Record-breaking Win For Rudolph
Youngest winner in Whelen Modified Tour history
Williamson, NY — Erick Rudolph was just looking to finish a race. What he wound up with was a history-making victory. Rudolph’s first career NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour win Sunday in the Spencer Speedway 155 made him the youngest winner in tour history.
At 17 years, 6 months, 3 days, the Ransomville, N.Y., driver eclipsed the mark set by Ryan Preece last year. Preece was 17 years, 10 months, 25 days when he won at Martinsville (Va.) Speedway.
After failing to finish each of the first four races of the season, Rudolph led the final 48 laps Sunday and withstood a furious charge from Todd Szegedy on the final lap to claim the victory. On the last lap, Szegedy got by Chuck Hossfeld for second and had the nose of his car nearly up to Rudolph’s front tire as they crossed the finish line. The scheduled 125-lap event was extended to 131 by a green-white-checkered finish.
Hossfeld followed on Rudolph’s bumper for third. Rowan Pennink and Ryan Preece rounded out the top five.
Donny Lia, Mike Stefanik, Eric Goodale, Ron Silk and points leader Ted Christopher completed the top 10.
Earlier in the day, Szegedy and Christopher won the two 15-lap heat races that set the feature lineup. Rudolph, who was fastest in practice, finished 12th out of 14 cars in his heat.
Szegedy led a race-high 60 laps before being forced to pit for a flat tire on lap 80. He was able to cut Christopher’s point lead to 17.
The NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour returns to the track Aug. 1 at Riverhead (N.Y.) Raceway.
Sources: Jason Christley/NASCAR WMT PR
| Fin | Str | Car | Driver | Team | Laps | Points | Total Award | Status |
| 1 | 23 | 59 | Erick Rudolph | Original Pizza Logs/Prime Tyme Chevrolet | 131 | 180 | $5,000 | Running |
| 2 | 2 | 2 | Todd Szegedy | Wisk/Snuggle Ford | 131 | 170 | 2,200 | Running |
| 3 | 17 | 22 | Chuck Hossfeld | Jerry Gradl Motors Chevrolet | 131 | 165 | 1,700 | Running |
| 4 | 12 | 93 | Rowan Pennink | Monk Mechanics Hand Cleaner Chevrolet | 131 | 160 | 1,650 | Running |
| 5 | 6 | 3 | Ryan Preece | Mizzy Const./Reynold’s Auto Wrecking | 131 | 155 | 1,550 | Running |
| 6 | 7 | 4 | Donny Lia | JoJo Energy Drink Dodge | 131 | 150 | 1,450 | Running |
| 7 | 3 | 16 | Mike Stefanik | Diversified Metals/Sanderson-MacLeod Pontiac | 131 | 146 | 1,350 | Running |
| 8 | 13 | 58 | Eric Goodale * | Riverhead Building Supply Chevrolet | 131 | 142 | 1,600 | Running |
| 9 | 9 | 79 | Ron Silk | Hill Enterprises/Coors Light/Sunoco Pontiac | 131 | 138 | 1,250 | Running |
| 10 | 1 | 36 | Ted Christopher | Al-Lee Installations Chevrolet | 131 | 134 | 1,800 | Running |
| 11 | 11 | 09 | Bobby Grigas, III | Triple-G Scaffold Services Chevrolet | 131 | 130 | 1,150 | Running |
| 12 | 21 | 8 | Glenn Tyler | Sypher Const./Financial Fed. Credit Chevrolet | 131 | 127 | 1,025 | Running |
| 13 | 5 | 28 | Woody Pitkat | Ramar-Hall Chevrolet | 131 | 124 | 925 | Running |
| 14 | 15 | 52 | Chris Pasteryak | Dawley’s Auto Center/Sunoco Chevrolet | 131 | 121 | 875 | Running |
| 15 | 22 | 9 | Buck Catalano | Middlesex Auto Center Chevrolet | 131 | 118 | 830 | Running |
| 16 | 26 | 26 | Gary McDonald | Lakeland Landscape/RC Electric Pontiac | 130 | 115 | 600 | Running |
| 17 | 14 | 17 | Glen Reen | Reen Orthodontics/Pep Boys Chevrolet | 122 | 112 | 975 | Radiator |
| 18 | 16 | 18 | Ken Heagy | Buoy One Seafood Chevrolet | 122 | 109 | 725 | Running |
| 19 | 8 | 46 | Eric Beers | Cape Cod Aggregates/J&R Pre-Cast Chevrolet | 121 | 106 | 700 | Running |
| 20 | 10 | 10 | Ed Flemke, Jr. | Ron Bouchard Autos/Kleer Trimboards | 118 | 103 | 700 | Running |
| 21 | 20 | 15 | Danny Knoll, Jr. | Troyer Race Cars Chevrolet | 110 | 100 | 500 | Running |
| 22 | 4 | 12 | Jimmy Blewett | TS Haulers Chevrolet | 110 | 97 | 700 | Suspension |
| 23 | 18 | 68 | Johnny Bush | J.B. Stone Setters/Mehner Racing Chevrolet | 96 | 94 | 500 | Rear End |
| 24 | 24 | 33 | Wade Cole | Perf. Engines/Kendall Oil/Ryan’s Oil Chevrolet | 59 | 91 | 700 | Suspension |
| 25 | 19 | 19 | Doug Coby | Major Motion Trans./Family Auto Ctr. Chevrolet | 27 | 88 | 700 | Suspension |
RACE STATISTICS:
HEAT #1 WINNER: Ted Christopher, 36 Al-Lee Installations Chevrolet
HEAT #2 WINNER: Todd Szegedy, 2 Wisk/Snuggle Ford
Did Not Start: Jamie Tomaino.
Time of Race: 1 hrs., 11 mins, 31 secs Average Speed: 54.952 mph Margin of Victory: .054 Seconds
Caution Flags: Laps 3-6 (Car #4 spin in Turn 4); 20-23 (Car #26 spins in Turn 1); 26-30 (Multi-car accident in Turn 4); 34-40 (Car #17 spins in Turn 2);46-48 (Car #4 spins in Turn 3); 56-60 (Car #4 spins in Turn 3); 78-81 (Car #68 spins in Turn 3); 92-96 (Car #28 spins on frontstretch);101-104 (Car #68 stopped on backstretch); 110-115 (Multi-car accident in Turn 3); 119-120 (Cars #09 and 52 spin in Turn 2); 123-128 (Car #17 spin in Turn 2). 12 for 55 laps.
Lap Leaders: Todd Szegedy 1-6, Ted Christopher 7, Todd Szegedy 8-23, Ted Christopher 24-40, Todd Szegedy 41-48, Ted Christopher 49, Todd Szegedy 50-60, Ted Christopher 61, Todd Szegedy 62-80, Ryan Preece 81-83, Erick Rudolph 84-131.
Total Laps Led: Todd Szegedy 60, Erick Rudolph 48, Ted Christopher 20, Ryan Preece 3. 10 changes involving 4 drivers.
CONTINGENCY AWARDS:
COCA-COLA MOVE OF THE RACE AWARD: Erick Rudolph, 59 Original Pizza Logs/Prime Tyme Chevrolet
FEATHERLITE MOST IMPROVED DRIVER AWARD: Erick Rudolph, 59 Original Pizza Logs/Prime Tyme Chevrolet
SUNOCO ROOKIE OF THE RACE AWARD: Eric Goodale *, 58 Riverhead Building Supply Chevrolet
WHELEN WINNER OF THE RACE AWARD: Erick Rudolph, 59 Original Pizza Logs/Prime Tyme Chevrolet
* Sunoco Rookie of the Year Contender