
16. (23) Jamie Tomaino, Howell, N.J., Chevrolet, 199.
17. (3) George Brunnhoelzl III, West Babylon, N.Y., Chevrolet, 199.
18. (21) Ken Heagy, Calverton, N.Y., Chevrolet, 197.
19. (24) Andrew Krause, Holmdel, N.J., Chevrolet, 197.
20. (26) Gary Putnam, Vernon, Conn., Chevrolet, 197.
21. (20) Craig Lutz, Miller Place, N.Y., Chevrolet, 196.
22. (30) Gary McDonald, Ronkonkoma, N.Y., Chevrolet, 195.
23. (28) Wade Cole, Hartland, Conn., Chevrolet, 194.
24. (6) Eric Goodale, Riverhead, N.Y., Chevrolet, 175, ignition.
25. (31) Woody Pitkat, Stafford, Conn., Chevrolet, 172, accident.
26. (4) Ron Silk, Norwalk, Conn., Chevrolet, 172, accident.
27. (32) Melissa Fifield, Wakefield, N.H., Chevrolet, 122, brakes.
28. (19) Jeff Goodale, Riverhead, N.Y., Chevrolet, 117, power steering.
29. (27) Nick Salva, Prospect, Conn., Chevrolet, 110.
30. (29) Ryan Preece, Berlin, Conn., Chevrolet, 106, accident.
31. (2) Jimmy Blewett, Howell, N.J., Dodge, 94, accident.
32. (16) Tom Rogers, Jr., Patchogue, N.Y., Chevrolet, 91, rear end.
Race Statistics
Time of Race: 1 hour 27 minutes 16 seconds
Margin of Victory: 1.131 seconds
Fastest Qualifier: D.Coby (99.398 mph, 18.109 seconds)
Caution Flags: 5 for 32 laps.
Lead Changes: 5 among 4 drivers.
Lap Leaders: D. Coby 1-64; J. Bonsignore 65; D. Coby 66-98; J. Tomaino 99; T. Christopher 100-104; D. Coby 105-200.
Standings: 1. D. Coby, 88; 2. T. Solomito, 87; 3. J. Bonsignore, 82; 4. R. Pennink, 76; 5. C. Dowling, 69; 6. B. Santos, 68; 7. D. Lia, 67; 8. S. Solomito, 66; 9. M. Zachem, 66; 10. M. Swanson, 62.