JUSTIN BONSIGNORE LOOKS TO BREAK INTO VICTORY LANE AT STAFFORD MOTOR SPEEDWAY

(Photo: NASCAR/Bryan Bennett)

By Souza Media/Kyle Souza

HOLTSVILLE, N.Y. -- Heading back to Stafford Motor Speedway, it’s no secret that Justin Bonsignore is winless at the Connecticut half-mile. This Friday, August 6, the Holtsville, New York, native will look to break that streak and carry the checkered flag for the first time in the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour GAF Roofing 150.

Bonsignore has zero wins in 39 career Whelen Modified Tour starts at the half-mile, but has come close to tasting winning glory before. He has 12 career top-five finishes at Stafford, including four second-place finishes. In April’s NAPA Spring Sizzler, Bonsignore was running inside the top-five late before contact in front of him collected his No. 51 Phoenix Communications ride, forcing him to a finish outside the top-10.

Bonsignore enters Stafford with the points lead on the Whelen Modified Tour circuit -- six points ahead of Patrick Emerling as the season heads for the stretch run.

“There are so many people that talk about the winless streak and like to rag on me about it. I used to worry about it a lot more years ago and probably didn’t run well because of it, but since Ryan Stone has been with us, we’ve gotten a lot better at Stafford,” Bonsignore said. “We’ve had a shot to win there if things would have played out our way. It’s a tough track with everything going on there, with the pitting rules and everything else that comes into play, with more strategy involved. We have been really good the last two races -- as a team we have been getting better. I don’t know what we found -- but the speed in our cars is better and we’ve had a shot to win the last two races. We are firing on all cylinders. I’m just as confident as I am going into any other race as we head to Stafford. One of these days it will happen, if it is meant to be.”

The Stafford event will be followed by the tour’s return to Beech Ridge Motor Speedway on August 21, then four consecutive weekends of racing in September to crown the 2021 champion. Bonsignore’s Kenneth Massa Motorsports team is ready to roll down the stretch in contention for a third championship.

Practice for the Whelen Modified Tour will last for one hour, from 3:45-4:45 p.m., with Mayhew Tools qualifying beginning at 6:20 p.m. The 30th annual GAF Roofing 150 will go green around 9:15 p.m., and will air live on TrackPass via NBC Sports Gold. All of Stafford’s local divisions, including the prestigious SK Modifieds, will also be in competition. Whelen Modified Tour drivers will have an autograph session in the grandstands at 7 p.m., where Bonsignore will have t-shirts, hats and hoodies for sale. You can also purchase them online at JustinBonsignore.com

For more information on Justin Bonsignore, visit JustinBonsignore.com and follow his Athlete page on Facebook for the latest updates.