Szegedy Outlasts Pack To Score 19th Career NWMT Victory at NHMS

Todd Szegedy found a home in the offseason with Bob Garbarino’s No. 4 Mystic Missile Racing. And Szegedy repaid them by returning the car to Victory Lane at New Hampshire Motor Speedway Saturday afternoon.

Szegedy’s No. 4 Montanari Fuel Dodge held off the field in a four-lap sprint to win the Andy Blacksmith 100 presented by Donate Life New England. It was the 19th career NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour win and fourth at New Hampshire for the 39-year-old from Ridgefield, Connecticut, but his first since September of 2013.

Szegedy gave Garbarino his seventh win at New Hampshire and first since 2009.

Starting fifth, Szegedy battled up front all day while leading 22 laps. He was able to fend off runner-up Donny Lia and third-place Bobby Santos after a late-race caution set up the final dash as he beat Lia to the line by .041 seconds.

Patrick Emerling and Ron Silk rounded out the top five.

Ryan Preece finished sixth ahead of Woody Pitkat, Eric Goodale, Keith Rocco and Sunoco Rookie of the Year contender Chase Dowling.

Preece, who entered the event tied with Doug Coby atop the championship points standings, now leads Pitkat by four points and Szegedy by 19.

Coby won the Coors Light Pole Award earlier in the day and led 12 laps in the first half of the race. However, he was caught up in a multi-car incident following the second-half restart on Lap 55 and wound up finishing 30th. He dropped to fourth in points, 25 behind Preece.

The Andy Blacksmith 100 presented by Donate Life New England will premiere on NBCSN on Thursday, July 23 at 6 p.m. ET.

The NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour returns to action Saturday, July 25, for the O’Reilly Auto Parts 200 at Monadnock Speedway.

 

NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour-Andy Blacksmith 100 pres. by Donate Life New England Results

Saturday

At New Hampshire Motor Speedway

Loudon, N.H.

Lap length: 1.058 miles

(Start position in parentheses)

1. (5) Todd Szegedy, Ridgefield, Conn., Dodge, 100 laps, 82.926 mph.

2. (2) Donny Lia, Jericho, N.Y., Chevrolet, 100.

3. (21) Bobby Santos, Franklin, Mass., Chevrolet, 100.

4. (7) Patrick Emerling, Orchard Park, N.Y., Chevrolet, 100.

5. (15) Ron Silk, Norwalk, Conn., Chevrolet, 100.

6. (3) Ryan Preece, Berlin, Conn., Chevrolet, 100.

7. (11) Woody Pitkat, Stafford, Conn., Chevrolet, 100.

8. (14) Eric Goodale, Riverhead, N.Y., Chevrolet, 100.

9. (16) Keith Rocco, Wallingford, Conn., Chevrolet, 100.

10. (12) Chase Dowling, Roxbury, Conn., Chevrolet, 100.

11. (6) Ryan Newman, South Bend, Ind., Chevrolet, 100.

12. (8) Timmy Solomito, Islip, N.Y., Ford, 100.

13. (22) Brendon Bock, Franklin Square, N.Y., Chevrolet, 100.

14. (27) Max Zachem, Preston, Conn., Chevrolet, 100.

15. (26) Dave Sapienza, Riverhead, N.Y., Chevrolet, 100.

16. (25) Jamie Tomaino, Howell, N.J., Chevrolet, 100.

17. (30) Dave Salzarulo, Enfield, Conn., Chevrolet, 100.

18. (34) Wade Cole, Hartland, Conn., Chevrolet, 100.

19. (32) Johnny Bush, Huntington Station, N.Y., Chevrolet, 100.

20. (31) Gary McDonald, Ronkonkoma, N.Y., Chevrolet, 99.

21. (33) Ken Heagy, Calverton, N.Y., Chevrolet, 98.

22. (10) Justin Bonsignore, Holtsville, N.Y., Chevrolet, 97.

23. (35) Melissa Fifield, Wakefield, N.H., Chevrolet, 97.

24. (13) Rowan Pennink, Huntingdon Valley, Pa., Chevrolet, 93, accident.

25. (24) Troy Talman, Oxford, Mass., Chevrolet, 93, accident.

26. (17) Anthony Nocella, Woburn, Mass., Chevrolet, 93, accident.

27. (18) Andy Seuss, Hampstead, N.H., Chevrolet, 93, accident.

28. (28) Gary Putnam, Vernon, Conn., Chevrolet, 81, accident.

29. (19) Shawn Solomito, Islip, N.Y., Chevrolet, 81, accident.

30. (1) Doug Coby, Milford, Conn., Chevrolet, 55, accident.

31. (4) Ted Christopher, Plainville, Conn., Chevrolet, 55, accident.

32. (20) Jeff Goodale, Riverhead, N.Y., Chevrolet, 55, accident.

33. (9) Steve Masse, Bellingham, Mass., Chevrolet, 52, rear end.

34. (23) Joe Ryan Osborne, Holland, Pa., Pontiac, 12, ignition.

Race Statistics

Time of Race: 1 hour 16 minutes 33 seconds

Margin of Victory: 0.041 seconds

Fastest Qualifier: D.Coby (129.046 mph, 29.515 seconds)

Caution Flags: 5 for 16 laps.

Lead Changes: 29 among 7 drivers.

Lap Leaders: T. Christopher 1-5; D. Lia 6; T. Christopher 7-10; D. Coby 11; T. Christopher 12-16; R. Preece 17-20; T. Szegedy 21; R. Preece 22-30; D. Lia 31; R. Preece 32; D. Lia 33-35; W. Pitkat 36; D. Lia 37; W. Pitkat 38-43; D. Coby 44-54; T. Szegedy 55-64; R. Preece 65-67; D. Lia 68; R. Silk 69; R. Preece 70; R. Silk 71; R. Preece 72-74; R. Silk 75; R. Preece 76-77; R. Silk 78-79; R. Preece 80; R. Silk 81-86; R. Preece 87; R. Silk 88-89; T. Szegedy 90-100.

Standings: 1. R. Preece, 291; 2. W. Pitkat, 287; 3. T. Szegedy, 272; 4. D. Coby, 266; 5. B. Santos, 255; 6. T. Solomito, 245; 7. P. Emerling, 241; 8. E. Goodale, 240; 9. T. Christopher, 220; 10. R. Pennink, 211.