QUALIFYING: Santos Takes Thompson Pole
Fifth Thompson Pole, 13th Of Whelen Modified Tour Career
THOMPSON, Conn. – Defending Sunoco World Series 150 presented by Xtra Mart winner Bobby Santos is in position to make it two-in-a-row after taking home the Coors Light Pole Award in NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour qualifying Saturday at Thompson Speedway.
Santos, from nearby Franklin, Mass., had another strong qualifying run at his home track in advance of Sunday’s season finale. Santos powered the No. 44 Tinio Racing/Brendan Kelly Music Chevrolet to a fast lap of 18.712 seconds (120.244 mph) around the .625-mile oval for his fifth Coors Light Pole of the season, and 13th of his career overall.
It also marked the fifth career Whelen Modified Tour pole that Santos has earned at Thompson, and the second in a row. He sat on the pole in the tour’s August event, a race that he went on to win.
Photo Galleries:
[October 19] by Paul Fohlin
[October 20] by Paul Fohlin
Sunday’s season finale will see the front row consist of winners of the last three Whelen Modified Tour races at Thompson as Mike Stefanik posted the second-fastest qualifying lap at 18.715 (120.224). Stefanik’s victory in the season opener was sandwiched by Santos’ recent Thompson triumphs.
Santos also won the 2007 Thompson World Series, which was the first of his now 10 career victories.
Rowan Pennink at 18.758 (119.944), Justin Bonsignore at 18.804 (119.655) and championship leader Ryan Preece at 18.822 (119.541) rounded out the top five qualifiers. Cole Powell, Matt Hirschman, Max Zachem, Rob Fuller and Donny Lia completed the top 10.
Preece – who paced Whelen Modified Tour practice earlier in the day – brings a 26-point lead to the Thompson finale on defending champion Doug Coby, who qualified 11th. Coby is looking to become the first repeat champion since 2004-05 while Preece could become the eighth different titlist in the last nine Whelen Modified Tour seasons.
Feature racing in Thompson’s season finale weekend will begin on Sunday at 1:15 p.m. The Whelen Modified Tour Sunoco World Series 150 presented by Xtra Mart will go green at approximately 3:30 p.m.
NWMT Thompson 10/20/13 Qualifying
Pos No. Name Sponsor Time Speed
1 44 Bobby Santos Tinio Racing/Brendan Kelley Music 18.712 120.244
2 22 Mike Stefanik Robert B Our Co/Canto & Sons Paving 18.715 120.224
3 93 Rowan Pennink Monk Mechanics Hand Cleaner 18.758 119.949
4 51 Justin Bonsignore M3 Technology 18.804 119.655
5 16 Ryan Preece East West Marine/Sophie’s Rest 18.822 119.541
6 73 Cole Powell* Copps Buildall/Tricar Developments 18.824 119.528
7 60 Matt Hirschman B.C. BrennenstuhlM1 Mod Manic 18.851 119.357
8 20 Max Zachem* Dunleavy Rpr/Hitchcock Pool Water 18.884 119.148
9 15 Rob Fuller 15-40 Connection 18.892 119.098
10 4 Donny Lia Circle Track Magazine 18.937 118.815
11 52 Doug Coby Furnace & Duct/Seekonk Grand Prix 18.955 118.702
12 89 Timmy Solomito* Eastport Feeds/Axel Anderson Truck Repair 18.956 118.696
13 2 Todd Szegedy UNOH/Dunleavy Repair 18.957 118.690
14 64 Ron Yuhas Jr. Fast Track Electric/Hughes Motors 18.975 118.577
15 88 Bryon Chew Buzz Chew Chevrolet/Elbow East 18.984 118.521
16 46 Keith Rocco Cape Cod Agts/Petit Engines 18.990 118.483
17 72 Chuck Hossfeld Jerry Gradl Motors 19.023 118.278
18 6 Ron Silk TS Haulers/Calverton Tree Farm 19.031 118.228
19 3 Ted Christopher Silver Dollar Const/Cape Cod Copper 19.046 118.135
20 79 Woody Pitkat Mr. Rooter/Coors Light/Hill Ent. 19.085 117.894
21 58 Eric Goodale Riverhead Building Supply 19.085 117.894
22 71 Jimmy Zacharias Vista-PPO Automotive 19.128 117.629
23 11 John Beatty Jr.* Freeport Collision/N. Shore Recycling 19.154 117.469
24 99 Jamie Tomaino Supreme Mfg./Van Wickle NAPA 19.234 116.980
25 28 Ed Flemke, Jr. Ron Bouchards Auto Stores 19.259 116.828
26 18 Ken Heagy Buoy One Seafood/Mehner Racing 19.278 116.713
27 8 Glen Reen Sypher Construction/North I Steakhouse 19.418 115.872
28 38 David Salzarulo* Perf. Engines/Kendall Oil/Ryan’s 19.471 115.556
29 33 Wade Cole Perf Engines/Kendall Oil/Ryan’s 19.531 115.201
*Sunoco Rookie of the Year contender
Sources: Jason Cunningham/NASCAR WMT PR