Pit Box: Long Island Drivers Look To Steal Show In Whelen Modified Tour Return To Riverhead

(Press Release from NASCAR Integrated Marketing Communications)

Justin Bonsignore celebrates victory in the Whelen Modified Tour Buzz Chew Auto Group 200 in July at Riverhead Raceway (Photo: Fran Lawlor)

The NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour continues the busiest month of the 2018 season at Riverhead Raceway, where drivers will compete in the Miller Lite 200 on Saturday night.

The event marks the second stop at the Long Island quarter-mile this season, and Justin Bonsignore looks to complete the season sweep at his home track.

NASCAR WHELEN MODIFIED TOUR AT RIVERHEAD

WHAT TO WATCH FOR

With six wins in the first 12 races, Justin Bonsignore is headed for his first NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour championship. But his path to that title must go across New York from Oswego Speedway to Riverhead next.

Bonsignore won the first Riverhead event back in July, leading 59 laps and passing Ryan Preece in the final laps. Luckily for him and the rest of the field, Preece, who crossed second in July, won’t be in attendance on Saturday while he competes in the NASCAR Xfinity Series for Joe Gibbs Racing.

However, Bonsignore’s task of mastering Riverhead again will have plenty of challengers looking to steal the show — and many of them know the track well. Riverhead is one of few tracks on the circuit where local modified competitors can enter the race and truly play a major factor. Timmy Solomito, a former Riverhead weekly regular who is now driving on the Whelen Modified Tour, has won three of the last five races at the bullring, and is looking for his first win of the season.

Dave Sapienza, another driver who cut his teeth racing modifieds in the NASCAR Whelen All-American Series, finished fourth in the first stop and is still looking for his first career Whelen Modified Tour win.

NASCAR Whelen All-American Series regulars entered for the race include Kyle Soper, John Fortin and John Beatty, Jr.

RACE FACTS

RACE MILLER LITE 200
PLACE Riverhead Raceway, Riverhead, New York
DATE Saturday, September 8
TIME 8 p.m. ET (approx.)
TELEVISION NBCSN, Thursday, September 13, 6 p.m.
TRACK LAYOUT Quarter-mile paved asphalt oval
2017 WINNER Timmy Solomito
2017 POLE Timmy Solomito
EVENT SCHEDULE Saturday: Garage Opens: 12:45 p.m., Final Practice: 3:15-4:30 p.m., Qualifying: 6 p.m., Miller Lite 200: 8 p.m. (approx.)
TWITTER @RiverheadRacewy
HASHTAG #NWMT, #MillerLite200

RACE CENTER

CREW CHIEF HANDOUT: The maximum starting field is 28 cars, including provisional positions. The first 22 cars will secure starting positions based on the qualifying session for the Miller Lite 200. The remaining six spots will be awarded through the provisional process.

Two consecutive qualifying laps will be used to determine the starting positions. Faster lap of the two laps determines a vehicle’s qualifying position. Adjustments or repairs may not be made on the vehicle after the vehicle has taken the green flag at the start/finish line. NASCAR reserves the right to have more than one car engage in qualifying runs at the same time. Vehicles will be impounded after qualifying, and must qualify on their race set up.

The Miller Lite 200 will be 200 laps (50 miles).

The maximum tire allotment available for this event is eight (8) tires per team. Four (4) tires used for qualifying must be used to begin the race. The tire change rule is zero (0) tires, any position.

Comments

  1. So, when a Riverhead regular steals the show will everyone get their panties in a wad the way they did when Oswego regular Matt Hirshman won?

  2. No, Riverhead is a track on the NWMT, has been for many years, and twice a year for a long time, and there are numerous Riverhead teams that run FULL-TIME on the NWMT. It’s not the same as an invader running a NWMT race on his home track and getting lucky. Oswego is rarely on the NWMT schedule.

  3. You just love to stir it don’t you Rob. We all don’t have to drink out of the same glass of Kool Aid you do, I know of no rule stating that.

  4. A win is a win. At the beginning of the night, everyone is equal. At the end there is one winner. People win at their home track all the time, don’t know what the big deal about Matt was. He’s just chasing the money. Can’t fault him for that.

  5. Rob p, chasing what money? Was the Oswego race an exceptionally large purse? If it was I would have expected a much larger car count.

  6. I would think the winner’s share was over $10k. So far I think every WMT race this year has been that much. Maybe not “exceptionally large”, but certainly better than past years.

  7. Hey Liz, think Stolimoto has it for this weekend?

  8. Rob P, maybe you missed this question on the other thread about the MH Oswego win as I have not seen you post there in a day or so;

    So Rob P, I have a question and really looking forward to your response.

    Here is the scenario;

    It is the last race of the season and you are second in the WMT points and have supported the tour the entire season. A team shows up for their one and only appearance on the tour and qualifies. During the feature the point leader has a mechanical issue and drops out giving you a shot at winning the championship. The only way you can win the championship though is to win the feature and earn enough points to overcome the deficit. The one timer wins the race and costs you the championship.

    Please tell me how you would “really” feel about that.

  9. Humphry

    That is a terrible example. If you MUSt win, then win the damn race. Does not matter who beats you.

  10. humphry, your questions are pointless and meritless.

  11. Well, I’m rooting for Sapienza @ Riverhead.

  12. Humphry’s scenario actually took some thought and is more then worthy of a response in my view.
    Wouldn’t Preece’s situation in the last Infinity race last year when he got in a rhubarb with what’s his face for not standing down for a full time points racer be a real world comparison that is kind of the same thing.

  13. Over 13k with everything added so whats the point of no money?

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