Whelen Modified Tour Championship Point Scenarios Heading To NAPA Fall Final 150 At Stafford

Justin Bonsignore (left) and Patrick Emerling (right) (Photo: Fran Lawlor/RaceDayCT)

The 2021 NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour championship battle comes down to the NAPA Fall Final 150 Saturday at Stafford Motor Speedway.

It’s a head-to-head competition for the championship between Justin Bonsignore and Patrick Emerling.

Bonsignore, of Holtsville, N.Y., is looking for his second consecutive series title and third overall. He won his first championship in 2018. Emerling, of Orchard Park, N.Y., is looking for his first series title.

Bonsignore goes into Saturday’s season finale with 518 points, 16 better than Emerling.

So let’s look at how things shape up for Saturday’s title fight.

In the easiest sense, Bonsignore can clinch the title by finishing 11th or better. Should he accomplish that there’s no scenario that would allow Emerling to overtake him.

Here’s how the Whelen Modified Tour Awards points:

– First place gets 43 points and three bonus points

– Each position after that goes down one from 43. So second gets 42, third gets 41 and so on.

– There is one bonus point awarded for leading a lap

– There is one bonus point for leading the most laps

So a driver that wins gets a minimum of 47 points (43 base points, 3 bonus points for winning, one bonus point for leading a lap). The most points a driver can collect is 48 points (43 base points, 3 bonus points for winning, one bonus point for leading a lap, one bonus point for leading the most laps).

Emerling has already clinched the points tiebreaker by virtue of his three wins in 2021. Bonsignore has one win in 2021.

The most points Emerling can get for the season is 550, that would be if he wins the NAPA Fall Final 150 and leads the most laps and gets 48 points. In that scenario, if Bonsignore finished 11th and did not lead a lap he would collect 33 points and win the championship by one point with 551 points. If Bonsignore finished 12th and did not lead a lap he would collect 32 points and there would be a tie at the top of the standings with Emerling winning the tiebreaker by virtue of total wins.

Let’s say neither wins the race or leads a lap. In that scenario Emerling would need to finish 17 spots ahead of Bonsignore.

Let’s look at it this way. If Emerling finished second and didn’t lead a lap he would collect 42 points and finish the season with 544 points. If Bonsignore finished 18th and didn’t lead a lap he would collect 26 points and finish the season with 544 points. Emerling wins the title in that scenario by virtue of the tiebreaker. If Bonsignore were to finish 17th and not lead a lap and Emerling was second and didn’t lead a lap Bonsignore would finish the season with 545 points and win the title.

Comments

  1. All this math is giving me a headache. The championship is Bonsignores to lose. Can’t take nothing away from Emerging, 3 wins and second in points could be considered a great year, although winning the championship would be awesome. Don’t forget though this is racing, anything can happen. Good luck to both teams.

  2. All we can hope for is a big field to make the points that much more interesting if bosignore happens to be involved in a race ending crash

  3. Thanks I was interested in knowing the scenarios. Basically Bonsignore has to a have a big issue early for Enerling to win

  4. Kinda rooting for Emerling to WIN the CHAMPIONSHIP !!!! FRESH Champ….. Break the Stranglehold of Coby and Bonsignore have had on the Series….. New Face …. yes let it be ,,,, yes i agreee…….. A guy from NEW YORK as Champ can only help the INTEREST in New England , along with NY … Really like the CREW CHIEF Jan Leaty has been there done that and really calms the waters for the young Driver … The right Crew Chief is invaluable to a team & Driver… I think Jan should receive some Thataa boys for what HE HAS DONE AS CREW CHIEF…… Great JOB JAN…!!!!!!! Most Wins … Fast every week …. The 07 is for REAL !!!

  5. Jake, both Bonsignore and Emerling are both from New York

  6. Rain date for this weekend?

  7. Rob, LOL thanks I should have said Upstate NY ,… Off the Long Island …. LOL ….

  8. When you put it that way Jake, it works. Sometimes I think long island should be its own state.

  9. Rain dates obviously Sunday, the 26th, why do you think its been scheduled for Saturday?

  10. It’s a shame to say it but it’s true. Second place is a moral victory and over time no one knows or cares about moral victories. The records won’t show Emerling came out of nowhere to challenge for the championship with a best ever season. It won’t recognize Leaty as being one of the elite crew chiefs along with Stone and Moran.
    As hard as it is to believe bad things can happen in a race. Emerling would never say it but I will.
    I hope some mechanical problem or dust up visits the 51 for this one race. Nothing serious a brush with the wall, bent tie rod and extended period in his pit would suffice. Most importantly early on. Allowing the 07 team to cap their miraculous year with a championship. It’s the only way the year will be remembered.

  11. JBon needs to stay out of trouble, they need to protect the car. Staying out front could be the best way to protect the car. But then, sometimes it’s best to ride around, back of the top 10-15, avoid the knuckleheads.

    Pretty dramatic season, with both cars DNF’ing in the same race. JBon has an average finish of 5.4, Emerling has an average finish of 6.6.

    It’s ALL about making less mistakes than the other guy.

    Is Preece going to run Stafford?

    Meanwhile, the 01 is watching the entry list to see how many cars are entered to see if it can move up in the points standings. 😝🤣😝🤣🤣🤣🤣

  12. 🍸🍸🍸Liz Cherokee🍸🍸🍸 says

    It looks like Melissa will finish in the top 15 in points! AWESOME! 💗🧡💛💚💙💜💗

  13. U are consumed by the 01, dude THE CAR owner just passed away suddenly and u ask if the Preece will run Stafford?

  14. Liz Cherokee says

    Spot on wmass01013! Thanks for hitting the nail squarely on the head. I tip my drink to you! 🍹

Leave a Reply

Copyright 2018 E-Media Sports

Website Designed by Thirty Marketing