Over the first nine races of the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour season, Patrick Emerling represented the driver who seemed to be on the verge of victory more than any non-winner.
That all changed on Aug. 14 at Thompson Speedway when Emerling scored his first win of the season at Thompson Speedway and the first victory for the first-year Rich Gautreau owned No. 1 team.
Now it seems the Orchard Park, N.Y. driver doesn’t want to say goodbye to victory lane.
Emerling made it two consecutive victories on Saturday, rolling to victory in the Whelen Modified Tour Toyota Modified Classic 150 at Oswego (N.Y.) Speedway.
“We were kind of building momentum,” Emerling said. “We’re a first year team, we were building momentum. It’s absolutely incredible.”
It was the sixth career series win for Emerling, who had three victories in 2021 and one in 2017.
Emerling came out on top of lap 69 restart battle for the lead with Justin Bonsignore and never trailed again.
“[Matt Hirschman] was really really fast,” Emerling said. “He’s really really fast here, super hard to beat. The team had a really solid pit stop. We did a little dicing on the [restart] there to get us the lead. We had the car. This … team supplied another incredible car.”
Hirschman, of Northampton, Pa., dominated the early stages of the event and chased Emerling for the final 80 laps before settling for second.
“A real good day,” Hirschman said. “The only place we got passed all day was in the pits. We lost a few there. [Emerling] and us were just so basically close to identical in laps. There was time when he was a few hundredths [of a second] better and he opened up a little lead and there were times where I was a few hundredths [of a second] better and could close. But not even separated by a tenth [of a second], you’re talking hundredths [of a second]. It was just two cars that were that close. We had the advantage early being out front and he had the advantage after halfway being out front. That’s always going to help being out front in clean air. If you’re running for a points it’s a pretty good night, but we’re not. We’re really just trying to get some wins.”
Bonsignore, of Holtsville, N.Y. was third. Bonsignore – a three-time series champion – came into the event holding a four-point lead at the top of the standings over second place and reigning series champion Ron Silk. Bonsignore gained one point in the standings on Silk, who finished fourth.
Emerling, who came into the night third in the standings, 31 points off the lead, cut that deficit down to 24 points behind Bonsignore.
Hirschman, the pole-winner, set the pace over the opening stages of the event with Craig Lutz rolling second and Emerling third.
The first caution flew lap 27 sent him hard into the styrofoam barrier. Cleanup issues led to NASCAR putting out a red flag for the incident.
Under caution fifth place running Austin Beers headed to pit road. The race restarted on lap 33 with Hirschman holding the top spot and Emerling moving past Lutz for second.
Caution was right back on lap 34 for issues with Ken Heagy.
Hirschman held the top spot on the ensuing restart. Caution was back out for issues with Trevor Catalano on lap 62. Under the majority of the field pitted. Tim Connolly stayed on track and assumed the top spot. Justin Bonsignore won the race off pit road, followed by Silk, Emerling, Lutz and Hirschman.
On the restart it was Emerling and Bonsignore easily overtaking Connolly with Emerling then besting Bonsignore to move to the front.
Caution was back out on lap 74 for the spinning car of Tyler Rypkema with Andy Jankowiak.
On the restart Emerling was able to hold the top spot with Hirschman quickly getting by Bonsignore for second.
Caution flew once again on lap 86 with Bobby Santos III getting into the first turn barrier. Emerling was up to task in holding the top spot in the restart to follow. The race went caution free from that point on.
Patrick Emerling & Dale Hedquist are on a ROLL… I think it’s gonna be an interesting run for the Championship… That Fleetworks Inc. team is only a first year team , but if they keep the momentum going like this they will have a shot at the Championship .. They have another race at Thompson where they just totally dominated the field last time out.. Won the Pole .. led every lap .. Won the race easily maintaining a 8 – 10 car length lead the whole race… It’s going to come down the the Final Race at Martinsville to see who will be the Champ in 2024 … The 4 car lining up on the front row was almost a disaster at the front of the field on that restart…Whew … close to being a pile up … Yikes….. Who called that shot… ?? not too smart ..Bad decision … when your off the pace you don’t wanna be on the front row getting in the way and or costing someone a chance for a Win …