Column By: BRITTANY NUTILE / RPW – STAFFORD SPRINGS, CT – Doug Coby won the Spring Sizzler 200 at Stafford Motor Speedway on Saturday. This was his fourth victory in the event, with the others coming in 2006, 2012 and 2016.
After the first three races starting the season, it was a hard-fought good win for Coby and the team.
“We are four races into the season and I think we had a car that could have won Thompson,” Coby said. “I’m looking at three or four races that we had a winning car but didn’t win but this win is awesome to get.”
Craig Lutz finished second in a hard battle with Coby. Lutz grabbed the lead on the lap 183 restart but Coby took it from him on the same lap.
For the next 17 laps, Craig was all over the bumper of Coby, trying everything to get back to the lead but couldn’t get there in time.
“This is what you dream of,” Lutz said. “He’s (Coby) one of the best here and to be able to run with him the last 5-10 laps was fun. It’s probably one of the most disappointing second places just because I felt like all day, we had a really good car.”
Ron Silk started 15th and had a good day. He came up towards the front at the end of the race and by lap 144 was in third. He went on to stay in that position to the end of the race finishing on the podium.
“It was a good run for us,” Silk said. “We got too tight, especially there at the end. It felt like the longer we went, the tighter I got. I really just had a hard time rolling the bottom but, third is a great effort.”
After the race at Stafford, the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour points had a bit of a shake up. Coby stayed the points leader and Patrick Emerling in still in second, but that’s where things got jumbled.
Silk gained three spots to take the third position. Jimmy Blewett dropped a spot to fourth with Justin Bosignore picking up two spots to be in fifth in points.
Eric Goodale, Craig Lutz, Woody Pitkat, and Blake Barney are now inside the top 10 with their good performances at Stafford. Chris Pasteryak lost three spots after getting in an accident during the race.
The Whelen Modified Tour’s next race is at Wall Stadium on Saturday May 18th.
