When the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour makes their way to New Hampshire Motor Speedway, there’s never any doubt that the chrome horn will be used. Saturday afternoon, a bump to the back bumper of Ryan Preece on the final lap of the F.W. Webb 100 led to Doug Coby winning his third career race at “The Magic Mile.” The move was one that earned Coby a strong round of boos in victory lane, but it was one that Coby chocked up to simply being Modified racing.
“Modifieds happened on that last lap,” Coby said in victory lane. “This is what this is all about. It’s all of us bumping each other all of the time. We had a fast car and Ryan really slowed up in the middle of the corner. When you’re the leader you’re tight, really tight. I sailed him into the corner really hard and he got really tight. I got a run through the middle and I got into him. That’s how it happened.”
Preece, who was looking for his first career win at NHMS, didn’t share the same opinion after the race.
“I got wrecked 100 percent, there’s no if’s, and’s or but’s,” Preece said. “I really like Doug, he’s a really good guy, being on a personal level. But as of the racing level right now, respect wise I have zero.
“I got wrecked leading this race, I got wrecked. I didn’t do anything, I didn’t check up anymore than any other time I have. The guy leading is tight, the guy behind has a way better run, control your car. He’s good enough to do it, I don’t know what happened.”
In a race that featured lead change after lead change, it all came down to a green-white checkered finish to decide the winner of the 600th NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour event. It was Coby as the leader lining up on the outside with Preece to his inside. Preece received a big bump from third-place runner Bobby Santos into turn one to take over the race lead.
Preece held the top spot until the next time around when Coby made contact with the back bumper of Preece’s No. 6 as they made their way through turns one and two. That contact sent Preece spinning in front of the field and caused chaos behind them that ultimately ended up in Todd Szegedy going up on two wheels against the outside wall.
The yellow flag waved as a result of the multi-car incident giving Coby, the leader at the time of the caution, the race win.
Patrick Emerling squeaked by the chaos to unofficially finish second with Santos, Justin Bonsignore and Ron Silk completing the top-five.
-By Brandon Paul, Speed51.com Editor – Twitter: @Brandon_Paul51
-Photo credit: Matthew Dillner/Speed51.com
NWMT F.W. Webb 100 Unofficial Results
New Hampshire Motor Speedway – September 26, 2015
1 | 2 | Doug Coby |
2 | 07 | Patrick Emerling |
3 | 44 | Bobby Santos |
4 | 51 | Justin Bonsignore |
5 | 15 | Ron Silk |
6 | 8 | Donny Lia |
7 | 9 | Chase Dowling |
8 | 36 | David Sapienza |
9 | 46 | Jeff Goodale |
10 | 38 | Woody Pitkat |
11 | 56 | Craig Lutz |
12 | 16 | Timmy Solomito |
13 | 18 | Ken Heagy |
14 | 70 | Andy Seuss |
15 | 99 | Jamie Tomaino |
16 | 26 | Gary McDonald |
17 | 75 | Shawn Solomito |
18 | 37 | David Salzarulo |
19 | 6 | Ryan Preece |
20 | 4 | Todd Szegedy |
21 | 22 | Ted Christopher |
22 | 82 | Danny Watts, Jr. |
23 | 19 | Brandon Oltra |
24 | 89 | Matt Swanson |
25 | 33 | Wade Cole |
26 | 7 | Ryan Newman |
27 | 13 | James Civali |
28 | 58 | Eric Goodale |
29 | 3 | Troy Talman |
30 | 14 | Max Zachem |
31 | 01 | Melissa Fifield |
32 | 93 | Rowan Pennink |
33 | 83 | Tom Rogers, Jr. |
34 | 64 | Anthony Nocella |