Justin Bonsignore
Justin R. Bonsignore is an American professional stock car racing driver. He competes full-time in the NASCAR [Whelen Modified Tour], driving the No. 51 Chevrolet for Kenneth Massa Motorsports He has also competed in the NASCAR Xfinity Series, having previously driven the Nos. 18/19 Toyota GR Supras for Joe Gibbs Racing.
Early career and go-karts
Bonsignore began his racing career with go-karts at the age of eight. His family has long owned and operated a Kart Racing Shop, and this early exposure to the racing circuit paved the way for a career in racing.In 1997, Bonsignore competed for his first national event at the Rockingham Speedway, in North Carolina, where he finished thirteenth. During his go-kart career, Bonsignore has secured eighteen national event wins, thirteen poles, and 45 top-five finishes in 81 national starts. Highlights include wins at Len Sammon's Indoor Kart Race at the Dunkin' Donuts Center in Providence, Rhode Island and the East End Shootout at Riverhead Raceway.
Chargers and modified
In 2005, Bonsignore began racing stock cars. Competing in Riverhead Raceway's Charger Division, and NASCAR Dodge Weekly Racing Series, Bonsignore finished third in the series standings, was awarded Rookie of the Year, and secured the best rookie finish on record.In 2006, Bonsignore joined the NASCAR Modified Division, where he scored three top-fives and nine top-ten finishes. For the second year in a row, Bonsignore received honors from NASCAR, taking home the Rookie of the Year title for the Modified Division and claiming a seventh-place finish overall, a new best for a rookie driver.
Hopes for a higher finish in 2007 were cut short due to a wrist injury.
2008 saw Bonsignore's first stock car win in 2008 and the division's most top-five and top-five finishes en route to an 8th-place points finish.
2009 proved a very successful season performance wise, but bad luck kept overall results below expectations. During the season, Bonsignore broke a long winless streak and won the Cromarty Cup 50 Lap race, qualifying on the pole and leading every lap.
In the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour race at Riverhead, Bonsignore was able to match a career-best fourth-place finish.
M3 Technology Racing
2009 also marked the first collaboration between Bonsignore and local business owner Ken Massa. During the summer, the two discussed and formed a team with the intention of competing full-time on the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour. In the team's first race together, they scored a second-place finish at the Sundance Vacations Speedway in St. John's, PA in the King of the Mountain 150.The 2010 season showed the promise of the new team, as Bonsignore was named the 2010 Sunoco Rookie of the Year. Finishing a strong thirteenth in the standings, a series of mechanical accidents and bad luck ruined a potential top-ten run. Bonsignore became the first NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour driver to earn a Coors Light Pole Award at Bristol Motor Speedway and Stafford Motor Speedway. 2010 saw the M3 Racing team take home two top-five finishes, and four top-ten finishes.
M3 Technology and Bonsignore returned to the Tour for the 2011 season, and once again competed throughout the year at Riverhead Raceway. On July 30, 2011, Bonsignore won his first Whelen Modified Tour race at his local track, Riverhead Raceway. He started on the outside pole and led the final 158 laps in dominating fashion. Bonsignore also won the NASCAR Weekly Series Modified championship at Riverhead Raceway, clinching that on September 10, 2011.
In 2012 and 2013, Bonsignore finished seventh and eighth in the points respectively, picking up two more wins at Thompson [Speedway Motorsports Park] and Monadnock Speedway.
2014 saw a change for Bonsignore and the M3 Technology team as they would switch from Troyer to Spafco Chassis and Robert Yates Racing Spec engines. Performance improved as Bonsignore won three races on the way to a third place finish in points. In addition to running the WMT, Bonsignore also raced on the Modified Racing Series for the legendary Art Barry in the #21 car, winning the series championship. Winning speed returned in 2015, with two more race wins, however, the team lacked consistency on the way to a tenth place finish in points.
The 2016 season proved to be a career year at the time for Bonsignore, scoring four wins and thirteen top-fives on the way to a runner-up points finish to Doug Coby. 2017 was not as kind, with Bonsignore going winless for the first time since 2010, only leading four laps all season.
2018 was another year of change for the No. 51 team. The team switched chassis manufacturers again to the potent FURY Chassis, bringing in Ryan Stone as crew chief. These changes paid off as Bonsignore won the 2018 NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour championship on the strength of eight wins, five poles, twelve top-fives, fifteen top-tens, and 695 laps led, leading every category.
ARCA Menards Series
On February 5, 2024, it was announced that Bonsignore would make his ARCA Menards Series debut at Daytona International Speedway, driving the No. 30 car for Rette Jones Racing. Bonsignore had competed in the ARCA testing session for Fast Track Racing earlier in the year.NASCAR Xfinity Series
On May 16, 2024, it was announced that Bonsignore will compete in the NASCAR Xfinity Series race at New Hampshire in June, driving the No. 19 for Joe Gibbs Racing. After qualifying was rained out, Bonsignore lead three laps and ran in the top-five before a late incident relegated him to a 22nd place finish. In January 2025, it was revealed that Bonsignore would compete in five Xfinity Series races for Joe Gibbs Racing during the 2025 season. The following month, the team announced an expansion of his schedule to nine races. Bonsignore also ran the No. 18 car at Martinsville when William Sawalich was sidelined after post-concussion symptoms from the previous race.Motorsports career results
NASCAR
Xfinity Series
Whelen Modified Tour
Season still in progressIneligible for series points