QUALIFYING: Stefanik Extends Tour Record
7-Time Series Champion Sets Fast Time At Thompson
THOMPSON, Conn. – Mike Stefanik extended his NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour pole record in winning the Coors Light Pole Award in qualifying at Thompson International Speedway on Thursday as the field was set for tonight's Budweiser King of Beers 150.
It marked his 47th career pole, which extended his own series record, and marked his ninth career pole pole at Thompson. The seven-time champion from Coventry, R.I., turned a fast lap of 18.538 seconds at an average speed of 121.372 mph.
Bobby Santos was second quickest, with a lap of 18.613 (120.883 mph). He was followed by Ted Christopher, Ron Silk and Rob Fuller. Todd Szegedy, Rowan Pennink, Jimmy Blewett, Donny Lia and Eric Goodale completed the top 10 in qualifying.
Doug Coby, who qualified 14th, has a 41-point lead in the championship standings over Ryan Preece, who was 21st quickest of 24 cars that took times in qualifying. Coby brings a streak of six-consecutive podium finishes to Thompson, including four wins.
[Photo Gallery] by Nicholas Teto
Stefanik, who also led the field in practice at Thompson earlier in the day, will be making his 104th start at the high-banked .625-mile oval. In addiiton to having the most poles there among active drivers, the driver of the No. 66 Barnyard Raceway/Sunoco Race Fuels Ford leads all drivers with 14 wins, 63 top 10s and 1,769 laps led there. His last win there came in the 2006 Icebreaker.
Christopher is the defending pole and race winner of the Budweiser King of Beers 150. He is behind the wheel of the famed “Ole Blue” for the first time in his career, filling in for the injured Keith Rocco in the Boehler Racing Enterprises No. 3.
Tonight's 150-lap event is set to go green at 9 p.m. ET.
The Budweiser King of Beers 150 is the first race of the second half of the 2012 NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour schedule and the second of four events this season at Thompson International Speedway.
NWMT Thompson 8/9/12 Qualifying
Pos No. Name Team Best Speed Best Tm In Lap Laps Diff
1 66 Mike Stefanik Barnyard Raceway/Sunoco Race Fuels 121.372 18.538 1 2
2 44 Bobby Santos Imperial Cars/Tinio Corporation 120.883 18.613 2 2 0.075
3 3 Ted Christopher Cape Cod Copper/Silver Dollar Const 120.534 18.667 2 2 0.129
4 6 Ron Silk Calvertson Tree Farm/T.S. Haulers 120.308 18.702 2 2 0.164
5 71 Rob Fuller Draco Springs 119.968 18.755 2 2 0.217
6 2 Todd Szegedy Dunleavy Repair/ A&J Romano Const., Ford 119.910 18.764 2 2 0.226
7 93 Rowan Pennink Monk Mechanics Hand Cleaner 119.866 18.771 1 2 0.233
8 76 Jimmy Blewett John Blewett Inc/Ling Trucking 119.719 18.794 1 2 0.256
9 4 Donny Lia Mystic Missile Racing 119.655 18.804 1 2 0.266
10 58 Eric Goodale Riverhead Building Supply 119.630 18.808 1 2 0.270
11 45 Eric Beers Horwith Freightliner/John Blewett Inc. 119.414 18.842 2 2 0.304
12 64 Ron Yuhas Jr. DreamRide.org/Complete Construction 119.174 18.880 2 2 0.342
13 46 Eric Berndt Cape Cod Agts/North End Auto Parts 119.085 18.894 1 2 0.356
14 52 Doug Coby Reynolds Auto Wrkg/Furnace & Duct 119.035 18.902 2 2 0.364
15 51 Justin Bonsignore M3 Technology 119.016 18.905 1 2 0.367
16 88 Bryon Chew Buzz Chew Chevrolet/Elbow East 118.960 18.914 1 2 0.376
17 07 Patrick Emerling Emerling Chevrolet Dealership 118.809 18.938 1 2 0.400
18 99 Jamie Tomaino Supreme Manufacturing 118.708 18.954 1 2 0.416
19 28 Ed Flemke Jr. Ron Bouchard's Auto/Raceworks TV 117.820 19.097 2 2 0.559
20 11 Woody Pitkat Spectro Oils of America 117.530 19.144 1 2 0.606
21 16 Ryan Preece East West Marine 117.524 19.145 2 2 0.607
22 18 Ken Heagy Buoy One Seafood/MacLad Drywall 117.023 19.227 2 2 0.689
23 33 Wade Cole Perf Engines/Kendall Oil/Ryan's 116.069 19.385 1 2 0.847
24 38 Johnny Bush Perf Engines/Kendall Oil/Ryan's 113.407 19.840 2 2 1.302
Sources: Kevin W. Green/NASCAR WMT PR