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By Ronald Young/Myracenews
Photos: Tom Morris Racing Photography
Things change quickly in racing as we know but the battle for the win on Saturday night at New Smyrna Speedway came down to the same drivers that dueled for the win last year in this race and for the 2023 championship.
Ron Silk held off a charging Justin Bonsignore over the last few laps to win the season opening New Smyrna Beach Area Visitors Bureau 200 Whelen Modified tour race at the half-mile oval.
The win came on the heels of a championship race between the two drivers last fall and sets the stage for a potential battle in 2024.
Silk started third in the thirty- four car field, behind polesitter Craig Lutz and Austin Beers. When the race started Lutz pulled out to a comfortable lead and held it until the first caution flew on lap 20.
Taking advantage of the yellow flag, Silk and several more drivers came to pit road for fuel and some adjustments.
Storming back through the field, Silk caught and passed Lutz on lap 80.
After surrendering the lead to Derek Krause on lap 116, Silk pitted for tires under caution a few laps later. Silk regained the lead on lap 129 and appeared to be headed for victory lane.
However, the caution flew again on lap 178 and sent most of the 10 lead lap cars to pit road. Coming back on track in 3rd place behind Doug Colby and Austin Beers, Silk was able to take the lead with 8 laps to go and claim victory.
“I knew I was sitting in a pretty good spot on that restart,” Silk explained. “The two guys were on tires that weren’t much older than mine but 20 laps makes a difference. So, I was able to kind of push Austin (Beers) by Doug (Colby) there and could kind of make quick work of him. Then luckily, I was able to get a little gap that I could manage to the end”
“I love this place. It’s my favorite racetrack, so it feels good to back up the win last year,” said Silk, the 39-year-old from Norwalk, Connecticut. “Hopefully we can keep it rolling.”
Finishing second through fifth were Justin Bonsignore, Doug Colby, Patrick Emerling and Trever Catalano who was making his tour debut.
“I just needed to be a little freer,” Bonsignore said after charging from 5th on the final restart, “He (Silk) obviously got through traffic and had an eight-car length gap on us, and I was giving it everything I had but I was just still too tight on that last set of tires and coming to the white. I found something in three and four, I wrapped the yellow line, and it hooked really good it’s just too little too late at that point.”
The next stop on the NASCAR Whelen Modified tour is Richmond Raceway on March 29th for the Virginia is for Racing Lovers 200. The World Series of Asphalt continues at New Smyrna Speedway nightly through February 17th with racing in several divisions including the Tour type and 602 modifieds.
New Smyrna Beach Visitors Bureau 200 Results February 10th, 2024
| Pos. | Start | Car No. | Driver |
| 1 | 3 | 16 | Ron Silk |
| 2 | 4 | 51 | Justin Bonsignore |
| 3 | 13 | 7 | Doug Coby |
| 4 | 5 | 1 | Patrick Emerling |
| 5 | 16 | 56 | Trevor Catalano |
| 6 | 2 | 64 | Austin Beers |
| 7 | 17 | 32 | Tyler Rypkema |
| 8 | 27 | 24 | Andrew Krause |
| 9 | 14 | 3 | Jake Johnson |
| 10 | 8 | 60 | Matt Hirschmann |
| 11 | 22 | 22 | Kyle Bonsignore |
| 12 | 1 | 46 | Craig Lutz |
| 13 | 6 | 40 | Ryan Preece |
| 14 | 10 | 14 | Ryan Newman |
| 15 | 23 | 99 | Ronnie Williams |
| 16 | 21 | 36 | Dave Sapienza |
| 17 | 19 | 25 | Brian Robie |
| 18 | 26 | 02 | Joey Coulter |
| 19 | 28 | 4 | Tim Connolly |
| 20 | 29 | 18 | Ken Heagy |
| 21 | 25 | 34 | JB Fortin |
| 22 | 32 | 26 | Gary McDonald |
| 23 | 24 | 00 | Brett Meservey |
| 24 | 11 | 42 | Spencer Davis |
| 25 | 31 | 01 | Melissa Fifield |
| 26 | 20 | 58 | Eric Goodale |
| 27 | 30 | 84 | Tyler Catalano |
| 28 | 15 | 19 | Anthony Sesely |
| 29 | 12 | 23 | Carson Loftin |
| 30 | 7 | 54 | Tommy Catalano |
| 31 | 34 | 09 | Christopher Hatton, Jr. |
| 32 | 9 | 2 | JR Bertuccio |
| 33 | 33 | 8 | John-Michael Shenette |
| 34 | 18 | 20 | Eddie McCarthy |
