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   The Chrome Horn - NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour
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09/30/2012

SANTOS STORMS TO STAFFORD VICTORY
Passes Pitkat Late To Claim Whelen Modified Fall Final
Bobby Santos waited until the end to make his move and then powered past Woody Pitkat to win the CARQUEST Fall Final Sunday at Stafford Motor Speedway.

Santos made the winning pass with four laps to go en route to his first win of the season. It was the seventh career NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour win for the Franklin, Mass., driver. Four of those wins have come at Stafford, including the 2010 Fall Final.

“I was taking care a little bit and saving for 10 to go, but Flemke held me up a little and that kind of motivated me,” said Santos, the 2010 Whelen Modified Tour champion.

Pitkat led a race-high 128 laps at his hometown track. The Stafford driver had a cushion of over a second late in the race before Santos cleared lapped traffic and tracked him down. Santos wound up winning by .644 seconds.

“I have to congratulate (Pitkat). He did an awesome jog,” stated Santos. “I really wish he could have gotten his first win, but it feels great to win for us, too.”

While Pitkat had to settle for second place, he was proud of his team’s performance.

“The car was really good. I wanted to stay out front so I wouldn’t have to abuse the car and that’s what we did,” said Pitkat. “But something happened toward the end. I think we started leaking power steering fluid or something. It was all over the front of the car there at the end.

“This team has worked really hard and it was nice to prove that we have a top-five car. It’s an honor to drive for these guys. Hopefully we can be one spot better at Thompson.”

Jimmy Blewett, who won his second career Coors Light Pole Award in qualifying Saturday, finished third. Blewett pitted early for tires but the strategy backfired when the race ran 93 laps under green. Neither Santos nor Pitkat pitted.

“The car was a little too free at the beginning. We came in put the tires on and made a chassis adjustment,” Blewett said. “We hoped that we’d get a late-race caution and everybody else would pit and pick up track position. We didn’t get that caution we really wanted. We had to go when we did and it was just a little too late in the game.”

Ron Silk and Ryan Preece finished fourth and fifth, respectively. Mike Stefanik was sixth, followed by Donny Lia, Bryon Chew, Doug Coby and Matt Hirschman.

With one race remaining Coby holds a 17-point lead over Ryan Preece and 18 over defending tour champion Silk. Lia and Justin Bonsignore round out the top five but are mathematically eliminated from championship contention.

With the victory, Santos locked up a spot in the NASCAR Whelen Modified race at the UNOH Battle At The Beach on the .4-mile oval at Daytona International Speedway next February during Speedweeks.

The NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour concludes the season Sunday, Oct. 14 at Thompson (Conn.) International Speedway.
 
 

NASCAR WHELEN MODIFIED TOUR-CARQUEST Fall Final Results - UNOFFICIAL
Sunday At Stafford Motor Speedway, Stafford Springs, CT
Lap length: 0.5 miles

  (Start position in parentheses)
  1.   (2) Bobby Santos, Franklin, Mass., Chevrolet, 150 laps, 74.462 mph.
  2.   (4) Woody Pitkat, Stafford, Conn., Pontiac, 150.
  3.   (1) Jimmy Blewett, Howell, N.J., Chevrolet, 150.
  4.   (3) Ron Silk, Norwalk, CT, Chevrolet, 150.
  5. (10) Ryan Preece, Berlin, Conn., Ford, 150.
  6. (17) Mike Stefanik, Coventry, R.I., Ford, 150.
  7.   (9) Donny Lia, Jericho, NY, Dodge, 150.
  8.   (8) Bryon Chew, Mattituck, NY, Chevrolet, 150.
  9. (11) Doug Coby, Milford, Conn., Chevrolet, 150.
10.   (6) Matt Hirschman, Northampton, PA, Chevrolet, 150.
11. (13) Justin Bonsignore, Holtsville, NY, Chevrolet, 150.
12. (14) Ron Yuhas, Jr., Groton, Conn., Chevrolet, 150.
13.   (7) Eric Beers, Northampton, Pa., Ford, 150.
14. (16) Richie Pallai,, Jr., Yorktown Heights, N.Y., Chevrolet, 150.
15. (12) Rowan Pennink, Huntingdon Valley, Pa., Chevrolet, 150.
16. (24) Jamie Tomaino, Howell, N.J., Chevrolet, 150.
17. (21) Eric Goodale, Riverhead, N.Y., Chevrolet, 150.
18. (23) Ed Flemke, Jr., Southington, Conn, Chevrolet, 149.
19. (15) Tommy Barrett, Jr., Millis, Mass., Chevrolet, 149.
20. (20) Ted Christopher, Plainville, Conn., Chevrolet, 149.
21. (19) Eric Berndt, Cromwell, Conn., Chevrolet, 148.
22. (25) Wade Cole, Riverton, Conn., Chevrolet, 142.
23.   (5) Todd Szegedy, Ridgefield, Conn, Ford, 128.
24. (26) Steve Dickey, Londonderry, N.H., Chevrolet, 70, clutch.
25. (22) Patrick Emerling, Orchard Park, NY, Chevrolet, 50, steering.
26. (18) Keith Rocco, Wallingford, Conn., Ford, 10, engine.

Race Statistics
Time of Race: 1 hour 0 minutes 26 seconds
Margin of Victory: .644 seconds
Fastest Qualifier: J. Blewett (98.318 mph, 18.308 seconds)
Caution Flags: 4 for 24 laps.
Lead Changes: 3 among 4 drivers.
Lap Leaders: J. Blewett 1-2; R. Silk 3-16; W. Pitkat 17-144; B. Santos 145-150.

Standings: 1. D. Coby, 518; 2. R. Preece, 501; 3. R. Silk, 500; 4. D. Lia, 466; 5. J. Bonsignore, 435; 6. T. Szegedy, 434; 7. J. Blewett, 431; 8. E. Beers, 430; 9. T. Christopher, 421; 10. R. Yuhas, Jr., 412.

  
  Source: Shon Sbarra / NASCAR
 Posted: September 30, 2012

©2012 GeeLaw Motorsports/Wolf Pack Ventures, Inc.