STAFFORD SPRINGS, Conn. — For the second straight year, the NAPA Fall Final at Stafford Motor Speedway produced a first-time NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour winner.
Craig Lutz took the lead from Doug Coby on a restart with 33 laps to go and never looked back, driving away from Coby and defending series champion Justin Bonsignore to earn his first checkered flag in his 66th series start.
Prior to Sunday, Lutz had finished inside the top five in four of his 12 Stafford starts, including the last three. He had also finished in the top five in eight of 14 races in 2019.
But for the first time, the Miller Place, N.Y., driver was able to celebrate a trophy.
“The first win is always special,” Lutz said. “Everyone kept on asking me when it was coming. To finally knock one off, it’s an amazing feeling.”
Lutz started ninth and rode inside the top 10 for the duration of the race, but shined when it mattered most. Meanwhile, Chris Pasteryak earned his first career Mayhew Tools Dominator Pole award in qualifying, and led the first six laps before Coby took control.
Bonsignore took the lead from Coby just before halfway, and paced the field until a caution just after lap 100, when leaders pitted multiple times for tires. It would be the only caution of the day that Coby, Bonsignore and Lutz entered pit road.
Pasteryak led eight more laps after cycling back to the lead, but couldn’t hold the top spot, as Coby slid by, then a restart gave Lutz his opportunity.
Lutz passed Coby and never looked back, minding the gap back to Bonsignore for the final 10 laps.
“I just didn’t look in my mirror,” Lutz said. “I have an awesome spotter, who has a lot of experience, and he kept telling me to stay smooth and hit my marks. That’s what I kept doing.”
Bonsignore finished second, while Coby settled for third. Chuck Hossfeld, who missed practice and qualifying on Saturday, charged from the rear of the field to finish fourth.
Matt Swanson was fifth, ahead of Ron Silk, Bobby Santos III, Woody Pitkat, Chase Dowling and Patrick Emerling.
Coby, in search of his sixth NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour championship, leads Bonsignore by 19 points with one points race remaining.
The finish:
Craig Lutz, Justin Bonsignore, Doug Coby, Chuck Hossfeld, Matt Swanson, Ron Silk, Bobby Santos III, Woody Pitkat, Chase Dowling, Patrick Emerling, Chris Pasteryak, Matt Galko, Timmy Solomito, Blake Barney, Tommy Catalano, Rob Summers, J.B. Fortin, Andrew Molleur, Mark Bakaj, Ken Heagy, Eric Goodale, Joey Cipriano III, Gary McDonald, Wade Cole, Dave Salzarulo, Joey Mucciacciaro, Anthony Nocella, Calvin Carroll, Kyle Bonsignore, Timmy Catalano, Melissa Fifield, Sam Rameau, Tyler Rypkema, Kyle Ellwood.