Justin Bonsignore Victorious At Riverhead – Again
Scores Fifth Career NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour Win At His Home Track
Justin Bonsignore held off Ryan Preece through a furious finish to capture the Buzz Chew Auto Group 200 checkered flag Saturday night at Riverhead Raceway.
A native of Holtsville, New York, Bonsignore took the lead for good on Lap 171 and drove to his fifth career victory at the Long Island quarter-mile.
It marked the 16th career Whelen Modified Tour victory for Bonsignore, who has won four of seven in 2018 as the season nears the halfway point. He now has a 33-point lead atop the standings.
RACING REFERENCE: BUZZ CHEW AUTO GROUP 200 RESULTS | JUSTIN BONSIGNORE CAREER WINS
Bonsignore won his seventh career pole earlier in the afternoon, but Timmy Solomito gained the lead from the drop of the green. Preece moved to the front on Lap 19, and it was a two-horse race with Bonsignore from there.
Preece had a commanding lead when a caution came out on Lap 100. On the ensuing restart, Preece appeared to get loose, allowing Bonsignore to move to the front. There would be one more lead swap with 60 to go before Bonsignore’s decisive pass.
Preece settled for second while Doug Coby came home third as only the podium drivers finished on the lead lap. Dave Sapienza and Solomito brought home the top five.
Craig Lutz rallied from a mid-race incident to finish sixth, followed by Chase Dowling, Tom Rogers Jr., Kyle Soper and Ronnie Williams.
Dowling is second in championship points, behind Bonsignore and 18 in front of Solomito. Lutz and Preece are fourth and fifth, respectively.
The Whelen Modified Tour will return to points-paying action on Saturday, July 21 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway. The All-Star Shootout will be contested the day before at the “Magic Mile” in Loudon, New Hampshire.
NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour-Buzz Chew Chevrolet Cadillac “200” Results
Saturday At Riverhead Raceway, Riverhead, N.Y.
Lap length: 0.25 miles
(Start position in parentheses)
1. (1) Justin Bonsignore, Holtsville, N.Y., Chevrolet, 200 laps, 60.688 mph.
2. (3) Ryan Preece, Berlin, Conn., Chevrolet, 200.
3. (4) Doug Coby, Milford, Conn., Chevrolet, 200.
4. (10) Dave Sapienza, Riverhead, N.Y., Chevrolet, 199.
5. (2) Timmy Solomito, Islip, N.Y., Ford, 199.
6. (5) Craig Lutz, Miller Place, N.Y., Chevrolet, 199.
7. (8) Chase Dowling, Roxbury, Conn., Chevrolet, 199.
8. (6) Tom Rogers, Jr., Patchogue, N.Y., Chevrolet, 198.
9. (16) Kyle Soper, Manorville, N.Y., Chevrolet, 198.
10. (11) Ronnie Williams, Ellington, Conn., Chevrolet, 198.
11. (14) Chris Pasteryak, Lisbon, Conn., Chevrolet, 198.
12. (18) Tommy Catalano, Ontario, N.Y., Chevrolet, 198.
13. (7) Kyle Ellwood, Riverhead, N.Y., Chevrolet, 197.
14. (15) Burt Myers, Walnut Cove, N.C., Chevrolet, 197.
15. (17) John Beatty, Jr., Merrick, N.Y., Chevrolet, 197.
16. (20) Blake Barney, Lakewood, N.J., Chevrolet, 197.
17. (19) John Fortin, Holtsville, N.Y., Chevrolet, 196.
18. (13) Eric Goodale, Riverhead, N.Y., Chevrolet, 196.
19. (29) J. B. Fortin, Jr., Holtsville, N.Y., Chevrolet, 196.
20. (12) Rowan Pennink, Huntingdon Valley, Pa., Chevrolet, 196.
21. (21) Ken Heagy, Calverton, N.Y., Chevrolet, 195.
22. (9) Rob Summers, Manchester, CT, Chevrolet, 195.
23. (23) Calvin Carroll, Newton, N.J., Chevrolet, 194.
24. (28) Walter Sutcliffe Jr., East Haven, Conn., Chevrolet, 193.
25. (22) Roger Turbush, Calverton, N.Y., Chevrolet, 189, suspension.
26. (25) Wade Cole, Hartland, Conn., Chevrolet, 159, vibration.
27. (24) Gary McDonald, Ronkonkoma, N.Y., Chevrolet, 140, handling.
28. (26) Joe Degracia, Nutley, N.J., Chevrolet, 77, handling.
29. (30) Cory Osland, East Hampton, N.Y., Chevrolet, 58, electrical.
30. (27) Melissa Fifield, Wakefield, N.H., Chevrolet, 15, steering.
Race Statistics
Time of Race: 49 minutes 26 seconds
Margin of Victory: 0.563 seconds
Fastest Qualifier: J.Bonsignore (75.415 mph, 11.934 seconds)
Caution Flags: 3 for 21 laps.
Lead Changes: 6 among 3 drivers.
Lap Leaders: T. Solomito 1-12; J. Bonsignore 13; T. Solomito 14-18; R. Preece 19-111; J. Bonsignore 112-139; R. Preece 140-170; J. Bonsignore 171-200.
Standings: 1. J. Bonsignore, 308; 2. C. Dowling, 275; 3. T. Solomito, 257; 4. C. Lutz, 244; 5. R. Preece, 237; 6. D. Coby, 229; 7. R. Summers, 226; 8. R. Pennink, 225; 9. D. Sapienza, 216; 10. C. Pasteryak, 213.
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