Preece Makes Late Push at Waterford
Grabs Lead During Green-White-Checkered Finish
WATERFORD, Conn. – Ryan Preece saved his best for last. The 21-year-old from Berlin, Conn., notched his second victory of the season in NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour action on Saturday night, winning the Mr. Rooter 161 at Waterford Speedbowl.
Preece, third quickest in qualifying, ran near the front of the pack all evening, never quite being able to find his way around the race leaders. That changed late, however, as a spin out by polesitter Todd Szegedy on the 159th lap brought out a caution and a chance for a green-white-checkered finish. Preece took advantage of the late restart, passing Doug Coby en route to his second consecutive win and first at Waterford.
It marks the second time in his Modified Tour career that Preece has won back-to-back races. He first accomplished the feat in 2009, winning at Riverhead (N.Y.) Raceway and Stafford (Conn.) Motor Speedway. The victory is also the 10th consecutive top-10 finish for the young driver.
Coby, last year’s Waterford winner, settled for second with Donny Lia in third followed by Justin Bonsignore and Bobby Santos. Szegedy, Eric Goodale, Rowan Pennink, Ron Silk and Bryon Chew rounded out the top five.
With the victory, Preece extended his season points lead to 17 over Pennink with reigning champ Coby up to third, 21 behind.
The Waterford stop was the fourth event on the 14-race tour schedule. Up next is Riverhead (N.Y.) Raceway on June 29.
LAP-BY-LAP RECAP | RESULTS | POSTRACE AUDIO: RYAN PREECE | POSTRACE AUDIO: DOUG COBY | POSTRACE AUDIO: DONNY LIA
Sources: John Tejeda/NASCAR PR
NWMT Waterford 6/22/13 Unofficial Results
Whelen Modified Tour
Race: NWMT Waterford 6/22/13
PRINT VERSION (PDF)
Fin Str Car Driver Team Laps Points B/Points Status
1 3 16 Ryan Preece East West Marine/Diversified Metals Ford 166 47 4 Running
2 2 52 Doug Coby Reynolds Auto Wrkg/Furnace & Duct Chevrolet 166 43 1 Running
3 15 4 Donny Lia Circle Track Magazine Dodge 166 41 Running
4 5 51 Justin Bonsignore M3 Technology Chevrolet 166 40 Running
5 4 44 Bobby Santos Tinio Racing/Brendan Kelley Music Chevrolet 166 39 Running
6 1 2 Todd Szegedy Dunleavy Repair/A&J Romano Const Ford 166 40 2 Running
7 9 58 Eric Goodale Riverhead Building Supply Chevrolet 166 37 Running
8 11 93 Rowan Pennink Monk Mechanics Hand Cleaner Chevrolet 166 36 Running
9 10 6 Ron Silk T S Haulers/ Calverton Tree Farm Chevrolet 166 35 Running
10 8 88 Bryon Chew Buzz Chew Chevrolet/Elbow East Chevrolet 166 34 Running
11 20 22 Mike Stefanik Robert B Our Co/Canto & Sons Paving Chevrolet 166 33 Running
12 21 76 Jimmy Blewett John Blewett Inc./Ling Trucking Chevrolet 166 32 Running
13 6 73 Cole Powell * Copps BuildAll/Tricar Chevrolet 166 31 Running
14 18 46 Eric Berndt North End Auto Parts/Cape Cod Aggts Chevrolet 166 30 Running
15 14 64 Ron Yuhas, Jr. Fast Track Electric/Scorpion Const Chevrolet 166 29 Running
16 7 89 Shawn Solomito Cystic Fibrosis Foundation/Acme Sanitary Chevrolet 166 28 Running
17 16 07 Patrick Emerling Emerling Chevrolet Dealership Chevrolet 166 27 Running
18 25 18 Ken Heagy Buoy One Seafood/ Mehner Racing Chevrolet 166 26 Running
19 26 26 Gary McDonald Lakeland Landscape /TRC Electric Pontiac 165 25 Running
20 22 33 Wade Cole Perf Engines/Kendall Oil/Ryan’s Oil Chevrolet 163 24 Running
21 24 28 Ed Flemke, Jr. Ron Bouchard’s Auto Stores Chevrolet 159 23 Suspension
22 13 79 Woody Pitkat Mr. Rooter/Coors Light Pontiac 153 22 Transmission
23 17 3 Ted Christopher Silver Dollar Const/Cape Cod Copper Chevrolet 145 21 Running
24 27 38 Brian Schofield Perf Engines/Kendall Oil/Ryan’s Oil Chevrolet 131 20 Transmission
25 23 99 Jamie Tomaino Supreme Manufacturing Chevrolet 60 19 Rear End
26 12 39 Richie Pallai,, Jr. MAHLE Performance/Lucas Oil Chevrolet 50 18 Accident
27 19 5 Rob Summers Hitchcock Pool Water/Hoosier Tire East Chevrolet 50 17 Accident
RACE STATISTICS
Fastest Qualifier: Todd Szegedy, Time: 13.833 Seconds, Speed: 97.593 mph
Time of Race: 0 hrs., 51 mins, 2 secs Average Speed: 73.187 mph Margin of Victory: 0.110 Seconds
Caution Flags: Laps 2-4 (Cars #39 & 99 spin Turn 2); 16-18 (Cars #26 & 39 spin Turn 2); 35-40 (Car #38 spin Turn 2); 51-56 (Cars #99, 26, 39, 5 accident Backstretch [Red Flag 12 mins.]); 72-78 (Car #18 spin Backstretch ); 119-125 (Car #26 spin Frontstretch ); 129-134 (Cars #33 & 38 spin Turn 1 ); 148-152 (Car #38 spin Turn 4 ); 160-163 (Car #2 spin Turn 1). 9 for 47 laps.
Lap Leaders: Todd Szegedy 1-101, Doug Coby 102-164, Ryan Preece 165-166.
Total Laps Led: Todd Szegedy 101, Doug Coby 63, Ryan Preece 2. 2 changes involving 3 drivers.