 By Souza Media/Kyle Souza
HOLTSVILLE, N.Y. -- Justin Bonsignore is ready for one more race to wrap the 2021 season. Bonsignore will drive the No. 51 Kenneth Massa Motorsports Modified, prepared by Ryan Stone, in the prestigious Islip 300 at Riverhead Raceway on Saturday, November 13. The combination of Bonsignore, Massa, Stone and the entire team is just under two months out from capturing the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour championship on the heels of two wins this season. In three appearances at Riverhead on the tour, Bonsignore finished third, third and second. He’s hoping to advance on those positions and become the winner of the fifth annual Islip 300. The event honors the legacy of Islip Speedway and the history of Modified racing on Long Island, and Bonsignore would love to add another hometown win to his credit. “Racing at Riverhead in front of the home track fans is always something we look forward to doing every year,” Bonsignore said. “We weren’t able to win a Whelen Modified Tour race there this year, but adding the prestigious Islip 300 to our list would be special for all of us. It’s a longer race with a lot of strategy involved, so hopefully we will play our cards right.” Bonsignore and the team will take part in one practice session from 11-12 p.m., with time trials set to begin just after 1 p.m. The green flag for the Islip 300 is set for approximately 3:15 p.m., and will air live on RiverheadRaceway.TV for those who can’t make it to the track. For more information on Riverhead Raceway, visit RiverheadRaceway.com. For more information on Justin Bonsignore, visit JustinBonsignore.com and follow his athlete page on Facebook, along with his Twitter handle, @JBonsignore.
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 Photo: Tom Morris Racing Photography By Souza Media/Kyle Souza
HOLTSVILLE, N.Y. -- Three-time NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour champion Justin Bonsignore will return to the seat for competition this Saturday, October 23, at Seekonk Speedway. Bonsignore will compete in the Tri Track Open Modified Series Haunted Hundred event, set for 100 laps, driving the No. 00 for Jimmy Paige. The race is $6,000 to win and Bonsignore will have his eyes on the winning prize, while attempting to seal up fourth-place in the final point standings. In five starts on the Tri Track circuit this year, Bonsignore has two top-five finishes and has shown speed at each event. Bonsignore was running inside the top-five in the late laps of the Open Wheel Wednesday at Seekonk on August 25, before the handling went away in the final laps. His major goal going into Saturday will be to leave with the trophy and the big check. “I always enjoy heading to Seekonk for the short-track racing that track provides,” Bonsignore said. “The competition will be tough. I’m looking forward to ending the season with Jimmy Paige and his guys on a high note. We have been consistently gaining speed together all year and hopefully we will be strong for the Haunted Hundred.” Saturday’s race day schedule includes practice from 10-10:45 a.m., followed by qualifying heats beginning at 1 p.m. The feature race is estimated to take the green flag at 3:30 p.m. Tickets are $30 for adults, $10 for kids ages 6-12 and kids five and under are free. All tickets will be available at the track on race day. The American-Canadian Tour Late Models and Pro All Star Series Pro Stocks are also part of the action. For the information on Justin Bonsignore, visit JustinBonsignore.com and follow his athlete page on Facebook for the latest updates including from the track.  By Souza Media/Kyle Souza
HOLTSVILLE, N.Y. -- While the celebration of his third NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour championship continues, Justin Bonsignore is going to be back behind the wheel this weekend. Bonsignore and the No. 51 Kenneth Massa Motorsports team are heading to Thompson Speedway Motorsports Park this Sunday, October 10, to compete in the return of the historic Thompson 300 open modified event. This event, promoted by the team at the American-Canadian Tour and Pro All Star Series, is $20,000 to win and is returning for the first time in one and a half decades. Since the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour didn’t visit Thompson this year, this will be the first stop of the year at the Connecticut oval for the team. Bonsignore isn’t concerned, though -- as the Holtsville, New York, native has 12 wins on the high-banks and at one point, swept all four tour races in the same season. “Since they announced the race was going to be returning it’s been something we have been looking forward to racing,” Bonsignore said. “There is a lot of history around this race and it will carry a lot of prestige, and a desire to win it will come with it. We’re excited and anxious to get there to see how it goes. We’re not concerned. We have a good baseline at Thompson, and we will see if a slightly different tire compound makes a difference, but we’re going to go there with the same package we always run and Ryan Stone (crew chief) and the guys will adapt as needed.” Bonsignore and the team will arrive at Thompson on Friday, and compete in practice runs on both Friday and Saturday. All of the qualifying and feature racing will take place on Sunday, October 10. Qualifying begins just after 1 p.m. and the 300-lap race is scheduled to go green around 3:30 p.m. The race is all green flag laps only, and will have a rule where teams can change 12 tires during the event. Tickets will be available at the gate to watch the return of this historic event, while fans can also watch a live Pay-Per-View broadcast on Speed51.TV. For more information on Justin Bonsignore, visit JustinBonsignore.com and follow his athlete page on Facebook for the latest updates.  Tom Morris Racing Photography By Souza Media/Kyle Souza STAFFORD, Conn. -- Justin Bonsignore sealed his third career NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour championship on Saturday, September 25 at Stafford Motor Speedway. Bonsignore accomplished the goal in fine fashion -- taking down his first career win at the Connecticut half-mile after 40 times of coming up short. Bonsignore led the field for 74 of the 152 laps in the NAPA Fall Final 150, including for the final two, where he pulled away from six-time tour champion Doug Coby to score his elusive first Stafford win. In the process, Bonsignore cemented a growing dynasty with his No. 51 Phoenix Communications, Kenneth Massa Motorsports team. The championship was Bonsignore’s second consecutive, and third in the last four years. The Holtsville, New York, native became just the fourth driver in the 36-year history of the Whelen Modified Tour to win three or more championships -- joining Mike Stefanik (seven), Doug Coby (six) and Tony Hirschman (five) on the list. “I don’t even belong in that crowd, those guys are unbelievable,” Bonsignore said of the group. “It’s special. To come back after last year, with the shortened season, we had really good cars each and every week this year. We just couldn’t put the whole race together like we have in years past and get to Victory Lane. Tonight, to finally get a win here at Stafford to top off our third championship, it’s special.” Bonsignore used a strong car during the first 128 laps -- all under green -- to motor to the front. He started on the outside pole after qualifying second, and dropped to the bottom of the top-five early -- but it wasn’t long before he was charging back to the front. He took the lead from Anthony Nocella on lap 78 and led through the caution that was thrown at lap 129. The only time someone bested Bonsignore was when Doug Coby edged him to the line at the restart for a green-white-checkered finish at lap 150 -- but Bonsignore drove to the bottom of turn one and powered back to the lead, never looking back. Stafford -- a place where Bonsignore had run well at before -- was the most prestigious track on the list that Bonsignore had not been to Victory Lane. Finally, he can check it off his bucket list. “One-for-41,” Bonsignore screamed after climbing from the car, jumping on top of the No. 51 in celebration. “I’m so glad we could get the win here. Three-time champion, but I can’t get past winning at Stafford. To beat Doug Coby to do it -- it’s special. It’s unbelievable.” The four-year run for Bonsignore -- even though he didn’t win the title in 2019 -- is one of the more impressive in series history. Since the start of the 2018 season, Bonsignore has 19 wins, 42 top-fives, 39 top-10s and 14 poles in his last 54 races. In 15 years of Whelen Modified Tour competition -- all for Ken Massa Motorsports -- Bonsignore now has 31 career wins -- tied with Jeff Fuller and Coby for fifth on the all-time wins list. Crew chief Ryan Stone jumped into the team in 2018, and things have taken off from there. “Ryan walked right into the middle of a group of guys that had been together for a while,” Bonsignore said. “He just jumped right in with all of us instantly. His personality fits right in with our guys. We just have a great time as a team, no matter what. Ryan hates losing more than I do. He’s ruthless. We’re really fortunate to have found him.” The commitment that Massa and Bonsignore have shown to each other, after years of coming close, is finally paying off, in a big way. “Ken Massa, whenever Ryan calls and says we need something, he just doesn’t flinch,” Bonsignore said. “The combination of leadership on our team from top to bottom is unbelievable. No one pulls in the opposite direction. Everyone has one goal in mind -- to come out here and win races and win championships every year. I’m glad we could do it again for number three.” Bonsignore bested Patrick Emerling by 22 points in the final tally on the heels of two wins, 11 top-fives and 12 top-10 finishes in 14 championship points races this season. Justin Bonsignore will return to the track on Sunday, October 10 at Thompson Speedway Motorsports Park for the historic Thompson 300. For more information on Justin Bonsignore, visit JustinBonsignore.com and follow his athlete page on Facebook for the latest updates. Photos: Tom Morris Racing Photography
 By Souza Media/Kyle Souza
HOLTSVILLE, N.Y. -- Justin Bonsignore is heading to Stafford Motor Speedway this Saturday, September 25, with two goals in mind, but one is more important than the other. Bonsignore would love to finally carry the checkered flag at the Connecticut half-mile, after coming up short in his first 40 NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour races at the track. However, the larger goal surrounds the championship battle. The Holtsville, New York native -- and two-time series champion -- enters the race with a 16-point advantage over Patrick Emerling, in search of a third title in four years. Bonsignore will need to have a solid day at Stafford in order to clinch the championship for his Kenneth Massa Motorsports based team and etch his name in the record books once again. “We just have to go out there and race the same way we have been racing all season,” Bonsignore said. “We have to have a maximum day -- qualify well, get a good pit stall selection, and try to get out front, lead laps and control the race, then wait for the pit stop. With the different tire strategies that happen at Stafford, it makes it difficult to figure it out. This should be a lot of business as usual for us, just a bit more conscious of where we are at with the points. There is a long way to go before we can think about winning the championship -- we don’t want to be ahead of ourselves. It would be special to become a three-time series champion. Not many guys are on that list and they are all legends of the modifieds.” Bonsignore has 18 wins across his last 54 Whelen Modified Tour starts as part of the last four year run at the top of the series. Even in 2019, he finished second in the championship battle. He looks to become only the fourth driver in the history of the series to capture three or more titles -- he would join Mike Stefanik (seven), Doug Coby (six) and Tony Hirschman (five) on the list, if he can accomplish the feat. The schedule for the final race of the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour season includes one practice session from 1:20-2:20 p.m., followed by Mayhew Tools pole qualifying at 4 p.m. The drop of the green flag in the NAPA Fall Final 150 is scheduled for 6 p.m., and will air live on NBC Sports Gold’s TrackPass platform. Tickets will also be available for those who are near the track and would like to watch the season-finale in person. For more information on Justin Bonsignore, visit JustinBonsignore.com and follow his athlete page on Facebook for the latest updates, including from the track on race day.  Photo: Michael Jaworecki/My Race News By Souza Media/Kyle Souza
RIVERHEAD, N.Y. -- A solid day at his home track has Justin Bonsignore one race away from his third NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour championship. Bonsignore drove the No. 51 Kenneth Massa Motorsports entry to a second-place finish in the Miller Lite 200 on Saturday, September 18 at Riverhead Raceway. While his closest points challenger Patrick Emerling went to Victory Lane, Bonsignore was right on his tail down to the wire, and only lost a few points in the title battle. The second-place effort was Bonsignore’s 13th consecutive top-five in Whelen Modified Tour action at the New York oval -- a stint that includes 11 finishes inside the top-three. “Congrats to Partrick, it got hairy a bit with the leaders there at one point,” Bonsignore said. “Track position is huge. It’s been a hell of a battle between the two of us all year. We will go into Stafford next week and try to have a good run. The way it was looking for parts of the race, I thought we were going to end up wrecked. I can’t thank everyone enough for all they do. It’s tough to points race, but I am happy to leave Riverhead with a solid finish.” Next up for Justin Bonsignore is the final race of the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour championship points schedule at Stafford Motor Speedway on Saturday, September 25. Bonsignore will look to seal his third championship in four years in the NAPA Fall Final. He leads Emerling by 16 points heading into the finale. For more information on Justin Bonsignore, visit JustinBonsignore.com and follow his athlete page on Facebook for the latest updates.  By Souza Media/Kyle Souza
HOLTSVILLE, N.Y. -- With just two races remaining in the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour championship fight, Justin Bonsignore is returning home to Riverhead Raceway this weekend. The driver of the No. 51 Kenneth Massa Motorsports entry returns to his home track in New York, where he has eight Whelen Modified Tour wins in 20 starts. In the first two stops at the quarter-mile this year, Bonsignore finished third in both races, leading a total of over 200 laps, combined. However, this race means a bit more. Bonsignore leads by 22 points over Patrick Emerling with just two events left: Riverhead and a trip to Stafford Motor Speedway on Saturday, September 25. Bonsignore is looking to seal his third championship in the last four years. “Looking forward to getting back to the home track and trying to get back to Victory Lane there,” Bonsignore said. “We’ve been close the last couple of times, but we know we need a little bit more to make it happen. We’re down to the final two races -- and we have to be conscious of the points, but our goal is still to go out there and win at Riverhead. It will be a special night in honor of Ed Partridge and I would love to hold the checkered flag when it’s over.” The race day schedule for the Miller Lite 200 includes one practice session from 3-4:30 p.m., followed by Mayhew Tools Dominator Pole qualifying at 6 p.m. The drop of the green flag is set for just after 8 p.m., with the race set to air live on NBC Sports Gold’s TrackPass platform. For more information on Justin Bonsignore, visit JustinBonsignore.com and follow his athlete page on Facebook for the latest updates.  By Souza Media/Kyle Souza
RICHMOND, Va. -- Justin Bonsignore’s day started off perfectly at Richmond Raceway. The driver of the No. 51 Kenneth Massa Motorsports entry was fastest in NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour practice ahead of the Virginia is For Racing Lovers 150, then won his 19th career pole award in Mayhew Tools qualifying. He was strong early in the race, and looked to be a contender to win the Whelen Modified Tour’s return to Richmond for the first time since 2002 after leading laps. Then, a mechanical failure sent him to the garage area. Bonsignore’s night ended early, as the two-time series champion finished 24th. Luckily for Bonsignore, Patrick Emerling, his closest challenger in the series championship standings, also fell out of the race early with a mechanical failure. With just two races remaining on the championship points schedule, Bonsignore holds a 22-point edge over Emerling in search of his third championship. “What are the odds Patrick and I both had the failures,” Bonsignore said. “That’s the first mechanical part failure we have had in a long time. It’s a shame, because we had a really good car. I was just biding my time. I thought we were in good shape, but it just wasn’t meant to be tonight. I just want to thank Coastal Fiber and the rest of my sponsors for sticking behind me.” Justin Bonsignore will return to the track on Saturday, September 18 at Riverhead Raceway, his home track, in New York. For more information on Justin Bonsignore, visit JustinBonsignore.com and follow his athlete page on Facebook for the latest updates.  Photo: NASCAR By Souza Media/Kyle Souza
HOLTSVILLE, N.Y. -- With just three races left in the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour championship battle, points leader Justin Bonsignore heads to Richmond Raceway this Friday, September 10, for race 12 of 14. Bonsignore will drive the No. 51 Kenneth Massa Motorsports entry in the Virginia is for Racing Lovers 150 -- as the Whelen Modified Tour returns to Richmond for the first time since 2002. Bonsignore doesn’t have any competitive laps at the Virginia oval -- but he did complete a Hoosier tire test at the track earlier this season. Although he was the only car on the track that day, Bonsignore may have a slight advantage over some of his competitors entering the race. He leads the Whelen Modified Tour championship standings by 20 points over Patrick Emerling, as the two-time champion looks to seal his third title in the last four years. Bonsignore will carry sponsorship from Coastal Fiber, LLC, for the second time this year. As a local Virginia company that is a full service fiber optic construction and splicing company, Coastal Fiber is happy to be on the car for this event. Already an established part of the team, Coastal Fiber founder Mark Langevin also is the owner of Phoenix Communications, Inc., Bonsignore's primary sponsor on the Tour. “If we do have any advantage it will be minimal, the Whelen Modified Tour has a lot of good teams and drivers that adapt quickly to new tracks,” Bonsignore said. “But it might save us a few minutes of getting up to speed in practice. Any time we can go to a NASCAR Cup Series facility and be able to race with the Modifieds, it’s huge. This race has a lot of hype behind it. If you can win there, it will be a prominent spot in the trophy case.” On the points front, Bonsignore knows the final three races need to play out his way to win another title. “I’ve learned to be more mindful of the bigger picture all year, but we want to go out there and win the race. We can’t lose a large chunk of points,” Bonsignore continued. “We want to win all three races that are left. Mark and the team from Coastal Fiber will have multiple people in the stands and we look forward to having a good showing for them and we thank them for their support.” Following Richmond, Bonsignore and the rest of the tour will roll to Riverhead Raceway on Saturday, September 18, then Stafford Motor Speedway to close the season on Saturday, September 25. Friday’s race day schedule at Richmond will include one, 90-minute practice session from 1:30-3 p.m. Mayhew Tools Dominator Pole Qualifying will take place at 5 p.m. for the Virginia is for Racing Lovers 150, with the green flag set to drop at 7 p.m. The race will air to a live audience on NBC Sports Gold through the TrackPass platform. For more information on Justin Bonsignore, visit JustinBonsignore.com and follow his athlete page on Facebook for the latest updates, including on race day.  By Souza Media/Kyle Souza
OSWEGO, N.Y. -- Justin Bonsignore’s trip to upstate New York ended with a strong third-place finish at Oswego Speedway on Saturday, September 4. Bonsignore started from the third position in the Toyota Mod Classic 150 NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour main event and quickly jumped out to the lead on lap three, leading through lap 13. After being passed by eventual race winner Ron Silk, Bonsignore chased the lead back and was at the point for circuits 49-60, and 62-76. However, a total of 38 laps led wasn’t quite enough to score his second win of the season. While Silk won -- and Matt Hirschman finished second -- Bonsignore’s third-place finish allowed him to open his championship lead to 20 points over Patrick Emerling, as Emerling finished 15th. Bonsignore leads the standings with three races, in three consecutive weeks, set to go before the champion of the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour is crowned later this month. “On the points side it was a good night for us,” Bonsignore said. “It’s getting down to crunch time, and this gives us a little bit of breathing room. We will still have to race hard for the next three races. We started just a little bit off, and we were counting on a pit stop, but it never happened. We were just a tick of Silk -- but congrats to those guys -- it was a dominating night for them. It was a really good night for our entire team.” Justin Bonsignore will return to the track on Friday, September 10, at Richmond Raceway in Virginia. Following the historic return to Richmond, the Whelen Modified Tour will visit Riverhead Raceway on September 18, and Stafford Motor Speedway on September 25, to close the season. For more information on Justin Bonsignore, visit JustinBonsignore.com and follow his athlete page on Facebook for the latest updates. |
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