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DOUG COBY
LOOKING TO MAINTAIN WINNING WAYS AT STAFFORD MOTOR SPEEDWAY
IN NAPA FALL FINAL 150 |
 When
it comes to the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour and
Stafford Speedway, Doug Coby and the #2 Dunleavy’s
Truck & Trailer Repair team have proven they are the
team to beat over the past several seasons. Since
2012, Coby and the #2 team have won 8 of the 19 NWMT
races at Stafford and they have also collected 4
pole positions at Stafford in that time frame. Coby
won the NAPA Spring Sizzler in April and the TSI
Harley-Davidson 125 in June at Stafford and appeared
to be heading to a dominating victory in the August
Stafford 150 before his car ran out of fuel with 6
laps to go. This background has Coby feeling
confident ahead of this weekend’s, October 8 & 9,
NAPA Fall Final feature as he enters the race as the
NWMT points leader by a 13 point margin over Justin
Bonsignore with only 2 races left to determine the
2016 champion.
“Ultimately it’s going to be business as usual for
us because there’s been some things happen to us
that we just can’t control,” said Coby. “We should
have won the last race at Stafford but we had a
slight miscalculation on the fuel load and we ran
out of gas. We’ve been really strong at Stafford the
past few races but obviously there’s no given about
anything and we’re approaching it like any other
race. I’m pretty confident we’ll have a car that
will contend for the win but there are a handful of
other teams that have stepped up their game. The
ideal thing would be for the other teams to step
their games up to get by Justin but not catch us.
We’re confident in the things we can control and
hopeful for the things that we can’t control.”
Coby has been in the thick of the NWMT title chase
for the past four seasons, winning the championship
in 2012, 2014, and 2015. His championship effort
last season was the result of taking pole positon
and the checkered flag in each of the final 3 NWMT
races. Coby’s chief rival Justin Bonsignore won the
most recent NWMT race at Loudon and his only finish
outside the top-3 in the last 7 races was the
Bristol race where a crash left him in 22nd place.
Coby knows that Bonsignore could be in the midst of
pulling off the identical feat of winning the last 3
races but he would prefer to be right where he is at
the top of the standings rather than chasing like
Bonsignore is.
“Obviously last season we were able to make up some
points in the last couple of races but I would
certainly rather be the leader,” said Coby. “Having
a good car at Stafford the last couple years makes
us feel pretty comfortable but Justin’s team have
really stepped up the last 8 races and they haven’t
been outside of the top-3. Any time we run good
they’re right there with us and when they win we’re
right there a few spots behind them. Crazier things
have happened so we’re looking at our lead as just a
small margin.”
With only 13 points between himself and Bonsignore,
bonus points will be all important to either driver
and that means a good qualifying effort to start up
front will be an easier task to get to the front and
lead a lap for a bonus point.
“Bonus points are huge at this point,” said Coby.
“All year you plan on trying to get them when you
can and it’s always nice to get another point or two
but right now you have to get them. We’re both in
the same boat where we need to get as many bonus
points as we can. Just one lap led can be a big
difference and I think we’re both going to be trying
as hard as we can to get up front and get a bonus
point.”
Despite Coby’s track record at Stafford, he knows
anything can happen in racing and there is always
the strategy game that can be played to help another
driver gain some all important track position as
well as the specter of running out of fuel in the
last Stafford race hanging over their heads.
“I feel more comfortable being in the lead rather
than following,” said Coby. “If the caution flag
comes out around between lap 50 and 80, we like to
be the ones to bring everyone else down pit road. It
all depends when the caution falls because some guys
might play the strategy game and pit early and then
wait for everyone else to pit. It’s really tough to
say but it’s exciting when it happens because we
know it’s a make it or break it situation. It’s
going to be on me to save as much fuel as we can
during the race and I think all the other teams are
aware that [Bobby Santos] and myself ran out of gas
in the last race. We have to be smart about it
because we’re certainly not going to be making 2 pit
stops and losing our track position. It’s not going
to change how we approach the race but you have to
make sure you have enough gas to get to the finish
and we’re going to do our best to make that happen.”
The 2016 NAPA Auto Parts Fall Final Weekend gets
underway on Saturday, October 8th with practice
sessions for Stafford’s Whelen All-American Series
divisions, Legend Cars, TQ Midgets, Mr. Rooter Truck
Series, and the Whelen Modified Tour. Action
continues with Coors Light Pole Qualifying for the
Whelen Modified Tour cars, along with heat races for
all divisions except for the Legend Cars. Feature
events for the SK Light, Limited Late Model, DARE
Stock, TQ Midgets, and Mr. Rooter Truck Series
divisions will wrap up Saturday’s on track
activities. The NAPA Fall Final continues on Sunday,
October 9th with the NAPA Auto Parts Pit Party from
11am-12noon followed by feature events for
Stafford’s SK Modifieds®, Late Models, Whelen
Modified Tour, and Legend Cars.
Tickets for the NAPA Auto Parts Fall Final Weekend
are on sale now at the Speedway Box Office. Tickets
are priced at $38.50 for adult general admission
tickets, $5.00 for children ages 6-14, and children
ages 5 and under are admitted free of charge when
accompanied by an adult. Reserved seating will be
priced at $42.00 for all ages. All ticket prices
include 10% CT Admission Tax. Visit your local
participating NAPA Auto Parts Store for discount
tickets.
For more information on the 44th Annual NAPA Auto
Parts Fall Final, or to order tickets,
contact the Stafford Motor Speedway track office at
860-684-2783 or visit us on the web at
www.staffordspeedway.com.
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Source:
Scott Running / Stafford Motor Speedway
Posted:
October 5, 2016 |
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