NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour Statistical Advance: Myrtle Beach

By admin March 15, 2017 Myrtle Beach, NASCAR WMT

Analyzing the Performance Plus 150 at Myrtle Beach Speedway

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (March 15, 2017) — The NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour will open the 2017 season on Saturday at Myrtle Beach Speedway in South Carolina. Below is a statistical look at the Performance Plus 150 presented by Safety-Kleen, including selected driver notes:

Performance Plus 150 Setup:

This marks the second ever visit in NASCAR Modified history to the track, with the only other race won by Andy Seuss in 2009.
Defending NWMT champion Doug Coby begins his quest for a fourth consecutive championship at the half-mile on Saturday.
This marks the first race in the new modified era as a unified tour.

At Myrtle Beach Speedway:

Opened in 1958 originally under the name of Rambi Raceway.
Ran Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series races at the track from 1958-1965, as well as NASCAR XFINITY Series races from 1988-2000.
The track is a member of the NASCAR Whelen All American Series, holding races on Saturday night. The track’s top division is the Late Models.

Notebook:

Andy Seuss won the only previous tour race at the track in series history.
This marks the first race of the Whelen Modified Tour season.
Myrtle Beach Speedway is known for wearing out tires, forcing drivers to save equipment and think about their race strategy.

Myrtle Beach Data:

Race: #1 of 17; only stop at Myrtle Beach

Race Date: Saturday March 18 at 6:30 p.m. (approx.)

Track Layout: 0.538-mile semi-banked asphalt oval

Banking/Turns: 13 degrees in the turns, 4 degrees on the front, 3 degrees on the back

Race Length: 150 laps (80.70 miles)

Qualifying/Race Data:

2015 Winner: N/A

2015 Pole: N/A

1-Lap Qualifying Record: 95.918 mph; George Brunnhoelzl III (Sept. 2009)

150-Lap Race Record: 68.997 mph

Category Leaders at Myrtle Beach:

Wins

Andy Seuss …. 1

Laps Led

Gene Pack… 58
Andy Seuss… 43
George Brunnhoelzl III… 28
Richie Kuiken, Jr. … 18
L.W. Miller… 6

Select Driver Highlights:

Doug Coby (No. 2 Mayhew Tools, Dunleavy Truck and Trailer Repair Chevrolet)

Four-time NWMT champion; has won the last three championships
Has 22 wins, 65 top fives, 104 top-10s in 188 career NWMT races.
19 career pole awards, which is 11th on the all-time list.
Welcomes Mayhew Tools as primary sponsor for this season.

Justin Bonsignore (No. 51 Phoenix Communications Inc. Chevrolet)

Finished second in the 2016 championship standings.
Has 12 wins, 48 top fives, 65 top 10s and 5 poles in 105 career NWMT races.
Captured four wins in 2016, including the season-finale at Thompson.
Welcomes Danny Laferriere as new crew chief for this season.

Timmy Solomito (No. 16 Starrett Racing Ford)

Has four wins, 15 top fives and 28 top 10s in 52 career NWMT races.
Welcomes Starrett Tools as primary sponsor to his Flamingo Motorsports No. 16.
Captured all four career wins in 2016, including his first career victory in the Icebreaker at Thompson.

Todd Szegedy (No. 85 Montanari Fuel, Stuarts Automotive Chevrolet)

The 2003 champion returns to full-time racing after running just select races last year.
Has 19 wins, 86 top fives and 129 top 10s in 205 career NWMT races.
His last victory came in 2015 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway.

Danny Bohn (No. 40 Dunleavy Truck and Trailer, Will I Am South Trucking Chevrolet)

Has four wins, 27 top fives and 42 top 10s in 51 career races in NASCAR Modified competition.
Finished inside the top 10 in all but one Whelen Southern Modified Tour race in 2016.
His last victory came at Winston-Salem in 2015; Has led 615 laps in his career.

Rowan Pennink (No. 3 Cape Cod Copper Chevrolet)

Returns for a second season in the famed “Ole Blue” No. 3.
Has two wins, 29 top fives and 66 top 10s in 141 career NWMT starts.
His last victory came at Thompson in the 2013 season finale.

Max Zachem (No. 20 MPZ Motorsports, Lu Mac’s Package Store Chevrolet)

Has three top fives and 14 top 10s in 35 career NWMT races.
Best career finish of second at Thompson in June of 2016.
Enters the 2017 racing season with a brand-new car.

Ron Silk (No. 82 Horton Ave. Materials Chevrolet)

Was the 2011 NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour champion.
Has 10 wins, 59 top fives and 95 top 10s in 162 career NWMT races.
Captured one victory in 2016 at New London-Waterford Speedbowl in May.

Woody Pitkat (No. 46 Riverhead Building Supply Troyer)

Has three wins, 23 top fives and 62 top 10s in 119 career starts.
Finished third in the championship standings in 2015.
Last victory came at Stafford in 2015.

Eric Goodale (No. 58 GAF, Heritage Millwork Chevrolet)

Has two wins, 15 top fives and 54 top 10s in 118 career starts.
Captured his last victory at Bristol in August of 2016.

Jamie Tomaino (No. 99 Dunleavy Truck and Trailer Repair Chevrolet)

Has three wins, 91 top fives and 247 top 10s in 614 career starts.
Has competed every year since the series started in 1985.

Ryan Preece (No. 6 TS Haulers, Riverhead Raceway Chevrolet)

The 2013 series champion returns to full-time action driving for Eddie and Connie Partridge.
Has 15 wins, 58 top fives and 84 top 10s in 131 career starts.
Captured six top 10 finishes in eight races last season.

Up to Speed:

This is the 33rd season of NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour racing. The first event was held in 1985 at Thompson Speedway Motorsports Park.
The 2017 schedule includes 17 points races at 10 different tracks, across seven different states. It also includes two non-points events: at New Hampshire Motor Speedway and Charlotte Motor Speedway.
Following the Performance Plus 150, the NWMT will return to action at Thompson Speedway Motorsports Park for the Icebreaker on April 2.

Sources: Jason Christley/NASCAR Integrated Marketing Communications