Preece Two-For-Two in Mod Qualifying
Earns Second Coors Light Pole Award Of Season
STAFFORD, Conn. – Ryan Preece earned his second Coors Light Pole Award in as many attempts this season when he took the top qualifying spot for the CARQUEST Tech-Net Spring Sizzler at Stafford Motor Speedway.
Preece, from Berlin, Conn., toured the half-mile in Stafford Saturday with a record lap of 17.924 seconds (100.424 mph). It was his eighth career pole overall and second at Stafford. Preece’s first career pole also came in the 2008 Stafford Spring Sizzler.
Corey LaJoie, a full-time NASCAR K&N Pro Series East driver that is making his Whelen Modified Tour debut this weekend at Stafford, was second-fastest with a qualifying lap of 17.936 (100.357).
[Sat. Photo Gallery] by Nicholas Teto
[Sun. Photo Gallery] by Nicholas Teto
Eric Berndt (17.948/100.290) and Mike Stefanik (17.964/100.200) will make up the second row for Sunday’s 200-lap headline event.
Each of the top four qualifiers surpassed the previous track record of 17.965 (100.195) set by Bobby Santos in the 2010 Spring Sizzler.
Justin Bonsignore, Donny Lia, Doug Coby, Ron Silk, Keith Rocco and Jimmy Blewett brought home the rest of the top 10 qualifiers.
The CARQUEST Tech-Net Spring Sizzler will be the second race of the 2012 NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour season. Racing action will begin with NASCAR Whelen All-American Series features on Sunday starting at 1 p.m., and the Whelen Modified Tour will take to the track at approximately 3:15 p.m.
QUALIFYING RESULTS
NWMT Stafford 4/29/12 Qualifying
POS CAR DRIVER TEAM TIME SPEED
1 16 Ryan Preece, Berlin, Conn. Diversified Metals/R.B. Enterprises Ford 17.924 100.424
2 17 Corey LaJoie, Concord, N.C. * LaJoie Scrap Metal/Joie of Seating Chevrolet 17.936 100.357
3 46 Eric Berndt, Cromwell, Conn. North End Auto Parts/Cape Cod Aggts Chevrolet 17.948 100.290
4 66 Mike Stefanik, Coventry, R.I. Robert B. Our Co. Chevrolet 17.964 100.200
5 51 Justin Bonsignore, Holtsville, N.Y. M3 Technology Ford 17.967 100.184
6 4 Donny Lia, Jericho, N.Y. Mystic Missile Racing Dodge 17.999 100.006
7 52 Doug Coby, Milford, Conn. Reynolds Auto Wrkg/Sims Chevrolet 18.021 99.883
8 6 Ron Silk, Norwalk, Conn Reynolds Auto Wrkng/Schnitzer Chevrolet 18.022 99.878
9 3 Keith Rocco, Wallingford, Conn. * Wheelers Auto/Silver Dollar Const. Chevrolet 18.024 99.867
10 76 Jimmy Blewett, Howell, N.J. John Blewett Inc./Ling Trucking Chevrolet 18.043 99.762
11 64 Ron Yuhas, Jr., Groton, Conn. Hughes Motors/DreamRide.org Chevrolet 18.067 99.629
12 2 Todd Szegedy, Ridgefield, Conn Dunleavy Repair/A&J Romano Const. Ford 18.089 99.508
13 93 Rowan Pennink, Huntingdon Valley, Pa. Monk Mechanics Hand Cleaner Chevrolet 18.109 99.398
14 79 Daniel Hemric, Kannapolis, N.C. * Hill Enterprises/Coors Light Pontiac 18.121 99.332
15 36 Ted Christopher, Plainville, Conn. Al-Lee Installations Chevrolet 18.125 99.310
16 45 Eric Beers, Northampton, Pa. Howrith Freightliner/John Blewett Inc. Ford 18.132 99.272
17 28 Ed Flemke, Jr., Southington, Conn Ron Bouchard Autos/Raceworks TV Chevrolet 18.140 99.228
18 58 Eric Goodale, Riverhead, N.Y. Riverhead Building Supply Chevrolet 18.173 99.048
19 07 Patrick Emerling, Orchard Park, N.Y. Emerling Ford Chevrolet 18.173 99.048
20 11 Woody Pitkat, Stafford, Conn. Spectro Peformance Oil Chevrolet 18.210 98.847
21 39 Richie Pallai, Jr, Yorktown Heights, N.Y. CARQUEST Filters/Bosch Spark Plugs Chevrolet 18.239 98.690
22 99 Jamie Tomaino, Howell, N.J. Supreme Manufacturing Chevrolet 18.274 98.501
23 50 Kevin Goodale, Riverhead, N.Y. Riverhead Building Supply Chevrolet 18.345 98.119
24 33 Wade Cole, Riverton, Conn. Perf. Engines/Kendall Oil/Ryan's Chevrolet 18.400 97.826
25 88 Bryon Chew, Mattituck, N.Y. Buzz Chew Chevrolet/GT Vodka Chevrolet 18.488 97.360
26 38 John Jensen, Wolcott, Conn. * Perf. Engines/Kendall Oil/Ryan's Chevrolet 18.508 97.255
27 18 Ken Heagy, Calverton, N.Y. Buoy One Seafood/MacLad Drywall Chevrolet 18.600 96.774
28 26 Gary McDonald, Ronkonkoma, N.Y. Lakeland Landscape/TRC Electric Chevrolet 18.654 96.494
* Denotes Sunoco Rookie of the Year candidate
Sources: Jason Cunningham/NASCAR WMT PR