QUALIFYING Twice As Nice for Lia
Second Mr. Rooter 161 Coors Light Pole In A Row
WATERFORD, Conn. – Fastest in practice this afternoon, Donny Lia backed it up in Coors Light Pole Award qualifying as he earned the top starting spot for tonight’s NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour Mr. Rooter 161 at New London-Waterford Speedbowl.
Lia, from Jericho, New York, posted a fast lap of 13.965 seconds (96.670 mph) around the .375-mile oval Saturday evening for his 21st career pole, and second in a row in this event.
Saturday’s run in the No. 8 Sypher Construction/Bardahl Chevrolet moved Lia up to sole possession of ninth place on the Whelen Modified Tour career poles list.
Lia also enters tonight’s race as the only driver in the field with two career Speedbowl victories.
Keith Rocco, the winningest driver in Speedbowl history, qualified second-fastest at 13.975 (96.601) for tonight’s race in an attempt to capture what would be his first career Whelen Modified Tour victory.
Timmy Solomito qualified third with reigning tour titlist Doug Coby fourth and Todd Szegedy fifth. Ryan Preece, Brendon Bock, Derek Ramstrom, Tom Rogers Jr. and Woody Pitkat brought home the top 10.
Defending Mr. Rooter 161 winner Bobby Santos qualified 11th.
The Mr. Rooter 161 will go green at approximately 9 p.m.
QUALIFYING RESULTS
NWMT Waterford 5/30/15 Qualifying
STARTING LINEUP (PDF)
Pos No. Name Sponsor Best Tm Best Speed
1 8 Donny Lia Sypher Construction/Bardahl 13.965 96.670
2 22 Keith Rocco Canto Paving/Milton Caterpillar 13.975 96.601
3 16 Timmy Solomito Diversified Metals/R.B. Enterprises 14.004 96.401
4 2 Doug Coby Dunleavy’s Repair/HEX Performance 14.025 96.257
5 4 Todd Szegedy Mystic Missile Racing 14.075 95.915
6 6 Ryan Preece TS Haulers/East West Marine 14.099 95.751
7 28 Brendon Bock* Pro-Systems Brakes 14.119 95.616
8 35 Derek Ramstrom* Matthew’s Truck Svc/Seekonk GP 14.124 95.582
9 63 Tom Rogers, Jr. East End Statuary 14.156 95.366
10 88 Woody Pitkat Buzz Chew Chevrolet/Elbow East 14.164 95.312
11 44 Bobby Santos Tinio Corp./Dan Kelley/Curb Records 14.175 95.238
12 93 Rowan Pennink Van Wickle Auto Supply 14.183 95.184
13 29 Jon McKennedy EXIT Realty 14.185 95.171
14 79 Spencer Davis Hillbilly Racing/Coors 21 Means 21 14.189 95.144
15 07 Patrick Emerling Buffalo Auto Auction 14.280 94.538
16 51 Justin Bonsignore M3 Technology 14.281 94.531
17 58 Eric Goodale GAF Roofing/Supreme Skylights 14.286 94.498
18 31 Steve Masse* El Gee Products 14.302 94.392
19 36 David Sapienza* Frankie’s Towing/Wine Country 14.349 94.083
20 13 Ted Christopher Mr. Rooter/Cape Cod Aggregates 14.379 93.887
21 99 Jamie Tomaino Dunleavy Truck Repair/Atlantic Sprinkler 14.386 93.841
22 46 Jeff Goodale* Riverhead Building Supply 14.436 93.516
23 18 Ken Heagy Buoy One Seafood 14.466 93.322
24 75 Shawn Solomito Eastport Feeds/Axel Anderson Inc. 14.472 93.284
25 9 Chase Dowling* S&S Asphalt Paving/Dunleavy’s Repair 14.519 92.982
26 37 Dave Salzarulo Brickenmore Bricks 14.586 92.555
27 64 Anthony Nocella* Nocella Relamation/Complete Const. 14.586 92.555
28 3 Troy Talman* Cape Cod Copper/B&G Toys & Trains 14.649 92.156
29 38 Wade Cole Performance Engines/Kendall Oil 14.661 92.081
30 14 Max Zachem* Lu-Mac’s Package Store/Broadbrook 14.675 91.993
31 33 Johnny Bush Perf. Engines/Kendall Oil 14.717 91.731
32 26 Gary McDonald Lakeland Landscaping Supply/TRC Electric 14.741 91.581
33 01 Melissa Fifield Big Moose RV 15.846 85.195