Emerling Conquers “Thunder Valley” For First Whelen Modified Tour Win
Story By: KYLE SOUZA / NASCAR – BRISTOL, TN – Patrick Emerling swept his way to Victory Lane with a near-perfect performance at Bristol Motor Speedway on Wednesday.
The Orchard Park, New York, driver was fastest in practice, won the Coors Light Pole Award and proceeded to lead 148 of the 150 laps en route to his first career NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour victory.
“It’s just a dream come true,” said Emerling following the win at the historic track dubbed ‘Thunder Valley.’ “It’s incredible. We only run a handful of the Whelen Tour races and to come down here and win practice, catch the pole and lead every single lap, it’s an incredible feeling for us as a team.”
The win for the 24-year-old came in his 78th career start and just his third of 2017. He held off challenges from Chase Dowling and Justin Bonsignore on restarts in the first half of the race, then held off four-time tour champion Doug Coby in the dash to the finish.
He crossed the line 1.239 seconds ahead of Coby. Prior to Wednesday, Emerling’s best career finish was a second at New Hampshire in 2015.
For Coby, the second-place finish was the third straight in Whelen Modified Tour competition and it helped him claw back towards the top of the championships standings.
Timmy Solomito, who was caught up in a Lap 68 accident, came home 15th to maintain a two-point edge on Rowan Pennink. Ryan Preece finished fifth and is nine points behind Solomito, while Coby is 17 points back.
Justin Bonsignore finished third and is 19 points out of first. Chase Dowling and Preece rounded out the top five at Bristol.
Andy Seuss was sixth, followed by Pennink, Ronnie Williams, Bobby Santos and Matt Swanson.
The Bush’s Beans 150 will air on NBCSN Saturday August 26 at 3 p.m. ET.
The NASCAR Whelen Modified Modified Tour returns to the track at Seekonk Speedway on Saturday August 26, with the running of the Seekonk 150.
| Pos | No. | Name | Sponsor | Laps | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 07 | Patrick Emerling | Buffalo Auto Auction | 150 | |
| 2 | 2 | Doug Coby | Mayhew Tools/Dunleavy/AJ Romano Const | 150 | 1.239 |
| 3 | 51 | Justin Bonsignore | Phoenix Communications, Inc. | 150 | 4.208 |
| 4 | 11 | Chase Dowling | Dunleavy Truck & Repair | 150 | 8.522 |
| 5 | 6 | Ryan Preece | Simoniz Wax | 150 | 9.194 |
| 6 | 70 | Andy Seuss | Rockingham Boats | 150 | 11.519 |
| 7 | 3 | Rowan Pennink | Cape Cod Copper/USNE | 150 | 11.668 |
| 8 | 21 | Ronnie Williams* | Gershow Recycling | 150 | 11.804 |
| 9 | 77 | Bobby Santos | Curb Records | 150 | 11.992 |
| 10 | 89 | Matt Swanson | Starrett Tools | 150 | 12.157 |
| 11 | 5 | Kyle Ebersole | Ebersole Excavating | 149 | 1 Lap |
| 12 | 97 | Bryan Dauzat | O B Builders, Inc. | 147 | 3 Laps |
| 13 | 33 | Wade Cole | Performance Engines/Kendall Oil | 124 | 26 Laps |
| 14 | 78 | Walter Sutcliffe, Jr. | Last Minute Racing | 123 | 27 Laps |
| 15 | 16 | Timmy Solomito | Starrett Racing | 112 | 38 Laps |
| 16 | 58 | Eric Goodale | GAF Roofing | 107 | 43 Laps |
| 17 | 46 | Craig Lutz | Riverhead Building Supply | 94 | 56 Laps |
| 18 | 75 | Jeremy Gerstner | Dunleavy/William E Smith Trucking | 91 | 59 Laps |
| 19 | 22 | Kyle Bonsignore | Snap-On Tools | 66 | 84 Laps |
| 20 | 36 | David Sapienza | Sapienza Enterprise | 59 | 91 Laps |
| 21 | 01 | Melissa Fifield | Eastern Propane & Oil | 58 | 92 Laps |
| 22 | 82 | Ted Christopher | Horton Avenue Materials LLC | 21 | 129 Laps |
| 23 | 63 | Austin Pickens | LFR Chassis | 8 | 142 Laps |
| 24 | 39 | Calvin Carroll* | Power with Prestige/Cruising w/Betty | 8 | 142 Laps |
| 25 | 64 | Rob Summers | Hoosier Tire East/Fast Track Electrical/Hughes Motors | 8 | 142 Laps |
| 26 | 1 | Burt Myers | Citrusafe Cleaners | 150 Laps |
RACE STATISTICS
Fastest Qualifier: Patrick Emerling, Time: 14.517 Seconds, Speed: 131.432 mph
Time of Race: 1 hrs., 8 mins, 13 secs Average Speed: 69.924 mph Margin of Victory: 1.239 Seconds
Caution Flags: Laps 10-14 (Multiple car turn 4, FP #01); 62-66 (Car #78 turn 2, FP #70); 69-72 (Car #16 & #77 turn 4, FP #46); 78-82 (Competition caution, FP #5); 93-117 (Car #75 turn 4, FP #97). 5 for 44 laps.
Lap Leaders: Patrick Emerling 1-66, Justin Bonsignore 67, Patrick Emerling 68-72, Justin Bonsignore 73, Patrick Emerling 74-150.
Total Laps Led: Patrick Emerling 148, Justin Bonsignore 2. 4 changes involving 2 drivers.
CONTINGENCY AWARDS
Top 10 Driver Points: Timmy Solomito 380, Rowan Pennink 378, Ryan Preece 371, Doug Coby 363, Justin Bonsignore 361, Eric Goodale 349, Dave Sapienza 313, Matt Swanson 308, Max Zachem 301, Rob Summers 294
Next Race: Seekonk
* Denotes Sunoco Rookie of the Year contender
