QUALIFYING: Pitkat Secures Thompson Pole
On Point For Sunday’s Whelen Modified Tour Season Finale
THOMPSON, Conn. – Woody Pitkat’s breakout campaign continues in the season finale as he secured the Coors Light Pole Award for the Sunoco World Series 150 presented by Xtra Mart in NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour action at Thompson Speedway Motorsports Park.
Without a pole or a race win in his first seven years on the tour, Pitkat now has two of both after Saturday’s top qualifying effort. The Stafford, Connecticut, native posted a fast lap of 18.816 seconds (119.579 mph) to make it 2-for-3 in qualifying at Thompson this year. He also earned the pole for the season-opening Icebreaker on April 6.
Ryan Preece qualified second at 18.846 (119.389) followed by rookie Tommy Barrett Jr. at 18.893 (119.092). Championship leader Doug Coby was fourth-fastest at 18.984 (118.521).
The rest of the top 10 qualifiers included: Donny Lia, Bobby Santos, Keith Rocco, Ted Christopher, Patrick Emerling and Justin Bonsignore.
The qualifying session was delayed in progress as rain started falling after just 11 of the 36 cars had taken time. The session resumed two hours and 15 minutes later.
Coby takes a 28-point lead on Christopher in the championship standings into tomorrow’s finale. A title for either would make them just the fifth multi-time champion in 30 years on Whelen Modified Tour competition. Christopher’s first came in 2008 and Coby earned the title in 2012.
Racing action begins on Sunday at Thompson at 1 p.m., and the Whelen Modified Tour Sunoco World Series 150 presented by Xtra Mart will go green at approximately 3:45 p.m.
QUALIFYING RESULTS | AUDIO: CHAMPIONSHIP LEADER DOUG COBY DISCUSSES STRATEGY FOR SUNDAY
NWMT Thompson 10/19/14 Qualifying
Pos No. Name Sponsor Time Speed
1 88 Woody Pitkat Buzz Chew Chevy/Elbow East Restaurant 18.816 119.579
2 16 Ryan Preece East West Marine/Diversified Metals 18.846 119.389
3 22 Tommy Barrett Jr.* Canto Paving/Ferguson Waterworks 18.893 119.092
4 2 Doug Coby Dunleavy’s Repair/HEX Perf./FOX 18.984 118.521
5 4 Donny Lia Mystic Missile Racing 18.990 118.483
6 44 Bobby Santos Tinio Racing/Dan Kelley VL Stables 18.993 118.465
7 48 Keith Rocco Wheelers Auto/Mr. Rooter 19.009 118.365
8 13 Ted Christopher Mr. Rooter/CT&E 19.042 118.160
9 07 Patrick Emerling Emerling Chevrolet/Buffalo Auto Auction 19.052 118.098
10 51 Justin Bonsignore chem3.com 19.060 118.048
11 75 Timmy Solomito* Eastport Feeds/Axel Anderson Inc. 19.079 117.931
12 6 Ron Silk TS Haulers/Calverton Tree Farm 19.127 117.635
13 8 Glen Reen Reflex Enegy/Baja Construction 19.144 117.530
14 15 Todd Szegedy 15-40 Connection 19.145 117.524
15 79 Spencer Davis* Hillbilly Racing/Coors 21 Means 21 19.257 116.841
16 93 Rowan Pennink Monk Mechanics Hand Cleaner 19.269 116.768
17 58 Eric Goodale GAF Roofing/RBSCorp. 19.279 116.707
18 35 Derek Ramstrom* Matthew’s Truck Svc/Seekonk GP 19.315 116.490
19 20 Max Zachem* Dunleavy’s Repair/Lu-Mac’s 19.342 116.327
20 99 Jamie Tomaino Dunleavy’s Repair/Atlantic Sprinkler 19.349 116.285
21 64 Shawn Solomito Cystic Fibrosis Fdn./Acme Sanitary 19.373 116.141
22 17 Kyle Ellwood* Riverhead Building Supply 19.379 116.105
23 3 Troy Talman* DCU/B&G Toys & Trains/NAPA 19.408 115.932
24 52 Matt Hirschman B.C. Brennenstuhl/L.I. Mod Maniac 19.411 115.914
25 14 John Beatty, Jr.* ElevatorEntrance.com 19.464 115.598
26 29 James Civali Hillbilly Racing/Coors Light 19.484 115.479
27 5 David Sapienza* Frankie’s Towing/Heller Construction 19.586 114.878
28 18 Ken Heagy Buoy One Seafood 19.761 113.861
29 36 Frank Vigliarolo, Jr. Frankie’s Towing 19.804 113.613
30 43 David Calabrese DiamondBack Towing/Dunleavy’s Repair 19.839 113.413
31 69 Jason Agugliaro* Tom O’Keefe & Sons/Bruneau Engines 19.908 113.020
32 82 Danny Watts, Jr. Horton Avenue Materials 19.982 112.601
3 38 Dave Salzarulo* Perf. Engines/Kendall OilRyan’s 20.098 111.951
34 26 Gary McDonald Lakeland Landscaping/TRC Electric 20.113 111.868
35 01 Melissa Fifield* Big Moose RV 21.021 107.036
36 33 Wade Cole Perf. Engines/Kendall Oil/Ryan’s 29.813 75.470
Sources: Jason Cunningham/NASCAR PR