The NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour concluded the 2020 season Sunday afternoon at Thompson Speedway Motorsports Park’s World Series of Speedway Racing 150. Doug Coby won the pole with a lap time of 19.233 seconds at 116.986 mph. Patrick Emerling qualified second with a lap time of 19.257 seconds at 116.841 mph. Justin Bonsignore started third, and Ronnie Williams fourth.
Whelen Modified Tour finale is underway at Thompson Catch it on @_trackpass#NWMT | @ThompsonSpdwy pic.twitter.com/wdzNECza0C — NASCAR Roots (@NASCARRoots) October 11, 2020
The first caution of the race came out three laps in for the No. 14 car of Cory Osland spinning on the backstretch. The No. 59 car of Andy Jankowiak suffered a flat left front tire and went to pit road. Doug Coby remained the leader when the race resumed on lap 8. The top three cars of Coby, Goodale, and Lutz, separated themselves from the rest of the field. Goodale, on lap 16, challenged Coby for the lead but was unsuccessful. Goodale would run into the back of Coby’s car, lifting the right side up and then slammed the outside wall of the backstretch entering turn three to bring out the second caution. The race resumed on lap 28.
"All Coby's trying to do is run just fast enough to keep these guys behind and …" 😱#NWMT | @ThompsonSpdwy pic.twitter.com/cUw8IvfmiN — NASCAR Roots (@NASCARRoots) October 11, 2020
Two laps into the restart, Jon McKennedy took the lead with an inside pass at turn three. Coby had led all thirty laps before losing the lead. Coby would also lose the second position to Craig Lutz a couple of laps later. The caution would come out again for the third time involving Chuck Hossfeld and Timmy Solomito at turn three. Both cars suffered damage and would be out for the rest of the race. Once cleanup was complete, cars went to pit road for service, and the race resumed on lap 48.
New Leader: Jon McKennedy#NWMT | @_TrackPass pic.twitter.com/btVexWEF7m — NASCAR Roots (@NASCARRoots) October 11, 2020
🚨 for Chuck Hossfeld & Timmy Solomito. Both out of their cars & walked away.#NWMT | @ThompsonSpdwy pic.twitter.com/oXDpz9xPuy — NASCAR Roots (@NASCARRoots) October 11, 2020
McKennedy picked up where he left off on the restart. He was making things difficult for Craig Lutz to catch him with a .88 second lead. Dave Sapienza’s lone spin at turn three brought out the fourth caution of the day. During the caution, teams went to pit road for service. The race got back underway on lap 80.
Calvin Carroll was now the new leader, and the restart only lasted two laps before Ronnie Williams spun on the backstretch to bring out the fifth caution. Woody Pitkat was the only car to come to pit road. Carroll led the field to the restart on lap 86. However, he lost the lead to Ron Silk on the same lap. Carroll fell back to fifth place. Justin Bonsignore took the lead from Silk with 63 laps to go from the inside lane off of turn three. Tommy Catalano’s accident at turn two brought out the sixth caution. He suffered suspension damage that would end his race, finishing in 23rd place. Bonsignore led the field to the restart on lap 97.
Setting up for one Victory Lane? Championship leader Justin Bonsignore moves to the point.#NWMT | @ThompsonSpdwy pic.twitter.com/rqVxObccCn — NASCAR Roots (@NASCARRoots) October 11, 2020
The restart only lasted three turns before the cars slowed down, causing a chain reaction. Patrick Emerling hit the back of McKennedy’s car before Doug Coby hit him, causing the two to bring out the seventh caution. Emerling continued the race; however, for Coby, his day was done, and would finish in 22nd place. While that happened, Ron Silk was penalized for jumping the restart and served a drive-through penalty leaving Bonsignore and Lutz on the front row for the restart on lap 103.
Chain reaction. And @doug_coby_ is worse for it. Six-time champ is done for the day.#NWMT | @ThompsonSpdwy pic.twitter.com/YAIQEHXPRy — NASCAR Roots (@NASCARRoots) October 11, 2020
Lutz would take the lead from Bonsignore on the restart. Both drivers pulled away, leaving McKennedy and Kyle Bonsignore clashing for third with McKennedy getting the best of Bonsignore. There was an accident at turn one involving Cory Osland and Ken Heagy. Heagy was able to continue the race, but Osland’s day was done, and would finish 21st. The race was red-flagged for cleanup. After the cleanup was complete, the race resumed on lap 119.
Once again, Lutz got out in front to keep the lead. Kyle Bonsignore moved up a couple of positions to second place with Jon McKennedy in third and Justin Bonsignore fourth. With 20 laps to go, McKennedy passed Kyle Bonsignore on the inside of turn one for second position. Ronnie Williams had an accident at turn three to bring out the ninth caution. However, he was able to continue the race. The race would get back underway with 12 laps to go.
Jon McKennedy to p2⃣ Does he have enough time to track down Craig Lutz? Catch the finish on @_TrackPass #NWMT | @ThompsonSpdwy pic.twitter.com/KoME8tc99Q — NASCAR Roots (@NASCARRoots) October 11, 2020
Lutz lost the lead to McKennedy while Justin Bonsignore moved to third. The restart lasted only a lap before Dave Sapienza hit the outside wall at turn one to bring out the tenth caution. The race restarted with seven laps to go. McKennedy lost the lead to Lutz, who would lead the last seven laps to win the race by .289 seconds over McKennedy. Justin Bonsignore finished in fourth place to win the 2020 NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour championship. His second championship in two out of three years.
Craig Lutz with the 🏁 And Justin Bonsignore wraps the 2020 #NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour championship 🏆#NWMT | @ThompsonSpdwy pic.twitter.com/xa8laHFTH4 — NASCAR Roots (@NASCARRoots) October 11, 2020
The rest of the top ten finishers were Ron Silk third, Justin Bonsignore fourth, Kyle Bonsignore fifth, Sam Rameau sixth, Woody Pitkat seventh, Calvin Carroll eighth, Patrick Emerling ninth, and Tyler Rypkema tenth. There were ten cautions for 43 laps and nine lead changes.
That concludes the 2020 NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour season. Thank you for tuning in to BGMSportsTrax all season long, and we’ll do it again next year.
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