From: Lou Modestino
Ron Silk survived an eventful season finale to take home the 2011 NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour championship in the Sunoco World Series of Speedway Racing at Thompson International Speedway.
Glen Reen took home the checkered flag in a wild event that saw a season-high 16 cautions and the maximum three green-white-checker events attempts for his first career victory, but it was Silk that left with the biggest hardware of the weekend.
A six-year veteran of the Whelen Modified Tour, Silk survived an early-race accident to finish 16th and clinch the first championship of his career.
Silk, a 28-year-old from Norwalk, Conn., brought a 54-point lead on Todd Szegedy into Thompson. Szegedy ran ahead of Silk for most of the event, but the points lead went back and forth as Szegedy looked to work his way into the top 10. He pitted late after avoiding one wreck and then had his chances ended when he was involved in the 14th caution on Lap 149. Szegedy finished 25th.
Silk finished with 2,443 pints — 76 points ahead 2003 champion Szegedy. Eric Beers finished a career-best third, while Rowan Pennink and Doug Coby rounded out the top five.
Sunday marked the first victory in 43 career starts for Reen, the 2008 Sunoco Rookie of the Year and a part-time competitor from Wilbraham, Mass. Bobby Santos finished second and Matt Hirschman third.
Chuck Hossfeld, Tom Rogers Jr., Keith Rocco, Eric Beers, Patrick Emerling, Mike Stefanik and Eric Goodale brought home the top 10 in the 16th and final race of the Whelen Modified Tour season.
Silk and the No. 6 T.S. Haulers/Calverton Tree Farm Chevrolet team will be honored as part of the NASCAR Night of Champions Touring Awards Gala on Dec. 10 in Charlotte, N.C.
NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour-Sunoco World Series Unofficial Results
Sunday
At Thompson International Speedway
Thompson, Conn.
Lap length: 0.625 miles
(Start position in parentheses)
1. (24) Glen Reen, Wilbraham, Mass., Chevrolet, 168 laps, 59.155 mph.
2. (5) Bobby Santos, Franklin, Mass., Dodge, 168.
3. (22) Matt Hirschman, Northampton, Pa., Chevrolet, 168.
4. (14) Chuck Hossfeld, Ransomville, N.Y., Chevrolet, 168.
5. (11) Tom Rogers, Jr., Patchogue, N.Y., Chevrolet, 168.
6. (34) Keith Rocco, Wallingford, Conn., Chevrolet, 168.
7. (10) Eric Beers, Northampton, Pa., Chevrolet, 168.
8. (19) Patrick Emerling, Orchard Park, N.Y., Ford, 168.
9. (17) Mike Stefanik, Coventry, R.I., Chevrolet, 168.
10. (9) Eric Goodale, Riverhead, N.Y., Chevrolet, 168.
11. (30) Wade Cole, Riverton, Conn., Chevrolet, 168.
12. (33) Jimmy Zacharias, Candor, N.Y., Chevrolet, 168.
13. (31) Gary McDonald, Ronkonkoma, N.Y., Chevrolet, 168.
14. (7) Erick Rudolph, Ransomville, N.Y., Chevrolet, 167.
15. (2) Doug Coby, Milford, Conn., Chevrolet, 167.
16. (8) Ron Silk, Norwalk, Conn., Chevrolet, 164.
17. (25) Jamie Tomaino, Howell, N.J., Chevrolet, 163.
18. (28) Daniel Hemric, Kannapolis, N.C., Pontiac, 161, accident.
19. (21) Woody Pitkat, Stafford, Conn., Chevrolet, 158.
20. (32) Rob Fuller, Boylston, Mass., Ford, 158.
21. (12) Justin Bonsignore, Holtsville, N.Y., Chevrolet, 155, accident.
22. (3) Ted Christopher, Plainville, Conn., Chevrolet, 155, accident.
23. (29) Ed Flemke, Jr., Southington, Conn., Chevrolet, 152.
24. (27) Ken Heagy, Calverton, N.Y., Chevrolet, 148, accident.
25. (4) Todd Szegedy, Ridgefield, Conn., Ford, 148, accident.
26. (1) Ryan Preece, Berlin, Conn., Ford, 145, accident.
27. (20) Eric Berndt, Cromwell, Conn., Chevrolet, 135, accident.
28. (13) Rowan Pennink, Huntingdon Valley, Pa., Chevrolet, 135, accident.
29. (16) Kevin Goodale, Riverhead, N.Y., Chevrolet, 135, accident.
30. (26) Bryon Chew, Mattituck, N.Y., Chevrolet, 126, accident.
31. (23) Rick Gentes, Woonsocket, R.I., Chevrolet, 69, accident.
32. (15) James Civali, Meriden, Conn., Chevrolet, 60, broken axle.
33. (6) Timmy Solomito, Islip, N.Y., Chevrolet, 53, engine.
34. (18) Tony Ferrante, Jr., New Hyde Park, N.Y., Chevrolet, 52, accident.
Race Statistics
Time of Race: 1 hour 46 minutes 30 seconds
Margin of Victory: 0.133 seconds
Fastest Qualifier: R.Preece (120.747 mph, 18.634 seconds)
Caution Flags: 16 for 84 laps.
Lead Changes: 6 among 6 drivers.
Lap Leaders: R. Preece 1-36; T. Szegedy 37-66; D. Coby 67-106; G. Reen 107-116; E. Berndt 117-135; J. Bonsignore 136-143; G. Reen 144-168.
Standings: 1. R. Silk, 2443; 2. T. Szegedy, 2367; 3. E. Beers, 2309; 4. R. Pennink, 2219; 5. D. Coby, 2214; 6. M. Hirschman, 2163; 7. J. Bonsignore, 2141; 8. B. Santos, 2133; 9. T. Christopher, 2053; 10. E. Rudolph, 2051.