Bonsignore Tops Whelen Mods, First of Year for Kimball in Hometrackers Sunday, August 30, at Monadnock
WINCHESTER, N.H. – Justin Bonsignore has Monadnock Speedway pretty well figured out. Sunday, the Empire State star won the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour Wade Cole Memorial 200 at the storied high-banked quarter-mile.
It was Bonsignore’s third Whelen Tour victory at Monadnock, duplicated big scores here in 2013 and 2014, the latter the famed all-green 200-lapper. When Bonsignore won that one, in fact, Sunday’s main event namesake, Wade Cole, was in the field, as was open-wheel legend Ted Christopher.
With rain blanketing the region Saturday, the speedway’s 11th event of the season was pushed ahead to Sunday, and second-generation star Matt Kimball (Bennington, NH) found the afternoon racing conditions just to his liking, scoring his first NHSTRA Modified victory of the season.
Other winners Sunday included Jaret Curtis (Rutland, Ma), Street Stocks; Gordon Farnum (Fitzwilliam, NH), Mini Stocks; and Farnum’s stablemate, Chris Davis (Winchester, NH), Pure Stocks.
Jon McKennedy set fast time in the Whelen Mods, posting a lap time of 12.781 seconds to sit on the pole as the 28-car field began the big dance. Bonsignore took the green beside him.
McKennedy led the first 60 laps of the main event, with Ron Silk draped all over him, and Bonsignore cruising close behind in third. Silk then took control of the Cole Memorial, with Bonsignore moving up to the deuce slot 17 circuits later.
Bonsignore ran in Silk’s shadow until rocketing through the low groove to take the lead on 176, taking the checkers by a six-length margin 24 laps later. Doug Coby, strong all day in the seven-caution event, came home third, with Anthony Nocella and Ronnie Williams completing the top five. McKennedy finished ninth.
Sunday’s victory was Bonsignore’s third in five completed Whelen Tour events this season.
Cameron Houle and Solomon Brow led the NHSTRA Mods to the green, with Houle grabbing the early lead. Rookie Cory Plummer then took charge and kept the field at bay until Matt Kimball, from row four, blasted into the top spot on lap 16.
The Bennington, N.H. hot shoe was still up front when this one was shortened with a yellow/checkers ending after numerous cautions had slowed its march to conclusion. Todd Patnode, who’d quietly cruised into second on lap 29, was second, with division points leader Brian Robie moving closer to the championship in third.
Sunday’s Street Stock 25-lapper was a battle of the Rutland, Mass. Curtis twins. Jaret and Chase. Jaret took the lead from Tim Wenzel on lap two and never looked back en route to his second win of the summer. Chase, the points leader, got up for second on lap eight and chased his sibling the rest of the way.
Mini Stock points leader Gordon Farnum flew past Nathan Wenzel on lap 19 of their Sunday feature and then sped away to his fifth victory lap of the summer. Wenzel was strong in second, with Jeff Asselin third.
In the Pures, 2019 track champ Chris Davis started up front and easily scored his third win of the season, unfortunately equaling the number of engines he’s lost in 2020. Jimmy Zellman came from row four to earn his best finish of the summer in second, and Nick Houle came home third. Top points man Mike Douglas finished fourth to stay comfortably atop the championship chase.
The Pro Truck Series made its second visit of the summer to the high banks Sunday, with Gerard Giordano Jr. topping a spirited 55-lapper. Giordano grabbed the top spot from Dave Koenig on lap 37 and held him at bay the rest of the way. Connor Souza was third.
Next Saturday, September 5, Monadnock Speedway returns to action with the multi-track NHSTRA Modifieds taking center stage with a Battle for The Cup event. For more information, please visit www.monadnockspeedway.com.
NASCAR WHELEN MODIFIEDS (Top 10): Justin Bonsignore, Ron Silk, Doug Coby, Anthony Nocella, Ronnie Williams, Matt Hirschman, Woody Pitkat, Sammy Rameau, Jon McKennedy, Craig Lutz.
NHSTRA Modified: Matt Kimball, Todd Patnode, Brian Robie, Solomon Brow, Ben Byrne, Joel Monahan, Trevor Bleau, Kim Rivet, Zach Leone, Cory Plummer, Cameron Houle, Jason Houle, Brad Zahensky, Kevin Pittsinger, Scott MacMichael, Brian Chapin, Rob Richardi, Eric Leclair, Scott Bourne
Mini Stocks: Gordon Farnum, Nathan Wenzel, Jeff Asselin, Kevin Cormier, Pat Houle, Tim Leblanc, Joshua Hubbard, Bill Chaffee, Jake Puchalski, Joshua Wright, Bobby Kirker, Aaron Thompson, Ethan Marsh, Raymond King, Kevin Russell, Kevin Clayton, Adam Sprague
Street Stocks: Jaret Curtis, Chase Curtis, Chris Buffone, Hillary Renaud, Kenny Thompson, Paul Barnard, Bryan Granger, Tim Wenzel, Ed Brehio
Pure Stocks: Chris Davis, Jimmy Zellman, Nick Houle, Mike Douglas, Brandon Lavoie, CJ Johnson, Matt Lambert, Cory Lofland, JD Stockwell, Jason Leray, Tucker Houle, Zack Richardson, Joshua Slyz
Sources: Gary Dutton/Monadnock Speedway PR
Photos by Emily Miller