BROKEN SHIFTER ON PACE LAPS, NINTH-PLACE FINISH FOR DOUG COBY AT LANCASTER SPEEDWAYBy Souza Media/Kyle Souza

ATTACHED PHOTO: Tom Morris

(LANCASTER, NY - July 31, 2021) -- Doug Coby’s chances of winning at New York International (Lancaster) Speedway ended before they even got started on Saturday, July 31.

Coby -- after qualifying the No. 10 Mayhew Tools Modified in sixth position -- suffered a broken shifter on the pace laps of the Nu-Way Auto Parts 150, the inaugural race for the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour at the New York oval.

When Coby pulled down pit road, the race went green, and Coby pulled back on the track one lap later. NASCAR deemed that Coby had lost two laps. He was able to get one lucky dog early in the race, but wasn’t able to fully regain positioning and finished the race in ninth, the only car one lap down.

“The shifter handle came off on the pace laps and it kinda just snowballed from there,” Coby said. “I didn’t think I was going to be able to shift, but there was just enough of the nub there left for me to make it work. We disagreed with NASCAR’s positioning for us and still do. That kept us off the lead lap. We had a slight mistake on the pit stop and we just didn’t have a good night -- but I had a car that was definitely finishing first, second or third with the way it was driving if we didn’t have the issues. Thank you to Mayhew Tools, all of our sponsors, and my entire crew for working their tail off today.”

The top-10 finish at Lancaster was the 154th of Coby’s career and his fifth of the season in six tour starts.

Doug Coby will return to competition on Friday, August 6, in the ninth Whelen Modified Tour event of the season at Stafford Motor Speedway. For more information on Doug Coby and Doug Coby Racing, visit DougCobyRacing.com and follow the team on Facebook.

By Souza Media/Kyle Souza