Pit Box: Craig Lutz Rides Whelen Modified Tour Momentum To Monadnock

(Press Release from NASCAR Integrated Marketing Communications)

Editor’s Note: This event was postponed to Sunday because of expected inclement weather on Sunday. Time trials are scheduled for 1:30 p.m. with an expected 4 p.m. green flag for the Whelen Modified Tour.

Craig Lutz proved at Pennsylvania’s Jennerstown Speedway that the 2020 NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour season wouldn’t just be the Doug Coby & Justin Bonsignore show.

Now the tour returns to Monadnock Speedway for the first time since 2016 for the Advanced Gas Distributors 200 Wade Cole Memorial.

It’s an opportunity for Lutz & Co. to close the gap on Bonsignore, who won at the quarter-mile oval in Winchester, New Hampshire, in 2013-14. The race will air live on TrackPass on NBC Gold.

Advanced Gas Distributors 200 Wade Cole Memorial

WHAT TO WATCH FOR

It wasn’t just that Lutz picked up his second career win, it was the fashion of which Lutz drove the No. 46 Riverhead Building Supply Chevrolet from his fifth starting spot to the front, showed the speed and mettle to battle with Bonsignore, and then held off fellow Long Islander Dave Sapienza. It was Lutz’s third top 10 in four races to start the season.

It’s a continuation of a breakout 2019 for the 25-year-old from Miller Place, N.Y., who colllected nine top fives and his first win en route to finishing fourth in championship points.

Lutz had improved in each of his last five seasons, going from 17th to 10th to fifth to fourth in points. He now sits third behind Bonsignore and Coby.

Coby led 156 laps en route to his win at Monadnock in 2015, while Timmy Solomito led every lap in his 2016 win. It was the last time a driver led every lap in a race until Bonsignore did so at Pennsylvania’s Jennerstown Speedway in this year’s season opener.

Bonsignore has six top fives in seven races at the New Hampshire bullring, including his pair of wins.

After sitting out the second trip to Jennerstown, Ron Silk will return to the No. 85 Stuart’s Automotive Chevrolet. Silk has five top 10s and three top fives in six races at Monadnock.

RACING REFERENCE: Previous NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour races at Monadnock | NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour drivers career stats at Monadnock| 2020 NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour Standings

RACE FACTS

RACE CENTER | ENTRY LIST | RACE SCHEDULE

CREW CHIEF HANDOUT: The starting field for the Advanced Gas Distributors 200 Wade Cole Memorial is limited to 28, including provisional positions. The field will be set by qualifying (1-22) and provisional process per the entry blank (25-30) for the Advanced Gas Distributors 200 Wade Cole Memorial. In the event that qualifying as stated on this entry blank does not take place for any unforeseen circumstance, the field will be set in accordance with the 2020 NASCAR Touring Series Rule Book.

QUALIFYING: Two consecutive qualifying laps. Faster lap determines 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. Vehicles will be impounded after qualifying. Vehicle must qualify on race set up.

The Advanced Gas Distributors 200 Wade Cole Memorial will be 200 laps (50 miles) and is to be run in one (1) segments. The tire change rule is zero (0) tires, any position. To utilize the third change tire, teams will designate a practice tire purchased at Jennerstown Speedway to be the third change tire.

The maximum tire allotment available for this event is as follows: Four (4) for qualifying and to start the race, plus an additional four (4) for a total of eight (8) tires.