Coby Sweeps Thompson To Win Third NWMT Title
The season finale for the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour featured three drivers in contention for the championship in the Sunoco World Series 150 at Thompson Speedway Motorsports Park.
It was unfortunate that two of those competitors had to go up against Doug Coby.
Coby dominated the event in his No. 2 Dunleavy’s/HEX/A&J Romano Construction Chevrolet, and despite having to just finish second to Justin Bonsignore to clinch the title, made a daring pass on Lap 145 to sweep all four races this season at the track and win his third tour championship.
Coby dominated the first half of the race leading up until the leaders all pitted on Lap 92. Patrick Emerling stayed on the track to inherit the lead and was passed by Bonsignore on the restart on Lap 103.
Timmy Solomito followed Bonsignore in third at the checkered flag with Todd Szegedy fourth. Woody Pitkat, who entered the race just four points behind co-leaders Coby and Ryan Preece in contention for the title, rebounded from an early caution and penalty that put him a lap down to finished fifth.
Emerling was sixth with Preece seventh. Ted Christopher, Chase Dowling and Donny Lia completed the top 10.
The win and championship add to an already impressive resume for the Milford, Connecticut, native Coby. He joined Mike Stefanik (seven) and Tony Hirschman (five) to become just the third driver in the 31-year history of the tour to win three or more championships. He also joins Stefanik (1998) and Steve Park (1996) as the only drivers to record a season sweep at Thompson.
The final championship margin for the trio was Coby at 613, Preece at 602 and Pitkat at 600. The 11-point margin for Coby tied his 2012 mark for the third-closest championship chase in Whelen Modified Tour history, also over Preece.
Coby and Preece have finished 1-2 in the final points standings in each of the last four seasons, with Preece’s title in 2013.
The Sunoco World Series 150 will be televised on NBCSN on Thursday, Oct. 22 at 8 p.m. ET.
NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour-Sunoco World Series 150 Results
Sunday
At Thompson Speedway Motorsports Park
Thompson, Conn.
Lap length: 0.625 miles
(Start position in parentheses)
1. (1) Doug Coby, Milford, Conn., Chevrolet, 150 laps, 76.897 mph.
2. (8) Justin Bonsignore, Holtsville, N.Y., Chevrolet, 150.
3. (2) Timmy Solomito, Islip, N.Y., Ford, 150.
4. (13) Todd Szegedy, Ridgefield, Conn., Dodge, 150.
5. (3) Woody Pitkat, Stafford, Conn., Chevrolet, 150.
6. (19) Patrick Emerling, Orchard Park, N.Y., Chevrolet, 150.
7. (5) Ryan Preece, Berlin, Conn., Chevrolet, 150.
8. (4) Ted Christopher, Plainville, Conn., Chevrolet, 150.
9. (15) Chase Dowling, Roxbury, Conn., Chevrolet, 150.
10. (6) Donny Lia, Jericho, N.Y., Chevrolet, 150.
11. (7) Jeff Goodale, Riverhead, N.Y., Chevrolet, 150.
12. (21) Keith Rocco, Wallingford, Conn., Chevrolet, 150.
13. (18) Shawn Solomito, Islip, N.Y., Chevrolet, 150.
14. (26) Anthony Nocella, Woburn, Mass., Chevrolet, 150.
15. (10) Max Zachem, Preston, Conn., Chevrolet, 150.
16. (16) Bobby Santos, Franklin, Mass., Chevrolet, 149.
17. (27) Kyle Soper, Manorville, N.Y., Chevrolet, 149.
18. (28) Jamie Tomaino, Howell, N.J., Chevrolet, 149.
19. (25) Ken Heagy, Calverton, N.Y., Chevrolet, 149.
20. (30) Gary McDonald, Ronkonkoma, N.Y., Chevrolet, 148.
21. (23) Craig Lutz, Miller Place, N.Y., Chevrolet, 147.
22. (9) John Beatty, Jr., Merrick, N.Y., Chevrolet, 118, handling.
23. (11) Eric Goodale, Riverhead, N.Y., Chevrolet, 98, accident.
24. (32) Danny Watts, Jr., Riverhead, N.Y., Chevrolet, 89, accident.
25. (31) Melissa Fifield, Wakefield, N.H., Chevrolet, 83, suspension.
26. (14) James Civali, Meriden, Conn., Chevrolet, 74, rear end.
27. (20) Matt Swanson, Acton, Mass., Chevrolet, 53, rear end.
28. (12) Kyle Ellwood, Riverhead, N.Y., Chevrolet, 51, accident.
29. (29) Wade Cole, Hartland, Conn., Chevrolet, 41, accident.
30. (24) Ray Graham, Fulton, N.Y., Chevrolet, 40, accident.
31. (17) Steve Masse, Bellingham, Mass., Chevrolet, 2, accident.
32. (22) Dave Sapienza, Riverhead, N.Y., Chevrolet, 2, accident.
Race Statistics
Time of Race: 1 hour 13 minutes 9 seconds
Margin of Victory: 0.690 seconds
Fastest Qualifier: D.Coby (121.189 mph, 18.566 seconds)
Caution Flags: 6 for 36 laps.
Lead Changes: 3 among 3 drivers.
Lap Leaders: D. Coby 1-93; P. Emerling 94-102; J. Bonsignore 103-144; D. Coby 145-150.
Standings: 1. D. Coby, 613; 2. R. Preece, 602; 3. W. Pitkat, 600; 4. T. Szegedy, 535; 5. P. Emerling, 515; 6. T. Solomito, 514; 7. D. Lia, 490; 8. E. Goodale, 486; 9. C. Dowling, 481; 10. J. Bonsignore, 478.