It was an event where the final story was as much about who didn’t win the race as who did.
Ryan Preece had the dominant car for most of the day and made the most of a late rally, passing Justin Bonsignore for the lead with eight laps remaining to win the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour GAF Roofing 150 Friday at Stafford Speedway.
It was the second Whelen Modified tour victory in the last three events for Preece, who won the New England 100 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway on July 17. It was the 24th career Whelen Modified Tour victory for the Berlin driver, and his ninth in 41 series starts at Stafford since 2007.
“We started off the year, we had a lot of speed and due to my poor decisions it cost us a few races,” Preece said. “But I’m glad to see we’re getting the victories now.”
Bonsignore, of Holtsville, N.Y., was second and Jon McKennedy of Chelmsford, Mass. third.
Bonsignore’s career winless streak in Whelen Modified Tour events has taken on a life of its own. It has become social media folly in Modified racing circles and is the albatross that hangs on Bonsignore’s otherwise stellar Whelen Modified Tour career. And Friday’s event will likely only intensify that fact.
Bonsignore, a two-time Whelen Modified tour champion, was making his 40th start in a Whelen Modified Tour event at Stafford Friday.
After the race Bonsignore jokingly kicked Preece’s car in victory lane while Preece yelled “0-for-40” in Bonsignore’s direction.
“0-for-40 is all I’m hearing from the Preece team,” Bonsignore said. “But they were the best car here all day.”
Preece started on the pole and left the field far behind over the first two thirds of the event before caution flew on lap 96. All of the leaders headed to the pits with most taking on rear tires on the stop.
Preece battled with Doug Coby when the race restarted but faded some when Coby went by him for the lead and Bonsignore to second with 42 laps to go.
Caution flew again with 40 laps remaining and Preece went back to the pits for a change of his right front tire. He restarted seventh and began a dazzling charge back to the front.
With 18 laps remaining Bonsignore went by Coby for the lead with McKennedy following him to second. Preece had made his way back toward the front by then and followed McKennedy into third.
“I had to pull the old razzle dazzle,” Preece said. “I had [my spotter Shawn Waddell] telling me in my ear, ‘You’ve got to razzle dazzle you know Mo.’ I was just like ‘Ok, I’ll do that.’ We had a really good race car. That’s what it takes to win races.”
With 17 laps remaining Preece got by McKennedy for second and then went by Bonsignore for the lead with eight laps to go.
“We struggled at the beginning and we got that caution,” Bonsignore said. “Came in and got [rear tires]. Ryan struggled there when he only had rears, then he came back in. I kind of thought I would be a sitting duck and really fade, but our car was really good there the last run without a [new right front tire]. I would have loved to have had a right front to see if we could have held him off. But all in all a really good day. Third second place finish in a row. That’s how you get to the end of these championship battles, by doing that.”
Coby ended up fourth and Ron Silk was fifth.
It’s fun seeing Preece come back to his roots and win. He and his team have really paid their dues the last couple years grinding away at improving the modified program and it’s paid off lately for sure. He knows it takes more then “the old razzle-dazzle” but the expression was brilliant for how opposite of true it actually is.
It’s kind of in the weeds but qualifying on FloRacing was notable wasn’t it? A NASCAR product being carried on a non NASCAR sanctioned media outlet. Is that Stafford leverage and a compromise by NASCAR or is it reading too much into it. Not a fan of qualifying but to see it once in a year is interesting because it does have drama.
Did you see the crowd? Not like the SRX but the second best crowd this year. And you’re saying that could to away next year as the NWMT is dropped. I won’t believe that until I see it in writing.
Ya just want to give Justin Bonsignor a big hug for how gracious and smart he is crafting just the right words in a short space of time that fit the bill to a tee. I often wonder if the 51 and other top contenders in their private thoughts are that happy seeing the Cup guy swoop in and take the winners share. They’d never say anything publicly Ryan is so well thought of but I’d bet it grates on them a bit.
Poor Craig Lutz. He was heading for a good finish, one he needed desperately and is taken out in a freakish turn of bad luck. The term bad luck is used far too often these days for the lack of results but that was bad luck in the purest sense.
Good race or bad?? I vote good. We knew Bonsignor and Coby were in trouble as soon as we saw Preece coming in a second time for more rubber didn’t we. Justin just one right front tire away from getting the long lost win as Stafford but it was not meant to be. The two tire change was a rousing success in my view. Evidence of compromise???
The 10 team perhaps experiencing a little let down with the roller coaster they’ve been on this year. Emerling not only couldn’t pull a rabbit out his hat like at the Drizzler but struggled to be competitive. Surprising to see Silk struggling back in the pack at Stafford but no wait there the 85 is like magic at the end with a top 5. Williams a good run until he gets kicked to the curb after misjudging a passing opportunity in turn 1 so it’s on to the Speedbowl to try to turn the second disappointing season in a row around. Rob Summers must be smiling now that the it’s been proven the issues with the 64 were not the driver but with the 64 car. Fifield only good for 24 laps this time but it’s a banner night as she takes down a second from the last finish and bring the fresh tires up to Maine for the next race. We call that in racing circles economy of effort.
The 51 car is losing the battles but winning the war as they do what they do grinding out finishes that are not what the are shooting for but ones they need.
The Old Razzle Dazzle. That is hilarious and when Waddell says it you know exactly what he’s trying to tell you! Apparently it worked pretty well for Ryan, message received
Preece 🥇 🏁
Bonsignore 🥈
McKennedy 🥉
Coby 😤 😖 🤬 😡 😭
🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣😝😝😝😝😝😝😝😝😝
Jimmy Wilson: You must review the NWMT stats on racing reference, there are tons of mistakes. For this race, the lap leader break down is severely broken down. The overall points lists one driver in two wildly different positions, etc. Please, you must do better.
Is Preece having fun????? 🤩
That was a pretty good race.
The Live Timing wasn’t live until lap 89. Oh well. A good asset when you can’t see the scoreboard. Surprised it wasn’t working, there was testing going on earlier.
In the overall, P3 to P9 are gonna be real tight from here on out.
Not sure why the first caution came out after the long green flag run, but it was needed for sure . Tightened up the field and made for some great racing and pit stops. Would a competition caution for these longer races would be a good thing?.
Short field don’t you think
There was debris in turn 3 under THE GAF of course banner, it was called on the scanner abut 3 laps before the caution was SHOWN.
ON A SIDE NOTE TO THE HATERS as stated by BEN DODGE during pre RACE the Purse for GAF 150 was over 83,000 with 10 k to the winner!!!!!!!!!!!!
Yes Ken L with of course HATER comment
23 FOR WMT
27 Bud Lite 80
14-15 last 2 Thompson opens
17 MRS Wissacset
yes 41 FOR TRI TRACK running sat night on bullrings where Motor not needed
ALL fields are SHORT for most part with amount of races and TIRES
JH, just wondering if it was one of those phantom debris cautions or maybe one of those discretionary cautions by the race director? You said it best, tightened up the field for better racing and pit stop action.
Ken, yes short field and don’t see it getting much better.
Wmass. I was just making an observation. Calm down. No need to be so sensitive. Some regulars just aren’t regulars anymore.
FURY chassis and Hypercoil springs in VL.
I’m confident that both Stafford and Lancaster are very pleased with those short fields. The grandstands were packed! The money was flowing. A good race to boot.
It sounds like the 60 will be joining the show at Beech Ridge and then again at Oswego. Matt is always good for business. Maybe Ole Blue as well for the Maine race.
I asked you before wmass and you never answered my question.
When someone has a different opinion than you on a subject such as the WMT or NASCAR, why do you brand them as a hater?
41 modifieds is a short field????
Muddbus, according to wmass it is……
Earl, simple question.
Are you dumb, nuts, or both?
Another question that you won’t answer.
i did answer Earl, SEE the dozens of comments on Most any POLL OR ARTICLE on here about the WMT,,
NOTHING but hate and complaints about NASCAR, , didnt see you comment about 17 cars at MRS race, 14 cars at Thompson Open but here you are about PHANTOM DEBRIS caution when I SAID IT WAS ON THE NASCAR RADIO 3 LAPS BEFORE the caution that DEBRIS under the GAF banner in turn 3, 23 cars ok not 40 or 50, gee 4 more the week before at Open show, NO COMMENTS FROM EARL OR CRUDBUS who only can say short hate comments but never explain why you all DONT LIKE the WMT so much, was last night a great race? No but a good race with great action the last 50 laps, no one talked about how good the race was at LANCASTER it was ALLLLLLLLLLLL about NASCAR AND COBY!!! WHY again do you alll want NASCAR to go away? Do You think GARY KNIGHT is coming back? the 25 to 30 k payouts for open shows, even the RETURN of Thompson 300 has a 108K payout while i said last nights FROM NASCAR was 83 k for 150 laps
wmass… relax… Earlbag is an idiot. The race was great, even though no cars were sent home. Ignore his stupid leading questions and posturing. If three or so non-competitive cars were not in the race, the race would have been better, no moving debris piles getting in the way.
Earl, I asked you a simple question. I’m still waiting for the answer.
REAL HATE OF NASCAR AND THE NWMT
STARRING DAREALGOODFELLA
darealgoodfella says
June 1, 2021 at 4:02 pm
If there wasn’t so much to complain about, nobody would have to complain.(about the NWMT)
darealgoodfella says
June 2, 2021 at 10:08 am
So NASCAR Wilson likes to dole out fines with a hair trigger finger. Well, NASCAR dropped the ball bigly here, so I recommend each team that showed up fine NASCAR $1,000 and NASCAR is subject to suspension until all teams collect $1,000 from NASCAR.
Has Jimmy Wilson been promoted yet?
darealgoodfella says
June 2, 2021 at 10:36 am
A NWMT Modified is no longer a modified car. Cookie cutter mass produced chassis and a glorified, overpriced, high maintenance, crate SPEC engine available from only ONE source.
darealgoodfella says
May 1, 2021 at 8:39 am
People were indeed laughing their asses off at what Dave did, and the attempt at tyranny by the NASCAR weenies.
darealgoodfella says
May 1, 2021 at 8:44 am
Sap is more popular than Wilson. Wilson is threatened. Abuse of power too follow. This is the way it has played out in history for thousands of years.
dareagoodfella says
May 1, 2021 at 3:26 pm
I wish there was a Supreme Court to review these stupid NASCAR rules that are absurd, and get rid of them. All these stupid rules do is give weenies too much power and authority over common sense.
darealgoodfella says
August 7, 2021 at 9:33 am
Jimmy Wilson: You must review the NWMT stats on racing reference, there are tons of mistakes. For this race, the lap leader break down is severely broken down. The overall points lists one driver in two wildly different positions, etc. Please, you must do better.
“Can’t make this stuff up…. Truth is stranger than fiction.”
mass… Earlbag is a moron. Even when you answer his “questions”, he makes like the question wasn’t answered, or the answer was “wrong”. 😑 Be smart about it. He’s an idiot. He asks stupid questions.
What Thread is the Pick’em Top 5 Results …. Sorry i was in NC for White Coat Ceremony… Missed everyone’s picks mostly , But sometimes REAL LIFE rules over these things you understand… Proud Moment to see my daughter slip on the white Coat…. Maybe the thread disappeared before I flew in Early this morning … Thanks Doug if you did the points tally again ….!!! Great Race , Loved it… Watched it this morning on NBC GOLD REPLAY ,,..!!! I think a lot of US had the TOP 5 in our picks, I had the entire Top 5 I believe but Coby to Win… So I would guess Someone else WON the Pick’em Pool ..Congratulations..!!
Have Fun = Be Happy
I don’t need rent control.
Here it is Jake.
https://racedayct.com/2021/08/doug-coby-looks-to-add-another-stafford-win-to-his- -at-whelen-mod-tour-gaf-roofing-150-at-stafford/
I assume this is the white coat ceremony connected with the medical/ pharmacy profession.. A proud dad moment for for sure and mom as well. Congratulations to all!
Congrats Jake, you must be a very proud father.
Congrats Jake, and congrats to your daughter as well
Hey Doug, aka: WeldingWonders, thanks for the free rent.