Whelen Modified Statistical Advance: Bristol
Analyzing The TitanRoof150 At Bristol Motor Speedway
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – The NASCAR Whelen Modified and Whelen Southern Modified Tours will head to Bristol (Tenn.) Motor Speedway for the fifth annual TitanRoof 150 combination race on Wednesday, Aug. 21. Below is a statistical look at the performance of tours and selected drivers at the track:
Bristol Race Setup:
• Ryan Preece and George Brunnhoelzl III lead the NASCAR Whelen Modified and NASCAR Whelen Southern Modified Tours, respectively, in the championship standings entering Bristol. Both will vie for their first checkered flag at the “World’s Fastest Half Mile.”
• Whelen Modified Tour drivers have won each of the 11 all-time combination races with the Whelen Southern Modified Tour, including the previous four at Bristol.
• NASCAR Sprint Cup Series regular Ryan Newman is the only driver to reach Victory Lane twice at Bristol in a Modified.
• Eric Goodale, Jason Myers, Andy Seuss and Todd Szegedy are the only drivers that have finished in the top 10 – among their respective tours – in each of the previous four Bristol races.
• The TitanRoof 150 currently has 43 entries, which would be the most in the five-year history of the event.
AT BRISTOL MOTOR SPEEDWAY:
History
• Groundbreaking for Bristol International Speedway, as Bristol Motor Speedway was originally known, took place in 1960. The track was an exact half-mile.
• First NASCAR Sprint Cup race was July 30, 1961; Jack Smith won the event (with relief from Johnny Allen).
• In the fall of 1969, the track was reshaped and re-measured to .533-miles.
• The name changed to Bristol International Raceway in 1978.
• The first night race was held in the fall of 1978.
• The surface was changed from asphalt to concrete in 1992.
• The name changed to Bristol Motor Speedway in May 1996.
• The track was resurfaced between races in 2007, and the turns were ground down last season to eliminate part of the progressive banking.
• There have been a total of 105 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, 62 NASCAR Nationwide Series, 15 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series and two NASCAR K&N Pro Series East races at the track entering this week.
Notebook
• The format for the Bristol combination races sees the competitors from the NASCAR Whelen Modified and Whelen Southern Modified Tours compete for an overall checkered flag and purse, but earn points respective to their own tours. The highest-finishing driver from the tour that does not take the checkered flag is credited for a win for that tour.
• Four of the six drivers who have either visited Victory Lane or been credited with a win as the highest finisher in their respective division will be racing in this year’s event at Bristol. Donny Lia (2009), Ryan Newman (2010, `11) and Ron Silk (2012) have won the first four races at Bristol representing the NWMT while George Brunnhoelzl III (2009, `12), James Civali (2010) and Frank Fleming (2011) have been the highest finishers from the NWSMT. Only Civali and Fleming are not expected to be in the 2013 edition.
• This will be the 11th all-time, points-paying combination race between the NWMT and NWSMT. There were six such events at Martinsville Speedway from 2005-10, and this will be the fifth at Bristol. The two tours have also competed in non-points combo races on the short track at Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway and Thompson (Conn.) Speedway in recent seasons.
Bristol Motor Speedway Data
Race: NWMT #9 of 14, NWSMT #7 of 12
Track Layout: .533-mile concrete oval
• Race Length: 150 laps (79.95 miles)
• Banking/Corners: 24-28 degrees
• Banking/Straights: 4-8 degrees
Qualifying/Race Data
Qualifying Record: Justin Bonsignore (14.835 seconds, 129.343 mph – 8/18/10)
2012 Winners: Ron Silk (NWMT and overall) / George Brunnhoelzl III (NWSMT)
2012 Polesitters: Ron Silk (NWMT and overall) / Ryan Newman (NWSMT)
Category Leaders at Bristol
Wins – NWMT & Overall
1. Ryan Newman … 2
2. Donny Lia … 1
Ron Silk … 1
Wins – NWSMT
1. George Brunnhoelzl III … 2
2. James Civali … 1
Frank Fleming … 1
Poles – NWMT & Overall
1. Justin Bonsignore … 1
Bobby Santos … 1
Ron Silk … 1
Poles – NWSMT
1. Tim Brown … 1
James Civali … 1
Ryan Newman … 2
Laps Led – Overall
1. Ted Christopher … 236
2. Ryan Newman … 129
3. Todd Szegedy … 118
Laps Completed – Overall
1. Todd Szegedy … 600 (all)
2. Eric Goodale … 598
3. Jamie Tomaino … 571
SELECTED DRIVER HIGHLIGHTS:
NOTE: The following Bristol statistics are relative to the driver’s respective tour.
Justin Bonsignore (NWMT No. 51 M3 Technology Chevrolet)
• Has three wins, three poles and 29 top 10s in 55 career NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour starts.
• Ranks ninth in points with five top-10 finishes, highlighted by a win at Monadnock.
• Holds the Bristol qualifying record and has recorded finishes of fifth, second and fourth in his three starts there.
Tim Brown (NWSMT No. 02 Hayes Jewelers/T&C Motorsports Chevrolet)
• Has seven wins, 11 poles and 71 top 10s in 89 career NASCAR Whelen Southern Modified Tour starts.
• Ranks fourth in points with four top-10s in five races. Did not start the third Caraway race.
• Has an average finish of 11th and a best result of eighth in three Bristol appearances.
George Brunnhoelzl III (NWSMT No. 28 Epox-Z/Oval Speed Chevrolet)
• The 2009, 2011 and 2012 NWSMT champion, he has a tour record 20 wins with 20 poles and 59 top 10s in 73 career starts.
• Leads the current season standings with three wins, two poles and five top fives in six events.
• Was the highest NWSMT finisher at Bristol in 2009 and 2012, finished 10th in 2011, and ran 20th as a designated NWMT driver in 2010.
Ted Christopher (NWMT No. 3 Silver Dollar Construction/Cape Cod Copper Chevrolet)
• The 2008 NWMT champion. He has 42 wins, 24 poles and 179 top 10s in 330 career starts. His 42 wins rank third all-time and his 24 poles are eighth.
• Is seventh in the season standings with four top-five finishes in nine outings. The runner-up finish at New Hampshire was his best result of the season.
• Is looking to end a 24-race winless drought. It’s his longest such streak since the beginning of his career when his first win came in his 94th start.
• Has a track record 236 laps led at Bristol with an average finish of 12th in three starts there.
• Also has six wins and 15 top 10s in 18 career NWSMT starts.
Doug Coby (NWMT No. 52 Furnace & Duct Supply/Seekonk Grand Prix Chevrolet)
• The 2012 NWMT champion has nine wins, four poles and 64 top 10s in 139 career starts.
• Ranks second in points with two wins and a tour-high eight top 10s in nine races.
• Has an average finish of 14th in two previous starts at Bristol.
Kyle Ebersole (NWSMT No. 5 Ebersole Excavating Ford)
• Has 12 top 10s in 17 career NWSMT starts.
• Sits second in points after six races with five top 10s, highlighted by a career-best result of second at Caraway in July.
• Finished sixth among NWSMT competitors as a rookie at Bristol in 2012.
Eric Goodale (NWMT No. 58 Riverhead Building Supply Chevrolet)
• Has a pole and 25 top 10s in 68 career NWMT starts. Best finish was second at Riverhead in 2013.
• Ranks 10th in points with four top 10s in nine races.
• Is one of four drivers to finish in the top 10 in each of the four all-time races at Bristol. Has an average finish there of eighth.
Donny Lia (NWMT No. 4 Circle Track Magazine Dodge)
• The 2007 and 2009 NWMT champion. He has 16 wins, 16 poles and 69 top 10s in 136 career starts.
• Sits fifth in points after nine events with five top 10s and a best result of second in each of the last two races.
• Won the inaugural race at Bristol in 2009 and finished 14th last year in his only other event appearance.
Burt Myers (NWSMT No. 1 CitruSafe/Adams Towing & Recovery Ford)
• The 2010 NWSMT champion has nine wins, a tour record 24 poles and 81 top 10s in 98 career starts.
• Ranks third in points and five top 10s in six races, highlighted by a win at Southern National.
• Has an average finish of sixth and a best result of second (2009 and 2010) in the four Bristol events.
Jason Myers (NWSMT No. 14 Myers Racing Ford)
• Has three wins and 74 top 10s in 102 career starts.
• Ranks sixth in points with a win in the opener at Caraway and three top 10s in six events.
• Is one of four total drivers to finish in the top 10 in each of the first four Bristol races, where he has an average finish of sixth and a best result of third in 2011.
Ryan Newman (NWMT No. 7 Menards/Wix Filters Chevrolet)
• Has four wins, four poles and eight top 10s in 13 combined NWMT and NWSMT starts.
• Finished fifth in his first NWMT appearance this year at New Hampshire.
• Won this event in 2010 and 2011, was 25th among NWMT drivers in 2009 and seventh among NWSMT competitors a year ago. He was also the 2012 NWSMT pole winner.
Steve Park (NWSMT No. 20 UNOH Ford)
• Has 16 wins, 23 poles and 86 top 10s in 187 career NWMT starts.
• His two most recent Modified points races were in NWSMT action at Thompson and Charlotte in 2011.
• Won the NASCAR Modified feature in February’s UNOH Battle At The Beach on the short track at Daytona.
• Also has career wins in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series (2), Nationwide Series (3), Camping World Truck Series (1) and NASCAR K&N Pro Series East (3).
• Recorded eight combined top-10 finishes at Bristol during his national series career.
Ryan Preece (NWMT No. 16 East West Marine/Diversified Metals Ford)
• Has eight wins, 12 poles and 51 top 10s in 90 career starts.
• Is the season points leader with three wins and top-five finishes in seven of nine races.
• Finished third at Bristol in 2009 and 2012 and was eighth in 2010.
Bobby Santos (NWMT No. 44 Tinio Racing/Brendan Kelley Music Chevrolet)
• The 2010 NWMT champion has 10 wins, 12 poles and 40 top 10s in 75 career starts.
• Ranks 14th in points with two wins, four poles and four top-five finishes in seven starts. Did not attend the events at Monadnock and Riverhead.
• Was the 2011 Bristol pole winner and has finishes of third (2010) and 18th (2011) at the track.
Andy Seuss (NWSMT No. 11 Phoenix Pre-Owned Chevrolet)
• Has 12 wins, seven poles and 56 top 10s in 74 career NWSMT starts.
• Ranks fifth in points with five top 10s in six races and a best finish of third at Caraway in July.
• Has an average finish of fifth and a best result of second (2011) in the four Bristol events.
• Also has six top-10 finishes in 30 career NWMT starts with a best result of fourth this July at New Hampshire.
Ron Silk (NWMT No. 6 TS Haulers/Calverton Tree Farm Chevrolet)
• The 2011 NWMT champion has nine wins, eight poles and 68 top 10s in 120 career starts.
• Ranks sixth in points this season with six top 10s in nine events.
• Won Bristol last year from the pole. Overall his average finish in the four events there is 11th.
Mike Stefanik (NWMT No. 22 Robert B. Our Co./Canto & Sons Paving Ford)
• The 1989, 1991, 1997, 1998, 2001, 2002 and 2006 NWMT champion.
• Holds NWMT records for most titles (seven), wins (73), poles (48), top fives (222) and top 10s (297).
• Sits fourth in points this year with five top 10s in nine outings. Won the opener at Thompson from the pole.
• Has an average finish of 14th with a best result of second (2010) in the four previous Bristol races.
Todd Szegedy (NWMT No. 2 UNOH/Dunleavy Truck & Trailer Repair Ford)
• The 2003 NWMT champion has 17 wins, 10 poles and 108 top 10s in 176 career starts.
• Ranks 11th in points after nine events with a best result of sixth at Waterford.
• Maintains the top average finish through the first four Bristol events at 3.5, including a best result of second in 2012.
Sources: Jason Cunningham/NASCAR WMT PR