Justin Bonsignore, an 20 year old college sophmore from Holtsville, NY, is ready to take the racing world by storm. Justin's career in racing began 12 years ago at the age of 8. His father Tom, along with his uncles Bill and Frank, have owned and operated one of the top kart racing shops in the country, providing karts, parts and championship winning engines for over a decade. With their guidance, he made his first start in a kart at Medford Speedway on Long Island and finished 2nd. Two weeks later, he was in victory lane for the first time. This would soon become a familiar sight for competitors at the racetrack.
In 1997, Justin started his first ever National event at the famed Rockingham Motor Speedway and finished a strong 13th. His first National event win came a short time later in East Lansing, Michigan one day after a violent flip that left him competing with a severely sprained ankle.
Over the next six seasons, he would enjoy great success in the Karting ranks, including six National Championships and three Grand National event wins at Lowe's Motor Speedway. His resume includes 17 National event wins, 11 poles, 38 top five finishes in just 71 career National starts. He ended his Karting career on top with 5 straight feature wins and two championships in the same year, narrowly missing Karting's coveted triple crown of three championships in one year. Justin also finished in the top 10 in Karting's biggest race, the Briggs and Stratton 300 at Lowe's Motor speedway, among 90 entries; Justin qualified and finished in the top 10 in two appearances.
In 2005, he stepped up from karts to begin his stock car career in the NASCAR Dodge Weekly Racing Series at Riverhead Raceway. In his first ever start in a stockcar, he qualified eighth, coming up to finish third, behind two of the most successful veteran racers in the Charger Division. Throughout his 2005 campaign he scored one pole, one heat race victory and finished third in the championships standings, the highest position ever by a rookie. He was also proud to claim the NASCAR Rookie of the Year title.
In 2006, Justin made the jump to the ultra competitive NASCAR Modified division at Riverhead Raceway. It didn’t take long for Bonsignore to show results. In just his 5th career start, he timed within the top 10 and battled in the top 5 and came home with a 5th place finish. Throughout the 2006 season he scored 3 top 5’s and 9 top 10 finishes. At season’s end Bonsignore finished 7th in the standings, the best ever by a rookie and brought home the 2006 NASCAR Modified Rookie of the Year title.
In 2007, Justin came back to the Riverhead Raceway bullring in hopes of capturing the Riverhead Raceway track championship only a year after becoming Rookie of the Year. That hope came to a early end as Justin suffered a serious wrist injury in a racing accident early in the season, However when finally healed up Justin went on to capture his first career stock car win and take finish 4th in the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour in his first start, the season was full of great runs, however the results do not reflect that due to many mechanical failures out of the teams control.
Throughout his career, Justin has learned the value of cultivating relationships with sponsors and has used his success to create and drive forward the marketing efforts of many national companies. He has competed as a factory pilot for the Coyote Factory Team, and has appeared in national ads for Digatron Data Acquisition and Horstman Manufacturing. Justin has been sponsored by Douglas Wheel, RLV Exhaust, Margay Race Team, TITAN Race Karts, G-Man Kart Works, Burris Racing, AIM Sports MYCHRON Data Acquisition, the United Spinal Association and Bonsignore Kart Shoppe.
In 2008 the family owned and operated team is will be competing at Riverhead Raceway, in hopes to bring home the 2008 NASCAR Modified Championship. Justin will be competing in the NASCAR Modified Division at Riverhead Raceway, along with various races throughout the northeast, including tracks like Mountain Speedway and Seekonk Speedbowl. This is just another important step on his way to the top. Justin has teamed with Double Diamond Realty. Along with North Shore Animal League America as a associate sponsor of the #23 NASCAR Modified at Riverhead Raceway.
