On Saturday night, Kyle Soper did something that no other regular at Riverhead Raceway had done in 27 years.
Soper became the first Riverhead regular to win a Tour race at the track since Ed Brunnhoelzl Jr. back in 1995 after claiming his maiden NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour victory in Saturday’s Buzz Chew Chevrolet Cadillac 200. Even though Soper won three-track titles at Riverhead, he regarded ending the long drought for regulars as one of his career’s high points.
It’s shment for me because I wasn’t even alive when [Brunnhoelzl] won, Soper added. I’m overjoyed to have won the [Whelen Modified] Tour at this point.
Eight of Soper’s 14 Whelen Modified Tour appearances had seized place at his home track in Riverhead before the Buzz Chew Chevrolet Cadillac 200. Soper thought there existed extra he could have done to boost his possibilities of achieving each race, despite completing in the top five three times.
Soper began on the front row in 2017, the only last occasion he qualified among the top five at the track. Soper indicated his erratic performance in Riverhead Whelen Modified Tour races to his qualifying speed.
When the Whelen Modified Tour made its second of three stops in Riverhead this season, Soper was keen to end his qualifying difficulties. To that end, he went to fellow Modified veteran Jimmy Blewett for help on how to get the most of his No. 15 Feeds vehicle in time trials.
Soper qualified fifth thanks to Blewett’s guidance, which provided him with the track position he needed to go at his speed.
On Friday night, Soper texted Jimmy Blewett about a qualifying arrangement. We advanced to the front after he brought us near. Usually, I have to burn my tires out to get to the front because I start at the rear.
Throughout the first half of the Buzz Chew Chevrolet Cadillac 200, Soper relentlessly put pressure on polesitter Timmy Solomito until taking the lead with 86 laps to go.
When Soper gained the lead, he had to compete with Justin Bonsignore, a three-time Tour winner who has amassed an amazing record at Riverhead that includes eight series titles.
On the night’s last restart, Bonsignore succeeded in passing Soper, however as the race got closer to the finish line, he found it difficult to gain a lead. With 10 laps remaining, Soper executed a risky crossing move that enabled him to retake the position, leaving Bonsignore to take second.
Even though Bonsignore was unhappy to come in second, he was glad to see a Riverhead regular return to Victory Lane after more than 20 years.
It had been a while since Ed Brunnhoelzl triumphed in that race at Riverhead in the 1990s, thus Bonsignore found Soper’s victory to be exciting. “It stinks that he did it before us, but over the rest of the race, our vehicle was incredibly strong, and we managed to finish second. As I took the lead, I believed I was in good form, but when I started to open up with approximately 30 to go, [Soper’s] vehicle was far superior.
The second-place showing by Bonsignore was another step in the right direction toward regaining championship contention.
Despite starting the 2022 season with two disappointing results at Florida’s New Smyrna Speedway and Riverhead, Bonsignore is convinced that a fourth title is still attainable after a more successful performance at the end of June.
Overall, this was a good run, according to Bonsignore. “I can’t thank this entire team enough. We won the win [at Monadnock Speedway] last week and now a second [on Saturday]. It was a scorching one, but in a few weeks, it will move to Wall Stadium.
Despite starting the 2022 season with two disappointing results at Florida’s New Smyrna Speedway and Riverhead, Bonsignore is convinced that a fourth title is still attainable after a more successful performance at the end of June.
Overall, this was a good run, according to Bonsignore. “I can’t thank this entire team enough. We won the win [at Monadnock Speedway] last week and now a second [on Saturday]. It was a scorching one, but in a few weeks, it will be at Wall Stadium.
For Soper, defeating the skilled Bonsignore made Saturday’s triumph even more memorable.
When a Whelen Modified Tour race was held at the track, Soper wanted nothing more than to commemorate the local heroes who helped Riverhead earn its illustrious name by standing in for them in Victory Lane.
Soper intends to savor Saturday’s victory with his father Tom and the owner of the vehicle Wayne Anderson as long as possible before the regulars from the series take over the track once more since there will be another Whelen Modified Tour race at Riverhead in September.
Soper remarked that Wayne “is probably stroking out right now because he’s so happy.” “My dad put a lot of effort into this automobile. Fortunately, we decided against taking the new automobile even though we had intended to. Some so many individuals show up to support us and make this dream a reality.
Soper intends to savor Saturday’s victory with his father Tom and the owner of the vehicle Wayne Anderson as long as possible before the regulars from the series take over the track once more since there will be another Whelen Modified Tour race at Riverhead in September.
Soper remarked that Wayne “is probably stroking out right now because he’s so happy.” “My dad put a lot of effort into this automobile. Fortunately, we decided against taking the new automobile even though we had intended to. Some so many individuals show up to support us and make this dream a reality.
Third place went to Ron Silk, who is currently leading the Whelen Modified Tour standings. Dylan Slepian and Jon McKennedy completed the top five. The final ten are Kyle Bonsignore, John Beatty Jr., Solomito, Austin Beers, and Doug Coby.
On July 3 at 1 p.m. ET, the Buzz Chew Chevrolet Cadillac 200 will be replayed on the USA Network.
The series will compete at Wall Stadium for the first time since 2019 on July 9 when the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour visits Wall Township, New Jersey. That race will be live-streamed on placing.
You can visit our page for the latest news regarding Justin Bieber’s disease or monkeypox.