Story By: KYLE SOUZA / JDV PRODUCTIONS – LEE, NH – For the second straight NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour race, Doug Coby was on top Saturday. Coby rocketed to Victory Lane in the inaugural Granite State Derby presented by USA Insulation at Lee USA Speedway – taking the Tommy Baldwin Racing No. 7NY into Lee’s winner’s circle in the first Tour appearance at the track in over two decades.
Coby led 78 of the 181 total laps in the race that moved into NASCAR Overtime, capturing his 33rd career victory on the Whelen Modified Tour. Two weeks ago, Coby wasn’t planning on competing in Tour races at Riverhead Raceway, or Lee. After a phone call from Tommy Baldwin, the six-time series champion now has two trophies in his corner.
The win came in the first of three races in the Whelen Granite State Short Track Cup, giving Coby the early edge in those point standings, and the first of four JDV Productions events during the 2022 season.
“Tommy Baldwin gave me a good car for two races in a row,” Coby said. “This is a tough track, you can spin your tires real easily. Jon (McKennedy) is a clean driver, Matt (Hirschman) is a clean driver, but I didn’t want to worry too much about Jon and open the door for Matt to be the hero. They’re both so good. To be able to race with those guys is a great feat for this 7NY team and the Baldwin family.”
While Coby captured the victory, the horses behind him in the derby were some of the best in the game. Jon McKennedy finished second, while Matt Hirschman, who led 100 laps, finished third. Known as one of the best in the game in tire strategy, Hirschman admitted post-race he would like to replay the day.
“Good start, just ended up a little bit off on strategy,” Hirschman said. “Sometimes you live or die by some of the decisions you make, and some of them start earlier in the day. What you do with your tires and how you plan on using them. I think we just ended up a little bit off. I’d like to re-do a couple things, but still a good run.”
Ron Silk took the Whelen Modified Tour championship lead finishing fourth, while after winning the Mayhew Tools Dominator Pole Award, Rookie of the Year contender Jake Johnson finished fifth. Kyle Bonsignore was sixth, followed by Austin Beers, JB Fortin, Eric Goodale and three-time series champion Justin Bonsignore.
Former Granite State Pro Stock Series champion Joey Doiron passed Bryan Kruczek inside the final 30 laps to win their 100-lap feature. Les Rose, returning to racing action for the first time in a while, took down the victory in the 25-lap Pro 4 Modified feature win. Dylan Coutu rocketed to the NEMA Lite victory, taking his 53 to Victory Lane, while in the NHSTRA Mini Stocks, Gordon Farnum won the Battle for the Belt race, capturing the checkered flag.
The NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour inaugural Granite State Derby will be shown on USA Network on Saturday, May 28 at 11 a.m.
JDV Productions will continue to promote the next two NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour races on the 2022 schedule, including at Jennerstown Speedway, on Saturday, May 28. The Jennerstown Salutes 150 is just one part of a full card of racing in Pennsylvania. Advance tickets are available today at JDVProductions.com. The JDV Productions schedule will also continue at Monadnock Speedway on June 18 and Claremont Motorsports Park on July 29.
