Hellish: Craig Lutz Tops Ugly NASCAR Mod Tour FaithFest Evangelistic Ministries 150 At North Wilkesboro 

The NASCAR Modified Tour Modified Tour headed to the Bible Belt Sunday to run an event at North Wilkesboro Speedway called the FaithFest Evangelistic Ministries 150. 

When all was said and done after 150 laps at North Wilkesboro it seemed like more than a FaithFest was needed to save an event that degenerated into something that looked more in need of a full blown exorcism. 

After an ugly wreck-fest of a race, it was Craig Lutz holding off Luke Baldwin over the final six laps to win the FaithFest Evangelistic Ministries 150 at North Wilkesboro. 

It was the fifth career Whelen Modified Tour victory for Lutz and his first series win since Aug. 17, 2022 at Thompson Speedway. 

“God damn, I don’t know what to feel,” Lutz said. “It’s been so long since we won. This series is so tough. … You don’t know when the next one is just because they’re so hard to win. So many good cars so many good people have to be involved and a lot of good luck needs to go your way. It damn sure did today.

“After qualifying, I didn’t know what we were in for. Think we qualified [17th], I don’t even know. To pull this off, my spotter Bryan Narducci did a hell of a job.” 

Baldwin was second. Four-time and reigning series champion Justin Bonsignore was third. 

The event was held as an undercard showcase before the running of NASCAR’s Cup Series All-Star Race Sunday evening at North Wilkesboro. 

Of the event’s 150 laps, 89 were run under caution over 10 caution periods. Eleven of the 31 cars that started were on the lead lap at the conclusion.

Bonsignore apologized profusely following the race. 

“I’m sorry for the fans and everybody that we put on such a bad race, me included today,” Bonsignore said. “… That was a really tough race for our series and it’s a bad look considering what the opportunity we had today. I apologize to all the fans at home and everybody here. … I just wish we would have, as a series, done a little better. Hopefully we get another shot.” 

Lutz and Baldwin were able to at least bring a showdown ending to the mess. 

On a lap 141 restart Baldwin powered under Lutz to move to the lead. With seven laps remaining a charging Lutz fought back by Baldwin to regain the lead.

“That was wild,” Lutz said. “You feel like you never got a big enough jump on a restart. [Baldwin] did a hell of a job getting to me on the inside. … We were a little bit better. I didn’t want to give that one up, fought all the way to the end and luckily enough we were able to come out on top.” 

Lutz moved to the top of the series standings after three events. Justin Bonsignore is tied for second in the standings with Austin Beers, one point behind Lutz.

Baldwin, who won the pole for the event, controlled at the start but the action was short lived with caution flying on lap two. 

Eric Goodale and Dave Sapienza made contact, also collecting John-Michael Shenette. Goodale and Sapienza both headed to pit road with flat tires. 

On the lap eight restart Matt Hirschman overtook Baldwin for the lead. 

Not long after the restart, Jake Lutz moved past Baldwin for second place. 

With Bobby Labonte’s car blowing smoke, the second caution flew on lap 18. Sapienza’s car ended up stopped on the track under caution. 

On the lap 28 restart Hirschman continued to control out front with Baldwin going back by Jake Lutz for second. 

Caution was back out for the third time on lap 31 for a multi-car wreck which included Patrick Emerling, who came into the event as the series points leader. After contact from Ryan Newman and Teddy Hodgdon, Emerling spun to the apron. While stopped on the apron, Emerling was hit by Tyler Barry, sustaining extensive front end damage that ended his day. 

Just after the ensuing restart, Hirschman seemed to get high in the outside lane off of turn four, with contact from the Jake Lutz sending Hirschman spinning on the frontstrech and also collecting Trevor Catalano and Austin Beers. 

On the restart Baldwin controlled out front with Tyler Rypkema getting by Bonsignore for second. On lap 54 Rypkema made the move to get by Baldwin for the lead. 

Caution was back out on lap 66 for the stopped car of eighth place running Carson Loftin after a blown motor. 

Most of the race leaders headed to pit road under caution. It handed the race lead to Corey LaJoie, with Stephen Kopcik moving to second. Bonsignore won the race off of pit road with Rypkema coming out in second. 

The race restarted on lap 79, but caution was back out for crash that collected more than eight cars, including Newman, Jake Lutz, Trevor Catalano and Kyle Bonsignore. 

On the lap 93 restart third place Justin Bonsignore got into the back of Lajoie coming to the green flag, sending the leader spinning and setting off a frontstretch pileup that collected more than 10 cars before the start/finish line. Hirschman was one of the cars collected in the mess to end his day. 

“I tried to time that start and just got him lifted up and then they got into the back of me and there’s nothing you can do at that point,” Bonsignore said. 

After the carnage of the previous restart, it left Kopcik in the lead with Beers in second and Rypkema in third. 

On the lap 101 restart Beers found the lane under Kopcik and took over the lead off of turn four, taking Craig Lutz to second. On lap 104 Craig Lutz overtook Beers to go to the front. 

On lap 105, just after Rypkema had passed Kopcik for fourth place, Kopcik came back on Rypkema’s bumper and sent him spinning, resulting in Rypkema taking a vicious hit into the turn one wall. A limping and clearly shaken up Rypkema offered Kopcik a double-bird salute when he came back around the track under caution. Kopcik was black flagged for the overaggressive move.

Craig Lutz controlled at the front on the lap 116 restart, but as had been the theme for the event, action was short-lived. Caution was back out on lap 118 for a wreck involving Mike Marshall and Barry. 

On the lap 128 restart, Craig Lutz continued to control the action at the front. By lap 135 Justin Bonsignore was up to third with Jake Lutz in fourth. 

With Craig Lutz leading Baldwin and Justin Bonsignore in third, caution flew for the slowed car of Trevor Catalano on lap 137 setting up the final restart of the day and the showdown between Craig Lutz and Baldwin. 

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