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DOUG COBY
BREAKS 2017 SPELL WINNING THE SEEKONK "150"
The “Cement Palace” is A Challenging Small Bull Ring
by Denise DuPont |
 The
NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour (NWMT) came to the quick
oval of Seekonk Speedway for 150 laps of fast short
track racing. The circuits clicked off fast with on
track moves just as fast.
Doug Coby of Milford, CT came to Seekonk winless so
far in 2017 in NWMT events. He finally made his mark
by leading the most laps, surviving seven cautions,
several restarts and red flags to cross the finish
line first. With three circuits to go the green flag
flew and Coby was able to hold off Ryan Preece of
Berlin, Ct and Anthony Nocella of Woburn, MA to pull
off his first 2017 victory. It has been a
challenging year for Coby and the #2 Mayhew
Tools/Dunleavy/AJ Romano Construction team who have
with stood a lot of bad luck and unexpected
finishers. To finally break through and complete a
great run was an achievement the #2 team has been
waiting to accomplish. Leading over one-half of the
race shows the #2 team and their driver is ready to
go forward and make their track presence known
again.
“I am just excited that my guys made the changes
that they did and gave me a car that ran in the
middle as good as it was.” Stated Coby after victory
lane ceremonies. “We were battling there for a while
in the corners with Matt. He was pinching the
corners and we tried to cross him over for position.
We had a great car and it was everything that I
hoped it would be. So this race with this tire, this
car and with this series was really good tonight.”
 There
were a lot of cautions and most of them led to red
flag conditions to allow safety crews to clear the
track. The process was good for track crews, but
modified tires cooled and made restarts continuity
difficult. How did all these yellow/red conditions
effect Coby’s racing? “On one hand I do not want to
see the restarts because if I could stretch it out
for four or five lengthens to make it easier to
cruise around. On the other hand I knew on every
restart the car did the same thing so it was
predictable and I could make sure I did not screw
up. If it was green flag racing and you are tight
then you could get knocked around and if you are
stretched out end to end those cautions eat up
laps.”
“I did not like all those red flags. We have a
series that courts caution flags for a reason.”
Exclaimed Coby. “So when we go red when there is a
wreck things change. I am not sure why we could not
drive around and count caution laps to prevent the
tires from cooling off. If this series wants to go
red, just don’t count cautions laps and let us keep
heat in the tires which would make for better racing
for the fans. But instead we are trying to conserve
laps because we count the caution laps. So we cool
the tires off and cautions breed cautions because
the tires have kind of an icy feeling for the
drivers. Let come up with a new plan for the short
tracks to make it work for us and the fans and
eliminate our frustration.”
As the race unfolded drivers made their surge
forward with some challenging Coby for his top
position. Preece had been following him in second
while Nocella had made his way from thirteenth into
the top three. Nocella had the fastest car in the
field and with more laps on the Seekonk groove than
Coby or Preece he was ready to challenge. Coby knew
there were strong cars there and ready to push him
out of the way so he went into defense mode and
covered the bottom. ”If I am going to have a faster
car behind me near me, this is the track that I am
going to want to have it.” Confessed Coby. “Because
the faster car is in the crappier lane where you can
be as fast as you want and when you try to stomp on
the gas to get under someone you get free. I just
knew I had to keep the car on the bottom and if he
was able to go on the outside and use his nerf bar a
little bit than maybe things would get tougher but
with a green -white-checker finish where I was
really strong and comfortable on the bottom, anyone
would have to be superior or try to cross me over
and get under me on the backstretch. And it did not
seem like our entire package here was going to allow
that to happen where the cars could move around a
lot. If I just kept drivers on my outside near my
right rear tire and they could not beat me so they
would have to tuck in. Then you do not know if he is
tucking in because he is fast and can give me a
shot. And if he gives me a shot I would go way up on
the track. So then it just is squeeze on the gas and
try to get away from him.”
 Nocella
had only run with the tour drivers once before but
with his home track advantage he gave it his all to
test the NWMT teams skills. Starting mid-pack
Nocella avoided incidents, ran a steady pace and
broke into the top five on Lap 100. From there he
made his presence know as he threatened the leaders
for position. He was adept on the track and with two
to go had second and made Coby work hard for the
win.
“It was pretty awesome,” expressed Nocella with a
big smile. “I was kind of an underdog coming into
the race. This was only our second race out with
these guys. Our car is always good here and we have
won a few races with this car in the MRS and
Tri-Track series. I also have a lot of laps here
which helps out a bunch. I had a decent car all day
here speed wise. We were not the quickest but we
were pretty balanced which I think helps in the long
runs.”
With a stable car under him Nocella was able to once
again master his home track and challenge the tour
drivers. “The car started coming to its own the
longer that we ran while other cars just started to
slow up. So we just kept on going and the car kept
getting better and better as the night went on. It
is tough racing with these guys because nobody is
going to give you an inch. So I went to the bottom
at the end and filled the hole. It is just short
track racing I just kept plugging along and it is
pretty awesome to pull off a second in only our
second time out with these guys.”
Preece had a good car, timed well and stayed within
the top five group for all 150 laps. He started on
the outside pole, led for one lap, but did not have
enough at the end to force his way under Coby for
position.
At race end it was a green, white, checker finish.
The final restart had Preece once again on Coby’s
outside. Since the top does not have the grip of the
bottom, Preece knew by turn two he had to get down
if he was going to have any chance of getting past
Coby. But when he went to go down coming out of turn
three, Nocella was already there. Preece had to back
off and control his car after making slight contact.
After a brief squiggle, Preece collected himself and
scrambled to get into third. He remained there to
take home a podium finish. “I would not have
expected him (Nocella) to lift. That is just racing.
All I was thinking about really was that the #16 and
3 had issues during the race and I just needed a
solid day. I have never been really out of this
world here. I just had to be smart. I wanted to
finish second because of Doug and to be there at the
end. But ultimately it was a good day. Finishing
third is not so bad.”
Matt Swanson finished fourth followed by Dave
Sapienza for fifth. Justin Bonsignore, Matt
Hirschman, Max Zachem, Gary McDonald and Wade Cole
rounded up the top ten finishers.
Teams will regroup and prepare for racing next
Saturday at Oswego Speedway in New York.
Notes from
Seekonk Speedway:
What are your thoughts on racing at Seekonk
Speedway?
Ryan Preece
“Seekonk does not work for my driving style. Maybe
it is actually because I have not found a setup for
me that works here. Maybe if the track put some
rosin on the outside it would be great but this
track is just tough for me. I am not a fan of racing
in a small circle all race. It is just hard to hold
back on the throttle.”
Doug Coby
“Oswego is like a big Seekonk shape wise. The
difference between here and Oswego is that the gooey
stuff allows you to have some grip on the outside
and have some good runs and competition.”
Ted Christopher
“Running here you feel like you have a raw egg under
your gas pedal and you have to drive so you do not
break it.”
Heading to Oswego where
you won last year your thoughts?
Doug Coby
“We won last year with a really good car. I babied
that thing for 130 laps as a fuel consumption thing
to ensure that we had something at the end. I told
Phil Moran with ten laps to go at the end that I was
going. I think we then ran our fastest lap with four
to go last year. If we have the same car that we had
last year it is going to be a lot of fun. If we
don’t then we are going to have to work at it. It is
a neat place and if they put that grippe stuff in
spots it is going to be a good race. There was a
great crowd there last year and it is a neat
weekend. Something that brings the crowd out for
that big Super Modified race. Hopefully we can win
two in a row.”
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Source:
Denise DuPont /
TheChromeHorn.com
Posted:
August 28, 2017 |
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