Story By: KYLE SOUZA / NASCAR – STAFFORD SPRINGS, CT – The NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour heads to Stafford Motor Speedway for the annual NAPA Fall Final 150, where Justin Bonsignore seeks to clinch his first championship. The event is the third appearance at the half-mile this season and comes following a grueling inaugural Musket 250 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway.
WHAT TO WATCH FOR: There are two races remaining on the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour schedule, but Justin Bonsignore isn’t about to wait until the finale to clinch the championship. The Holtsville, New York, driver enters Sunday’s NAPA Fall Final 150 at Stafford Motor Speedway with a 74-point advantage in the standings, and in order to clinch in the penultimate race of the season, he needs to leave the track with at least a 48-point lead.
Bonsignore hasn’t been to Victory Lane in 33 prior starts at Stafford — as the Connecticut half-mile is one of few tracks on the circuit he has yet to master. But, this season, everything seems to be going his way. With seven wins in 14 races, and top-10 finishes in all of them, Bonsignore is on his way to a title celebration. The 30-year-old does have top-10 finishes in his last nine starts there.
Bonsingore can clinch his first championship with a finish of 21st or better or a finish by Dowling of sixth or worse.
Chase Dowling rolls into his home track coming off his first career Whelen Modified Tour win in the inaugural Musket 250 at New Hampshire. Dowling, who cut his teeth racing modifieds at the half-mile, still competes in the NASCAR Whelen All-American Series SK Modified division, where he has been to Victory Lane this season. The Roxbury, Connecticut, driver has won both pole awards there in 2018.
RACE FACTS
| RACE | NAPA Fall Final 150 |
|---|---|
| PLACE | Stafford Motor Speedway, Stafford, Connecticut |
| DATE | Sunday September 30 |
| TIME | 3:15 p.m. ET |
| TELEVISION | NBCSN, Saturday October 6, 11 p.m. ET |
| TRACK LAYOUT | Half-mile oval |
| 2017 WINNER | Eric Goodale |
| 2017 POLE | Ryan Preece |
| EVENT SCHEDULE | Saturday — Garage Opens: 8:15 a.m., Practice: 11-11:40 a.m., Final Practice: 12:20-1 p.m., Group Qualifying: 2:30 p.m.Sunday — Garage Opens: 9 a.m., NAPA Fall Final 150: 3:15 p.m. |
| @StaffordSpeedwy | |
| HASHTAG | #NAPAFallFinal, #NWMT |
CREW CHIEF HANDOUT: The starting field for the NAPA Fall Final 150 is 33 starters, including provisional positions. The first 27 drivers will secure starting positions based on the qualifying session for the NAPA Fall Final 150.
Group qualifying is in place for this event. Each group qualifying session will be five (5) minutes in duration and the fastest single lap speed of each vehicle will determine starting positions. Adjustments or repairs may not be made on a vehicle after the vehicle enters the track to begin the qualifying session. Vehicles may not return to the track or make any further qualifying laps unless directed to do so by a NASCAR official. If a vehicle returns to pit road, the vehicle’s qualifying attempt is complete. Once a vehicle’s qualifying attempt is complete, the vehicle must proceed directly to the designated impound area once it enters pit road. Vehicles will proceed immediately to impound after making their qualifying attempt. Vehicles will be impounded after qualifying/inspection, and must qualify on their race set up. Only minor adjustments will be permitted following qualifying.
The NAPA FALL FINAL 150 will be 150 laps (75 miles).
The maximum tire allotment available for this event is eleven (11) tires per team. Four (4) tires must be used for qualifying and to begin the race. The tire change rule is four (4) tires, any position.
