Doug Coby (Photo: Tim Bradbury/Getty Images for NASCAR)
THOMPSON – In a post-race arena at Thompson Speedway Thursday, charged immediately with anger and adrenaline from all three on the podium immediately following the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour Budweiser 150, Doug Coby let emotion drive him to a special action during his “cool down” lap.
After furiously rally from a questionable penalty to grab his fourth series victory of the season, Doug Coby took the checkered flag from the starter’s stand and set out on a polish victory lap around Thompson Speedway.
But the flag didn’t make it all the way back to victory lane.
Coby stopped in turn one and left the flag on the track. He said it was for John Blewett III. The Howell, N.J. driver was killed in a turn one accident in the Budweiser 150 on Aug. 16, 2007.
“I left the flag over there in turn one for [John Blewett III],” Coby said while fighting back tears in victory lane.
After getting dropped to 18th place for jumping a restart on lap 93, Coby came back and passed Wood Pitkat for the lead on a lap 142 restart.
“I tried to drive like John tonight coming through the field,” Coby said. “It’s just such an emotional time to win something like this. I’ve won a lot of races, but I think of the Blewett’s a lot and I think of John a lot. It upsets me.”
Nice sentiment by Doug, but lets not forget that we lost Tom Baldwin in this same race in 2004.