Doug Coby To Ride Huge Whelen Modified Tour Points Lead To Series Finale At Thompson Speedway

Doug Coby (Photo: Getty Images for NASCAR)

STAFFORD – NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour points leader Doug Coby will go to the series finale on Oct. 19 with a massive cushion in his quest for a second series title.

Coby, of Milford, finished eighth in Sunday’s NAPA Auto Parts Fall Final 150 at Stafford Motor Speedway, but essentially cemented the series title.

Coby, of Milford, will go to the final race of the season knowing that only total disaster for his team at Thompson would cost his Mike Smeriglio Racing team the series title.

Justin Bonsignore came into Sunday’s event trailing Coby by 26 points, but the second consecutive rough race for him dropped him from second to third in the standings.

Bonsignore went into the F.W. Webb 100 on Sept. 20 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway trailing Coby by four points in second place, but motor issues knocked him out of the event at the halfway point.

Bonsignore, of Holtsville, N.Y., was involved in a strange wreck on lap 60 Sunday at Stafford. Max Zachem of Preston, normally a crew member on Bonsignore’s team, was making his second series start at Stafford.

Bonsignore and Zachem got together on the backstretch. Bonsignore finsished 21st of 22 cars. Zachem was 22nd. It dropped Bonsignore to 39 points behind Coby. Ted Christopher, with a second place finish to Ryan Preece Sunday at Stafford, moved past Bonsignore into second in the standings, 28 points behind Coby.

Unofficially, Coby needs to finish 24th or better at Thompson Speedway to clinch the series title. Twenty-five cars have started the two previous series events this season at Thompson. A maximum of 32 cars can start the event. When Coby take the green flag for the event, Christopher will be the only with a chance to catch him in the standings.

Coby won his first series title in 2012 driving for team owner Wayne Darling. He is in his first season driving for team owner Mike Smeriglio.