Reaches New Hampshire Victory Lane For First Time
Story By: JASON CHRISTLEY / NASCAR MEDIA
Photos By: DICK AYERS / RACERSGUIDE.COM
LOUDON, N.H. -September 24, 2016- Justin Bonsignore knows if he’s going to catch Doug Coby in the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour championship race, he’s going to need to all the points he can get in the final three races.
And that means finding success at a place that’s long plagued him: New Hampshire Motor Speedway.
Mission accomplished for the Holtsville, New York, driver Saturday afternoon. Bonsignore dominated the FW Webb 100, lead 77 laps and holding off the field in a green-white-checkered finish to score his first win at the “Magic Mile.”
“It doesn’t get any bigger than this,” said Bonsignore. “To do it here at New Hampshire, on the big stage, hasn’t sunk in yet. I don’t know if it ever will. It’s a huge honor to be here at honor and to be called a winner now it unbelievable.”
Ron Silk finished second, followed by Coby, Sunoco Rookie of the Year candidate Matt Swanson and NASCAR Sprint Cup Series driver Ryan Newman.
Rowan Pennink led five laps and was in contention for the win when engine issues on Lap 98 ended his day. It also brought out the race’s final caution and pushed the event to 106 laps. On the final restart, Bonsignore was able to get a push from Silk to pull away from him and Coby en route to the checkered flag.
Bonsignore entered the event with an average finish of 17.4 in 14 previous starts at New Hampshire. He had only led two laps on the 1.058-mile oval.
It was Bonsignore’s 11th career win. His previous NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour victories came at his home track, Long Island’s Riverhead Raceway (four wins), Connecticut’s Thompson Speedway Motorsports Park (four wins) and New Hampshire’s Monadnock Speedway (two wins).
It was also Bonsignore’s third win of the season. More importantly, it allowed him to slice seven more points off Coby’s lead. Coby, the three-time tour champion, holds a 13-point advantage on Bonsignore with two races remaining.
The NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour will race in the NAPA Fall Final 150 at Connecticut’s Stafford Motor Speedway on Sunday, Oct. 2, before concluding the season in Thompson’s Sunoco World Series 150 on Sunday, Oct. 16.
Patrick Emerling finished sixth at New Hampshire, while Jimmy Blewett, Max Zachem, Timmy Solomito and Donny Lia rounded out the top 10.
The FW Webb 100 will air on NBCSN on Thursday, Sept. 29 at 7 p.m.
