(Press Release from Kenneth Massa Motorsports)
CORRECTION: The press release inadvertently listed Ryan Stone as crew chief for 2011 Whelen Modified Tour champion Ron Silk. Stone served as a car chief during Silk’s championship run.
Justin Bonsignore
Kenneth Massa Motorsports has announced its 2018 plans for the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour. Veteran driver Justin Bonsignore will drive a LFR Car as he races for the NWMT championship with Ryan Stone as his crew chief.
“I’m very pleased we were able to put this deal together after a tremendous amount of work,” said Ken Massa, team owner. “This will bring our team to the next level. We didn’t have the season we wanted to last year and after an exhaustive process, speaking to all the manufactures, and a handful of crew chiefs, we have it nailed down. I’m ready to put our team and sponsor back in Victory Lane and work toward earning our first championship in the series.”
Additionally, it was announced that Phoenix Communications Inc., a leading provider of fiber optic construction services to the telecommunications industry and municipalities throughout the northeastern United States, will continue its partnership with KMM serving as the primary sponsor of the No. 51 NWMT race car.
“The anticipation for the 2018 NWMT season has been building since last season’s finale at Thompson,” said Mark Langevin, President of Phoenix Communications. “The effort and dedication from Ken and Justin has always been there, so to see that high level of determination continue into the offseason spoke volumes. Last season didn’t go the way we had hoped but had its moments that showed just how close we were to making our way back into Victory Lane. With the changes made this offseason to both car and crew we cannot wait to see what the future has in store for the No. 51 team.”
Bonsignore will start his ninth season with KMM in 2018. He has scored 12 wins during his NWMT career and ranked in the Top-3 in final championship standings in three of the past four years.
“I’m very excited and anxious to get the 2018 season started, racing can be a humbling sport and the 2017 season didn’t turn out to be the season we had hoped for,” said Bonsignore. “I feel that bringing Ryan (Stone) on board and making the switch to LFR Chassis will elevate our team back to the level we need to be to contend for wins and a championship. Ryan and I have always been friendly at the races, and I feel our chemistry will be there right away, along with having Rob (Fuller) in our corner for support, I am very confident that this season will be a successful one.”
“None of this would be possible without the return of Phoenix Communications Inc. coming back on board,” continued Bonsignore. “Mark and Marie Langevin stood behind us with their full support last year, and I really want to get them and my team of guys back to Victory Lane more than anything else.”
Calling the shots for Bonsignore will be 20-year racing veteran Ryan Stone, who won the 2011 NWMT championship as crew chief for Ron Silk. He has more than a decade of experience in modified racing as a driver, car chief and crew chief including three years working at LFR.
“This is a great opportunity for me to get back home to Connecticut and get back working with the modifieds and LFR which is where my heart is,” said Stone. “I’m glad I got the experience to work in the South for a short time to see what it was all about, but I’m excited to get back up North and work with Justin and Ken. I spent a lot of time with Rob while we built the LFR brand so I know we will have the equipment that can contend for a championship.”
Massa was pleased to have Stone join the team, someone he felt would be a perfect fit.
“It’s funny, because we approached Ryan earlier and he turned us down, but I guess I owe it to Rob for keeping after it,” said Massa. “Eventually Ryan came back to the table and we were able to finish the deal. Rob put in a lot of work to make this happen, and showed that he was determined to get the 51 Team in LFR equipment, and that means a lot when there are so many choices of what car to run.”
Rob Fuller created LFR in order to take modified chassis design and customer service to the next level. Since its inception in 2014, LFR has secured the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour championship every year.
“A team like KMM can go to any design car they want honestly,” said Fuller. “I have had my eye on them for a couple years now and knew they were a better group than what they were showing, and thought they would be a perfect addition to the LFR team. Ken and Justin came to the LFR shop before the holidays and their reaction to the cars was what I hoped it would be. Ken explained that he watched our house car this year and was impressed with our results. Also, the teams that made a change to LFR in recent years, all had immediate improvements in performance. Justin was just as impressed and is ready to start winning races again. I believe this team will be back where they belong in 2018.”
KMM will kick-off the racing season with the opening NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour race at Myrtle Beach Speedway on March 17th.
For more information, visit phoenix-fiber.com, m3-tec.com, justinbonsignore.com, or follow on Facebook or Twitter @jbonsignore.
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Good luck to Justin and the KMM team this coming season!
So where are all the folks that were saying that Justin is going Troyer. Eddy Flemke posted the perfect response on that thread. Kudos eddy. We know who has the facts now.
LFR car yes support from LFR we’ll see. But good luck to Justin he’s a class act.
I find it hard to believe that Fuller will share his knowledge while running for a championship himself. I watched that car at Stafford and Thompson and wow. If that kid didn’t miss a shift it was going to be ugly for everyone else. What I saw anyway.
I like Justin and wish the 51 team well in the 2018 season. However the crew chief for Ron Silk and the 6 team in 2011 was Tommy Grasso. I mean no disrespect to Ryan Stone. Just want proper credit given where it is due.
Expect to see all those LFR cars running side-by-side, nose-to-tail.
Okay, I thought that was pretty funny.
🤣
A pit full of legends in there own minds.I thought I helped Tommy grasso when we won that championship.
So will he get the LFR spindles or the Phil spindles on his cars?
I have always been a Justin fan.I have not always been an LFR fan.If we kidnap and hold Phil for the season I think the deuce is in big trouble.that said I think this will be a step up from Spafco.Preece was lights out speedy in a tried and true Troyer last year.And to dareal,we know of one very popular LFR that will not be running nose to tail.Speaking of other threads, while finishing this post I’m listening to a phone message being left for me from NHMS to buy my July tickets for this years race.That’s how real companies go about business.If left alone I probably go to NHMS in July.Getting me to commit b4 February seals the deal for them.
art, my ‘nose-to-tail’ comment was tongue-in-cheek sarcastic. The LFRs have never run nose-to-tail, side-by-side. Maybe somebody at LFR headquarters is not sending out the right (or the same) setup notes to the LFR teams. 🤣🤔🤪🤫😜💩
Now that very popular LFR that will not be nose-to-tail… are you referring to the #2 or the #01?
Kidnapping Phil is the equivalent of taking possession of their cache of flux capacitors, and then they will be mere mortals. Even Bob Bruneau can’t compensate for that.
And I like JB too, simply because he’s not a blowhard.
Get your tickets for NHMS early. Years ago, I used to wait until the weather forecast was close enough and reliable, about week at most. Now the NHMS Modified events are hard to get my favorite seats that late anymore, I have to reserve very early.
Justin had a nice win last weekend in the indoor TQ series…
dareal,the deuce may be popular but there is only one “most popular”car.I wonder why we haven’t heard from the lovely Liz all season.Hope all is well with her.Maybe she’s on a winter wine tour in France.I don’t think they have winter crickets in gay paree.
Darreal which LFR car doesn’t run? The 15, 2 or the 44? If your gonna keep hanging your hat on the 01 your more pathetic than I give you credit for. Add the 51 to the LFR line up and that’s 4 of the top 5 teams. Just facts jack.
Good move 51 team. Let Troyer go dirt racing and Spafco keep spinning their wheels. With Fuller focused on mods now and not taxi cabs you will win some races! Going to be fun to watch
Ron,the shoe in the 44 can make a hay wagon go fast, but that is or has been a part time team.Chase has loads of talent and will be successful in a good ride.I wonder what your top 5 looks like,other than 2,15,44,51? what about top 10? How many LFR cars there? A lot of good drivers and cars on this tour.Let’s see the season unfold a little bit before these proclamations.
If you think a chassis is the difference between success and failure then you may believe an orchestra only sounds good because of the brass section you were a part of in High School. They’re making wholesale changes including the brain trust and thats how you make big moves. Best color scheme and graphics on the tour.
They are all great shoes yes. I just look at 2 things. Why did they change chassis and how did they do after the change. All those “shoes” did better after the change. The 44 didn’t have much sucess the couple seasons prior to the change. Now they are on fire. Anyone know the 2 car stats before 2015? I just don’t recall Doug Colby as a fast qualifier. Where do we go to find old stats like these?
Maybe dareal is thinking the 1 car……Hahahaha! I live in NC and Tim Brown went to a Troyer after he won a Championship in LFR and isn’t as fast at the Stadium anymore. I have to agree that LFR has their stuff together. Love em or hate em they be fast.
Ron, the 44 has been on fire since Bob Santos Sr. has been the Crew Chief. Until then, it struggled bigly. I’d bet the farm that the 44 as a Troyer would have been very successful with Bob Santos Sr. as Crew Chief.
I don’t see many LFR in the 2017 top 5 or top 10. You care to share your metrics for the LFR teams being the best?
JB has always been good, top 5-ish or better. Doesn’t get into stupid trouble, can drive in traffic. Chasing chassis magic is a crap shoot. Better off finding a higher flowing carb and shiny flux capacitor.
44 had more success with the Troyer stuff then with the Fury stuff!
Is Bob Santos sr. the crew chief, or is it Bob Jr.?
The driver is Bob III, I remember Bob Sr. @ Plainville
in the 60’s-70’s. Just wondering.
Okay, the 44 has been doing much better since the father of Bobby Santos III has been the Crew Chief.
Hope that is correct. Must be Bob Jr.
John Davis, I agree… the 44 had a better run with the Troyer, and would probably be better and more consistent with the Troyer now with Bob Jr. as Crew Chief.
AKA-“Frito Bandito”!
When #44 was a Troyer, they did pretty well with Steve Lemay as crewchief. Last year, their first with the LFR, they seemed to have the most trouble with the transition. They were finally getting a handle on it during the second half of the season. I’m guessing when they went part-time for 2017, Lemay left to be with a full time team, which explained Max Zachem’s improvement this year. With Bob Jr. as crewchief, #44 is back to being a contender. I know Bobby has his USAC career, but man, I wish # 44 was full time! I think they have the potential to dethrone #2.
They did so well with him they fired him. They were so good with Troyer they went LFR. Do you people even listen to yourselves? WOW
So I guess when the 44 car went to the LFR shop, loaded up for Loudon and won the race it had nothing to do with the LFR support? Dareal your a moron. First post and last post. I don’t waste time with people that have a bigger shoe size than IQ. Ronnin out!
Ronnin, what took so long? Why aren’t the LFR cars 1-2-3-4-5 in the standings?
Dareal, the 2 car is and has been number one. The 44 and 15 (that won the pole and was in a league of his own in the last race) run part time. Those are the only real full time teams with full time employees that run LFR cars. You and I both know there are only a hand full of teams that can win. 2,15,44,58,16,6 and maybe a random. Now the 51 is a contender. Out of those7 full time professional teams 4 are now LFR. That’s a strong statement. You have a tiff with eithe LFR or the 2 car OBVIOUSLY and it’s making you sound uneducated when you refuse to acknowledge the success that they are having. My .02 with 6 years of higher education. Ronnin your turn!
Old man, Frito bandito was the grandfather
Bob wrote: “Dareal, the 2 car is and has been number one. The 44 and 15 (that won the pole and was in a league of his own in the last race) run part time. Those are the only real full time teams with full time employees that run LFR cars.”
So are those teams full time or part time? You present yourself as very uneducated. The 2 is full time, the 44 and 15 have been part time, right? Really? The 44 & 15 teams run part time schedules with full time employees? What do they do all day? Polish their knobs all day?
So, 6 years of higher education? Higher than what? And how many years did you have to repeat, and how many times? Was 6th grade the best four years of your life?
Hoping that the 51 spends time at Thompson and Stafford and other tracks in preseason testing to get the new chassis sorted out.
Until this year please tell me who was full time on the #15? Even Rob Fuller isn’t full time. He runs 4 different businesses.
How many poles and wins does the 44 have with there Fury chassis?
How many poles and wins does the 44 have with there Troyer cars??
I rest my case! Morons
Lemay didn’t get it done, was replaced with Ryan Stone, an LFR guy, and that didn’t help either. Imagine that, an LFR chassis with an LFR guy as Crew Chief, and still no results. Then Bob Santos is the Crew Chief with the same cars, and performance is suddenly improved. How’d that happen? Don’t you think that an LFR car with an LFR insider as Crew Chief would have been enough? It wasn’t. It didn’t work. Shows how important a Crew Chief is. Moron. Bob Santos is a pretty good Crew Chief. He makes cars go fast. He does what Lemay and Ryan Stone couldn’t get done.
I’m looking forward to seeing JB & the 51 in the mix. Hope they can start well with the new cars.
I think they finally got down with a decent carb on the 44 ?? right da real???