Justin Bonsignore (Photo: Jim DuPont/RaceDayCT)
By Polly Reid & Shawn Courchesne
LOUDON, N.H. – After battling for the lead for much of the event, NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour points leader Justin Bonsignore ended up fourth in a wild finish to the Eastern Propane & Oil 100 Saturday at New Hampshire Motor Speedway.
Bonsignore held the lead for the final restart of the day on lap 95, but was left edged by third place Ryan Newman at the line by inches at the checkered.
Bobby Santos III won the event with Chase Dowling finishing second.
“We had a really good car even after being shuffled back in the beginning,” Bonsignore said. “We had a good car on the long run and I know after the pit stop we would be in good shape again. [Dowling] and I had a deal to check out and settle it at the end but the last caution changed all that.”
“Hats off to [Santos], he knew we had a good car, not the best car, but he got [Dowling] and I shuffled out of the pack. We got shuffled out late and didn’t get a chance to get back.
“We had a really good car, led a lot of laps so you’re a little bummed that you didn’t get the win but all in all it was a really good day.”
Bonsignore, who has won four of eight Whelen Modified Tour events this year, won the non-points Whelen All-Star Shootout exhibition event Friday at NHMS. Bonsignore heads to the next event, the Starrett 150 at Stafford Motor Speedway on Aug. 3, with a 32-point advantage in the standings over second place Dowling.
“Ryan Stone has been bringing great race cars to the track every week, we unload with speed everywhere we go, that’s 90% of the battle,” Bonsignore said. “We come prepared and we come fast. We have a good points lead right now, we just have to be smart about it.”
Fun Day For Newman
Newman has competed with the Whelen Modified Tour in events at NHMS for the last 11 seasons.
After Saturday’s event he was asked by a national radio reporter why he does it.
“You watched it right there,” Newman said. “It was a good race. Good drivers. It’s fun, it’s simple. … It’s just the way racing’s supposed to be in my opinion.”
Newman was then asked if he feels a personal responsibility to help support grass roots racing.
“I don’t feel a personally responsibility, I want to come here and win races and put on a good show,” Newman said. “Today, it’s sad to say, but it’s fun when you don’t win and you race like that. It’s still fun. But I’m here to win. I don’t get in the race car and put my helmet on because I feel a responsibility to grassroots racing, but I want to know that I’m doing my best and it makes a difference for grassroots racing. That makes me feel a little bit better, but that’s not my goal. My goal is to win.”
Struggles Continue For Coby
Doug Coby’s hopes for winning a fifth consecutive Whelen Modified Tour championship – and sixth title overall – took a massive hit on Saturday.
Coby started second in Saturday’s event and lead 10 laps early, but contact with Newman on pit road during a caution on lap 32 left Coby’s right front tire hanging off the car and ended his hopes for winning.
Coby was able to get back on track but finished 26th, 11 laps behind Santos.
Coby fell to eighth in the standings, 102 points behind Bonsignore with eight events remaining.
The 2 car had all 4 tires in his pit box As Newman comes in he hit the RF tire with his rear bumper bending up the tie rod Newman needs a yellow stripe on his rear bumper. I bet he even cut across the 2 cars pit box.
I can’t believe the 2 team could not change a tie rod under caution and get back out without going more than 1 lap down on a 1 mile track. Had to be more damage than that.
What Racer said. ^ ^ ^ ^
🤣 😝 👍 😂 😆