By Kevin Green, NASCAR
THOMPSON, Conn. (Sept. 9, 2012) – No stranger to Victory Lane at
Thompson International Speedway, Ted Christopher once again came out
on top in the UNOH Showdown combination race between the NASCAR
Whelen Modified and NASCAR Whelen Southern Modified Tours.
Christopher took the lead from Bobby Santos on Lap 7 and held off a
hard-charging Jimmy Blewett in the closing circuits of the 50
green-flag-lap exhibition showcase between the two tours. Ryan
Preece crossed the line third in the second edition of the
non-points event at the historic .625-mile oval in northeastern
Connecticut.
Donny Lia and defending race winner Doug Coby finished fourth and
fifth, respectively, in the UNOH Showdown. Ron Silk, Matt Hirschman,
Santos, Andy Seuss and Burt Myers brought home the top 10.
The UNOH Showdown was the premier event of the weekend, but two
points races preceded it on Sunday. Seuss was victorious in the
GreenPointe Energy Southern 75 NASCAR Whelen Southern Modified Tour
race while Bonsignore took the checkered flag in the Town Fair Tire
Northern 75 NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour contest.
Changes made to his car after qualifying gave Seuss what he needed
to win the Green Pointe Energy Southern 75, the first on Sunday’s
card. The Hampstead, N.H., driver credited his crew with making the
changes that led to his first win of the year and 12th career
victory.
Seuss qualified third, but ended up leading the field to the green
because polesitter Rob Fuller had to drop to the back for the start
after his crew chief missed a mandatory meeting. Although he slipped
back at the drop of the green flag, Seuss quickly mounted a move to
the front and took the lead from Burt Myers on Lap 24.
Seuss held on for the win over Hirschman, with Fuller charging
through the field to take third. Myers was fourth, with Tim Brown
fifth. Completing the top 10 were Steve Masse, Danny Bohn, George
Brunnhoelzl III, John Smith and Cole Powell.
Brunnhoelzl, with five wins this year, continues to lead the
championship standings - with 385 points. Jason Myers is second with
337, Bohn with 328, Brown with 321 and Seuss with 313.
The NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour followed with the Town Fair Tire
Northern 75, which saw Bonsignore power to the lead past polesitter
Preece on Lap 68 and hold on through a green-white-checker finish
for the victory.
It was the second career victory for Bonsignore, who hails from
Holtsville, N.Y. The first came at his home track, Riverhead (N.Y.)
Raceway, in 2011.
Santos crossed the line second in the Town Fair Tire 75 and Preece,
who led the first 67 laps from the pole, settled for third. Todd
Szegedy and Christopher brought home the top five.
Mike Stefanik, Lia, Eric Beers, Eric Berndt and Richie Pallai Jr.
rounded out the top 10.
Points leader Coby finished 13th in the Town Fair Tire 75, but
second in points Silk suffered a last-lap accident and was relegated
to 18th. As a consequence, Coby extended his lead to 441-382 on Silk
with Preece ranked third after 10 races at 379.
The NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour will return to action on Saturday,
Sept. 15 at Riverhead while the NASCAR Whelen Southern Modified Tour
will next contest a race at Caraway Speedway on Saturday, Sept. 29.
Whelen Modified Tour Unofficial Results
| Fin |
Str |
Car |
Driver |
Team |
Laps |
Points |
B/Points |
Status |
| 1 |
2 |
51 |
Justin
Bonsignore |
M3
Technology Chevrolet |
82 |
47 |
4 |
Running |
| 2 |
3 |
44 |
Bobby
Santos |
ImperialCars.com/Tinio Corp. Chevrolet |
82 |
42 |
|
Running |
| 3 |
1 |
16 |
Ryan
Preece |
East
West Marine/Diversified Metals Ford |
82 |
43 |
2 |
Running |
| 4 |
6 |
2 |
Todd
Szegedy |
UNOH/Dunleavy
Repair Ford |
82 |
40 |
|
Running |
| 5 |
7 |
3 |
Ted
Christopher |
Cape Cod
Copper/Silver Dollar Const. Chevrolet |
82 |
39 |
|
Running |
| 6 |
8 |
66 |
Mike
Stefanik |
Cady's
Tavern/Town Line Farms Ford |
82 |
38 |
|
Running |
| 7 |
13 |
4 |
Donny
Lia |
Mystic
Missile Racing Dodge |
82 |
37 |
|
Running |
| 8 |
10 |
45 |
Eric
Beers |
Horwith
Freightliner/John Blewett Inc Ford |
82 |
36 |
|
Running |
| 9 |
11 |
46 |
Eric
Berndt |
Cape Cod
Agts/North End Auto Parts Chevrolet |
82 |
35 |
|
Running |
| 10 |
17 |
39 |
Richie
Pallai, Jr. |
Bosch
Spark Plugs Chevrolet |
82 |
34 |
|
Running |
| 11 |
19 |
58 |
Eric
Goodale |
Riverhead Building Supply Chevrolet |
82 |
33 |
|
Running |
| 12 |
21 |
99 |
Jamie
Tomaino |
Supreme
Manufacturing Chevrolet |
82 |
32 |
|
Running |
| 13 |
4 |
52 |
Doug
Coby |
Reynolds
Auto Wrkg/Furnace & Duct Chevrolet |
82 |
31 |
|
Running |
| 14 |
16 |
64 |
Ron
Yuhas, Jr. |
Fast
Track Elect./Complete Const. Chevrolet |
82 |
30 |
|
Running |
| 15 |
18 |
07 |
Patrick
Emerling |
Emerling
Chevrolet Dealership Chevrolet |
82 |
29 |
|
Running |
| 16 |
23 |
33 |
Wade
Cole |
Perf
Engines/Kendall Oil/Ryan's Chevrolet |
82 |
28 |
|
Running |
| 17 |
20 |
88 |
Bryon
Chew |
Buzz
Chew Chevrolet/Elbow East Chevrolet |
82 |
27 |
|
Running |
| 18 |
9 |
6 |
Ron Silk |
Calverton Tree Farm/T.S. Haulers Chevrolet |
81 |
26 |
|
Accident |
| 19 |
5 |
93 |
Rowan
Pennink |
Monk
Mechanics Hand Cleaner Chevrolet |
81 |
25 |
|
Running |
| 20 |
14 |
76 |
Jimmy
Blewett |
John
Blewett Inc./Ling Trucking Chevrolet |
80 |
24 |
|
Running |
| 21 |
15 |
28 |
Ed
Flemke, Jr. |
Ron
Bouchard's Autos/Raceworks TV Chevrolet |
76 |
23 |
|
Running |
| 22 |
12 |
79 |
Jon
McKennedy |
Hill
Enterprises/Coors Light Pontiac |
72 |
22 |
|
Rear End |
| 23 |
24 |
38 |
Brian
Schofield |
Perf
Engines/Kendall Oil/Ryan's Chevrolet |
56 |
21 |
|
Suspension |
| 24 |
22 |
18 |
Ken
Heagy |
Buoy One
Seafood/MacLad Drywall Chevrolet |
47 |
20 |
|
Suspension |
RACE STATISTICS
Fastest Qualifier: Ryan Preece, Time: 18.828 Seconds,
Speed: 119.503 mph
Caution Flags: Laps 43-46 (Car #76 spin Turn 3 <33>); 50-52 (Cars
#88 & 64 accident Frontstretech); 73-79 (Cars #07 & 93 spin Turn 4
<76>). 3 for 14 laps.
Lap Leaders: Ryan Preece 1-67, Justin Bonsignore 68-82.
Total Laps Led: Ryan Preece 67, Justin Bonsignore 15. 1 changes
involving 2 drivers.
Whelen Southern Modified Tour Unofficial Results
| Fin |
Str |
Car |
Driver |
Team |
Laps |
Points |
B/Points |
Status |
| 1 |
3 |
11 |
Andy
Seuss |
Phoenix
Pre-Owned Chevrolet Chevrolet |
75 |
48 |
5 |
Running |
| 2 |
8 |
50 |
Matt
Hirschman |
Heritage
Wide Plank Flooring Chevrolet |
75 |
42 |
|
Running |
| 3 |
1 |
71 |
Rob
Fuller |
Draco
Springs Ford |
75 |
41 |
|
Running |
| 4 |
5 |
1 |
Burt
Myers |
Citrusafe/NAPA/Adams Towing Ford |
75 |
41 |
1 |
Running |
| 5 |
2 |
02 |
Tim
Brown |
Hayes
Jewelers/T&C Mtrspts Chevrolet |
75 |
40 |
1 |
Running |
| 6 |
4 |
13 |
Steve
Masse * |
R&R
Landscaping Chevrolet |
75 |
38 |
|
Running |
| 7 |
6 |
65 |
Danny
Bohn * |
Rifenburg Const/Rustoleum Chevrolet |
75 |
37 |
|
Running |
| 8 |
7 |
09 |
George
Brunnhoelzl, III |
Phoenix
Pre-Owned Chevrolet Chevrolet |
75 |
36 |
|
Running |
| 9 |
9 |
25 |
John
Smith |
Havoline
Plus/Shady Grady Racing Chevrolet |
75 |
35 |
|
Running |
| 10 |
17 |
73 |
Cole
Powell * |
Copp's
Buildall/Tricar/Fountain Chevrolet |
75 |
34 |
|
Running |
| 11 |
14 |
76 |
Jimmy
Zacharias * |
Wilbur
Auto Sales Chevrolet |
75 |
33 |
|
Running |
| 12 |
10 |
4 |
Jason
Myers |
Trantham
Moorefield/Wendell Edwards Ford |
75 |
32 |
|
Running |
| 13 |
15 |
7 |
Thomas
Stinson |
Cowardin
Jewelers/United Solar/Dennis' Towing |
74 |
31 |
|
Running |
| 14 |
12 |
77 |
Gary
Putnam |
Stock
Car Steel Chevrolet |
74 |
30 |
|
Running |
| 15 |
19 |
55 |
Ken
Bouchard |
Ron
Bouchard's Auto Stores Chevrolet |
74 |
29 |
|
Running |
| 16 |
18 |
40 |
Frank
Fleming |
Autos By
Nelson/Lewisville Motors Ford |
74 |
28 |
|
Running |
| 17 |
21 |
80 |
Michael
Speeney * |
MRI
Graphics Chevrolet |
74 |
27 |
|
Running |
| 18 |
20 |
37 |
Joe
Scarbrough * |
Dreadnought Shaving/Atlantic Solar Chevrolet |
73 |
26 |
|
Running |
| 19 |
13 |
51 |
Kyle
Ebersole * |
Ebersole
Excavating Inc Ford |
73 |
25 |
|
Running |
| 20 |
11 |
59 |
Renee
Dupuis |
Ed
Bennett Properties Chevrolet |
73 |
24 |
|
Running |
| 21 |
16 |
9 |
AJ
Winstead * |
Health
Diagnostic Chevrolet |
54 |
23 |
|
Engine |
RACE STATISTICS
Race Comments: Prior to the green flag, the following
drivers, under penalty, dropped from their original starting
positions to the rear of the field for the reason indicated. #71Rob
Fuller, #13 Steve Masse (missed crew chief meeting).
Fastest Qualifier: Rob Fuller, Time: 18.947
Seconds, Speed: 118.752 mph
Time of Race: 26 mins, 52 secs Average
Speed: 104.684 mph Margin of Victory: .475 Seconds
Caution Flags: Laps 2-4 (Cars #59, #51 spin
Backstretch). 1 for 3 laps.
Lap Leaders: Tim Brown 1-13, Burt Myers 14-23, Andy
Seuss 24-75.
Total Laps Led: Andy Seuss 52, Tim Brown 13, Burt
Myers 10. 2 changes involving 3 drivers.
Top 10 Driver Points: George Brunnhoelzl, III 385,
Jason Myers 337, Danny Bohn * 328, Tim Brown 321, Andy Seuss 313,
Kyle Ebersole * 302, Frank
Fleming 300, John Smith 295, Thomas Stinson 289, Michael Speeney *
281
* Sunoco Rookie of the Year contender |
