(Press Release from NASCAR Integrated Marketing Communications)
Justin Bonsignore (Photo: Getty Images for NASCAR)
The third of four visits for the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour to Connecticut’s Thompson Speedway Motorsports Park in 2015 is set for Wednesday with the Budweiser King of Beers 150. Below is a statistical look at the performance of the tour and selected drivers at the track:
EVENT INFORMATION
Budweiser King of Beers 150 Setup:
• Doug Coby has won the first two NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour events this year at Thompson Speedway Motorsports Park. Only two drivers have swept a season at Thompson (Steve Park-1996, Mike Stefanik-1998). Coby has three career points wins at the track.
• Ryan Preece leads Woody Pitkat by four points entering the Budweiser King of Beers 150, the 10th of 15 races on the 2015 schedule. Preece earned his first Thompson win in the 2014 World Series, while Pitkat is still in search of his first victory at the .625-mile oval.
At Thompson Speedway
History
• Opened on May 26, 1940 as the largest and first entirely-asphalt track in New England at the time.
• An inaugural member track of the NASCAR Whelen All-American Series, now in its 34th season. Ryan Preece is the defending track champion out of the track’s headlining Sunoco Modified division.
• Held NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races in 1951, 1969 and 1970, and 27 NASCAR K&N Pro Series East events from 1988-2009.
• Held the inaugural NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour event on March 31, 1985, a race won by the late NASCAR Hall of Famer Richie Evans.
Notebook
• Thompson has played host to 128 NWMT races, the most in the tour’s 31 seasons.
• There have been 34 different race winners at Thompson, led by Mike Stefanik’s 15 victories.
• There have been 43 different pole winners at Thompson, led by Tony Hirschman’s 13.
• Jamie Tomaino is the only driver that has participated in all 128 previous NWMT Thompson races.
• There have only been three races won in wire-to-wire fashion at Thompson, the last by Rick Fuller in 1997.
• Bobby Santos was the youngest Thompson race winner at 22 years, 11 days in 2007.
• Stefanik was the oldest Thompson victor at 54 years, 10 months, 25 days in 2013.
Thompson Data
Race: #10 of 15 overall, #3 of 4 at Thompson
Track Layout: .625-mile asphalt oval
Banking/Turns: 26 degrees
Race Length: 150 laps (93.75 miles)Qualifying/Race Data
2014 Race Winner: Justin Bonsignore
2014 Pole Winner: Donny Lia
Qualifying Record: Bobby Santos, Dodge, 18.237 seconds, 123.376 mph, April 10, 2011
Active Category Leaders at Thompson
Wins
1. Ted Christopher … 13
2. Bobby Santos … 4
Ron Silk … 4
Poles
1. Ted Christopher … 7
2. Bobby Santos … 5
3. Donny Lia … 4
Ryan Preece … 4
Top Fives
1. Ted Christopher … 34
2. Jamie Tomaino … 20
3. Ron Silk … 16
Top 10s
1. Jamie Tomaino … 49
2. Ted Christopher … 47
3. Ron Silk … 25
Todd Szegedy … 25
Laps Led
1. Ted Christopher … 1,723
2. Donny Lia … 637
3. Ryan Preece … 586
Laps Completed
1. Jamie Tomaino… 15,670
2. Ted Christopher … 11,537
3. Wade Cole … 9,272
Starts
1. Jamie Tomaino … 128
2. Ted Christopher … 87
3. Wade Cole … 82
Select Driver Highlights
Justin Bonsignore (No. 51 M3 Technology Chevrolet)
• Has seven wins, five poles and 47 top 10s in 82 career NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour starts.
• Ranks ninth in points after nine races with four top-five finishes, highlighted by a win at Riverhead Raceway.
• Has three wins, nine top 10s and an average finish of 14th in 19 career starts at Thompson Speedway Motorsports Park.
Ted Christopher (No. 22 Canto Paving/Ferguson H2O Chevrolet)
• The 2008 NWMT champion has 42 wins, 24 poles and 197 top 10s in 356 career starts. His 42 wins rank third all-time and his 24 poles are eighth.
• Is looking to end a 50-race winless drought. It’s the second-longest such streak in his career. His first win came in his 94th race.
• Sits 14th in points with five top 10s in eight starts. Did not participate in the race at Monadnock Speedway.
• Has 13 wins, seven poles, 47 top 10s and an average finish of 13th in 87 career NWMT Thompson starts. Also won the non-points UNOH Showdown in 2012.
• Is a five-time NASCAR Whelen All-American Series track champion at Thompson out of the Sunoco Modified division. Has 98 overall career victories at the track entering this week’s events.
Doug Coby (No. 2 Dunleavy’s Repair/HEX Performance Chevrolet)
• The 2012 and 2014 NWMT champion has 13 wins, seven poles and 85 top 10s in 166 career starts.
• Ranks third in points with seven top 10s, and is tied for the lead with three victories.
• Has three wins, a pole, 24 top 10s and an average finish of 11.5 in 44 career Thompson NWMT starts. Also won the inaugural non-points UNOH Showdown in 2011.
Patrick Emerling (No. 07 Buffalo Auto Auction Chevrolet)
• Has 21 top 10s in 63 career starts with a best finish of fourth, recorded in July at New Hampshire Motor Speedway.
• Ranks seventh in points this year on the strength of five top 10s in nine outings.
• Has four top 10s, an average finish of 13th and a best result of seventh (2012 Icebreaker) in 14 starts at Thompson.
Eric Goodale (No. 58 GAF Roofing/Supreme Skylights Chevrolet)
• Has a win, a pole and 42 top 10s in 95 career starts.
• Maintains the NWMT’s active lead for consecutive starts, now at 93 races.
• Ranks fifth in points after nine races with seven top 10s and a best finish of fourth on two occasions.
• Has 11 top 10s, an average finish of 14th and a best result of third (2013 Bud 150) in 22 starts at Thompson.
Donny Lia (No. 8 Sypher Construction/Bardahl Chevrolet)
• The 2007 and 2009 NWMT champion has 17 wins, 21 poles and 81 top 10s in 163 career starts.
• Three top 10s in nine starts this year has him 13th in the points standings.
• Has three wins, four poles, 16 top 10s and an average finish of 14th in 37 career Thompson starts.
Rowan Pennink (No. 93 Van Wickle Auto Supply Chevrolet)
• Has two wins and 58 top 10s in 120 career starts.
• Ranks 10th in points this year with three top 10s in nine races and a best finish of seventh on two occasions.
• Has a win (2013 World Series), 17 top 10s and an average finish of 12th in 32 NWMT starts at Thompson.
Woody Pitkat (No. 88 Buzz Chew Chevrolet/Elbow East Chevrolet)
• Has three wins, three poles and 50 top 10s in 100 career starts.
• Sits second points with top 10s in all nine events, highlighted by a win in the Stafford Spring Sizzler. Also won the non-points All-Star Shootout at NHMS.
• Has three poles, eight top 10s, an average finish of 16th and a best result of second (2014 & `15 Icebreakers) in 27 NWMT Thompson starts.
• Thompson’s 2006 NWAAS champion out of the Sunoco Modified division, where he is the current points leader.
Ryan Preece (No. 6 TS Haulers/East West Marine Chevrolet)
• The 2013 NWMT champion has 14 wins, 14 poles, 32 podiums, 53 top fives and 73 top 10s in 117 career starts.
• Current points leader has top 10s in all eight events and is tied for the tour lead with three victories.
• Has a win (2014 World Series), four poles, 18 top 10s and an average finish of 11th in 30 NWMT Thompson races.
• Earned the 2012 and `14 Thompson NWAAS track titles in Sunoco Modifieds, where he has 16 career wins.
Bobby Santos (No. 44 Tinio Corp./Dan Kelley/Curb Records Chevrolet)
• The 2010 NWMT champion has 13 wins, 16 poles and 56 top 10s in 102 career events.
• Sits sixth in points after nine races with six top 10s and a best result of third in the Icebreaker.
• Has four wins, five poles, 19 top 10s and an average finish of 13th in 33 Thompson races.
Andy Seuss (No. 13 J&R Pre-Cast/Cape Cod Aggregates Chevrolet)
• Earned the 2014 championship in the NASCAR Whelen Southern Modified Tour, where he has 19 wins, 12 poles and 77 top 10s in 99 career starts.
• Is set to make his third NWMT appearance of the season. Has eight top 10s with a best finish of fourth (July 2013 at NHMS) in 34 career northern tour races.
• Has an average finish of 23rd and a best result of ninth (2007 Bud 150) in eight NWMT starts at Thompson.
Ron Silk (No. 15 15-40 Connection Chevrolet)
• The 2011 NWMT champion has nine wins, eight poles and 85 top 10s in 142 career starts.
• Has recorded a pair of top 10s in four events this year in a part-time role.
• Has four wins, 25 top 10s and an average finish of 11th in 39 career starts at Thompson.
Timmy Solomito (No. 16 Diversified Metals/R.B. Enterprises Ford)
• The 2014 Sunoco Rookie of the Year has a pole and 13 top 10s in 29 career starts with a best finish of third at Riverhead in September 2013 and at Stafford this June.
• Ranks eighth in points with five top 10s through nine events.
• In eight Thompson starts he’s posted six top 10s with an average finish of 11th and a best result of fourth in the 2014 Icebreaker.
Todd Szegedy (No. 4 Mystic Missile Racing Dodge)
• The 2003 NWMT champion has 19 wins, 10 poles and 122 top 10s in 196 career starts.
• Sits fourth in points with seven top 10s in nine outings in his first season with Mystic Missile Racing, highlighted by a victory at NHMS.
• Has three wins, three poles, 25 top 10s and an average finish of 13th in 47 career NWMT starts at Thompson.
Other Driver Notes
• Rookies Brendon Bock, Chase Dowling, Jeff Goodale, Dave Sapienza, Troy Talman and Max Zachem all made their NWMT debut at Thompson.
• Matt Swanson entered the record book last week at Stafford as the youngest race starter in NWMT history at 15 years, five months and 22 days old.
• Craig Lutz’s lone previous start came at New London-Waterford Speedbowl in 2014.
Up To Speed
• This is the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour’s 30th Anniversary season. The inaugural race was contested March 31, 1985 at Thompson Speedway Motorsports Park.
• The 2015 schedule features 15 points races at seven different tracks across four states.
• Doug Coby opened up his title defense with a win from the pole in the Thompson Icebreaker 150 on April 12.
• Woody Pitkat earned the NAPA Spring Sizzler 200 victory on April 26 at Stafford Motor Speedway.
• Ryan Preece emerged victorious at New London-Waterford Speedbowl in the Mr. Rooter 161 on May 30.
• Preece made it two-in-a-row with a victory in the TSI Harley-Davidson 125 on June 5 at Stafford.
• Coby won at Thompson for the second consecutive outing with the Mr. Rooter 125 victory on June 10.
• The Riverhead Hoosier Tire East 200 was postponed one day by rain, then dominated in victory by Justin Bonsignore.
• Todd Szegedy won the Andy Blacksmith 100 presented by Donate Life New England on July 18 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway.
• Coby notched the first bullring win of his career on July 25 when he reached Victory Lane at Monadnock Speedway in the O’Reilly Auto Parts 200.
• Preece made it two-in-a-row at Stafford when he won the Call Before You Dig 150 on Aug. 7.
• Following the Budweiser King of Beers 150, the NWMT will return to action Aug. 19 at Bristol Motor Speedway.
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