Fortune Swings Santos' Way At 'Magic Mile'

Bobby Santos celebrates in Victory Lane at New Hampshire following his Whelen All-Star Challenge victory Friday afternoon. NASCAR via Getty Images

Posted by Wayne G. Barber

LOUDON, N.H. – Bobby Santos was perfectly content to settle for a fourth-place finish Friday afternoon. Another LFR Chassis victory and Larry Barnett will sleep great tonight too !
 Then the race leaders got together, and suddenly, the door opened for Santos to drive away with the Whelen All-Star Challenge at New Hampshire Motor Speedway.
It was Santos' second win at the "Magic Mile" and his first in the three years of the non-points, 35-lap, 20-car shootout event.
Woody Pitkat led Todd Szegedy to the white flag. But the two got together in the final turns as Szegedy made a bid under Pitkat for the lead. The contact knocked the two out of contention, and opened the door for Santos.
Santos' No. 44 Tinio Corp./Dan Kelley/Curb Records Chevrolet finished .127 seconds ahead of Eric Goodale. Ron Silk finished third.
Pitkat led 17 laps and Szegedy 16, but they finished 19th and 14th, respectively, after the final lap incident. There were 10 lead changes among four drivers. Santos only led the final lap.
Ryan Preece and NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour points leader Doug Coby rounded out the top five.
Rowan Pennink, Justin Bonsignore, Timmy Solomito, Patrick Emerling and NASCR Sprint Cup Series driver Ryan Newman rounded out the top 10.
Newman won the inaugural event in 2014 and Pitkat took home the trophy last year.
The Whelen All-Star Challenge will air on NBCSN on Tuesday, July 26 at 7 p.m. The tour will be back on track Saturday for the New England 100, the seventh of 17 races on the championship schedule. Source: NASCAR HOME TRACKS

1	10	44	Bobby Santos	Tinio Corp./Dan Kelley/Curb Records Chevrolet	35	Running
2	3	58	Eric Goodale	GAF Roofing/RBSCorp.com Chevrolet	35	Running
3	11	82	Ronnie Silk	Horton Avenue Materials Chevrolet	35	Running
4	13	6	Ryan Preece	T.S. haulers, Inc./Riverhead Raceway Chevrolet	35	Running
5	16	2	Doug Coby	Dunleavy Repair/A&J Romano Construction Chevrolet	35	Running
6	17	3	Rowan Pennink	Cape Cod Copper/Canto Paving Chevrolet	35	Running
7	18	51	Justin Bonsignore	Phoenix Communications Chevrolet	35	Running
8	12	16	Timmy Solomito	Diversified Metals/R.B. Enterprises Ford	35	Running
9	9	7	Patrick Emerling *	Buffalo Auto Auction Chevrolet	35	Running
10	20	7	Ryan Newman	Menards/Aggressive Hydraulics Chevrolet	35	Running
11	8	70	Andy Seuss	Rockingham Boat Chevrolet	35	Running
12	15	8	Donny Lia	Sypher Construction/Bardahl Chevrolet Chevrolet	35	Running
13	7	9	Chase Dowling	S&S Asphalt Paving/Dunleavy's Chevrolet	35	Running
14	6	15	Todd Szegedy	15-40 Construction Chevrolet	35	Running
15	5	4	Jimmy Blewett	Starrett Dodge	35	Running
16	19	97	Bryan Dauzat	OB Builders Chevrolet	35	Running
17	1	21	J R Bertuccio, Jr	Gershow Recycling Chevrolet	35	Running
18	14	77	Gary Putnam	Curb Records Chevrolet	35	Running
19	2	85	Woody Pitkat	Stuart's Automotive/Dunleavy's Repair Chevrolet	35	Running
20	4	99	Jamie Tomaino	Dunleavy's Repair/Atlantic Sprinkler Chevrolet	5	Suspension

RACE STATISTICS
Time of Race: 23 mins, 37 secs Average Speed: 94.078 mph Margin of Victory: 0.127 Seconds
Caution Flags: Laps 20 (Competition yellow).  1 for 1 laps.
Lap Leaders: Woody Pitkat 1-3, Todd Szegedy 4, Woody Pitkat 5-7, Todd Szegedy 8-10, Woody Pitkat 11-14, Todd Szegedy 15-20, Ryan Preece 21, Woody Pitkat 22-24, Todd Szegedy 25-30, Woody Pitkat 31-34, Bobby Santos 35.
Total Laps Led: Woody Pitkat 17, Todd Szegedy 16, Ryan Preece 1, Bobby Santos 1.  10 changes involving 4 drivers.
* Sunoco Rookie of the Year contender