Sapienza finally gets Whelan win as an owner, not a driver
since becoming a full-timer the event, Sapienza said he with the series in 2015. was resigning himself to the
Santos, of Franklin, fact that he’d be happy just LOUDON, N.H. — For Mass., held off a rabid pack for his car to get back near five years Dave Sapienza of pursuers over a chaotic the front by the finish. chased victory as a driver on final lap to win the second “That guy, he’s just unbethe NASCAR Whelen ModWhelen Modified Tour lievable,” Sapienza said. ified Tour. Musket 250 at New Hamp“When we were like a
When a broken back sufshire Motor Speedway. mid-pack car, 10th or 12th, I Motor Speedway for Sanfered in a crash intos.Mayat“It’scoolforthisteam,”wasjustshakingmyhead the conclusion of an event said Santos, the 2010 series and saying to myself ‘I could Santos got up to second meant he would have to champion. “They work so do that.’ … Then everything on lap 243. A lap later he step away from his car, he hard. Me and [Sapienza] fell into place. … I thought, went by McKennedy for the reached out to the driver he have kind of become we get a top five I’ll be lead. McKennedy fought thought gave him the his friendly the last handful of happy with that. But watchback to regain the lead on best chance to get his first years. I enjoy seeing him at ing this kid drive that car so lap 245. On lap 246 Santos win as a car owner. the race track. When he got deep into [turns] one and went back to the front off
With former series hurt, which is just a tough two on the bottom and just turn two, but McKennedy champion Bobby Santos III deal with these cars —we go from seventh to third to regained the top spot before without a ride, Sapienza know it can happen to any second just blew my mind.” the lap was completed. asked him to take over his of us. But for him to call me Jon McKennedy of Santos went back to the car for selected events. and give me a shot to drive Chelmsford, Mass., was secfront on lap 247, but
Saturday at New Hampfor his team in his car, that’s ond and series points leader McKennedy clawed back to shire Motor Speedway, Saspecial.” Doug Coby of Milford third. the front once again on lap pienza finally got that vicAfter watching Santos It was the fifth career series 248. On lap 249 Santos got tory he’s been searching for run mid-pack for much of victory at New Hampshire by McKennedy for the lead off of turn two with Coby following to second.
On the final lap it was Santos defending the charges of Coby and McKennedy with fourthplace Chuck Hossfeld and fifth-place Justin Bonsignore climbing into the mix near the front.
“The last lap is a blur honestly,” Santos said. “The whole last five laps I just had in my mind that I wanted to be up front. We had an awesome race with [McKennedy]. I just felt that if I could be out front and kind of dictate the last lap that’s what I kind of wanted to do.”
McKennedy was a force near the front of the race the entire event, but knew when he saw Santos coming the game had changed.
“When I saw him behind me at the end, I was like … not the guy I wanted to see. But it’s a good run. … Wild race. Mentally it beats you up more than physically. It’s just a cat-and-and mouse game. At the end there, those last 10 or so laps, there was probably six of us that could have won.”
Coby walked away holding a solid 21-point advantage over Bonsignore at the top of the series standings with two events remaining. Coby is chasing his sixth series title.