Gimme A Beat: Handicapping The Whelen Modified Tour Championship Weekend

It’s a song that began back in April and the last notes will play at some point Sunday evening at Thompson International Speedway.

It’s the battle for the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour championship and it’s come down to Sunday’s 150-lap season finale Sunday at the World Series of Speedway Racing.

And if the three drivers battling for the title were concerts you’d have a tough time putting them on the bill for one festival.

Doug Coby, Ryan Preece and Ron Silk bring a lot of different to the table.

Coby is Motley Crue. He’s been bringing it to the table for years and still rocks hard. You know what you’re going to get with him, no sugarcoating, nothing fancy, just rip it and let the chips fall where they must. Dr. Feelgood rolling the B-52.

Preece is Justin Beiber. The young one that has all the girls swooning. He’s at the pinnacle of popularity just for being him, but ultimately still trying to hit the grand slam that will make him known throughout the land.

Silk is Snoop Dogg. The ultimate in quiet cool. Always collected, always smooth, always a player in the game even when it seems like he’s not. You don’t see him all day and then he’s there. “It’s the bow to the wow, creepin and crawlin …” What’s my name? Silk Doggy Dog.

With five wins in 13 events Coby is the heavy favorite going into Sunday. He needs only to finish 13th or better at Thompson to guarantee his first series title no matter what Preece and Silk.

Preece is 17 pints behind going into the season finale, with Silk, the 2011 champion, 18 points behind in third.

A look at the combatants (statistics for 2012 unless otherwise noted).

Doug Coby

Doug Coby (Photo: NASCAR)

Wins: 5
Top-fives: 8
Top-10’s: 10
Laps led: 346
Season Avg. Finish: 5.8
DNF’s: 1
Season Avg. finish at Thompson: 8
Career Avg. finish at Thompson: 13
Career wins at Thompson: 1

Ryan Preece

Ryan Preece (Photo: NASCAR)

Wins: 2
Top-fives: 7
Top-10’s: 9
Laps led: 631
Season Avg. Finish: 6.9
DNF’s: 1
Season Avg. finish at Thompson: 12
Career Avg. finish at Thompson: 13.8
Career wins at Thompson: 0

Ron Silk

Ron Silk (Photo: NASCAR)

Wins: 2
Top-fives: 9
Top-10’s: 10
Laps led: 180
Season Avg. Finish: 6.5
DNF’s: 2
Season Avg. finish at Thompson: 7
Career Avg. finish at Thompson: 11.7
Career wins at Thompson: 4