LOUDON, NH - SEPTEMBER 21: Chase Dowling, driver of the #15 15-40 Connection / S&S Paving Chevrolet, wins the pole award qualifying for the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour Musket 250 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway on September 21, 2018 in Loudon, New Hampshire. (Photo by Adam Glanzman/NASCAR)
Chase Dowling celebrates his fourth career NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour pole. (Adam Glanzman/NASCAR)

QUALIFYING: Chase Dowling Earns Top Spot at New Hampshire

hometracks.NASCAR.com September 21, 2018

LOUDON, N.H. — Chase Dowling will have the best view of anyone for the green flag in the inaugural Musket 250.

The 20-year-old scored his fourth career NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour pole award on Friday at New Hampshire Motor Speedway.

Dowling, a Roxbury, Connecticut, driver, earned the pole for the inaugural Musket 250 with a lap of 29.447 seconds (129.344 mph) behind the wheel of the No. 15 S&S Paving Chevrolet. The pole was his fourth career in Whelen Modified Tour competition, his third of the season and first career at New Hampshire.

RACING-REFERENCE: Musket 250 Qualifying Results

He will be joined on the front row by Whelen Modified Tour championship points leader Justin Bonsignore. The Holtsville, New York, driver, who paced both practice sessions earlier in the day, qualified on the outside of the front row.

Bonsignore’s quick time of 29.509 seconds (129.072 mph) came up just short of scoring his fifth pole of the season. With seven victories in the first 13 races, Bonsignore enters Saturday’s event 81 points ahead of Dowling in the championship points standings as he looks for his first title.

RACING-REFERENCE: Career Stats For Chase Dowling

Patrick Emerling, who has one career Whelen Modified Tour win at Bristol Motor Speedway, qualified third. Former New Hampshire winners Ron Silk (twice) and Doug Coby (four times) rounded out the top five.

Andy Seuss was sixth, followed by Timmy Solomito, Burt Myers, Jon McKennedy and Matt Swanson. Bobby Santos III, who is seeking his fourth straight New Hampshire victory, qualified 11th.

The NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour returns to the track for the inaugural Musket 250 at 3:30 p.m. on Saturday afternoon. The race will air via a live stream on FansChoice.TV, and will also air on NBCSN on Thursday, September 27, at 7 p.m.

LOUDON, NH - SEPTEMBER 21: Chase Dowling, driver of the #15 15-40 Connection / S&S Paving Chevrolet, during qualifying for the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour Musket 250 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway on September 21, 2018 in Loudon, New Hampshire. (Photo by Adam Glanzman/NASCAR)
Chase Dowling toured the NHMS oval with a fast time of 29.447 seconds, good enough to earn him the top spot for the Musket 250. (Adam Glanzman/NASCAR)