Doug Coby Charges to Fourth Spring Sizzler Victory

Holds Off Craig Lutz for 26th NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour Win

STAFFORD, Conn. — Doug Coby was going for his fourth NAPA Spring Sizzler 200 victory Saturday. Craig Lutz was chasing his first career NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour win.

In the end, it was the veteran Coby who made the winning move – diving under Lutz with just over 10 laps remaining – and then fending off the fierce challenge in the closing laps to return to Victory Lane in the iconic event that’s earned the moniker, “The Greatest Race in the History of Spring.”

It was Coby’s 26th career win on the tour and his 12th at Stafford. His first career win came in the 2006 Spring Sizzler, Stafford’s iconic early-season event. He also won the race in 2012 and 2016.

“This is the race everybody wants to win,” said Coby. “That was the hardest I’ve ever drove a race car, to hold off Craig. I just kept drive harder and driving harder.”

Following Lutz, Ron Silk, Max Zachem and Eric Goodale rounded out the top five.

“This is what you dream about,” Lutz said. “He’s obviously one of the best here. To be able to run with him for the last 10 laps was run. This was probably the most disappointing second-place I’ve had, because I felt like all day we had a really good car.”

It was the third career runner-up finish in 56 career starts for the Miller Place, New York, driver — including one in last year’s NAPA Fall Final at Stafford.

RACING-REFENCE: NAPA SPRING SIZZLER 200 RESULTS

Justin Bonsignore came home sixth. Bonsignore was fastest in practice back on April 26, the weekend the event was originally slated. Rain postponed three times, finally pushing it from Friday night to Saturday afternoon. Bonsignore was then fastest in final practice and won the Mayhew Tools Dominator Pole Award.

Patrick Emerling was seventh, followed by rookie Sam Rameau, Timmy Solomito and Blake Barney.

RELATED: PHOTO GALLERY – LOOKING BACK: SPRING SIZZLER HISTORY

With Coby’s second win in four races in 2019, the five-time tour champion has opened a 17-point lead on second-place Emerling and 20 over Silk. Blewett and defending tour champion Bonsignore are fourth and fifth, respectively.

RACING-REFERENCE: WHELEN MODIFIED TOUR CHAMPIONSHIP POINTS

The NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour will be back on track in seven days with the Jersey Shore 150 at Wall Stadium Speedway on Saturday, May 18.

Sources: Jason Christley/NASCAR Integrated Marketing Communications

NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour-48th Annual NAPA Auto Parts Spring Sizzler 200 Results

Saturday
At Stafford Motor Speedway
Stafford Springs, CT
Lap length: 0.5 miles
(Start position in parentheses)

1. (2) Doug Coby, Milford, Conn., Chevrolet, 200 laps, 55.530 mph.
2. (11) Craig Lutz, Miller Place, N.Y., Chevrolet, 200.
3. (15) Ron Silk, Norwalk, CT, Chevrolet, 200.
4. (17) Max Zachem, Preston, Conn., Chevrolet, 200.
5. (12) Eric Goodale, Riverhead, N.Y., Chevrolet, 200.
6. (1) Justin Bonsignore, Holtsville, NY, Chevrolet, 200.
7. (8) Patrick Emerling, Orchard Park, NY, Chevrolet, 200.
8. (24) Sam Rameau, Westminster, Mass., Chevrolet, 200.
9. (10) Timmy Solomito, Islip, N.Y., Ford, 200.
10. (19) Blake Barney, Lakewood, N.J., Chevrolet, 200.
11. (21) Woody Pitkat, Stafford, Conn., Chevrolet, 200.
12. (25) J. B. Fortin, Jr., Holtsville, N.Y., Chevrolet, 200.
13. (26) Timmy Catalano, Ontario, N.Y., Chevrolet, 200.
14. (20) Gary Putnam, Vernon, Conn., Chevrolet, 200.
15. (23) Jimmy Blewett, Howell, N.J., Chevrolet, 199.
16. (28) Wade Cole, Hartland, Conn., Ford, 198.
17. (16) Tommy Catalano, Ontario, N.Y., Chevrolet, 196.
18. (32) Kyle Ellwood, Riverhead, N.Y., Chevrolet, 196.
19. (29) Calvin Carroll, Newton, N.J., Chevrolet, 186.
20. (22) Mark Bakaj, Lebanon, Conn., Chevrolet, 179.
21. (18) Kyle Bonsignore, Bay Shore, N.Y., Toyota, 176.
22. (31) Walter Sutcliffe Jr., East Haven, Conn., Chevrolet, 176, accident.
23. (33) Tyler Rypkema, Owego, N.Y., Chevrolet, 171, accident.
24. (4) Chase Dowling, Roxbury, Conn., Pontiac, 169, rear end.
25. (34) Joey Mucciacciaro, Wolcott, Conn., Chevrolet, 155, handling.
26. (3) Chris Pasteryak, Lisbon, Conn., Chevrolet, 143, accident.
27. (7) Anthony Nocella, Woburn, Mass., Chevrolet, 125, accident.
28. (14) Jeff Rocco, Meriden, Conn., Chevrolet, 125, accident.
29. (27) Ken Heagy, Calverton, N.Y., Ford, 119, accident.
30. (6) Dave Sapienza, Riverhead, N.Y., Dodge, 117, accident.
31. (9) Rob Summers, Manchester, CT, Chevrolet, 117, accident.
32. (13) Joey Cipriano, III, Waterbury, Conn., Chevrolet, 100, accident.
33. (30) Melissa Fifield, Wakefield, N.H., Chevrolet, 75, accident.
34. (5) Matt Swanson, Acton, Mass., Chevrolet, 70, rear end.

Race Statistics

Time of Race: 1 hour 48 minutes 3 seconds

Margin of Victory: 0.253 seconds

Fastest Qualifier: J.Bonsignore (100.925 mph, 17.835 seconds)

Caution Flags: 13 for 77 laps.

Lead Changes: 12 among 7 drivers.

Lap Leaders: D. Coby 1; J. Bonsignore 2-64; C. Dowling 65-128; E. Goodale 129-139; C. Pasteryak 140-143; D. Coby 144-150; R. Silk 151-152; C. Dowling 153-166; R. Silk 167; J. Bonsignore 168-175; R. Silk 176-183; C. Lutz 184-188; D. Coby 189-200.

Standings: 1. D. Coby, 171; 2. P. Emerling, 154; 3. R. Silk, 151; 4. J. Blewett, 145; 5. J. Bonsignore, 138; 6. E. Goodale, 134; 7. C. Lutz, 132; 8. C. Pasteryak, 131; 9. W. Pitkat, 126; 10. B. Barney, 124.

2019 NAPA Auto Parts Spring Sizzler 200
NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour race number 4 of 4
Saturday, May 11, 2019, at Stafford Motor Speedway, Stafford Springs, CT
200 laps on a .500 mile paved track (100.0 miles)

Time of race: 1:48:03
Average speed: 55.53 mph
Pole speed: 100.925 mph Cautions: 13 for 77 laps
Margin of victory: 0.253 sec
Attendance: n/a
Lead changes: 13

Glossary 2019 NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour results / 2019 standings

Fin St # Driver Sponsor / Owner Car Laps Status Led Pts
1 2 2 Doug Coby Mayhew Tools / AJ Romano Const. (Mike Smeriglio III) Chevrolet 200 running 20 47
2 11 46 Craig Lutz Riverhead Building Supply (Russell Goodale) Chevrolet 200 running 5 43
3 15 85 Ron Silk Stuart’s Automotive (Kevin Stuart) Chevrolet 200 running 11 42
4 17 20 Max Zachem BB Motorsports / MPZ Trucking LLC (Bruce Bachta) Chevrolet 200 running 0 40
5 12 58 Eric Goodale GAF Roofing (Edgar Goodale) Chevrolet 200 running 11 40
6 1 51 Justin Bonsignore Phoenix Communications Inc. (Kenneth Massa) Chevrolet 200 running 71 39
7 8 07 Patrick Emerling Sahlen’s (Jennifer Emerling) Chevrolet 200 running 0 37
8 24 06 Sam Rameau * Racechoice.com (Randy Rameau) Chevrolet 200 running 0 36
9 10 16 Timmy Solomito Starrett Racing (Eric Sanderson) Ford 200 running 0 35
10 19 14 Blake Barney Atlantic Sprinkler (Richard Barney) Chevrolet 200 running 0 34
11 21 82 Woody Pitkat Horton Avenue Materials (Danny Watts Jr.) Chevrolet 200 running 0 33
12 25 34 J. B. Fortin,, Jr. * Johns Tree Removal / Discount Less Pool (Nicole Fortin) Chevrolet 200 running 0 32
13 26 45 Timmy Catalano * Catalano Motorsports (Dave Catalano) Chevrolet 200 running 0 31
14 20 77 Gary Putnam Curb Records (Mike Curb) Chevrolet 200 running 0 30
15 23 21 Jimmy Blewett Gershow Recycling / Blewett Recycling (Joseph Bertuccio) Chevrolet 199 running 0 29
16 28 33 Wade Cole Performance Engines / Kendal Oil / 1812 Auto (Wade Cole) 198 running 0 28
17 16 54 Tommy Catalano Catalano Motorsports (Amy Catalano) Chevrolet 196 running 0 27
18 32 38 Kyle Ellwood Perf. Engines / Kendall Oil (Linda Rodenbaugh) Chevrolet 196 running 0 26
19 29 25 Calvin Carroll Power with Prestige / Cruising w / Betty (Joe Carroll) Chevrolet 186 running 0 25
20 22 52 Mark Bakaj * Bakaj Construction (Jason Nogiec) Chevrolet 179 running 0 24
21 18 22 Kyle Bonsignore Dunleavy Truck Repair / Chalew Performance (Kyle Bonsignore) Toyota 176 running 0 23
22 31 78 Walter Sutcliffe, Jr. Last Minute Racing (Steven Sutcliffe) Chevrolet 176 crash 0 22
23 33 32 Tyler Rypkema * Nelorp Electric (Dean Rypkema) Chevrolet 171 crash 0 21
24 4 99 Chase Dowling s and s (Cheryl Tomaino) Pontiac 169 rear end 78 22
25 34 47 Joey Mucciacciaro * Logan Steel Pods (Frank Mucciacciaro) Chevrolet 155 handling 0 19
26 3 75 Chris Pasteryak Dawley’s Collision & Custom (Charles Pasteryak) Chevrolet 143 crash 4 19
27 7 92 Anthony Nocella Nocella Paving / K and D Associates / Airgas (Anthony Nocella) Chevrolet 125 crash 0 17
28 14 1 Jeff Rocco * Dunleavy’s Truck & Trailer (Eddie Harvey) Chevrolet 125 crash 0 16
29 27 18 Ken Heagy Buoy One Seafood (Robert Pollifrone) Ford 119 crash 0 15
30 6 36 Dave Sapienza Sapienza Racing (Judy Thilberg) Dodge 117 crash 0 14
31 9 64 Rob Summers Lumiere / Dell Electric / Rocky’s Plumbing (Mike Murphy) Chevrolet 117 crash 0 13
32 13 19 Joey Cipriano, III * Gunsmoke Stables (Steve Greer) Chevrolet 100 crash 0 12
33 30 01 Melissa Fifield Crowell’s Towing (Kenneth Fifield) Chevrolet 75 crash 0 11
34 5 3 Matt Swanson Cape Cod Copper / WOW Media / USNE (Jan Boehler) Chevrolet 70 rear end 0 10
Rookie drivers are denoted with an asterisk.

Caution flag breakdown:
Condition From
Lap To
Lap # Of
Laps Reason Free
Pass
1 5 5
6 10 5 #34 spun turn 2 none
11 32 22
33 43 11 #45,52,18,38 accident turn 2 #01
44 46 3
47 51 5 #82 intentional caution backstretch #45
52 61 10
62 67 6 #78 spun turn 1 #82
68 77 10
78 83 6 #01 accident turn 4 #34
84 101 18
102 108 7 #19 tire turn 2 #20
109 117 9
118 124 7 #64,78,21,36,77 accident turn 2 none
125 125 1
126 132 7 #75 accident backstretch #34
133 143 11
144 148 5 #25,45 accident frontstretch #33
149 155 7
156 161 6 #34,45 accident turn 4 #21
162 164 3
165 167 3 #25,82 spun infield #21
168 169 2
170 175 6 #34,07 accident turn 4 #34
176 179 4
180 182 3 #82,25 accident turn 4 #21
183 200 18
Percent of race run under caution: 38.5% Average green flag run: 8.8 laps

Lap leader breakdown:
Leader From
Lap To
Lap # Of
Laps
Doug Coby 1 1 1
Justin Bonsignore 2 64 63
Chase Dowling 65 128 64
Eric Goodale 129 139 11
Chris Pasteryak 140 143 4
Doug Coby 144 150 7
Ron Silk 151 152 2
Chase Dowling 153 166 14
Ron Silk 167 167 1
Justin Bonsignore 168 175 8
Ron Silk 176 183 8
Craig Lutz 184 188 5
Doug Coby 189 200 12

Points standings after this race:
Rank Driver Points Diff
1 Doug Coby 171
2 Patrick Emerling 154 -17
3 Ron Silk 151 -20
4 Jimmy Blewett 145 -26
5 Justin Bonsignore 138 -33
6 Eric Goodale 134 -37
7 Craig Lutz 132 -39
8 Chris Pasteryak 131 -40
9 Woody Pitkat 126 -45
10 Blake Barney 124 -47
11 Kyle Bonsignore 120 -51
12 Timmy Solomito 116 -55
12 Burt Myers 116 -55
14 Sam Rameau 111 -60
15 Matt Swanson 107 -64
16 Anthony Nocella 105 -66
17 Tommy Catalano 100 -71
18 Jon McKennedy 99 -72
19 Dave Sapienza 93 -78
20 Timmy Catalano 90 -81

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