Santos Wins Stafford Sizzler
Past Whelen Modified Tour Champ Scores 11th Career Win
STAFFORD, Conn. – No one needed to show Bobby Santos the way to Victory Lane at Stafford Motor Speedway; he’s a frequent visitor.
The Franklin, Mass., driver won the NAPA Auto Parts Spring Sizzler 200 on Sunday for his 11th career NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour victory, with six of those coming at Stafford, including three of the last four Spring Sizzlers.
Santos, who started in the eighth position, took the lead from rookie Tommy Barrett Jr. on Lap 115 and battled with Doug Coby, who won the 2006 and 2012 Spring Sizzlers, down the stretch to record the win. Coby looked left, right, over and under for a way around Santos in the closing laps, but had to settle for the runner-up finish.
“I knew he was a little better than us, so I was very nervous,” Santos said of the pressure he faced from Coby down the stretch. “The yellows (cautions) definitely helped. I think the race definitely went our way at the end.”
On the last lap of the event, Santos used a lap car through the final turns to essentially set a pick on Coby and get just the space he needed to secure the victory.
“I knew that if he [Coby] was within a bumper of me that he probably could have tried something into Turn 3, but the lap car there prevented that from happening,” Santos said. “When I saw the lap car on the bottom, I knew we were pretty safe from there.”
“Bobby did what he was supposed to do, he pulled up to the lap car and used it as a pick,” Coby said. “I’m disappointed, but I’m also happy. It’s two straight top-threes to start the season, and we’ll keep marching on.”
Rowan Pennink crossed the line third followed by Woody Pitkat in the fourth spot while Justin Bonsignore rounded out the top five. The remainder of the top 10 was five-time Spring Sizzler winner Ted Christopher, Donny Lia, Timmy Solomito, Matt Hirschman and Ron Silk.
Santos, the 2010 Whelen Modified Tour champion, led a group of five drivers with top-10 finishes to own at least one tour title. The others were Coby, Christopher, Lia and Silk.
Barrett claimed his first Whelen Modified Tour pole win on Saturday and finished 11th.
NASCAR Next driver and defending tour champion Ryan Preece was looking for his first Spring Sizzler victory, but engine problems spoiled his day and he settled for a 24th-place finish.
The event had seven lead changes among five drivers which is the most in a Stafford race since there were 10 on May 1, 2010.
Sunday’s race was the 29th time the Whelen Modified Tour has headlined NAPA Auto Parts Spring Sizzler weekend. A third win for Santos now has him tied with Rick Fuller for the third-most wins in Stafford’s prestigious opening weekend event. Santos’ trio of triumphs has come in his last three Sizzler appearances. He did not participate in the 2012 race.
The NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour returns to Stafford for its next event in just under four weeks. The TSI Harley-Davidson 125 is set for Friday, May 23.
RESULTS | RACE CENTRAL LIVE REPLAY | AUDIO: BOBBY SANTOS | AUDIO: SECOND-PLACE DOUG COBY |AUDIO: THIRD-PLACE ROWAN PENNINK
Sources: Shon Sbarra/NASCAR WMT PR
NWMT Stafford 4/27/14 Results
Whelen Modified Tour
Race: NWMT Stafford 4/27/14
Fin Str Car Driver Team Laps Points B/Points Status
1 8 44 Bobby Santos Tinio Racing/ImperialCars.com Chevrolet 200 48 5 Running
2 4 2 Doug Coby Dunleavy’s Repair/A&J Romano Const. Chevrolet 200 43 1 Running
3 6 93 Rowan Pennink Monk Mechanics Hand Cleaner Chevrolet 200 42 1 Running
4 2 88 Woody Pitkat Buzz Chew Chevrolet/Elbow East Chevrolet 200 41 1 Running
5 3 51 Justin Bonsignore chem3.com Chevrolet 200 39 Running
6 13 13 Ted Christopher J&R Pre-Cast/Cape Cod Aggregates Chevrolet 200 38 Running
7 12 4 Donny Lia Mystic Missile Racing Dodge 200 37 Running
8 15 75 Timmy Solomito * Eastport Feeds/Axel Anderson Inc. Chevrolet 200 36 Running
9 11 52 Matt Hirschman Furnace & Duct/Seekonk Grand Prix Chevrolet 200 35 Running
10 7 6 Ron Silk TS Haulers/Calverton Tree Farm Chevrolet 200 34 Running
11 1 22 Tommy Barrett, Jr. * Canto Paving/Ferguson Water Works Chevrolet 200 34 1 Running
12 18 07 Patrick Emerling Emerling Chevrolet Inc. Chevrolet 200 32 Running
13 20 99 Jamie Tomaino Dunleavy’s Repair/Atlantic Sprinkler Chevrolet 200 31 Running
14 14 58 Eric Goodale GAF Roofing/RBSCorp.com Chevrolet 198 30 Running
15 23 33 Wade Cole Performance Engines/Kendall Oil Chevrolet 198 29 Running
16 10 64 Ron Yuhas, Jr. Fast Track Electric/Hughes Motors Chevrolet 194 28 Running
17 26 26 Gary McDonald Lakeland Landscape/TRC Electric Pontiac 194 27 Running
18 24 38 Dave Salzarulo * Performance Engines/Kendall Oil Chevrolet 194 26 Running
19 25 71 T.J. Zacharias * Central States Used Clothing Chevrolet 191 25 Running
20 27 01 Melissa Fifield * Allstate Ins./Bob’s Auto Body Chevrolet 182 24 Running
21 22 18 Ken Heagy Buoy One Seafood Ford 180 23 Accident
22 9 3 Jimmy Zacharias * Cape Cod Copper/Central States Chevrolet 174 22 Accident
23 21 77 Gary Putnam Curb Records/R House Family Restaurant Chevrolet 174 21 Accident
24 5 16 Ryan Preece East West Marine/Diversified Metals Ford 170 20 Engine
25 19 8 Glen Reen Sypher Construction Chevrolet 152 19 Suspension
26 16 48 Keith Rocco Wheelers Auto/Mr. Rooter Chevrolet 41 18 Oil Leak
27 17 39 Richie Pallai, Jr. MAHLE Performance/Lucas Oil Chevrolet 17 17 Suspension
RACE STATISTICS
Fastest Qualifier: Tommy Barrett, Jr. *, Time: 18.221 Seconds, Speed: 98.787 mph
Time of Race: 1 hrs., 29 mins, 35 secs Average Speed: 66.977 mph Margin of Victory: 0.122 Seconds
Caution Flags: [Beneficiary] Laps 22-25 (Car #38 spinout (Backstretch) [01]); 30-33 (Car #71 accident (Turn 4) [01]); 39-42 (Car #71 spinout (Turn 4) [none]); 45-48 (Cars #38, 77, 99 spinout (Backstretch) [none]); 100-106 (Car #26 spinout (Turn 4) [none]); 152-155 (Car #8 spinout Turn 1 [18]); 161-164 (Car #64 spinout (Turn 1) [16]); 171-179 (Cars #3, 4, 71, 77 accident (Turn 4) (Red Flag 5 mins.) [99]); 181-185 (Cars #58, 22, 18 accident (Turn 4) [33]). 9 for 45 laps.
Lap Leaders: Woody Pitkat 1-6, Doug Coby 7-9, Woody Pitkat 10-25, Doug Coby 26-42, Tommy Barrett, Jr. * 43-49, Rowan Pennink 50-113, Tommy Barrett, Jr. * 114, Bobby Santos 115-200.
Total Laps Led: Bobby Santos 86, Rowan Pennink 64, Woody Pitkat 22, Doug Coby 20, Tommy Barrett, Jr. * 8. 7 changes involving 5 drivers.
* Sunoco Rookie of the Year contender
STANDINGS
2014 Unofficial Driver Standings: Stafford
Whelen Modified Tour
Race: NWMT Stafford 4/27/14
Pos Driver Name Points Starts Wins Top 5 Top 10
1 Justin Bonsignore 86 2 1 2 2
2 Doug Coby 84 2 0 2 2
3 Woody Pitkat 84 2 0 2 2
4 Timmy Solomito * 76 2 0 1 2
5 Bobby Santos 74 2 1 1 1
6 Ted Christopher 74 2 0 0 2
7 Ron Silk 71 2 0 0 2
8 Eric Goodale 69 2 0 1 1
9 Matt Hirschman 68 2 0 0 1
10 Rowan Pennink 66 2 0 1 1
11 Ron Yuhas, Jr. 66 2 0 0 1
12 Donny Lia 61 2 0 0 1
13 Jamie Tomaino 61 2 0 0 0
14 Patrick Emerling 59 2 0 0 0
15 Wade Cole 57 2 0 0 0
16 Jimmy Zacharias * 56 2 0 0 1
17 Ryan Preece 55 2 0 0 1
18 Tommy Barrett, Jr. * 55 2 0 0 0
19 Ken Heagy 55 2 0 0 0
20 Melissa Fifield * 49 2 0 0 0
21 Glen Reen 48 2 0 0 0
22 Gary McDonald 44 1 0 0 0
23 Dave Salzarulo * 44 1 0 0 0
24 T.J. Zacharias * 44 2 0 0 0
25 Keith Rocco 42 2 0 0 0
26 Rob Fuller 31 1 0 0 0
27 Gary Putnam 21 1 0 0 0
28 Mike Stefanik 20 1 0 0 0
29 Richie Pallai, Jr. 17 1 0 0 0
* Sunoco Rookie of the Year Contender
STANDINGS
2014 Unofficial Owner Standings: Stafford
Whelen Modified Tour
Race: NWMT Stafford 4/27/14
Pos Owner Name Points Starts Wins Top 5 Top 10 Attempts
1 Ken Massa #51 86 2 1 2 2 2
2 Mike Smeriglio, III #2 84 2 0 2 2 2
3 Buzz Chew #88 84 2 0 2 2 2
4 Mike Curb #44 74 2 1 1 1 2
5 Robert Katon, Jr. #13 74 2 0 0 2 2
6 Ed Partridge #6 71 2 0 0 2 2
7 Edgar Goodale #58 69 2 0 1 1 2
8 Wayne Darling #52 68 2 0 0 1 2
9 Mark Pennink #93 66 2 0 1 1 2
10 Mike Murphy #64 66 2 0 0 1 2
11 Robert Garbarino #4 61 2 0 0 1 2
12 Brittany Tomaino #99 61 2 0 0 0 2
13 Jennifer Emerling #07 59 2 0 0 0 2
14 Beth Cole #33 57 2 0 0 0 2
15 Jan Boehler #3 56 2 0 0 1 2
16 Eric Sanderson #16 55 2 0 0 1 2
17 Christopher Our #22 55 2 0 0 0 2
18 Robert Pollifrone #18 55 2 0 0 0 2
19 Kenneth Fifield #01 49 2 0 0 0 2
20 Mark Sypher #8 48 2 0 0 0 2
21 Sean McDonald #26 44 1 0 0 0 2
22 Linda Rodenbaugh #38 44 1 0 0 0 2
23 Terry Zacharias #71 44 2 0 0 0 2
24 John Rufano #48 42 2 0 0 0 2
25 Jerry Solomito #89 40 1 0 1 1 1
26 Wayne Anderson #75 36 1 0 0 1 1
27 Rob Fuller #15 31 1 0 0 0 1
28 Mike Curb #77 21 1 0 0 0 1
29 Ed Marceau #1 20 1 0 0 0 1
30 Rich Pallai #39 17 1 0 0 0 1
STANDINGS
Rookie & Contingency Award Standings: Thompson
Whelen Modified Tour
Race: NWMT Thompson 4/6/14
NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour official rookie and contingency award standings (unofficial until postseason review).
SUNOCO ROOKIE OF THE YEAR AWARD
Driver Points
Timmy Solomito 10
Jimmy Zacharias 9
Melissa Fifield 8
Tommy Barrett Jr. 7
T.J. Zacharias 6
SUNOCO ROOKIE OF THE RACE AWARD
Driver Awards
Timmy Solomito 1
WHELEN WINNER OF THE RACE AWARD
Driver Awards
Justin Bonsignore 1
COCA-COLA MOVE OF THE RACE AWARD
Driver Awards
Doug Coby 1
COORS LIGHT POLE AWARD
Driver Awards
Woody Pitkat 1