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BONSIGNORE
SETS SIGHTS ON FIRST CHAMPIONSHIP
WITH NEW CHASSIS AND CREW CHIEF
Phoenix Communications continues as Primary Sponsor of No.
51 team |
Kenneth
Massa Motorsports has announced its 2018 plans for
the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour. Veteran driver
Justin Bonsignore will drive a LFR Car as he races
for the NWMT championship with Ryan Stone as his
crew chief.
“I’m very pleased we were able to put this deal
together after a tremendous amount of work,” said
Ken Massa, team owner. “This will bring our team to
the next level. We didn’t have the season we wanted
to last year and after an exhaustive process,
speaking to all the manufactures, and a handful of
crew chiefs, we have it nailed down. I’m ready to
put our team and sponsor back in Victory Lane and
work toward earning our first championship in the
series.”
Additionally, it was announced that Phoenix
Communications Inc., a leading provider of fiber
optic construction services to the
telecommunications industry and municipalities
throughout the northeastern United States, will
continue its partnership with KMM serving as the
primary sponsor of the No. 51 NWMT race car.
“The anticipation for the 2018 NWMT season has been
building since last season’s finale at Thompson,”
said Mark Langevin, President of Phoenix
Communications. “The effort and dedication from Ken
and Justin has always been there, so to see that
high level of determination continue into the
offseason spoke volumes. Last season didn’t go the
way we had hoped but had its moments that showed
just how close we were to making our way back into
Victory Lane. With the changes made this offseason
to both car and crew we cannot wait to see what the
future has in store for the No. 51 team.”
Bonsignore will start his ninth season with KMM in
2018. He has scored 12 wins during his NWMT career
and ranked in the Top-3 in final championship
standings in three of the past four years.
“I’m very excited and anxious to get the 2018 season
started, racing can be a humbling sport and the 2017
season didn’t turn out to be the season we had hoped
for,” said Bonsignore. “I feel that bringing Ryan
(Stone) on board and making the switch to LFR
Chassis will elevate our team back to the level we
need to be to contend for wins and a championship.
Ryan and I have always been friendly at the races,
and I feel our chemistry will be there right away,
along with having Rob (Fuller) in our corner for
support, I am very confident that this season will
be a successful one.”
“None of this would be possible without the return
of Phoenix Communications Inc. coming back on
board,” continued Bonsignore. “Mark and Marie
Langevin stood behind us with their full support
last year, and I really want to get them and my team
of guys back to Victory Lane more than anything
else.”
Calling the shots for Bonsignore will be 20-year
racing veteran Ryan Stone, who won the 2011 NWMT
championship as crew chief for Ron Silk. He has more
than a decade of experience in modified racing as a
driver, car chief and crew chief including three
years working at LFR.
“This is a great opportunity for me to get back home
to Connecticut and get back working with the
modifieds and LFR which is where my heart is,” said
Stone. “I’m glad I got the experience to work in the
South for a short time to see what it was all about,
but I’m excited to get back up North and work with
Justin and Ken. I spent a lot of time with Rob while
we built the LFR brand so I know we will have the
equipment that can contend for a championship.”
Massa was pleased to have Stone join the team,
someone he felt would be a perfect fit.
“It’s funny, because we approached Ryan earlier and
he turned us down, but I guess I owe it to Rob for
keeping after it,” said Massa. “Eventually Ryan came
back to the table and we were able to finish the
deal. Rob put in a lot of work to make this happen,
and showed that he was determined to get the 51 Team
in LFR equipment, and that means a lot when there
are so many choices of what car to run.”
Rob Fuller created LFR in order to take modified
chassis design and customer service to the next
level. Since its inception in 2014, LFR has secured
the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour championship every
year.
“A team like KMM can go to any design car they want
honestly,” said Fuller. “I have had my eye on them
for a couple years now and knew they were a better
group than what they were showing, and thought they
would be a perfect addition to the LFR team. Ken and
Justin came to the LFR shop before the holidays and
their reaction to the cars was what I hoped it would
be. Ken explained that he watched our house car this
year and was impressed with our results. Also, the
teams that made a change to LFR in recent years, all
had immediate improvements in performance. Justin
was just as impressed and is ready to start winning
races again. I believe this team will be back where
they belong in 2018.”
KMM will kick-off the racing season with the opening
NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour race at Myrtle Beach
Speedway on March 17th.
For more information, visit
phoenix-fiber.com,
m3-tec.com,
justinbonsignore.com, or follow on Facebook
or Twitter @jbonsignore.
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Source:
Nealie Stufflet / LFR Chassis
Posted:
January 10, 2018 |
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