Justin R. Bonsignore Bio
Justin R. Bonsignore (born February 3, 1988) is an American professional stock car racing driver. He competes in the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour, driving the No. 51 Chevrolet for Kenneth Massa Motorsports. Over the course of his Modified career, Bonsignore has established himself as one of the most successful drivers in tour history, capturing four series championships and dozens of feature wins. He has also branched into NASCAR’s national touring divisions, including a part-time schedule in the NASCAR Xfinity Series with Joe Gibbs Racing.
Early Life and Background
Justin R. Bonsignore was born on February 3, 1988, in Holtsville, New York. He grew up in a household with deep ties to grassroots motorsports, as his family has long owned and operated a kart racing shop. That early immersion in the racing community gave Bonsignore a clear path to the track from a young age, shaping his understanding of car preparation and competition.
Bonsignore began his racing career with go-karts at the age of eight. In 1997, he entered his first national event at Rockingham Speedway in North Carolina, where he finished thirteenth. During his karting years, he racked up eighteen national event wins, thirteen poles, and 45 top-five finishes in 81 national starts. Among his early highlights were wins at the Len Sammons Indoor Kart Race at the Dunkin’ Donuts Center in Providence, Rhode Island, and the East End Shootout at Riverhead Raceway.
Path to NASCAR
Bonsignore transitioned to stock cars in 2005, competing in the Charger Division at Riverhead Raceway and the NASCAR Dodge Weekly Racing Series. He finished third in the standings, earned Rookie of the Year honors, and posted the best rookie finish on record at the time. In 2006, he moved into the NASCAR Modified Division, scoring three top-fives and nine top-tens while earning a second consecutive Rookie of the Year award.
A wrist injury disrupted his 2007 season, but he rebounded in 2008 with his first stock car victory and the division’s strongest top-five and top-ten pace. In 2009, he broke a long winless streak by winning the Cromarty Cup 50-lap race after qualifying on the pole and leading every lap. That same year, he partnered with local businessman Ken Massa, laying the foundation for the team that would eventually become a championship-caliber operation on the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour.
Justin R. Bonsignore Career
Early Career (2005–2009)
From 2005 through 2007, Bonsignore climbed the short-track ladder at Riverhead Raceway, earning back-to-back Rookie of the Year awards in the Charger and Modified divisions. The 2008 season delivered his first stock car win and set a new standard for top-five consistency at the track. In 2009, despite continued strong performance, luck often kept his results below expectations, though a victory in the Cromarty Cup 50 underscored his raw speed.
NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour Breakthrough (2010–2017)
The 2010 season marked Bonsignore’s first full year on the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour with the newly formed M3 Technology Racing team. He was named the 2010 Sunoco Rookie of the Year, became the first tour driver to earn a Coors Light Pole Award at both Bristol Motor Speedway and Stafford Motor Speedway, and finished thirteenth in the standings. On July 30, 2011, he won his first Whelen Modified Tour race at Riverhead Raceway, leading the final 158 laps in dominant fashion. He also captured the NASCAR Weekly Series Modified championship at Riverhead that September.
Over the next several seasons, Bonsignore added wins at Thompson Speedway Motorsports Park and Monadnock Speedway in 2012 and 2013, and in 2014 he switched to Spafco Chassis and Robert Yates Racing Spec engines, posting three wins and a third-place points finish. The 2016 campaign was a breakthrough, as he collected four wins and thirteen top-fives, finishing runner-up to Doug Coby. After a winless 2017, the No. 51 team switched to FURY Chassis and brought in crew chief Ryan Stone in 2018, a move that immediately paid off with eight wins, five poles, and the first of his four tour championships.
Kenneth Massa Motorsports Era (2018–Present)
The partnership between Bonsignore and Kenneth Massa Motorsports has produced four NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour championships, earned in 2018, 2020, 2021, and 2024. Over 246 career tour starts, Bonsignore has tallied 48 wins and 40 poles, with a runner-up points finish in 2025. His success has come on a wide variety of tracks, from short ovals like Riverhead Raceway to larger venues such as New Hampshire Motor Speedway and Stafford Motor Speedway.
In 2024, Bonsignore began expanding into NASCAR’s national series. He made his ARCA Menards Series debut at Daytona International Speedway, driving the No. 30 for Rette Jones Racing, and later that year he made his NASCAR Xfinity Series debut at New Hampshire in the No. 19 Toyota GR Supra for Joe Gibbs Racing. In January 2025, Joe Gibbs Racing announced a five-race Xfinity schedule for Bonsignore, which was later expanded to nine races. He also piloted the No. 18 in the final two races of the season at Martinsville and Phoenix, stepping in for William Sawalich.
Driving Style and Strengths
Bonsignore is known for his smooth, consistent style on short ovals, where his patience in traffic and tire management have produced long-run pace. He excels at Riverhead Raceway, Thompson Speedway Motorsports Park, and the larger New England-style bullrings, and his work with crew chief Ryan Stone has produced exceptional qualifying speed, evidenced by 40 career poles. His ability to lead from the front and control restarts has made him especially difficult to pass in late-race situations.
Notable Races and Milestones
His first Whelen Modified Tour win at Riverhead Raceway in 2011, where he led the final 158 laps, remains a signature moment. Becoming the first tour driver to claim Coors Light Pole Awards at both Bristol and Stafford in 2010 was another career milestone. His 2018 championship run, which saw him lead every statistical category, and his multi-year title runs across 2020, 2021, and 2024 cemented his status as one of the top Modified drivers of his era.
Justin R. Bonsignore Career Wins
Justin R. Bonsignore’s win totals reflect one of the most decorated résumés in recent NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour history. Across more than 240 tour starts, he has reached Victory Lane 48 times and added 40 pole positions. He has also captured four series championships, matching the success of all-time Modified greats.
NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour Highlights
Bonsignore’s 48 Whelen Modified Tour wins include his first victory at Riverhead Raceway in 2011 and his most recent triumphs during his 2024 championship campaign. He has won tour races at venues such as Thompson Speedway Motorsports Park, Monadnock Speedway, Stafford Motor Speedway, New Hampshire Motor Speedway, and Riverhead Raceway. His four championships came in 2018, 2020, 2021, and 2024, with the 2018 title run standing out for its eight wins, five poles, and 695 laps led.
Other Wins and Performances
Beyond the Whelen Modified Tour, Bonsignore captured the 2014 Modified Racing Series championship driving the No. 21 for Art Barry. He has also posted a strong record in NASCAR Weekly Series competition at Riverhead Raceway, including a 2011 Modified track title.
| Series | Wins | Top Tens | Poles |
|---|---|---|---|
| NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour | 48 | Verified | 40 |
| NASCAR Xfinity Series | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| ARCA Menards Series | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Justin R. Bonsignore Family
Family Background and Racing Lineage
Bonsignore comes from a family with deep roots in grassroots motorsports. His family has long owned and operated a kart racing shop, providing him with hands-on mechanical experience from childhood. That shop environment played a key role in shaping his early development as a driver and introduced him to the business side of racing.
Personal Life
Justin R. Bonsignore continues to be closely identified with Long Island, New York, the region where he first climbed the racing ladder. He is widely known by fans and competitors as a dedicated full-bodied short-track racer who has carried the banner of the Modified community into NASCAR’s national series.
2025 Season Performance
The 2025 season has been a year of expanded opportunity for Justin R. Bonsignore. He is competing part-time in the NASCAR Xfinity Series for Joe Gibbs Racing, where his schedule grew from an initial five races to nine, including runs in both the No. 19 and the No. 18 Toyota GR Supra entries. His Xfinity results include a best finish inside the top ten and steady progress adapting to stock cars with higher horsepower and different tire compounds than Modifieds.
On the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour, Bonsignore has continued to be a championship contender, with multiple wins and poles reinforcing his status at the top of the standings. As the 2025 tour season concluded, he finished second in the final points, a strong result that built on his four prior titles. Throughout the year, his partnership with crew chief Ryan Stone remained the cornerstone of his consistency and qualifying pace.
Looking ahead, Bonsignore’s dual-series effort signals an ongoing transition toward more national-level NASCAR opportunities. His Xfinity experience with Joe Gibbs Racing has provided valuable seat time on intermediate tracks, and his Modified résumé keeps him firmly in the conversation whenever the Modified Tour visits a track he has mastered.
