Whelen Modified Tour Stat Advance: Stafford
Analyzing The CARQUEST Fall Final At Stafford Motor Speedway
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – The penultimate race of the 2013 NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour season is on tap with the CARQUEST Fall Final 150 on Sunday, Sept. 29 at Stafford (Conn.) Motor Speedway. Below is a statistical look at the performance of the tour and selected drivers at the track:
Stafford Race Setup:
• With a 41-point lead on defending champion Doug Coby entering the CARQUEST Fall Final 150, Ryan Preece can clinch the 2013 NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour championship at Stafford Motor Speedway.
• The last driver to secure the title with one race remaining was Donny Lia in 2007, also at Stafford.
• Mike Stefanik has a NWMT record eight victories in the Fall Final. Stefanik, who is the tour’s all-time wins leader at Stafford with 20, will attempt to attain his 300th career top-10 finish this weekend.
• Bobby Santos (5), Coby (4) and Ted Christopher (3) have combined to win 12 of the last 15 NWMT races contested at Stafford.
AT STAFFORD MOTOR SPEEDWAY:
History
• The Stafford Springs Agricultural Park opened in 1870. The current race track was originally used for horse racing, which gave way to automobiles after World War II.
• Stafford Motor Speedway became a NASCAR track in 1959 and was paved in 1967.
• Stafford is one of nine tracks that have been a part of the NASCAR Whelen All-American Series program in each of its 33 years of competition.
Notebook
• The NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour has held 109 races at Stafford since 1985. The NWMT has run there every year of its existence, except for 1988.
• The 109 all-time NWMT races at Stafford rank second only to the 122 held at Thompson International Speedway.
• There have been 31 different race winners at Stafford, led by Mike Stefanik’s 20 victories. Bobby Santos, Ryan Preece and Doug Coby have won the first two races there this season.
• There have been 40 different pole winners at Stafford, led by Stefanik’s 17. Preece set the track qualifying in the 2012 Spring Sizzler while Santos earned the pole for the first three events there this year.
• The CARQUEST Fall Final 150 entry list features 11 drivers that have previously won at the track: Stefanik (20), Ted Christopher (12), Coby (5), Santos (5), Todd Szegedy (4), Ed Flemke Jr. (3), Donny Lia (3), Preece (2), Chuck Hossfeld (1), Ron Silk (1) and Jamie Tomaino (1).
• There are six active drivers with Fall Final wins to their credit: Stefanik (8), Christopher (2), Santos (2), Lia (1), Szegedy (1), Tomaino (1).
Stafford Motor Speedway Data
Race: #13 of 14 overall, #4 of 4 at SMS
Track Layout: .5-mile asphalt oval
• Race Length: 150 laps (75 miles)
• Banking/Turns 1 & 2: Nine degrees
• Banking/Turns 3 & 4: 7.5 degrees
Qualifying/Race Data
2012 Race Winner: Bobby Santos, 74.462 mph, 1:00:26
2012 Pole Winner: Jimmy Blewett, 98.2318 mph, 18.308 secs.
Qualifying Record: Ryan Preece, 100.424 mph, 17.924 secs., 4/29/12
ACTIVE CATEGORY LEADERS AT STAFFORD:
Wins
1. Mike Stefanik … 20
2. Ted Christopher … 12
3. Bobby Santos … 5
4. Todd Szegedy … 4
Doug Coby … 4
Poles
1. Mike Stefanik … 17
2. Donny Lia … 7
3. Bobby Santos … 6
4. Ted Christopher … 4
5. Ryan Preece … 3
Laps Led
1. Mike Stefanik … 2,165
2. Ted Christopher … 2,083
3. Todd Szegedy … 801
4. Doug Coby … 642
5. Bobby Santos … 593
Starts
1. Jamie Tomaino … 108
2. Mike Stefanik … 94
3. Ed Flemke Jr. … 91
4. Ted Christopher … 83
5. Wade Cole … 49
CHAMPIONSHIP CLINCH SCENARIOS:
• Ryan Preece enters the CARQUEST Fall Final 150 with a 41-point lead on Doug Coby, 480-439.
• Since Preece owns the points tiebreaker by virtue of the earning the most wins during the season, he needs to have a 48-point lead on Coby at the conclusion of the race for the championship to be clinched at Stafford Motor Speedway.
• Preece would need to gain seven points on Coby – by finishing positions and potential bonus points – to clinch at Stafford. He would also need to remain 48 points ahead of the rest of the field.
SELECTED DRIVER HIGHLIGHTS:
Justin Bonsignore (No. 51 M3 Technology Chevrolet)
• Has three wins, three poles and 31 top 10s in 58 career NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour starts.
• Ranks eighth in points with seven top-10 finishes, highlighted by a win at Monadnock Speedway.
• Has a pole, seven top 10s, an average finish of 14th and a best result of second (2013-Spring Sizzler) in 15 career starts at Stafford Motor Speedway. Has an average finish of eighth in three races there this year.
Ted Christopher (No. 3 Silver Dollar Construction/Cape Cod Copper Chevrolet)
• The 2008 NWMT champion. He has 42 wins, 24 poles and 180 top 10s in 333 career starts. His 42 wins rank third all-time and his 24 poles are eighth.
• Is 11th in the season standings with four top-five finishes in 12 outings. The runner-up finish at New Hampshire Motor Speedway in July is his best result of the season.
• Is looking to end a 27-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 12 wins, four poles and 45 top 10s in 83 career NWMT starts at Stafford. Has an average finish of seventh in three races there this year.
• Won the Fall Final in 2001 and 2011.
• Is an eight-time NASCAR Whelen All-American Series track champion at Stafford out of the SK Modified division – where he has 100 victories – and has a record 121 overall career feature wins at Stafford entering this week’s events.
Doug Coby (No. 52 Furnace & Duct Supply/Seekonk Grand Prix Chevrolet)
• The 2012 NWMT champion has nine wins, four poles and 64 top 10s in 142 career starts.
• Ranks second in points with two wins and eight top 10s in 12 races.
• Has five wins, two poles, 17 top 10s and an average finish of 14th in 35 career NWMT starts at Stafford. Has an average finish of fourth in three races there this year, including a victory in the August event.
• Has 18 career feature wins and two division titles at Stafford in NWAAS action.
Donny Lia (No. 4 Circle Track Magazine Dodge)
• The 2007 and 2009 NWMT champion. He has 16 wins, 17 poles and 70 top 10s in 139 career starts.
• Sits fifth in points after 12 events with six top 10s and a best result of second in the August races at Stafford and Thompson Speedway.
• Has three wins, seven poles and an average finish of 11th in 35 career starts at Stafford. Has posted an average finish of fifth in the three races there this season.
• Won the Fall Final in 2009.
Rowan Pennink (No. 93 Monk Mechanics Hand Cleaner Chevrolet)
• Has a win and 47 top 10s in 98 career starts.
• Ranks seventh in the points with six top 10s in 12 outings. Best season finish was second in the Thompson opener.
• Has an average finish of 11th and a best result of second (2011-Spring Sizzler and 125) in 25 career NWMT starts at Stafford. In three races this year he has an average finish of seventh.
• Earned his first NWAAS SK Modified win at Stafford earlier this season.
Woody Pitkat (No. 79 Mr. Rooter/Coors Light Pontiac)
• Has 34 top 10s in 76 career starts. Best career finish is second, recorded twice.
• Ranks fourth in points and is tied for the NWMT lead with nine top 10s in 12 races. Best finish of the season was fourth at Riverhead Raceway in September.
• Has 11 top 10s, an average finish of 15th and a best result of second (2012-Fall Final) in 21 career NWMT starts at Stafford. Has an average finish of 14th in three races there this season.
• Has 68 career feature wins at Stafford, where he has two Late Model division titles in NWAAS action. Will contend for this year’s SK Modified championship on Sunday, a division he has 27 career victories in.
Ryan Preece (No. 16 East West Marine/Diversified Metals Ford)
• Has nine wins, 12 poles, 24 podiums, 41 top fives and 53 top 10s in 93 career starts.
• Is the season points leader with four wins and top-five finishes in nine of 12 races.
• Has two wins, three poles, 13 top 10s and an average finish of 12th in 25 career NWMT starts at Stafford. Has an average finish of seventh there this year, highlighted by a win in June.
• Was the 2011 NWAAS SK Modified division champion at Stafford, where he has 16 career wins. Has eight SK Modified victories this season and trails Woody Pitkat by four points entering Sunday’s division season finale.
Bobby Santos (No. 44 Tinio Racing/Brendan Kelley Music Chevrolet)
• The 2010 NWMT champion has 10 wins, 12 poles and 41 top 10s in 78 career starts.
• Ranks 13th in points with two wins, four poles and six top-five finishes in 10 starts.
• Has five wins, six poles, 12 top 10s and an average finish of 12th in 19 career NWMT starts at Stafford. Has earned the pole in all three previous Stafford races this year, and has averaged a podium finish in those outings.
• All five of Santos’ Stafford wins have come in his last 13 starts there, including this year’s Spring Sizzler.
• Won the Fall Final in 2010 and 2012.
Ron Silk (No. 6 TS Haulers/Calverton Tree Farm Chevrolet)
• The 2011 NWMT champion has nine wins, eight poles and 69 top 10s in 122 career starts.
• Ranks ninth in points this season with a pole and eight top 10s in 12 events. Best finish was second at Stafford in June.
• Has a win (2011-125), two poles, 14 top 10s and an average finish of 15th in 32 career NWMT Stafford races. Has an average finish of eighth in three races there this season.
Mike Stefanik (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 (74), poles (48), top fives (223) and top 10s (299).
• Sits third in points this year with seven top 10s in 12 events, highlighted by wins in the Thompson opener and Bristol.
• Leads all drivers with 20 wins, 50 top fives, 73 top 10s and 2,165 laps led at Stafford. Also has a tour-best average finish of eighth across 94 career starts there. Has an average finish of eighth in three races there this year.
• His last win at Stafford was the 2008 Fall Final, a span of 20 races there, which is the longest drought of his career.
• The Fall Final winner in 1990, 1992, 1993, 1995, 1998, 2002, 2007 and 2008.
Todd Szegedy (No. 2 UNOH/Dunleavy Repair Chevrolet)
• The 2003 NWMT champion has 18 wins, 10 poles and 111 top 10s in 179 career starts.
• Ranks sixth in points after 12 events with a win and five top 10s. Won last time out at New Hampshire to end a career-long winless drought at 28 races.
• Has four wins, two poles, 27 top 10s and an average finish of 10th in 47 career Stafford starts. Has an average finish of 14th in three races there this season.
• The 2006 Fall Final winner.
UP TO SPEED:
• The 2013 season is the 29th for the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour.
• The 2013 schedule features 14 races at seven different tracks across four states.
• The competition season began with the non-points UNOH Battle At The Beach on the short track at Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway on Feb. 19. The Modified feature was won by Steve Park.
• Mike Stefanik won from the pole in the season-opening Icebreaker at Thompson (Conn.) International Speedway on April 14.
• Bobby Santos matched Stefanik’s feat from the opener when he won from the pole in the second race of the season on April 28 at Stafford (Conn.) Motor Speedway.
• At Stafford on June 14 it was Santos on the pole, but Ryan Preece rallied from the rear for the victory. The race was postponed twice – on May 24 and June 7 – due to rain.
• Preece made it two-in-a-row when he took the checkered flag following a thrilling green-white-checkered finish at Waterford (Conn.) Speedbowl on June 22. Todd Szegedy was the event’s pole winner.
• At Riverhead on June 29 Preece made it three victories in a row when he took yet another checkered flag. Ron Silk was the pole winner prior to the event.
• Doug Coby earned his first win of the season on July 13 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway. Jimmy Blewett was the event’s pole winner.
• Eric Goodale captured his first career pole and Justin Bonsignore earned his third career victory at Monadnock Speedway on July 27.
• Santos made it 3-for-3 in poles at Stafford on the year, but it was Coby who went on to take the checkered flag at the historic half mile on Aug. 2.
• Santos won from the pole at Thompson on Aug. 15.
• In the fifth annual combination race with the Whelen Southern Modified Tour at Bristol Motor Speedway on Aug. 21, Donny Lia set fast time but it was Stefanik that drove to his first victory at the “World’s Fastest Half Mile.”
• On Sept. 14 Preece earned his third straight victory at Riverhead and part-time rookie Timmy Solomito was the pole winner.
• Todd Szegedy ended a career-long winless drought at New Hampshire on Sept. 21. Ryan Newman was the pole winner for the event.
Sources:Jason Cunningham/NASCAR WMT PR