pit box: Bonsignore & coby to decide NWMT title at thompson

Justin Bonsignore will look to catch and pass Doug Coby to win his second Whelen Modified Tour championship at Thompson. (Adam Glanzman/NASCAR)

STORY BY NASCAR.COM/KYLE SOUZA

Title time.
After eight months of battling up and down the east coast, the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour champion will be crowned on Sunday at Thompson Speedway Motorsports Park in Connecticut. Thompson’s high-banks will end the season for the 13th consecutive year.
CHAMPIONSHIP CLINCH SCENARIOS PDF​

SUNOCO WORLD SERIES 150 AT THOMPSON SPEEDWAY
WHAT TO WATCH FOR

Each of the two championship contenders are no strangers to success, either at Thompson, or in the championship battle. Doug Coby, who has five Whelen Modified Tour championships, is a six-time Thompson winner, including the Bud 150 in August. Justin Bonsignore, the defending Whelen Modified Tour champion, is an 11-time Thompson winner, including six of the last seven, and two this year.

RACING-REFERENCE: Coby at Thompson | Bonsignore at Thompson

Both of them are set to clash in Sunday’s 57th annual Sunoco World Series season finale. As part of a weekend that includes 20 different divisions from across New England, including the five NASCAR Whelen All-American Series track classes, the Whelen Modified Tour takes the spotlight as the final race of the weekend.

If Coby earns the title, it will be his sixth in eight years, which would push him past Tony Hirschman, and into second all-time for Whelen Modified Tour titles in the modern era. The only driver ahead of both modified greats is the late Mike Stefanik, who had seven titles. Coby’s season includes four victories in 15 races, with 10 top five finishes, and eight Mayhew Tools Dominator pole awards.

RACING-REFERENCE: Coby in 2019 | Bonsignore in 2019

Bonsignore, who walked away with the title last year, enters the finale looking to gain on some lost ground. His two DNF’s early in the season, combined with a finish outside the top 10 in the season-opener at Myrtle Beach Speedway, have him coming from behind. However, the Holtsville, New York, driver leads the series with five wins this season and also has nine top-five runs.

Outside of the title battle, the race for third in the championship standings is tight, with Ron Silk leading Craig Lutz by just four. Lutz is coming off his first career Whelen Modified Tour victory in the NAPA Fall Final at Stafford Motor Speedway, while Silk has three wins driving for Kevin Stuart Motorsports. At the bottom of the top five, Matt Swanson leads a group of five drivers separated by just 10 points in the battle for fifth.

RACE FACTS
RACE: SUNOCO WORLD SERIES 150
PLACE: Thompson Speedway Motorsports Park, Thompson, Connecticut
DATE: Sunday, October 13
TIME: 3:30 p.m. ET (approx.)
TELEVISION: NBCSN, Thursday, October 17, 7 p.m. – FansChoice.TV (Live Broadcast) – 3:30 p.m. (approx.)
TRACK LAYOUT: .625-mile banked oval
2018 WINNER: Justin Bonsignore
2018 POLE: Ronnie Williams
RACEDAY SCHEDULE: 
Saturday: Garage Opens: 8 a.m., Practice: 11:15-12 p.m., Final Practice: 12:30-1:15 p.m., Group Qualifying: 4 p.m.
Sunday: Garage Opens: 10 a.m., Autograph Session: 2:15-2:45 p.m., Sunoco World Series 150: 3:30 p.m. (approx.)
TWITTER: @ThompsonSpdwy, @NASCARHomeTrack
HASHTAG: #SunocoWorldSeries, #NWMTRACE CENTER | ENTRY LIST

CREW CHIEF HANDOUT: 
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The starting field for the Sunoco World Series 150 is 36 starters, including provisional positions. The first 30 drivers will secure starting positions through the qualifying process. The remaining six positions will be awarded through the provisional process.

NASCAR group qualifying is in place for this event. Qualifying order will be determined by each vehicle’s fastest single lap from the official practice session(s). The number of groups for qualifying will be determined by NASCAR. Each group qualifying session will be five (5) minutes in duration and the fastest single lap speed of each vehicle will determine starting positions 1st through 30th. Adjustments or repairs may not be made on a vehicle after the vehicle enters the track to begin the qualifying session. Vehicles may not return to the track or make any further qualifying laps unless directed to do so by a NASCAR Official or in the event of a caution. Once a vehicle’s qualifying attempt is complete, the vehicle must proceed directly to the designated impound area once it enters pit road.

The maximum tire allotment available for this event is eleven (11) tires per team. Four (4) tires must be used for qualifying and to begin the race. The tire change rule is four (4) tires, any position.