Joe Gibbs Racing (JGR) announced Thursday that three-time NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour Champion (NWMT) Justin Bonsignore will drive the team’s No. 19 Toyota GR Supra in the NASCAR Xfinity Series (NXS) race at New Hampshire Motor Speedway (NHMS) on Saturday, June 22.
The June 22 race at NHMS will mark Bonsignore’s first career NXS start, but he is no stranger to the Magic Mile. The 36-year-old driver has made 25 NWMT starts there over the past 14 years. In those 25 races, he has two wins in points-paying events and one in a non-points race, along with 10 top-five finishes. His most recent New Hampshire win came last September.
“We’re thrilled to have Justin in our car at New Hampshire,” said Steve DeSouza, EVP NASCAR Xfinity Series/Development at JGR. “He’s a driver with a rich short-track racing resume and represents the heart of modified racing in the northeast. To put him in one of our cars at a track that he’s built a legacy at is going to be a lot of fun for us, and even more so for the fans.”
Bonsignore is a familiar face in the modified world with three tour championships and 41 NWMT wins since 2007. The Holtsville, New York native picked up his first NWMT championship in 2018 and followed it up with back-to-back championships in 2020 and 2021. Those 41 wins put him fourth on the all-time NWMT win list – just one win behind third. Bonsignore has 31 career tour pole awards, which also ranks fourth on the all-time list. The NWMT is four races into their 2024 campaign and Bonsignore has one victory, which came at Richmond Raceway in March. He is currently second in the tour standings, six points back from the lead.
“Having the opportunity to drive for Joe Gibbs Racing at New Hampshire is truly the chance of a lifetime,” Bonsignore said. “I love driving modifieds and that will always be my home, where we hope to win many more races and championships. But, having the opportunity to compete in the NASCAR Xfinity Series with such an established, winning organization like Joe Gibbs Racing is such an exciting chance on this national stage.”
Bonsignore will be running double duty at New Hampshire as he makes his NXS debut and then jumps into his modified to run the seventh race of the NWMT season. The NXS race at NHMS is scheduled for Saturday, June 22, at 3:30 PM ET. Coverage of the race will be on USA Network, PRN Radio, and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio.
Bonsignore is still seeking sponsorship for the June 22 race at NHMS. Businesses interested in partnering with Bonsignore should email [email protected] for more information.
— Joe Gibbs Racing —