Justin Bonsignore Bio
Justin R. Bonsignore (born February 3, 1988) is an American professional stock car racing driver from Holtsville, New York. He is best known for his long-running success on the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour, where he drives the No. 51 Chevrolet for Kenneth Massa Motorsports. Over the course of his career, Bonsignore has built a reputation as one of the most consistent and competitive drivers in Modified Tour history, capturing four series championships.
Beyond the Modified Tour, Bonsignore has expanded his presence in NASCAR’s national ranks. He has competed in the NASCAR Xfinity Series with Joe Gibbs Racing and made a one-off ARCA Menards Series start at Daytona International Speedway, signaling his continued push toward higher-profile competition.
Early Life and Background
Justin R. Bonsignore was born on February 3, 1988, in Holtsville, New York, and raised in a household with deep roots in motorsports. His family has long owned and operated a kart racing shop, which gave him early and constant exposure to race vehicles, race preparation, and the culture of short-track competition in the Northeast. That family environment shaped his path from a very young age.
Bonsignore began his racing career with go-karts at the age of eight. He progressed quickly through the ranks and, by 1997, had entered his first national event at Rockingham Speedway in North Carolina, where he finished thirteenth. During his karting career, he accumulated eighteen national event wins, thirteen poles, and forty-five top-five finishes across eighty-one national starts, including a win in the Len Sammon’s Indoor Kart Race at the Dunkin’ Donuts Center in Providence, Rhode Island, and the East End Shootout at Riverhead Raceway.
Path to NASCAR
In 2005, Bonsignore transitioned from karts to stock cars, competing in Riverhead Raceway’s Charger Division and the NASCAR Dodge Weekly Racing Series. He finished third in the series standings, was named Rookie of the Year, and posted the best rookie finish on record at the time. The following year, he moved into the NASCAR Modified Division at the same track, earning three top-fives and nine top-tens while claiming a second straight Rookie of the Year honor and a seventh-place overall finish, a new best for a Modified Division rookie.
After a wrist injury cut short his 2007 season, Bonsignore rebounded in 2008 with his first stock car win. In 2009, he teamed up with local business owner Ken Massa to form M3 Technology Racing, with the goal of running full-time on the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour. The partnership delivered a runner-up finish in its very first race together at the King of the Mountain 150, and Bonsignore was named the 2010 Sunoco Rookie of the Year on the Tour. He also became the first driver to earn a Coors Light Pole Award at both Bristol Motor Speedway and Stafford Motor Speedway in the same season.
Justin Bonsignore Career
Early Career (2007-2010)
Bonsignore’s first full season on the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour came in 2007, though a wrist injury limited his results. By 2008, he had secured his first Tour win and was regularly running among the front-runners. The 2009 season produced strong performance numbers, but bad luck kept his points finish below expectations, even as he broke a long winless streak by leading every lap of the Cromarty Cup 50 Lap race at Riverhead Raceway.
The 2010 season marked the official arrival of M3 Technology Racing, with Bonsignore and the new team finishing a respectable thirteenth in the standings. The year was highlighted by the Sunoco Rookie of the Year award and the historic Coors Light Pole Award double at Bristol and Stafford. Two top-fives and four top-tens gave the program a foundation to build on heading into the next season.
NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour Breakthrough (2011-2017)
On July 30, 2011, Bonsignore won his first NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour race at his home track, Riverhead Raceway. He started from the outside pole and dominated the event by leading the final 158 laps. He also clinched the NASCAR Weekly Series Modified championship at Riverhead on September 10 of that year, establishing himself as a top talent in the Northeast short-track scene.
Through 2012 and 2013, Bonsignore added two more Whelen Modified Tour wins at Thompson Speedway Motorsports Park and Monadnock Speedway, finishing seventh and eighth in points, respectively. In 2014, the team switched to Spafco Chassis and Robert Yates Racing Spec engines, and Bonsignore responded with three wins and a third-place points finish. He also won the Modified Racing Series championship that year for car owner Art Barry. A strong 2016 campaign produced four wins and thirteen top-fives, but he finished as runner-up to Doug Coby. The 2017 season was tougher, as Bonsignore went winless for the first time since 2010 and led only four laps all year.
Championship Era (2018-Present)
The 2018 season marked a turning point, as the No. 51 team switched to FURY Chassis and brought in Ryan Stone as crew chief. The new combination produced a dominant championship run, with eight wins, five poles, twelve top-fives, fifteen top-tens, and 695 laps led, leading every major statistical category on his way to the title.
Bonsignore added a second Whelen Modified Tour championship in 2020 and a third in 2021, cementing his place among the all-time greats of the series. He captured his fourth championship in 2024, continuing his remarkable run of success with Kenneth Massa Motorsports. The 2025 season saw him finish second in the final standings, underscoring the team’s continued competitiveness.
Driving Style and Strengths
Bonsignore is known for his smooth, calculating driving style and his ability to manage long runs on short tracks. His track-type strengths are most evident on flat and intermediate ovals in the Northeast, where his race craft and consistency pay dividends. The partnership with crew chief Ryan Stone, in place since 2018, has been a key factor in the team’s run of championships, providing setup direction and in-race strategy that match Bonsignore’s measured approach behind the wheel.
Notable Races and Milestones
Among Bonsignore’s signature moments is his first Whelen Modified Tour win at Riverhead Raceway in 2011, where he led the final 158 laps. He also captured a dominant 50-lap win at the Cromarty Cup race at Riverhead in 2009 by leading every lap. His 2018 championship campaign is considered one of the most statistically complete single seasons in series history, and his four titles tie him with the legends of the Modified Tour.
Justin Bonsignore Career Wins
Justin R. Bonsignore has built one of the most decorated résumés in NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour history. Across his career on the Tour, he has accumulated forty-eight wins, forty poles, and four championships, establishing himself as a defining figure of the modern era.
NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour Highlights
Bonsignore’s first Whelen Modified Tour victory came at his home track, Riverhead Raceway, on July 30, 2011, in a wire-to-wire dominant run from the outside pole. He has since added multiple wins at venues such as Thompson Speedway Motorsports Park, Monadnock Speedway, Stafford Motor Speedway, and New Hampshire Motor Speedway. His four championships came in 2018, 2020, 2021, and 2024, making him one of only a few drivers to win four Tour titles.
The 2018 championship was the most statistically dominant of his career, with eight wins, five poles, twelve top-fives, fifteen top-tens, and 695 laps led. In 2024, Bonsignore added his fourth title, further extending his record-setting run with the Kenneth Massa Motorsports team.
Other Wins and Performances
Beyond the Whelen Modified Tour, Bonsignore captured the Modified Racing Series championship in 2014 driving for car owner Art Barry. He has also made select starts in the NASCAR Xfinity Series with Joe Gibbs Racing and a one-off ARCA Menards Series debut at Daytona International Speedway with Rette Jones Racing in 2024.
| Series | Wins | Top Tens | Poles |
|---|---|---|---|
| NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour | 48 | Verified | 40 |
Justin Bonsignore Family
Family Background and Racing Lineage
Justin R. Bonsignore comes from a family with deep roots in motorsports. His family has long owned and operated a kart racing shop, which provided him with early exposure to the sport and the mechanical side of race preparation. This family-operated karting business helped lay the foundation for his transition from karts to stock cars at the age of seventeen.
Personal Life
Bonsignore continues to make his home in the Northeast and remains closely tied to the regional racing scene that helped launch his career. He works closely with car owner Kenneth Massa and crew chief Ryan Stone as part of a tight-knit team operation.
2025 Season Performance
The 2025 NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour season saw Justin R. Bonsignore once again competing at the front of the field. He finished the year second in the final standings, capping another strong campaign with Kenneth Massa Motorsports. The team continued to rely on the combination of FURY Chassis equipment and the guidance of crew chief Ryan Stone, which has now produced four series titles together.
On the national NASCAR stage, Bonsignore expanded his Xfinity Series schedule with Joe Gibbs Racing in 2025, originally announced as a five-race plan before being increased to nine events. He also drove the No. 18 Toyota in the final two races at Martinsville and Phoenix, filling in after William Sawalich was sidelined by post-concussion symptoms. The year closed with a 36th-place finish in the final Xfinity Series standings, reflecting the part-time nature of his national-series effort.
Looking ahead, Bonsignore’s pairing with Kenneth Massa Motorsports remains one of the most successful in the Modified Tour, and his four championships place him in elite company in series history. Continued opportunities with Joe Gibbs Racing in the NASCAR Xfinity Series also keep open the possibility of further growth on the national stage in the seasons to come.
