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By Souza Media/Kyle Souza
PHOTO: GMS RACING
BRISTOL, Tenn. — Doug Coby drove the No. 24 Mayhew Tools Truck to a solid 12th-place finish in his NASCAR Camping World Truck Series debut at Bristol Motor Speedway on Thursday, September 16. Driving for GMS Racing, Coby started 30th — with no practice or qualifying due to NASCAR’s new race policies — and no previous laps in a truck.
However, during the race, Coby methodically worked his way up through the field into the top-20, and rode there for the second half. In the final laps, the six-time NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour champion charged through some traffic and finished the UNOH 200 in 12th spot. Overall, it was a strong effort for the Milford, Connecticut, native in his series debut — one where he learned a lot and enjoyed competing in one of NASCAR’s top three divisions with sponsorship from Mayhew Tools.
“All of the people at GMS Racing, from top to bottom, were awesome to work with,” Coby said. “It’s great exposure for Mayhew Tools and myself, as we are a team. The biggest thing was completing all 200 laps and getting the experience, doing the pit stops, and not getting sucked into a wreck. I think we had a truck that could have competed in the top-five or the top-10, if we were there. With the flow of the race, with all of the cautions, and a few mistakes on restarts… any time we lost spots, we were able to make them back up.”
Now, Coby will head back to New England and return to the track on Saturday, September 18, in the 13th race of the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour season at Riverhead Raceway in New York. Coby and the Doug Coby Racing team are just 20 points out of the lead in the owners championship standings with two races remaining in the season. Meanwhile, Coby is also looking to accomplish a goal: complete the season sweep at Riverhead. Not known as one of his best tracks entering this year, Coby is two-for-two at the bullring heading into this Saturday night and would love to grab a third.
“We’ve definitely been on our game this year with what we need at Riverhead with their pavement changes and putting down the grip,” Coby said. “These other guys are going to keep tweaking and working on their setups to get better, and we’re doing the same. I wouldn’t say we are a shoe-in to go out there and have the best car… but we have just had a great car there this year. We will be ready.”
Coby, and the rest of the Whelen Modified Tour family, will be honoring the legacy of track owner and former Whelen Modified Tour champion car owner Ed Partridge, who passed away last week.
“Going there with everything going on, it’s going to be a tough night for a lot of people,” Coby said.
The Miller Lite 200 is scheduled for the green flag at 8 p.m. on Saturday night, with live coverage on NBC Sports Gold.
For more information on Doug Coby Racing, visit DougCobyRacing.com, where you can find the latest in apparel, news, results, schedule and more. You can also follow Doug Coby Racing on Facebook for the latest updates.
ABOUT MAYHEW TOOLS
Founded in 1856, Mayhew Tools is the oldest punch and chisel manufacturer in the United States, growing their extensive professional grade, American made product line to include pry bars, pneumatics, cable ties, and more. In 2020, the company extended their product line to include a complete line of dual drive and socket bits and sets. Serving the Industrial, Automotive, Hardware, and Construction industries, Mayhew’s premium hand tools are sold globally through an extensive distributor network. For more information, contact Mayhew Tools at 800.872.0037 or visit mayhew.com.
ABOUT DOUG COBY
Racing for more than 25 years, Doug Coby is a six-time NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour champion and one of the top short-track drivers to come from the state of Connecticut. Coby is a two-time champion at Stafford Motor Speedway, where he built his resume competing in the Late Models, Pro Stocks and SK Modifieds. Coby won his first tour championship in 2012, and followed it up by scoring four straight titles between 2014-2017, and another in 2019. In 2020, Coby opened his own team — Doug Coby Racing — scoring his first win as owner/driver.
