Dream Comes True For Solomito

Posted by Wayne G. Barber

First Career Whelen Modified Win Comes At Icebreaker

Timmy Solomito celebrates winning the season-opening race for the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour Sunday at Thompson (Conn.) Speedway Motorsports Park. Adam Glanzman/NASCAR via Getty Images

THOMPSON, Conn. -- Timmy Solomito's dreams came true Sunday afternoon.
The 24-year-old from Islip, New York, ran away with the 42nd Annual Icebreaker at Thompson Speedway Motorsports Park to secure his first career NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour victory. Solomito powered past former champion and current NASCAR XFINITY Series driver Ryan Preece to lead the final 34 laps of the Icebreaker 150 en route to the checkered flag.
"I never thought this day would come," Solomito said. "You lie in bed thinking about things like this. This is a dream come true."
The victory came in Solomito's 36th career start. He is in his second full season driving the No. 16 Diversified Metals/R.B. Enterprises Ford for Flamingo Motorsports. The team had won tour championships with Mike Stefanik (2006) and Preece (2013) before turning to the Long Island native. Solomito's previous best finish was third, four times, including the final two races of 2015.
Preece settled for a runner-up finish, while Justin Bonsignore finished third. Defending tour champion Doug Coby, who was looking for his fifth straight win at Thompson, won the Coors Light Pole Award Saturday but faded late Sunday to finish fourth. Ron Silk rounded out the top five.
The race went green for the first 81 laps. The first caution allowed for all the teams to come down pit road, and Solomito gained three spots to move up to fourth on the restart. Preece, who led the first 85 laps, gave up the lead to Bonsignore, before Solomito powered into the lead for the first time. Preece got the lead back briefly, but Solomito regained the point and steadily pulled away. He won by 3.512 seconds.
Donny Lia, Eric Goodale, Jimmy Blewett, Rowan Pennink and Woody Pitkat rounded out the top 10.
The NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour will race next in the NAPA Spring Sizzler 200 at Connecticut's Stafford Motor Speedway on Sunday, April 24.

RACE STATISTICSFastest Qualifier: Doug Coby, Time: 18.641 Seconds, Speed: 120.702 mph
Time of Race: 1 hrs., 0 mins, 11 secs Average Speed: 93.464 mph Margin of Victory: 3.512 Seconds
Caution Flags: Laps 81-91; 98-102. 2 for 16 laps.
Lap Leaders: Ryan Preece 1-85, Justin Bonsignore 86-93, Timmy Solomito 94-102, Justin Bonsignore 103, Timmy Solomito 104-110, Ryan Preece 111-116, Timmy Solomito 117-150.
Total Laps Led: Ryan Preece 91, Timmy Solomito 50, Justin Bonsignore 9. 6 changes involving 3 drivers.Source: Jason Cunningham, NASCAR Intergrated Marketing

Fin	Str	Car	Driver	Team	Laps	Points	B/Points	Status
1	13	16	Timmy Solomito	Diversified Metals /R.B. Enterprises Ford	150	47	4	Running
2	2	6	Ryan Preece	TS Haulers/Riverhead Raceway Chevrolet	150	44	2	Running
3	10	51	Justin Bonsignore	M3 Technology Chevrolet	150	42	1	Running
4	1	2	Doug Coby	Dunleavy's Repair/A&J Romano Const. Chevrolet	150	40		Running
5	5	82	Ron Silk	Horton Avenue Materials Chevrolet	150	39		Running
6	3	8	Donny Lia	Sypher Construction/Bardahl Chevrolet	150	38		Running
7	6	58	Eric Goodale	GAF Roofing/Supreme Skylights Chevrolet	150	37		Running
8	9	4	Jimmy Blewett	Starrett Dodge	150	36		Running
9	8	3	Rowan Pennink	Cape Cod Copper/Canto Paving Chevrolet	150	35		Running
10	7	85	Woody Pitkat	Stuart's Automotive/Dunleavy's Repair Chevrolet	150	34		Running
11	4	9	Chase Dowling	S&S Asphalt Paving/Dunleavy's Repair Chevrolet	150	33		Running
12	16	20	Max Zachem	Lu-Mac's Package Store/VWS Chevrolet	150	32		Running
13	19	44	Bobby Santos	Tinio Corp./Dan Kelley/Curb Records Chevrolet	150	31		Running
14	15	7	Patrick Emerling	Buffalo Auto Auction Chevrolet	149	30		Running
15	18	89	Matt Swanson *	Spafco Race Chassis/FMR Racing Chevrolet	149	29		Running
16	11	75	Shawn Solomito	Eastport Feeds/Alex Anderson Inc. Chevrolet	149	28		Running
17	24	99	Jamie Tomaino	Dunleavy's Repair/Atlantic Sprinkler Chevrolet	149	27		Running
18	17	64	Rob Summers	HTE/Fast Track Elect/Complete Const. Chevrolet	148	26		Running
19	14	36	Dave Sapienza	Frankie's Towing/Wine Country Chevrolet	148	25		Running
20	12	29	Brendon Bock	Pro System Brakes/L.I. Performance Chevrolet	147	24		Running
21	23	24	Andrew Krause *	Supreme Manufacturing Chevrolet	147	23		Running
22	26	26	Gary McDonald	Lakeland Landscape /TRC Electric Chevrolet	144	22		Running
23	22	33	Wade Cole	Performance Engines/Kendall Oil Chevrolet	144	21		Running
24	20	46	Jeff Goodale	Riverhaed Bldg Supply Chevrolet	141	20		Running
25	25	38	Troy Talman	NAPA Auto Parts of Ayer/DCU Chevrolet	140	19		Handling
26	21	56	Craig Lutz *	Lutz Motorsports/Moroso Chevrolet	125	18		Electrical
27	27	1	Melissa Fifield	Eastern Propane & Oil Chevrolet	50	17		Handling