NWMT: Coby Takes Thompson Pole For Mod Finale

Co-Points Leader Lines Up First For Sunoco World Series 150

THOMPSON, Conn. – Doug Coby has the inside track, in more ways than one, as he looks to defend his NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour title in Sunday’s Sunoco World Series 150 at Thompson Speedway Motorsports Park.

Coby, who is tied with Ryan Preece for the championship lead, took home the Coors Light Pole Award Saturday at Thompson and will start from the front row in Sunday’s season finale. A lap of 18.566 seconds (121.189 mph) secured Coby his 10th career pole and sixth of 2015. It’s also his third in the last three events.

He’ll have the early advantage in track position among his fellow title contenders, albeit slim. Woody Pitkat, just four tallies behind Coby and Preece, qualified third and will line up right behind Coby on the grid. Preece will start fifth.

Timmy Solomito will join Coby on the front row after he qualified second and Ted Christopher will slot in between Pitkat and Preece. Donny Lia, Jeff Goodale, Justin Bonsignore, John Beatty Jr. and Max Zachem rounded out the top 10 qualifiers.

Coby will attempt to become the Whelen Modified Tour’s first back-to-back champion since Tony Hirschman in 2004-05, and gain a third overall. With wins in the first three races this year at Thompson, he will also look to become just the third driver in 31 years of tour action to sweep a season of events at the venerable .625-mile oval.

The defending Sunoco World Series 150 winner Preece will contend for his second Whelen Modified Tour crown and Pitkat will seek his first. They, along with Coby, are the only three drivers mathematically eligible in what is the closest competition for the title in tour history.

The Sunoco World Series 150 is slated for green flag on Sunday at approximately 3:45 p.m., and can be seen on NBCSN on Oct. 22 at 8 p.m.

QUALIFYING RESULTS