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TIMMY
SOLOMITO CONQUERS LANGLEY SPEEDWAY
FOR SECOND 2017 NWMT VICTORY
A Win is a Win in the Long Run
by Denise DuPont |
The
NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour (NWMT) headed south to
Langley Speedway in Hampton, Virginia for the fourth
race of the 2017 season. It was the first time at
the track for many competitors and after parking
their haulers, teams started prep work. Drivers
walked the track and watched videos to educate
themselves on past drivers experiences. When it was
time for practice, teams had over an hour to learn
the track and tweak their cars. Doug Colby of
Milford CT, was fastest in practice and came out in
the last round of group qualifying to secure his
twenty-first career pole, his second for 2017, and
first ever at Langley Speedway.
Coby took the initial green flag and went forward to
dominate the race. With less than ten circuits to go
and the leaders were racing hard right down to the
wire. The big battle was in front between Coby and
Timmy Solomito of East Islip, NY. Coby had the lead
and just when it seemed like victory was in his
hands, he spun going into turn four. Solomito
inherited the lead and Coby headed to the rear.
Solomito defended his territory and took the win
while Coby having so few laps to charge forward,
ended up with a fifteenth place finish. There were
eighteen cars out of twenty-five on the track when
the checkers flew.
The
race had three red flags and nine cautions. The
weather was cool, the track was slick and the old
adage that cautions breed cautions proved true once
again. The first caution of the night occurred on
lap 14 that sparked the start of the caution action
to come. We saw the incidents take Whelen Champions
Andy Seuss from Hampstead, New Hampshire and Todd
Szegedy from Ridgefield, CT. out of the racing
action.
This was the second 2017 victory for Solomito making
him the first repeat winner of the year. He was
eighth in practice, qualified third and started the
race right behind Coby. He stayed within the lead
pack most of the feature. The leaders all pitted for
tires during the mandatory pit stop and the fresh
rubber allowed them to maintain their front
momentum. On the closing laps it appeared that
Solomito and Eric Goodale of Riverhead, NY had a
slight edge over Coby as their bared down on him.
Coby protected the bottom off the track in the
corners to block passing attempts but his luck ran
out with the spin.
Solomito had a good qualifying run and started the
race up in the top five. The mid-race mandatory pit
stop brought Solomito back to sixth. He quickly
sprung back into the top five to continue his
competitive run.
“I
do not like to win a race like that, but a win is a
win.” Said Solomito. “When the cars are so close
like that things happen. I pressed him (Coby) and
tried to get him to slip up. He slipped up a few
times. I even showed my nose under him a couple
times. I have a lot of respect for Doug but he’s
trying to win a race and I’m trying to win a race.
Unfortunately, its tight quarters, you’re racing on
a small track, I hate to win races that way but
contact happens. And that is how the cards fell
tonight I do not like to win that way, but once
again a win is a win.”
Reflecting on the race, Solomito was very
conservative with his words. “Unfortunately, its
racing. It is a contact sport here and there and
sometimes things happen. We didn’t want that to
happen but it’s hard racing. Two guys going for the
same piece of real estate for the win. If I could go
back, would I have done anything different? Probably
not. Everybody’s here to win.”
The #16 Starrett Sponsored team strategy for tire
and pitting got them to where they needed to be for
racing for the victory. “We changed this car three
times today. We started out with something, we
changed it. We put something else on it and I did
not like it. Before qualifying the crew changed it
again.” Solomito confessed. “The guys just kept
making great calls. Gatlin Support Suspension gave
us another good hot rod. I have to thank my crew and
Starrett Tools for all their support Along with
Sanderson and McLeod and all my other sponsor.”
Goodale
was mid pack in practice times and had a strong
group qualifying session. He ended up outside the
leader at race start ready to give Coby a run for
the money. After completing the mandatory stop,
Goodale fell back to eleventh and had 48 laps to get
to the front. Less than thirty laps later Goodale
was in fourth challenging for the top position.
Goodale was there a couple of times--- right on the
leader’s outside but at race end he was one position
shy, finishing he race second. “I kind of put myself
in a hold pattern before the break at lap 100. Then
I had a little chip on my shoulder there at the
end.” Exclaimed Goodale. “But that is what you have
to do in these races. Nobody gives an inch when
there is less than forty to go. We did what we had
to do and we came home second I am pretty happy with
the GAF, Riverhead Buildign Supply’s, Chevy.” It was
a solid effort for Goodale. This season he has
eluded victory lane bu het is getting closer. “We
are getting close. We are bringing good pieces to
the race track week in and week out. So we just have
to bite our time and we will see when we head back
up to Thompson what happens in two weeks.”
Kyle
Bonsignore of Bay Shore, NY wheeled the #22 Modified
at least twice from the rear of the field to capture
a podium finish. After mid-way it way it was a give
or take all race as drivers stepped up their race
strategies for their opportunity to get the lead
position. “We actually, fortunately or
unfortunately, I started dead last twice.”
Bonsignore stated during post-race ceremonies.
“First time we pitted. Second time we avoided the
#36 spinning and a wreck. We were at least half-way
up the pack and then heading once again to the
back.”
From the rear of the field Bonsignore regrouped and
prepared to make his way through the field. “We came
back up through again and it was rough. You could
see how much we used the front bumper coming up
through, it is junk. There was a lot of clean
racing, but with a single lane track like this you
have to just ride. Especially with all those
northern cars here. You just have to stay clean or
go to the rear of the pack. That is how it is. It
was move or you got moved especially towards the
end. “
Max Zachem and Justin Bonsignore rounded out the
top-five.
The next race for the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour
will be held at Connecticut's Thompson Speedway
Motorsports Park on June 14th.
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Source:
Denise DuPont /
TheChromeHorn.com
Posted:
May 14, 2017 |
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