08/25/07
JAMES CIVALI CAN THANK HIS BROTHER FOR
HIS 3rd VICTORY OF THE SEASON
With his brother serving as his spotter and tracking the weather on his cell
phone, James Civali
elected not to pit with the leaders and was out front
when NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour officials called the rain-shortened
Mansfield 150 Saturday at Mansfield Motorsports
Park.
“He knew it was going to rain – he just didn’t know how much
or when,” said James Civali.
The race was called after 108 laps following several attempts
to dry the track.
Doug Coby finished second and rookie Woody Pitkat was third.
Point leader and Budweiser Pole Award winner Donny Lia was
fourth and Eric Beers fifth. Ronnie Silk, Matt Hirschman, Ted Christopher,
Todd Szegedy and Bobby Grigas III rounded out the top 10.
Coby led the first 13 laps before Civali made the pass. Silk
moved to the front seven laps later and led until a lap 54 caution. Silk
elected to pit along with the fifth-place car of Szegedy and nine others.
“We were leading and the car was really good,” Civali said.
“When Ronnie got by me, the car got free. But then it stayed the same. It
had 90 hard laps on it, too. But it never changed that whole run. It looked
like Ronnie got free and then kept getting (more free).”
Following the restart, Civali and Coby built a straightaway
lead over third-place Pitkat on the half-mile banked oval. The field was
bunched briefly following a lap 96 caution. Rain brought out the caution at
lap 104 and the red at lap 108.
Lia maintained his points lead at 131 over Szegedy and 139
over Hirschman.
The next NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour race will be at
Martinsville (Va.) Speedway Sept. 1.
NASCAR WHELEN MODIFIED TOUR - Mansfield 150 Results
Thursday At Mansfield Motorsports Speedway
Mansfield, OH
Lap length: 0.5 miles
(Start position in parentheses)
1. (10) James Civali, Meriden, Conn., Chevrolet, 108 laps, 81.544 mph,
$8,100.
2. (2) Doug Coby, III, Milford, Conn., Pontiac, 108,
$3,000.
3. (18) Woody Pitkat, Stafford Springs, Conn., Pontiac, 108, $3,800.
4. (6) Donny Lia, Jericho, N.Y., Dodge, 108, $3,600.
5. (16) Eric Beers, Northampton, Pa., Chevrolet, 108, $2,450.
6. (8) Ronnie Silk, Norwalk, Conn., Chevrolet, 108,
$2,350.
7. (4) Matt Hirschman, Northampton, Pa., Dodge, 108,
$2,400.
8. (12) Ted Christopher, Plainville, Conn., Chevrolet, 108, $2,275.
9. (3) Todd Szegedy, Ridgefield, Conn., Ford, 108,
$2,125.
10. (7) Bobby Grigas, Marshfield, MA, Chevrolet, 108,
$1,550.
11. (11) Tony Hirschman, Jr., Northampton, Penn., Chevrolet, 108, $1,675.
12. (22) Mike Stefanik, Coventry, R.I., Pontiac, 108, $2,475.
13. (17) Richard Savary, Canton, Mass., Chevrolet, 108, $1,750.
14. (21) Jamie Tomaino, Howell, N.J., Ford, 108, $1,995.
15. (14) Dick Houlihan, Bridgewater, Mass., Chevrolet, 108, $1,740.
16. (13) Billy Pauch, Jr., Frenchtown, N.J., Dodge, 108, $1,880.
17. (9) Ryan Preece, Kensington, CT, Chevrolet, 108,
$1,825.
18. (5) Eddie Flemke, Southington, Conn., Chevrolet, 108,
$1,900.
19. (24) Joe Hartmann, Riverhead, N.Y., Chevrolet, 108, $1,325.
20. (15) Kevin Goodale, Riverhead, N.Y., Chevrolet, 107, $1,600.
21. (23) Rowan Pennink, Huntingdon Valley, Pa., Chevrolet, 106, $1,575.
22. (25) Wade Cole, Riverton, Conn., Chevrolet, 106, $1,550.
23. (19) Glen Tyler, Hampton Bays, N.Y., Chevrolet, 95, $1,225.
24. (20) Andy Seuss, Hampstead, N.H., Chevrolet, 22, oil pump, $950.
25. (1) Danny Sammons, Trenton, N.J., Chevrolet, 4,
engine, $1,490.
26. (26) Jake Marosz, Middletown, Conn., Chevrolet, 3, oil leak, $750.
27. (27) Jerry Marquis, Broad Brook, Conn., Chevrolet, 2, ignition, $1,250.
Race Statistics
Time of Race: 0 hours 39 minutes 44 seconds
Margin of Victory: under caution
Fastest Qualifier: D.Lia (117.847 mph, 15.274 seconds)
Caution Flags: 4 for 21 laps.
Lead Changes: 7 among 4 drivers.
Lap Leaders: D.Coby,III 1-13; J.Civali 14-19; R.Silk 20-57; J.Civali
58; D.Lia 59; J.Civali 60-100; D.Coby,III 101; J.Civali 102-108.
Standings: 1. D.Lia, 1759; 2. T.Szegedy, 1628; 3. M.Hirschman, 1620;
4. T.Christopher, 1504; 5. J.Civali, 1491; 6. R.Silk, 1470; 7. M.Stefanik,
1386; 8. J.Tomaino, 1366; 9. J.Blewett, 1334; 10. E.Flemke, 1318.
Source: Jason
Christley/NASCAR WMT PR
Posted:
August 25, 2007 |