Doug Coby Charges To Fourth Spring Sizzler Victory

Doug Coby Charges To Fourth Spring Sizzler Victory
Holds Off Craig Lutz For 26th NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour Win

STAFFORD, Conn. — Doug Coby was going for his fourth NAPA Spring Sizzler 200 victory Saturday. Craig Lutz was chasing his first career NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour win.

In the end, it was the veteran Coby who made the winning move – diving under Lutz with just over 10 laps remaining – and then fending off the fierce challenge in the closing laps to return to Victory Lane in the iconic event that’s earned the moniker, “The Greatest Race in the History of Spring.”
It was Coby’s 26th career win on the tour and his 12th at Stafford. His first career win came in the 2006 Spring Sizzler, Stafford’s iconic early-season event. He also won the race in 2012 and 2016.

“This is the race everybody wants to win,” said Coby. “That was the hardest I’ve ever drove a race car, to hold off Craig. I just kept drive harder and driving harder.”

Following Lutz, Ron Silk, Max Zachem and Eric Goodale rounded out the top five.

“This is what you dream about,” Lutz said. “He’s obviously one of the best here. To be able to run with him for the last 10 laps was run. This was probably the most disappointing second-place I’ve had, because I felt like all day we had a really good car.”

It was the third career runner-up finish in 56 career starts for the Miller Place, New York, driver — including one in last year’s NAPA Fall Final at Stafford.

RACING-REFENCE:NAPA SPRING SIZZLER 200 RESULTS

Justin Bonsignore came home sixth. Bonsignore was fastest in practice back on April 26, the weekend the event was originally slated. Rain postponed three times, finally pushing it from Friday night to Saturday afternoon. Bonsignore was then fastest in final practice and won the Mayhew Tools Dominator Pole Award.

Patrick Emerling was seventh, followed by rookie Sam Rameau, Timmy Solomito and Blake Barney.

RELATED:PHOTO GALLERY – LOOKING BACK: SPRING SIZZLER HISTORY

With Coby’s second win in four races in 2019, the five-time tour champion has opened a 17-point lead on second-place Emerling and 20 over Silk. Blewett and defending tour champion Bonsignore are fourth and fifth, respectively.

RACING-REFERENCE:WHELEN MODIFIED TOUR CHAMPIONSHIP POINTS

The NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour will be back on track in seven days with the Jersey Shore 150 at Wall Stadium Speedway on Saturday, May 18.

Contact:
Jason Christley
NASCAR Integrated Marketing Communications
(386) 310-6094
jchristley@nascar.com

NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour-48th Annual NAPA Auto Parts Spring Sizzler 200 Results
Saturday
At Stafford Motor Speedway
Stafford Springs, CT
Lap length: 0.5 miles
(Start position in parentheses)
1. (2) Doug Coby, Milford, Conn., Chevrolet, 200 laps, 55.530 mph.
2. (11) Craig Lutz, Miller Place, N.Y., Chevrolet, 200.
3. (15) Ron Silk, Norwalk, CT, Chevrolet, 200.
4. (17) Max Zachem, Preston, Conn., Chevrolet, 200.
5. (12) Eric Goodale, Riverhead, N.Y., Chevrolet, 200.
6. (1) Justin Bonsignore, Holtsville, NY, Chevrolet, 200.
7. (8) Patrick Emerling, Orchard Park, NY, Chevrolet, 200.
8. (24) Sam Rameau, Westminster, Mass., Chevrolet, 200.
9. (10) Timmy Solomito, Islip, N.Y., Ford, 200.
10. (19) Blake Barney, Lakewood, N.J., Chevrolet, 200.
11. (21) Woody Pitkat, Stafford, Conn., Chevrolet, 200.
12. (25) J. B. Fortin, Jr., Holtsville, N.Y., Chevrolet, 200.
13. (26) Timmy Catalano, Ontario, N.Y., Chevrolet, 200.
14. (20) Gary Putnam, Vernon, Conn., Chevrolet, 200.
15. (23) Jimmy Blewett, Howell, N.J., Chevrolet, 199.
16. (28) Wade Cole, Hartland, Conn., Ford, 198.
17. (16) Tommy Catalano, Ontario, N.Y., Chevrolet, 196.
18. (32) Kyle Ellwood, Riverhead, N.Y., Chevrolet, 196.
19. (29) Calvin Carroll, Newton, N.J., Chevrolet, 186.
20. (22) Mark Bakaj, Lebanon, Conn., Chevrolet, 179.
21. (18) Kyle Bonsignore, Bay Shore, N.Y., Toyota, 176.
22. (31) Walter Sutcliffe Jr., East Haven, Conn., Chevrolet, 176, accident.
23. (33) Tyler Rypkema, Owego, N.Y., Chevrolet, 171, accident.
24. (4) Chase Dowling, Roxbury, Conn., Pontiac, 169, rear end.
25. (34) Joey Mucciacciaro, Wolcott, Conn., Chevrolet, 155, handling.
26. (3) Chris Pasteryak, Lisbon, Conn., Chevrolet, 143, accident.
27. (7) Anthony Nocella, Woburn, Mass., Chevrolet, 125, accident.
28. (14) Jeff Rocco, Meriden, Conn., Chevrolet, 125, accident.
29. (27) Ken Heagy, Calverton, N.Y., Ford, 119, accident.
30. (6) Dave Sapienza, Riverhead, N.Y., Dodge, 117, accident.
31. (9) Rob Summers, Manchester, CT, Chevrolet, 117, accident.
32. (13) Joey Cipriano, III, Waterbury, Conn., Chevrolet, 100, accident.
33. (30) Melissa Fifield, Wakefield, N.H., Chevrolet, 75, accident.
34. (5) Matt Swanson, Acton, Mass., Chevrolet, 70, rear end.

Race Statistics
Time of Race: 1 hour 48 minutes 3 seconds
Margin of Victory: 0.253 seconds
Fastest Qualifier: J.Bonsignore (100.925 mph, 17.835 seconds)
Caution Flags: 13 for 77 laps.
Lead Changes: 12 among 7 drivers.
Lap Leaders: D. Coby 1; J. Bonsignore 2-64; C. Dowling 65-128; E. Goodale 129-139; C. Pasteryak 140-143; D. Coby 144-150; R. Silk 151-152; C. Dowling 153-166; R. Silk 167; J. Bonsignore 168-175; R. Silk 176-183; C. Lutz 184-188; D. Coby 189-200.
Standings: 1. D. Coby, 171; 2. P. Emerling, 154; 3. R. Silk, 151; 4. J. Blewett, 145; 5. J. Bonsignore, 138; 6. E. Goodale, 134; 7. C. Lutz, 132; 8. C. Pasteryak, 131; 9. W. Pitkat, 126; 10. B. Barney, 124.