(Press Release from Stafford Motor Speedway)
Doug Coby celebrates victory in the Whelen Modified Tour NAPA Spring Sizzler 200 in April at Stafford Motor Speedway (Photo: Michael Ivins/Getty Images for NASCAR)
When it comes to the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour and Stafford Speedway, Doug Coby and the #2 Dunleavy’s Truck & Trailer Repair team have proven they are the team to beat over the past several seasons. Since 2012, Coby and the #2 team have won 8 of the 19 NWMT races at Stafford and they have also collected 4 pole positions at Stafford in that time frame. Coby won the NAPA Spring Sizzler in April and the TSI Harley-Davidson 125 in June at Stafford and appeared to be heading to a dominating victory in the August Stafford 150 before his car ran out of fuel with 6 laps to go. This background has Coby feeling confident ahead of this weekend’s, October 8 & 9, NAPA Fall Final feature as he enters the race as the NWMT points leader by a 13 point margin over Justin Bonsignore with only 2 races left to determine the 2016 champion.
“Ultimately it’s going to be business as usual for us because there’s been some things happen to us that we just can’t control,” said Coby. “We should have won the last race at Stafford but we had a slight miscalculation on the fuel load and we ran out of gas. We’ve been really strong at Stafford the past few races but obviously there’s no given about anything and we’re approaching it like any other race. I’m pretty confident we’ll have a car that will contend for the win but there are a handful of other teams that have stepped up their game. The ideal thing would be for the other teams to step their games up to get by Justin but not catch us. We’re confident in the things we can control and hopeful for the things that we can’t control.”
Coby has been in the thick of the NWMT title chase for the past four seasons, winning the championship in 2012, 2014, and 2015. His championship effort last season was the result of taking pole positon and the checkered flag in each of the final 3 NWMT races. Coby’s chief rival Justin Bonsignore won the most recent NWMT race at Loudon and his only finish outside the top-3 in the last 7 races was the Bristol race where a crash left him in 22nd place. Coby knows that Bonsignore could be in the midst of pulling off the identical feat of winning the last 3 races but he would prefer to be right where he is at the top of the standings rather than chasing like Bonsignore is.
“Obviously last season we were able to make up some points in the last couple of races but I would certainly rather be the leader,” said Coby. “Having a good car at Stafford the last couple years makes us feel pretty comfortable but Justin’s team have really stepped up the last 8 races and they haven’t been outside of the top-3. Any time we run good they’re right there with us and when they win we’re right there a few spots behind them. Crazier things have happened so we’re looking at our lead as just a small margin.”
With only 13 points between himself and Bonsignore, bonus points will be all important to either driver and that means a good qualifying effort to start up front will be an easier task to get to the front and lead a lap for a bonus point.
“Bonus points are huge at this point,” said Coby. “All year you plan on trying to get them when you can and it’s always nice to get another point or two but right now you have to get them. We’re both in the same boat where we need to get as many bonus points as we can. Just one lap led can be a big difference and I think we’re both going to be trying as hard as we can to get up front and get a bonus point.”
Despite Coby’s track record at Stafford, he knows anything can happen in racing and there is always the strategy game that can be played to help another driver gain some all important track position as well as the specter of running out of fuel in the last Stafford race hanging over their heads.
“I feel more comfortable being in the lead rather than following,” said Coby. “If the caution flag comes out around between lap 50 and 80, we like to be the ones to bring everyone else down pit road. It all depends when the caution falls because some guys might play the strategy game and pit early and then wait for everyone else to pit. It’s really tough to say but it’s exciting when it happens because we know it’s a make it or break it situation. It’s going to be on me to save as much fuel as we can during the race and I think all the other teams are aware that [Bobby Santos] and myself ran out of gas in the last race. We have to be smart about it because we’re certainly not going to be making 2 pit stops and losing our track position. It’s not going to change how we approach the race but you have to make sure you have enough gas to get to the finish and we’re going to do our best to make that happen.”
The 2016 NAPA Auto Parts Fall Final Weekend gets underway on Saturday, October 8th with practice sessions for Stafford’s Whelen All-American Series divisions, Legend Cars, TQ Midgets, Mr. Rooter Truck Series, and the Whelen Modified Tour. Action continues with Coors Light Pole Qualifying for the Whelen Modified Tour cars, along with heat races for all divisions except for the Legend Cars. Feature events for the SK Light, Limited Late Model, DARE Stock, TQ Midgets, and Mr. Rooter Truck Series divisions will wrap up Saturday’s on track activities. The NAPA Fall Final continues on Sunday, October 9th with the NAPA Auto Parts Pit Party from 11am-12noon followed by feature events for Stafford’s SK Modifieds®, Late Models, Whelen Modified Tour, and Legend Cars.
Tickets for the NAPA Auto Parts Fall Final Weekend are on sale now at the Speedway Box Office. Tickets are priced at $38.50 for adult general admission tickets, $5.00 for children ages 6-14, and children ages 5 and under are admitted free of charge when accompanied by an adult. Reserved seating will be priced at $42.00 for all ages. All ticket prices include 10% CT Admission Tax. Visit your local participating NAPA Auto Parts Store for discount tickets.
For more information on the 44th Annual NAPA Auto Parts Fall Final, or to order tickets, contact the Stafford Motor Speedway track office at 860-684-2783 or visit us on the web at www.staffordspeedway.com.
The 2 simply owns Stafford. The rest are racing for 2nd place.
Come on dude, will you go away already!?
Kolbie said: ” It’s going to be on me to save as much fuel as we can during the race and I think all the other teams are aware that [Bobby Santos] and myself ran out of gas in the last race. ”
Ran out of gas? And these guys are supposed to be so smart they nail the unicorn setup race after race, track after track, over and over? That SPEC motor in the 2 seems to use a lot more gas than the other SPEC motors.
Does anyone have an idea as to why?
Santos also ran out.Kolbie will be facing a determined 51 team this time out.Other than last time I don’t remember cars running out of fuel.I have no idea why but I think it would be easy for even nascar to catch a worked carb I don’t think a cam would be so easy at the track.I still contend it’s Moran and his setup skills.You need to roll the flat corners of Stafford to use your ponies.It’s my favorite track.Unfortunatly I will be on a cruise that was carefully picked for having no racing conflicts.Told my wife I could Get off At Newport and meet her in Boston.She has no sense of humor.Curses,foiled again.Will be home in time foe Sunday at Thompson.Get Kolbie.
Dareal, I have a pretty good guess where you’re going with this, but handling and driving methods can have just as big an effect on fuel mileage as well. If you’re battling for position or playing “rabbit” to stretch your lead as much as possible, that takes more fuel than being smooth and conservative entering and exiting the turns while “riding around” with no immediate pressure from a competitor. Also just because you have a good handle on your setup does not make you an expert at calculating fuel mileage, something this series has not had to do much of in the recent past. I’m guessing they can change jets in the carbs to adjust for ambient air conditions, which can change fuel consumption as well.
Harold (G-Man) , the gas man who was there with me from the inception of that team, took care of fuel calculations and adding fuel, retired at the conclusion of last season. Might be that the new guy screwed up or the float might have stuck or a power valve malfunction. Even with your illegal carburetor, consumption should be predictable and they should have been able to pack enough in the fuel cell. You only add slightly more than you need, nobody wants to run unnecessary, excess weight, especially that high up. You measure what you use during practice, figure out the average, multiply it by the race laps and add some cushion for GWC endings and variance.
Fast Eddie, everybody is using the same air, same atmospheric conditions, at the same time at the same location. Run the same fuel cell, can carry the same maximum fuel load. They all know they have to PACK the fuel cell for a 150 at Stafford. There is no calculating a fuel load at Stafford for a 150… the fuel cell gets packed. When an engine uses more fuel, it is making more power. When an engine can inhale more air, it will need bigger jets, and consume that fuel load sooner.
The 2 came up some 6 laps short. That should have been a HUGE blip on NASCAR’s radar. H-U-G-E!!!!
Six laps is a slight miscalculation? Running out of gas is not something that happens at this level from a team that is so stacked with talent and expertise. Here’s a team that supposedly nails the unicorn setups at all tracks, under all conditions, time after time, over and over, and they don’t pack the fuel cell at an event that requires a packed fuel cell? LOFL!!!!! And they are being hotly pursued in the championship hunt, and can not afford mistakes. Yeah, they ran out of gas, but I doubt it was because they didn’t pack the fuel cell.
If the left front isn’t skimming correctly it could use way more gas . Let’s hope Phil gets that left from up in the air this race .
SteveS said: ” …or a power valve malfunction.”
Oh, is that what you call it?
LMFAO!!! Is that like a wardrobe malfunction????
I mean, the two FASTEST cars BOTH ran out of fuel. So you want to believe that both cars from top teams have bozos that screwed the fuel fill at the same race? Wow. What a coincidence. And you believe in Unicorns? Santa?
Hey Enis, isn’t that what the LF coil bind is all about? lol. You make it way too easy.
Okay… so you all say the 2 rolls through better. Well, if the 2 rolls through the turns better, it takes no horsepower to do so, no fuel. And if it is rolling through the turns better, it is exiting better, faster, and needs less horsepower to exit, accelerate and get to speed. Greater acceleration requires greater power (torque), which requires greater fuel burn.
So if a car rolls through so good and theoretically should be using less fuel runs out of gas, it was using lots of gas. And an engine uses lots of gas when it makes lots more power. Just as I have explained before, several times already.
I thought the “official” explanation was that Coby’s fuel pump broke at Stafford the last time out at Stafford??
SteveS, I’d rather carry a little extra gas and have a chance at winning, instead of ending up 6 laps short.
Rafter, I remember that too.Dareal if your rolling the turns better wouldn’t you have more foot in the throttle.I don’t know if it would use less or more.I admit I’m not in the know on these things,but either way seems plausible to me.
DaReal, based on how many races they have run over the years and how many times they ran out of gas over the years(1). I doubt they were merely lucky all the other times. If your calculations tell you that you are 5-7 laps short, you plan a pit stop. Perhaps you roll the dice with a lap or two. I’ll stand by my opinion based upon my experience. And no, I didn’t believe in Santa, Unicorns, the Tooth Fairy, Easter Bunny or that a person could want to go through life as an obnoxious lout, so it seems you have proved me wrong on one thing.
LMFAO !!!
Rolling the turns comes from handling, not power. These cars have far more power to overpower the handling capability in a turn.
Art, they are coasting through a turn, foot is not in the throttle in a turn. The better the car turns, the faster it can coast. But they are clearly not in the throttle in a turn, not usually until late apex or exit. Some very fast cars aren’t getting back into the throttle till darn near onto the straight. Watch the exhaust… the engines are after firing as shown by the flames coming out the exhaust. That tells the driver is off the throttle. That starts on the end of the straight until some time after the apex, usually. Pay close attention during qual when there is one car at a time on the track, you can hear when the throttle is on or off. Pay close attention to ALL the cars. Huge differences.
It is important to not lose speed in a turn, obviously. Because lost speed results in acceleration load that the engine has to overcome to get the car back up to speed in the straight. Smooth is fast, and coasting smooth through the turns while losing as little speed is fast. And uses less gas.
darealgoodfella says:
October 7, 2016 at 5:32 pm
SteveS said: ” …or a power valve malfunction.”
Oh, is that what you call it?
LMFAO!!! Is that like a wardrobe malfunction???
Linked from the Holley Carburetor Website, You know Holley right? They are the only manufacturer of carburetors used on these modifieds. Although I’m sure they don’t know nearly as much about the subject as do you, as clearly evident from your resume.
Holley Power Valve
To better clarify the difference, a wardrobe malfunction would be better described as when Dareals mask falls off and reveals the horses derriere it was meant to hide.