Whelen Granite State Short Track Cup Champion To Be Crowned at Claremont Motorsports Park

Whelen Granite State Short Track Cup Champion To Be Crowned at Claremont Motorsports Park

By Souza Media/Kyle Souza

CLAREMONT, N.H. – When the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour rolls into Claremont Motorsports Park on Friday, July 29, there will be more on the line than just the win in the inaugural Clash at Claremont.

The 150-lap affair will mark the final round of the Whelen Granite State Short Track Cup, and part of the $15,000 plus in bonus awards as part of the Cup will be paid out based on the finish of the race. First up, the championship battle over the course of the three races will be decided, with the winning car owner collecting a $5,000 prize, and second and third going home with a smooth $2,000 and $1,000 for their own efforts.

Currently, Tommy Baldwin Racing leads the group in a tie with Matt Hirschman’s car owner Roy Hall. By way of the tiebreaker, Baldwin leads, since six-time Whelen Modified Tour champion Doug Coby drove the car to victory in the inaugural Granite State Derby at Lee USA Speedway in May. And even though those two are tied at the top, they don’t have a large lead over the rest of the field.

Tyler Haydt, car owner for Ron Silk, is third, just three points off the top, while Ken Massa, owner for Justin Bonsignore, is fourth, just five points back. With Jake Johnson wheeling the Boehler Racing entry in the first two Whelen Granite State Short Track Cup races, BRE is fifth, just nine points back.

The Cup championship is anyone’s game – as all five of the teams involved have been competitive in the first two races, and all season on the Whelen Modified Tour. If they stumble, look out for sixth on back to try and make a run for the crown.

On top of the Cup title, the winner of the Lap Leader Bonus will collect a $500 bonus, which goes to the driver who leads the most laps across the three events combined. Right now, the only drivers eligible for this award are Matt Hirschman (170), Ron Silk (110), Doug Coby (78) and Justin Bonsignore (20). The only way Bonsignore could tie for the lead would be to lead all 150 laps at Claremont. Otherwise, it’s a race between Hirschman, Silk and Coby. Will these three drivers consider this award when they try to save their equipment for the final stages of the Clash at Claremont?

Also on the line, a $800 bonus will be awarded to the driver who captures the best average finish over the three races. Right now, the race at the top is tight – with Matt Hirschman’s average of 2.5 leading Doug Coby’s 3.0 and Ron Silk’s 3.5. For this award, like many of the others in the Cup bonuses, fans will not know who wins until the final checkered flag falls. 

Like the first two events in the Cup, the Challenger Bonus, Hard Charger Bonus and Moe’s Moving Move of the Race awards will all be distributed for the Claremont event. On top of those, the 717 Wood Creations Best Appearing Car and the Critical Screen Printing Move of the Race will also be awarded once again. Between the five awards, contingency bonuses rise another $600.

The total purse for the Clash at Claremont 150 rises over $83,000, with just over $11,000 on the line to the winner. It will be the largest paying Tour-Type Modified event throughout the field at Claremont in 2022. 

On top of the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour 150, Claremont’s own NASCAR Advance Auto Parts Weekly Racing Series Six Shooters, Pure Stocks, Street Stocks and Mini Stocks will also join a full card of racing on Friday, July 29. 

Racing will begin with NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour practice and the opening of the grandstands and general admission gates at 4:30 p.m. A full schedule for the event is available online at JDVProductions.com, including where tickets are available. All tickets will be available online until Thursday, July 28. For tickets at the track, fans should be aware both the grandstands and pit passes will be cash only. The rain date for the event is Saturday, July 30. No refunds or exchanges are allowed on ticket sales. 

For more information on Claremont Motorsports Park, visit ClaremontMotorsportsPark.com and follow them on social media. For more information on JDV Productions, visit JDVProductions.com and follow on social media for the latest updates.