|
NASCAR'S
NIGHT OF TOURING CHAMPIONS AWARDS CELEBRATION
BRINGS MORE HISTORY TO CHARLOTTE
by
Denise DuPont |
On
Saturday, December 10th the NASCAR touring series
top competitors were honored at the Charlotte
Convention Center Grand Ballroom for their 2016 race
efforts. Off the track drivers and teams celebrated
and reminisced about 2016. They then took time to
share some thoughts on what 2017 would bring.
Notes from NASCAR Whelen Modified championship
Awards at Charlotte, North Carolina:
NASCAR
Whelen Modified Tour (NWMT) 2016 champion
Doug Coby ended this year matching the record of
some of the most prestigious modified drivers before
him. Coby joined NASCAR Hall of Famers Jerry Cook
and Richie Evans, as well as NASCAR Hall of Fame
nominee Mike Stefanik and Tony Hirschman Jr., as the
only drivers in NASCAR Modified six-nine year
history to win four or more championships. In 2016,
Coby captured his third consecutive NWMT
championship. It was a tight, competitive year for
the modified drivers with the championship on the
line right to the final race at Thompson Speedway
Motorsports Park.
“2016 was a good season,” stated Coby. “We were
really consistent and won five races. I think that
the qualifying is what really set us apart this year
with the nine poles. Justin (Bonsignore) and Timmy
(Solomito) had a lot of wins and good finishes but
they did not start as far up as I did. I think being
up front really helped us with our race strategy. So
we had a good season.”
During his championship speech Coby announced an
additional sponsor that will be on board for 2017 –
Mayhew Steel Products, Inc.
2016
NWMT Sunoco Rookie of the Year
Matt Swanson finished the season with a ninth place
finish at Thompson Speedway Motorsports Park.
Swanson finished his year winning thirteen Sunoco
Rookie of the Race honors out of seventeen possible
races race to secure the rookie honor.
“It is pretty cool once you get here. I have never
seen any pictures or anything from the NASCAR
modified banquet and it is all starting to be a
reality now. We are sitting here at breakfast and
watching slides shows form the year. When I received
the rookie of the year award I was not sure if I was
the youngest driver to receive the award. And I am
still not sure. This is something that I can look
back on and have the trophy. For the rest of my life
I will be able to look at the trophy and have
something to look back on and reflect that I was the
2016 rookie of the year on the tour. This is
something that is going to stay with me for a really
long time.”
2016
NWMT Champion Runner Up
Going into the final race of the NWMT season Justin
Bonsignore was second in points and statistically
had a chance to secure the 2016 NWMT championship.
He drove his heart out and won the race but it was
not good enough to advance his points beyond second
place. The No. 51 M3 Technology team of Bonsignore,
gave it their all and will be a major championship
contender in 2017.
Justin Bonsignore
“It was an amazing season for us. It was really nice
to contend for wins the second half of the season.
Almost every week going toe to toe with Doug (Coby)
was great. They have a really good team and giving
them a run for their money. I am really proud of our
season and proud of our efforts.”
NASCAR
Whelen Southern Modified Tour (NWSMT) 2016 champion
Burt Myers ended the year with some tough thoughts
as another chapter for the southern tour is ending.
Myers won three 2016 southern modified tour races to
capture the championship title. He finished his
championship year twenty point ahead of second place
finisher, George Brunnhoelzl, III. It was a tight,
competitive year for the drivers but in the end luck
was on Myers side to earn him his second NWSMT
Championship.
“Not to slight any other championship that I have
had, but there is something special to a NASCAR
touring championship. I cannot wait to get my ring
from Mike Helton on Saturday night. It is a bitter
sweet also because I am a little sad that I am the
last champion for the NWSMT as it is today. But I am
also proud to be the last champion for the southern
tour.” As of right now I am going to have to
evaluate my situation this winter – my budget, my
resources, and schedules and make a decision for
going forward.
2016
NWSMT Sunoco Rookie of the Year
Kyle Bonsignore had the goal to get better every
race in 2016 as he began his first full-time season
of competition in the NWSMT. Finishing his season
with nine top ten finishes in eleven races he
finished with a solid seventh in the final
championship standing. This was good enough to
secure the 2016 Sunoco Rookie of the Year for the
southern tour.
“I am very proud of the team. All the guys worked
hard all season long. It was not easy but after a
couple of really bad wrecks a couple of the
competitors dropped out. It was not the season that
we wanted in the end. We wanted better results in
the points. But it still was a good accomplishment.
I am here to get the trophy and celebrate.”
2016
NWSMT Championship Third Place Finisher
Andy Seuss was second in points going into the last
race of the NWSMT season. The No. 11 Northeast Race
Cars Ideal Financial Race team continued their
streak of bad luck and finished the Charlotte Motor
Speedway NWSMT race seventh. It was definitely not
what the team wanted and they dropped to a third
place standing for the championship bid.
“It was a good year. If cautions had fallen
differently we probably would have had more wins but
we had a really good long run car. We got our new
LFR Chassis in the beginning of the year. It was
really good on long runs. On the start it took us a
while to figure out what to do for adjustments for
the half way so the second half of the race we
struggled a little bit.”
“I am pretty proud of our team. We had all top five
finishes going into the last four races and we were
second in points. Then we hit a bad luck streak
where for the last four races we only have one top
five finish. Our results were not from lack of speed
but because of a couple of wrecks and bad luck
situations. It is always tough to come off of a
championship season and not to get the next one.”
What are the
NASCAR Modified Championship driver’s plans for 2017
race year?
Doug Coby
“We are looking forward to another strong year. The
more we win the more that people want us to loose.
So we have to keep stepping up our game. Driving
smart and making appropriate adjustments. We have
been doing that so far and I do not see why we will
not continue.”
Burt Myers
“As of right now I am going to have to evaluate my
situation this winter – my budget, my resources, and
schedules and make a decision for going forward.”
Matt Swanson
“We are not really sure what our plans or 2017 will
be for the modified. We have a pro stock ride for a
couple of races and hopefully we can get some NEMA
Midget races in. We are still picking the waters to
find out what is going on with the modified but
hopefully we can do the full schedule for the Whelen
Tour again.”
Kyle Bonsignore
“We will just go into 2017, I guess we will just run
when and where we can..”
Justin Bonsignore
“I do not know what we are doing for 2017 to carry
our efforts on and build off of it. We have a new
crew chief. He has been a part of our team for a
year now. So I am really excited for 2017.”
Andy Seuss
“Plans for next year are up in the air. We know that
we are going to compete at least part time and we
are looking at options to run fulltime. I had a
great opportunity driving for Riggs Racing for David
Riggs and then Ideal Racing with Eddie Harvey. I
moved south and removed myself from the north so now
without a southern tour it is tough.”
“It has me kind of thinking. I have a lot of work
down here and things that keep me busy so I am not
sure if the whole northern tour is possible at this
point. We are going to go at least part of the races
and try to win and have fun. Hopefully we will get
up north a little bit and have fun. It is going to
be a little bit depressing not seeing all the
familiar faces we have seen at the southern tracks
over the years and the officials. It is a little bit
like a family breaking up – sad and disappointing.
Hopefully we will be prepared for wins when we do
race.”
What are the
your thoughts on LFR Chassis?
Doug Coby
“We met with the people at Fury Chassis this week
and we are excited to extend our relationship with
them. The relationship will be the same as when it
was called LFR. Really the same people are still
there that we worked with for the most part. They
are still building and selling modifieds. As a
leading team in the northeast, we are excited to go
forward. ”
Andy Seuss
“It is too bad for Rob Fuller he had a big dream. He
made some great chassis. And obviously winning both
Whelen tour championships is impressive. The
business is obviously in good hands with Fury Race
Cars, Tony Eury, Jr. and Jeff Fultz. It is a fresh
start and can only make them stronger to help out
teams such as ourselves.”
|
Source:
Denise DuPont / TheChromeHorn.com
Posted:
December 10, 2016 |
|
|