Blewett To Lead Fall Final Field At Stafford
2nd Career NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour Pole; First Since 2006 For Veteran
STAFFORD, Conn. (Sept. 29, 2012) – Jimmy Blewett won the Coors Light Pole Award for the CARQUEST Fall Final in NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour qualifying on Saturday at Stafford Motor Speedway.
Blewett, who hails from Howell, N.J., covered the half-mile Connecticut oval in 18.308 seconds for an average speed of 98.318 mph behind the wheel of his No. 76 John Blewett Inc./Ed Bennett Properties Chevrolet. It is his second career pole and first since June 2006 at Thompson (Conn.) International Speedway.
Starting alongside Blewett on the front row will be 2010 tour champion Bobby Santos, who posted a time of 18.371 seconds (97.981 mph).
Defending tour champion Ron Silk registered the third-quickest time at 18.474 seconds (97.434 mph) followed by Woody Pitkat at 18.496 seconds (97.318 mph) and Matt Hirschmann with a time of 18.505 seconds (97.271 mph).
Todd Szegedy, Eric Beers, Bryon Chew, Donnie Lia and Ryan Preece rounded out the top-10 qualifiers.
Hirschmann and Szegedy logged identical qualifying times, but Hirschmann gets the advantage as a result of being higher in the owner standings, per the tour rule book.
Justin Bonsignore, who claimed the last two Fall Final poles, was fastest in practice earlier in the day, but qualified 13th this time around.
Points leader Doug Coby after winning each of the tour’s first three Stafford visits this season looks to become the first driver to sweep all four events. He will start from the 11th position. Defending race winner Ted Christopher qualified in the 20th position.
The CARQUEST Fall Final is scheduled to get underway on Sunday at 3:15 p.m. ET.
Qualifying Results
NASCAR WHELEN MODIFIED TOUR – 2012 CARQUEST Fall Final Lineup
Race Sunday; Qualifying Saturday
at Stafford Motor Speedway
Stafford, Conn.
Lap Length: 0.5 miles
1. (76) Jimmy Blewett, Howell, N.J., Chevrolet, 98.318
2. (44) Bobby Santos, Franklin, Mass., Chevrolet, 97.981
3. (6) Ron Silk, Norwalk, Conn., Chevrolet, 97.434
4. (79) Woody Pitkat, Stafford, Conn., Pontiac, 97.318
5. (50) Matt Hirschman, Northampton, Pa., Chevrolet, 97.271
6. (2) Todd Szegedy, Ridgefield, Conn, Ford, 97.271
7. (45) Eric Beers, Northampton, Pa., Ford, 97.203
8. (88) Bryon Chew, Mattituck, N.Y., Chevrolet, 97.197
9. (4) Donny Lia, Jericho, N.Y., Dodge, 97.192
10. (16) Ryan Preece, Berlin, Conn., Ford, 97.093
11. (52) Doug Coby, Milford, Conn., Chevrolet, 97.087
12. (93) Rowan Pennink, Huntingdon Valley, Pa., Chevrolet, 97.061
13. (51) Justin Bonsignore, Holtsville, N.Y., Chevrolet, 96.946
14. (64) Ron Yuhas, Jr., Groton, Conn., Chevrolet, 96.701
15. (10) Tommy Barrett, Jr., Millis, Mass., Chevrolet, 96.696
16. (39) Richie Pallai,, Jr., Yorktown Heights, N.Y., Chevrolet, 96.675
17. (66) Mike Stefanik, Coventry, R.I., Ford, 96.644
18. (11) Keith Rocco, Wallingford, Conn., Ford, 96.360
19. (46) Eric Berndt, Cromwell, Conn., Chevrolet, 96.282
20. (3) Ted Christopher, Plainville, Conn., Chevrolet, 95.908
21. (58) Eric Goodale, Riverhead, N.Y., Chevrolet, 95.785
22. (07) Patrick Emerling, Orchard Park, N.Y., Chevrolet, 95.729
23. (28) Ed Flemke, Jr., Southington, Conn, Chevrolet, 95.592
24. (99) Jamie Tomaino, Howell, N.J., Chevrolet, 95.465
25. (33) Wade Cole, Riverton, Conn., Chevrolet, 94.182
26. (38) Steve Dickey, Londonderry, N.H., Chevrolet, 93.570
Sources: Shon Sbarra/NASCAR WMT PR