Coby Sizzles at Stafford
Strong Finish Nets Third Whelen Modified Victory
STAFFORD, Conn. – Doug Coby sailed to his third career NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour victory Sunday in the CARQUEST Tech-Net Spring Sizzler at Stafford Motor Speedway.
The Milford, Conn., driver led the final 89 laps of the 200-lap event en route to the victory over a pair of drivers who are well accustom to success on the historic half-mile .
Pole sitter Ryan Preece and Keith Rocco finished second and third respectively. Preece was the 2011 NASCAR Whelen All-American Series SK Modified Division champion at Stafford and Rocco was the 2008 and ‘10 track champ.
[Sat. Photo Gallery] by Nicholas Teto
[Sun. Photo Gallery] by Nicholas Teto
Points leader Ron Silk and Jimmy Blewett rounded out the top five. Justin Bonsignore was sixth, followed by Ron Yuhas Jr., Woody Pitkat, Mike Stefanik and Bryon Chew.
Coby’s first career win came at Stafford in the 2006 Spring Sizzler. His other win was last September at Thompson (Conn.) International Speedway.
With the victory, Coby secured a locked-in starting position for the inaugural UNOH Battle at the Beach during 2013 Speedweeks on a temporary short track at Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway.
The NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour next races in the Monadnock 200 at Monadnock Speedway in Winchester, N.H., on May 12.
Whelen Modified Tour
Race: NWMT Stafford 4/29/12
Fin Str Car Driver Team Laps Points B/Points Status
1 7 52 Doug Coby Reynolds Auto Wrkg/Sims Chevrolet 200 47 4 Running
2 1 16 Ryan Preece Diversified Metals/R.B. Enterprises Ford 200 44 2 Running
3 9 3 Keith Rocco * Wheelers Auto/Silver Dollar Const. Chevrolet 200 41 Running
4 8 6 Ron Silk Reynolds Auto Wrkng/Schnitzer Chevrolet 200 40 Running
5 10 76 Jimmy Blewett John Blewett Inc./Ling Trucking Chevrolet 200 39 Running
6 5 51 Justin Bonsignore M3 Technology Ford 200 38 Running
7 11 64 Ron Yuhas, Jr. Hughes Motors/DreamRide.org Chevrolet 200 37 Running
8 20 11 Woody Pitkat Spectro Peformance Oil Chevrolet 200 36 Running
9 4 66 Mike Stefanik Robert B. Our Co. Chevrolet 200 35 Running
10 25 88 Bryon Chew Buzz Chew Chevrolet/GT Vodka Chevrolet 200 34 Running
11 14 79 Daniel Hemric * Hill Enterprises/Coors Light Pontiac 200 33 Running
12 12 2 Todd Szegedy Dunleavy Repair/A&J Romano Const. Ford 200 32 Running
13 13 93 Rowan Pennink Monk Mechanics Hand Cleaner Chevrolet 200 31 Running
14 6 4 Donny Lia Mystic Missile Racing Dodge 200 30 Running
15 3 46 Eric Berndt Cape Cod Aggregrates/ North End Auto Parts 200 30 1 Running
16 21 39 Richie Pallai, Jr CARQUEST Filters/Bosch Spark Plugs Chevrolet 199 28 Running
17 17 28 Ed Flemke, Jr. Ron Bouchard Autos/Raceworks TV Chevrolet 199 27 Running
18 18 58 Eric Goodale Riverhead Building Supply Chevrolet 199 26 Running
19 22 99 Jamie Tomaino Supreme Manufacturing Chevrolet 198 25 Running
20 19 07 Patrick Emerling Emerling Ford Chevrolet 197 24 Running
21 27 18 Ken Heagy Buoy One Seafood/MacLad Drywall Chevrolet 193 23 Running
22 15 36 Ted Christopher Al-Lee Installations Chevrolet 187 22 Vibration
23 26 38 John Jensen * Perf. Engines/Kendall Oil/Ryan's Chevrolet 183 21 Running
24 16 45 Eric Beers Howrith Freightliner/John Blewett Inc. Ford 164 20 Steering
25 28 26 Gary McDonald Lakeland Landscape/TRC Electric Chevrolet 154 19 Running
26 24 33 Wade Cole Perf. Engines/Kendall Oil/Ryan's Chevrolet 114 18 Running
27 2 17 Corey LaJoie * LaJoie Scrap Metal/Joie of Seating Chevrolet 103 17 Suspension
28 23 50 Kevin Goodale Riverhead Building Supply Chevrolet 50 16 Brakes
RACE STATISTICS
Fastest Qualifier: Ryan Preece, Time: 17.924 Seconds, Speed: 100.424 mph
Time of Race: 1 hrs., 5 mins, 2 secs Average Speed: 92.260 mph Margin of Victory: 1.881 Seconds
Caution Flags: Laps 23-25 (Car #26 spin Turn 2 [50]); 34-37 (Car #38 spin Turn 4); 96-107 (Car #93 spin Turn 2 [39]); 124-127 (Car #26 slowed frontstretch [79]); 150-155 (Car #4 spin Turn 4 [93]); 160-163 (Cars #39 & 18 spin Turn 3 [4]). 6 for 33 laps.
Lap Leaders: Ryan Preece 1-98, Eric Berndt 99-109, Ryan Preece 110-111, Doug Coby 112-200.
Total Laps Led: Ryan Preece 100, Doug Coby 89, Eric Berndt 11. 3 changes involving 3 drivers.
* Denotes Rookie of the Year Contender
Sources: Jason Christley/NASCAR WMT PR