Story By: STEVEN PETTY / LANCASTER MOTORPLEX – LANCASTER, NY – Austin Beers from Northampton, PA used pit strategy and track position to win his second straight Nu-Way Auto Parts 150 for the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour at Lancaster Motorplex Saturday night.
For Beers, it was his second career Modified victory at Lancaster. Mike Fiebelkorn Jr won the Insinger Performance/VP Race Fuels Sportsman. Dustin Novoa from Springville, NY won his fourth Monroe Extinguisher Street Stocks. Jimmy Dunkleman III won the Rusty Diamond Cores Pro 4 feature event.
Ron Silk and Justin Bonsignore were on the front row for the Nu-Way Auto Parts 150, with Silk in the lead ahead of Jake Johnson. Andrew Spurback spun in turn four to bring out the caution on lap two. Bonsignore would regain the second position on lap seven and would bring Austin Beers with him for third place. Bob Reis spun in turn two to bring out the caution on lap nine. Justin Bonsignore would take over the lead on lap 16. Craig Lutz raced in third ahead of Austin Bers and Kyle Bonsignore. Andrew Spurback spun in turn four to bring out the third caution of the event on lap 23. Lutz would take over second and would go after Justin Bonsignore the lead. Tyler Rypkema came to a stop on the front straightaway to bring the caution out on lap 40. Ron Silk would regain the runner up position on lap 45 following the restart. Jake Lutz would take over fifth place on lap 50, as Justin Bonsignore continued to lead. Austin Beers would take over the lead using pit strategy on lap 54. The caution would come back out for the fifth time on lap 80 as Reis would spin for the third time. After the leaders went down pit road, Justin Bonsignore and Ron Silk would once again take command of the field. Beers would work his way back through the field and would regain the lead following another caution on lap 89. Upon entry to the race, fans were given #MangusStrong signs to show tribute to Tim Mangus, a Lancaster modified legend who is recovering following an incident in late May. Beers would show the way following the restart. Tommy Catalano would take over third place on lap 108. The caution would come out for the ninth time as Andy Jankowiak spun in turn three. Austin Beers would continue to show the way. Emerling would take over second on lap 125, with Justin Bonsignore regaining third spot. After the lap 135 restart, Austin Beers would survive several late-race restarts, to win his second Nu-Way Auto Parts 150. Patrick Emerling and Justin Bonsignore would round out the top three finishers.
Tim Garlock and Brian Schulz were on the front row for the 30-lap feature for the Insinger Performance/VP Race Fuels Sportsman, with Garlock in the lead ahead of Mason Hanel, Mike Fiebelkorn Jr, Schulz, and John Barber. Hanel would take the lead away from Garlock on lap three. Mike Fiebelkorn Jr would take the lead away from Hanel on lap five, as Shawn Nye worked his way into the top five. Nye would take over third place on lap six and then on lap seven, would take over second place. Fiebelkorn would continue to show the way ahead of Nye and Barber at the race’s halfway mark. Fiebelkorn would hold off Nye to score the feature win, his first at Lancaster since July of 2012.
Dan Dressel and David Brunka brought the Monroe Extinguisher Street Stocks to the green flag for their 20-lap feature event, with Dressel in the lead. Mark Hoch would start 12th on the grid and by lap four, was running inside the top five. Dressel would continue to lead over Kyle Schosek and Nathan Bryant. Bryant would take over second on lap seven. Dustin Novoa would battle with Hoch and Kyle Schosek for third place on lap 10. Novoa would battle with Bryant and race for second place on lap 14. Bryant would spin in turn two to bring out the caution on lap 16. Novoa would take over the lead on the restart and would go on toe score the win, his fourth of the season.
David Milbrand and Bob Palmer were on the front row for the Rusty Diamond Cores Pro 4’s feature event, with Milbrand in the lead. Jim Dunkleman III would race his way to second off the start, with Mike Myers, Eric Black, and Mason Russo raced inside the top five. Dunkleman would take over the lead on lap nine. Dunkleman would hold off Milbrand to score his second win of the season.
Racing returns to Lancaster Motorplex on Saturday, August 17th for the 35th Tribute to Tommy Druar and Tony Jankowiak 110 for the Race of Champions Modified Series. It will be the second and final appearance of the season by the Race of Champions at Lancaster. The Monroe Extinguisher Street Stocks, Mighty TQ Midgets, and the 4 Cylinders will all be in action. Racing will get underway at 6pm SHARP on August 17th.
For more information, follow Lancaster Motorplex on social media and visit the website at www.lancastermotorplexny.com
RACE RESULTS – NU-WAY AUTO PARTS 150
NASCAR WHELEN MODIFIED TOUR NU-WAY AUTO PARTS 150: AUSTIN BEERS, Patrick Emerling, Justin Bonsignore, Matt Hirschman, Tommy Catalano, Craig Lutz, Andy Jankowiak, Jake Lutz, Jake Johnson, Ron Silk, Tim Connolly, Ken Haegy, Trevor Catalano, Andrew Spurback, Melissa Fifield, Kyle Bonsignore, Tyler Rypkema, Bob Reis, Tyler Catalano
Mayhew Tools Dominator Pole Award: NOT AWARDED – LINEUP SET BY NASCAR RULEBOOK
INSINGER PERFORMANCE/VP RACE FUELS SPORTSMAN: MIKE FIEBELKORN JR, Shawn Nye, John Barber, Mason Hanel, Andy Jankowiak, George Skora III, Tony Carbone, Jake Christman, Andrew Lewis Jr, Tim Nies, Evan Rygielski, Tim Garlock, Joe Papin, Jeff Szafraniec, Andrew Nye, Alan Bookmiller, Chris Pennell, Andrew Cook, Nicole Boyer, Cameron Ruggiero, Brian Schulz
Qualifying Heats: Brian Schulz, Tim Garlock
MONROE EXTINGUISHER STREET STOCKS: DUSTIN NOVOA, Dan Dressel, Kyle Schosek, Dave Johnson, Mike Dalfonso, Rich Sharpe, Mark Hoch, David Brunka, Jerry Kosmowski, Alex Bialkowski, Chris Barber, Nathan Bryant, Nik Welshans, Mitch Friend, Gary Bartella, Marty Kling, Tommy Wentland, Chris Handley, Mike Piccirilli, Nick Rickard, Josh Schosek, Tim Welshans
Qualifying Heats: Dan Dressel, Nathan Bryant
RUSTY DIAMOND CORES PRO 4’s: JIM DUNKLEMAN III, David Milbrand, Mike Meyers, Eric Black, Russ Bulger Jr, Chris Deyoe Jr, Mason Russo, Eric Szychowski, Connor Kurdziel, Mark Annis Jr, Matthew Moreau, Bob Palmer, Jim Dunkleman Jr, Jimmy Biggs