Photo Credit: Tim Bradbury/Getty Images
STAFFORD, Conn. – The race for the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour championship is so close that even Coors Light Pole qualifying has become a hotly-contested competition.
Woody Pitkat may have the points lead, but things are more than heated up right behind him.
Eleven points out of the championship lead with two races remaining, Doug Coby took down top qualifying honors Saturday at Stafford Motor Speedway in advance of Sunday’s NAPA Fall Final 150. Preece, just three points ahead of Coby, qualified on the outside pole.
This came just seven days after the two tangled at the front of the field on the last lap at New Hampshire Motor Speedway. Coby captured the checkered flag that day, and Saturday he took home his ninth career Coors Light Pole Award with a fast lap of 18.329 seconds (98.205 mph).
It marked Coby’s fourth career pole at Stafford – a place where he has six Whelen Modified Tour wins – and was his fifth overall in 2015 behind the wheel of the No. 2 Dunleavy’s/HEX Performance Chevrolet.
Preece’s quick time of 18.428 (97.677) will place him right alongside Coby for Sunday’s start. The driver of the No. 6 TS Haulers/East West Marine Chevrolet has won three of the previous four Stafford races, including last year’s NAPA Fall Final 150.
Pitkat, the victor of April’s NAPA Spring Sizzler 200 at Stafford, ended up 10th in qualifying on Saturday at 18.577 (96.894).
Following Coby and Preece in the qualifying results top 10 were Timmy Solomito, Bobby Santos, Donny Lia, Ted Christopher, Chase Dowling, Ronnie Williams, Eric Goodale and Pitkat.
The NAPA Fall Final 150 is slated for green flag on Sunday at approximately 3:15 p.m., and can be seen on NBCSN on Oct. 10 at 4 p.m.
