"Boy Wonder” Paulie Hartwig III scores Evergreen Raceway Opening Day MY 3rd Tour Type Modified Laurels
(5-3-26) He’s best known as “Boy Wonder” and for good reason. Paulie Hartwig III of Galaway, NJ never ceases to amaze in what he continues to do with a Modified stock car and on Sunday afternoon he added another feather in his cap as the 15-year-old took top honors in the Tour Type Modified feature at Evergreen Raceway’s Opening Day. Hartwig started the 35-lap main in fifth spot and wasted little time in slotting his way to third behind Austin Beers and leader Kyle Sisco. He then moved to second by virtue of a lap-1 restart and then stay glued to the tail of Sisco’s No. 31. Keeping the pressure on he was able to work to the inside of Sisco as they ran side-by-side on lap seven. His race winning move would then take place by holding a solid line entering Turn 1 and from the outset of lap eight and through to the finish it would become a race for second as Hartwig was much too strong for the rest of the pack. “Right after we built this car it was good out of the box when we took it to New Smyrna back in February and all the thanks goes out to Jerry Gradl who did so much for us. We love coming here for the fans and I always like running at this track and it’s always pretty cool to win here at Evergreen,” said Hartwig. A redraw of the top six from the heats saw Sisco, who was driving for Steve Ferrara, and James Pritchard Jr., sharing the front row and once the action got underway Sisco took command over Austin Beers, Hartwig, Pritchard and Brian DeFebo. At the completion of the first tour the caution waved when Evan Rygielski spun in Turn 3. With the race being a “choose” for the restart Beers opted to go low and gave up second spot to Hartwig. Once the action resumed Sisco would have his hands full as Hartwig kept him in his clutches. The ongoing hounding would pay off for Hartwig when he was able to move to the bottom of the track in order to set-up his plan of attack. “I saw (Austin) Beers choose the bottom, (for the restart) so I went right to the top and then we got down to the bottom and got a whole and a run on Kyle (Sisco) and that was that,” said Hartwig. “The car was getting a little free towards the end and if we would have had a caution I think Austin and even Matt (Hirschman) may have had something for us.” As Hartwig was cruising there was some very close racing taking place between Sisco and Beers as they ran continuously nose-to-tail. Then 10 laps to go Matt Hirschman joined the fight and the trio remained locked in that order to the checkers. “He (Hartwig) had us all covered today and it was his day. It was a real treat here today and a lot of fun running for the first time with a Tour Type Modified. We built some gains although I feel we made a little mistake with the set-up before the race and thankfully it was only 35 laps,” said Sisco, who notched a career best Evergreen finish.“We finished second and thanks to (Austin) Beers, he could have pushed the issue and could have got me a few times. Now we have something to build on and hopefully we’ll be a little bit better the next time we come back.” Rounding out the top five with a steady run was Jayden Harman.
Modified finish (35 laps): 1. Paulie Hartwig III, 2. Kyle Sisco, 3. Austin Beers, 4. Matt Hirschman, 5. Jayden Harman, 6. Brian DeFebo, 7. Evan Rygielski, 8. Riger Coss, 9. Austin Kochenash, 10. James Pritchard Jr., 11. Steve Shultz, 12. Brian Romig Jr., 13. Steve Wojick
Ronnie Williams Wins 54th Annual NAPA Spring Sizzler on April 26 but Beers made it interesting April 27, 2026
By Scott Running (Stafford Springs, CT)—Stafford Motor Speedway hosted the 54th Annual NAPA Spring Sizzler®, “The Greatest Race in the History of Spring,” on Sunday, April 26th with Open Modified cars. Ronnie Williams methodically worked his way towards the front of the field and he had to hold off a furious 2-way challenge from both Tyler Chapman and Austin Beers over the final 5 laps of the race to win the 54th Annual NAPA Spring Sizzler®. The race took the green flag with Tyler Chapman and Ron Silk leading the field to the green flag. Chapman and Silk ran wheel to wheel for a lap before Chapman cleared to the lead on lap-2. Silk held off a challenge from Michael Christopher, Jr. to get in line in second with Teddy Hodgdon fourth and George Bessette, Jr. fifth. Silk made a move to the inside of Chapman on lap-4 to move into the lead. With 10 laps complete it was Silk leading Chapman, Christopher, Hodgdon, and Bessette. Ryan Newman was sixth followed by Jake Johnson, Dylan Izzo, Eric Goodale, and Jon McKennedy. The running order was still Silk, Chapman, Christopher, Hodgdon, and Bessette when the first caution flag of the event flew with 22 laps complete for David Arute, who spun coming out of turn 2. Silk took the lead on the restart with Chapman holding second. Hodgdon took third with Bessette fourth and Johnson fifth. Johnson made a move to the inside of Bessette on lap-30 to move up to fourth and drop Bessette back to fifth. Dylan Izzo was now up to sixth with Austin Beers, McKennedy, Christopher, and Stephen Kopcik making up the top-10. With 45 laps complete, Silk was comfortably in the lead with Chapman giving chase from second. Hodgdon was third with Johnson and Bessette making up the top-5. Beers was sixth with Izzo, McKennedy, Kopcik, and Christopher making up the top-10. Beers made a move to the inside of Bessette on lap-48 to move into fifth and drop Bessette back to sixth. Matt Swanson came to a stop at the exit of turn 4 to bring the caution flag out with 48 laps complete. Under the caution period, the entire field minus David Arute came to pit road for adjustments and teams could change 2 tires. Silk won the race off pit road followed by Hodgdon, Beers, Kopcik, Chapman, McKennedy, Johnson, Eric Goodale, Izzo, and Andrew Molleur. Silk took the lead back under green but Beers made a move to the inside of Silk and he took over the lead on lap-50. Kopcik was now wheel to wheel with Silk for second with Hodgdon in fourth and McKennedy fifth. Silk retook the lead from Beers on lap-52 in turn 2 but Beers took the lead right back in turn 3 on the same lap. The lead changed hands again on lap-54 with Silk going back by Beers. Beers did a half spin coming out of turn 4 when he was was hit by. . . . and his car stalled on the frontstretch to bring the caution out with 54 laps complete. Silk took the lead on the restart with Hodgdon nearly taking the lead before falling back into line in second. Brett Meservey spun in turn 2 to bring the caution back out with 55 laps complete. Izzo’s car began to leak fluid and the race was red flagged to clean the track up. After a delay to clean the track, Silk held off a challenge from Hodgdon to maintain the lead. Kopcik and Chapman were wheel to wheel behind Hodgdon fighting for third with Noah Korner up to fifth. The field got sorted out with Silk in the lead followed by Hodgdon, Chapman, Kopcik, Korner, and Ronnie Williams. Chapman moved into second on lap-65 with Hodgdon, Kopcik, Korner, and Williams behind him as Silk continued to hold the lead. Chapman was starting to apply some heavy pressure to Silk for the lead and he dove to the inside of Silk on lap-69 but couldn’t complete the pass. Chapman made the same move to the inside of Silk on lap-71 in turn 2 and this time he made the pass stick as he took over the lead. Williams got around Kopcik to move into fourth behind Chapman, Silk, and Hodgdon. Andrew Molleur spun coming out of turn 2 to bring the caution flag back out with 77 laps complete. Chapman and Silk went wheel to wheel for the lead on the restart with Chapman taking the lead at the line. Korner spun in turn 1 to bring the caution back out with 78 laps complete. Silk took the lead from Chapman on the restart but one lap later Chapman went back to the front. Williams was now on the inside of Silk for second and he took the position on lap-81. Kopcik was fourth behind Silk with Hodgdon in fifth. Silk went back by Williams for second on lap-82 and set his sights on Chapman in the lead. Bessette spun in turn 2 to bring the caution back out with 85 laps complete. Silk got the initial jump on the restart but Chapman came back to his inside and had the lead by a nose at the line. Chapman cleared into the lead on lap-87 with Williams moving into second behind him. Hodgdon took third with Silk fading backwards as Beers took fourth to drop Silk to fifth. Beers took third from Hodgdon on lap-90 just before the caution came out for a spin in turn 3 by Chris Pasteryak, Cam McDermott, and Eric Goodale. Williams took the lead from Chapman in the outside lane on the restart with Chapman taking second. Beers was third with Kopcik fourth and Hodgdon fifth. Beers took second from Chapman on lap-92 while Ryan Newman took fifth from Hodgdon. Silk brought his car to pit road on lap-95 while the field was still circulating under green. Beers made a move to the outside of Williams with 4 laps to go and they dueled wheel to wheel with Chapman right behind them in third. Williams and Beers dueled side by side until the final lap when Williams got clear into the lead. Going into turn 3 on the final lap, Beers made a move to the inside of both Williams and Chapman and nearly passed them both but he came up just short as Williams took the checkered flag to win the 54th Annual NAPA Spring Sizzler®. Chapman edged out Beers at the line for second with Kopcik fourth and Newman rounding out the top-5.
Mahoning "reopens" with RoC Race April 18 - Austin wasgood just missed as tires did not cooperate
There are tracks on the Race of Champions Modified Series schedule, and then there is Mahoning Valley Speedway. For Matt Hirschman, the difference is personal. Racing close to home has a way of bringing out something extra, and Saturday night was no exception. Starting 12th in the 75-lap "Spring Zing," Hirschman picked his way steadily through the field, took the lead from Paulie Hartwig III just past the halfway point, and never gave anyone a reason to think the outcome was in question. When it was over, he had his first win of the season and a performance that checked every box. "We needed tonight," Hirschman said in victory lane. "We haven't had our typical start to the season, so this is great for our race team and gets us back on track. I want to thank my family, the team, our sponsors, and everyone that supports us. It's great to win here at home and see a great crowd. There's nothing quite like home cooking." The race got underway with former series champions Austin Beers and Earl Paules setting the early pace, trading position through the opening laps as the field sorted itself out. Several caution periods kept things bunched up, and Hartwig eventually worked his way to the front and looked like a serious threat to steal the night. Hirschman had other ideas. Advancing calmly from his starting spot deep in the field, he made his move shortly after the halfway mark and pulled away without drama, earning the victory in the kind of convincing fashion that makes it look easier than it is. Hartwig crossed the line second. Jack Ely, who had fought through qualifying issues and started 15th, rallied impressively to finish third. Blake Barney was fourth, and young Gunnar Zeiner rounded out the top five. It was a complete night for the team. Hirschman set fast time in green-white-checker qualifying earlier in the evening and won his qualifying race, sweeping the program from start to finish. Beers, Hartwig, and Roger Coss also picked up qualifying race wins. A strong crowd. A home track. A checkered flag. Sometimes the night lines up exactly the way it's supposed to.
Back 2 Back: Stephen Kopcik Continues Hot Streak with Thompson Victory on August 12 as team works hard to oget their pit stops the best and move Austin up in to contention THOMPSON, Conn. – The hottest driver on the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour to open 2026 is unquestionably Stephen Kopcik. After earning his first series victory at Martinsville Speedway in his 23rd career start, Kopcik collected another checkered flag on Sunday at Thompson Speedway Motorsports Park. Kopcik earned that victory thanks to a late-race pit stop that catapulted him to the race lead. Track position proved pivotal during the Icebreaker 150, and Kopcik credited his Wanick Motorsports crew not only for their efficiency at Thompson, but for the hard work they've shown through the first three events. "That pit stop was crucial," Kopcik said. "They killed it once again. By coming out first, that gives you lane choice and that means a lot here with 40 to go. It's unbelievable because yesterday I was wondering if I knew how to drive this place. To come here and win on the Whelen Modified Tour is unbelievable." Two-time series champion Ron Silk finished second, with Mike Christopher Jr. third and Jon McKennedy fourth. Matt Hirschman rounded out the top five. Reigning series champion Austin Beers finished sixth in the Icebreaker 150. Kopcik now leads the championship standings for the first time in his career after winning two of the first three races of the season. "We're going to keep working hard and try to show up with fast cars we can build on," Kopcik said. "Momentum is huge, but nothing is going to beat hard work."
Icebreaker 150 – Official Results
Stephen Kopcik – 150 laps
Ron Silk – 150 laps
Mike Christopher Jr. – 150 laps
Jon McKennedy – 150 laps
Matt Hirschman – 150 laps
Austin Beers – 150 laps
Justin Bonsignore – 150 laps
Craig Lutz – 150 laps
Chase Dowling – 150 laps
Tyler Rypkema – 150 laps
Teddy Hodgdon – 150 laps
Eric Goodale – 150 laps
Patrick Emerling – 150 laps
Eric Berndt – 150 laps
Matt Swanson – 150 laps
David Sapienza – 150 laps
Andrew Molleur – 150 laps
Doug Coby – 149 laps
Tommy Catalano – 149 laps
Andrew Krause – 149 laps
Joey Cipriano III – 149 laps
Kyle Bonsignore – 149 laps
John-Michael Shenette – 149 laps
Max Zachem – 149 laps
Ken Heagy – 146 laps
Cory Plummer – 143 laps
Ronnie Williams – 106 laps
Paulie Hartwig III – 98 laps
Trevor Catalano – 45 laps
McKennedy Scores $10,000 Icebreaker Win in Monaco Modified Lidlifter at Thompson Speedway on August 11 - Austin and team work hard for a 6th place finish THOMPSON, Conn. – Jon McKennedy scored his first win of the year in the Propane Plus Heating & Cooling 75 at Thompson Speedway Motorsports Park, opening the Monaco Modified Tri-Track Series' 13th season on Saturday. The reigning and two-time Monaco Modified Tri-Track Series champion rolled off ninth but worked his way through the field, taking the lead late and pulling away to win by 1.169 seconds. It was McKennedy's fourth career Monaco Modified win and his first since 2024. Mike Christopher Jr. finished second, with Patrick Emerling third. Jake Johnson was fourth and Ronnie Williams rounded out the top five. Austin Beers finished sixth. "We definitely have a good package here for sure," McKennedy said. "Between the Outlaw Open Modified Series shows last year and this, this is like five in a row at Thompson."
Propane Plus Heating & Cooling 75 – Official Results
Jon McKennedy
Mike Christopher Jr.
Patrick Emerling
Jake Johnson
Ronnie Williams
Austin Beers
Tyler Chapman
Eric Goodale
Eric Berndt
Kyle Bonsignore
Chris Pasteryak
Steven Chapman
Matt Swanson
Anthony Nocella
Trevor Catalano
Brett Meservey
Woody Pitkat
Joey Cipriano
Teddy Hodgdon
George Bessette Jr.
Troy Talman
Nickolas Hovey
Jeffrey Battle
Noah Korner
Stephen Kopcik
Ron Silk
Dylan Izzo
Chase Grennan
Dana DiMatteo
Paulie Hartwig III
Stephen Kopcik claims maiden Modified Tour win at Martinsville on March 28: ‘We’ll remember this one forever’ By Adam Fenwick - NASCAR.com
MARTINSVILLE, Va. — Throughout Martinsville Speedway’s long history, some of Modified racing’s best have found their way to Victory Lane. Richie Evans. Mike Ewanitsko. Reggie Ruggiero. Tony Hirschman. Justin Bonsignore. They’ve all won in a Modified at Martinsville.On Saturday, a new name was added to the exclusive list. Stephen Kopcik held off Ron Silk during a late restart to win Saturday’s Virginia is for Racing Lovers 200, which was postponed one day due to inclement weather. The victory, which came in his 23rd career start, was the first of Kopcik’s NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour career. He is the 82nd driver to win a series event since the formation of the modern Tour in 1985. “I knew I had a car capable of winning. It was up to me to not screw anything up on every restart,” Kopcik said. “It’s crazy. I knew I had a good car, but Ron also had a good car. He got by me earlier in the race, and I wasn’t sure what he had left. “You never know; he had a great car tonight too. Just glad we could come out on top.” Before the green flag even waved for the 200-lap event, Kopcik and his Wanick Motorsports team had a plan. The goal was to stay off cycle with the other leaders, which the team hoped would allow Kopcik to maintain track position and, hopefully, control of the race. The plan worked perfectly. Kopcik, who started 12th, took the lead with 50 laps left during a cycle of pit stops. From that point forward, the path to victory ran through him. The driver from Newtown, Connecticut survived three more restarts, including the final green flag with four laps left, to etch his name in history as a NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour winner at Martinsville Speedway. Now he just needs figure out where to put his new grandfather clock. “Probably the biggest win of my career at this point,” Kopcik said. “Coolest trophy, biggest win, coolest place to win at. I would say this tops most all of them. “We’ll remember this one forever.” Silk finished second, a career best at Martinsville for the two-time NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour champion. Tyler Rypkema drove the Ole Blue No. 3 to a third-place finish, followed by Eric Goodale and defending series champion Austin Beers. Polesitter Patrick Emerling, Kyle Bonsignore, Tommy Catalano, Timmy Solomito and Ryan Newman were sixth through 10th, respectively.
121Stephen KopcikWanick Construction/Newton Pools200-- 216Ron SilkBlue Moutian Machine/ Future Homes2000.147 33Tyler RypkemaNortheast Drilling/SYP2000.835 458Eric GoodaleGAF Roofing2001.251 564Austin BeersG&G Electrical Supply/2001.665 61Patrick EmerlingUSNE Motorsports2001.891 722Kyle BonsignoreChawLew Performance/MTT/LRD2002.04 854Tommy CatalanoFX Caprara/USNE Power2002.246 966Timmy SolomitoUSNE Power/Kennedy Realty/FX Caprara2002.277 100Ryan NewmanKeydisplay/USNE2002.487 1156Trevor CatalanoUSNE Power2002.697 1260Matt HirschmanPee Dee Motorsports2002.835 1382Andrew MolleurHorton Avenue Materials2003.108 1446Craig LutzRiverhead Building Supply2003.399 1531Michael Christopher JrBaker Racing2003.563 1625Danny BohnFoxfire Farms/Ready Mix2003.743 1738Jack Baldwin*Stokes Shoes2003.943 1871Jimmy ZachariasVelocita2004.126 1955Jeremy Gerstner/JTS Services2004.328 208John-Michael Shenetteneral Contractor1991 Lap 2140Luke FlemingWilliam EAutos by Nelson1955 Laps 2295Cory Plumme. roteau Machine & More1946 Laps 237Luke BaldwinBaldwin Automotive18812 Laps 2451Justin BonsignorePhoenix Communication18812 Laps 2518Ken HeagyMerkel Racing Engines18416 Laps 2670Andy SeussRockingham Boat17129 Laps 2779Jonathan McKennedyStuart’s Automotive16040 Laps 2805Teddy Hodgdon IV*BMontanari Fuel16040 Laps 2973Paulie Hartwig III*Velocita USA81119 Laps 3024Andrew KrauseSupreme Mfg Co.58142 Laps
Ronnie Williams Takes First World Series Win, Championship with Richie Evans Memorial Triumph on Feb 13 Zach Evans
Timing was everything for Ronnie Williams in the Richie Evans Memorialon Friday night at New Smyrna Speedway. Despite nine top-five finishes and 21 top-10s in 33 starts, Williams had never won a World Series of Asphalt Stock Car Racing event in the Tour-type Modified division. That changed on Friday night, as Williams claimed the elusive checkered flag in the 100-lap finale for the division. The win in the prestigious Richie Evans Memorial was Williams' first in the World Series at New Smyrna Speedway. It also secured a hard-fought Tour-type Modified championship for the Connecticut native. Coming off a disappointing loss to Patrick Emerling on Thursday night, Williams earned his first World Series victory in 34 starts, dating back to 2018."It feels good. We had the whole thing that happened yesterday," said Williams. "Things happen for a reason. I'm a big believer in that. That's why we keep coming back, and that's why we love this sport, right?"Williams paced himself in the first half, working his way to fourth at the mid-race after running as far back as 10th. Following the halfway caution, Williams turned up the pressure, taking the lead from Jimmy Blewett on lap 63.The mid-race caution proved to be the only time the yellow flag was displayed in the 100-lap contest. One night after late cautions undid a potential Williams win, there would be no such hurdle this time. The 2019 Tri-Track Modified Series champion cruised to a win by 3.6 seconds over Emerling."Car was good at the beginning," Williams said. "Just biding our time, following Emerling through. I knew he'd probably be a good one to judge how much we could use our stuff. Adam just went to work on the pit stop, made the thing better so I can drive it." After building his lead, Williams just hoped another late-race caution wouldn't slow the pace and erase the advantage as it had done the night before. "Going into the last four laps, I was just hoping there wasn't going to be another caution. I was like, just get through this minute here." Emerling won the 2025 Tour-type Modified championship in the World Series of Asphalt, and put himself in position to contend for another title in spite of missing Monday's opener with engine issues. However, he had no answer for Williams on Friday night. "The 50 was freaking rolling," said Emerling. "He ran a really smart, good race. Congrats to those guys and that whole crew. They busted their butts and had her dialed the last two nights. "We were good. We were just a little bit off. He could just roll the center just a little bit better. "This Richie Evans race, I think I've finished second over five times over the past many years. This is the one, I've never quite got it, but we'll be back again next year." After spending time at the front of the field, Jimmy Blewett finished third. Coming off a year away from racing while battling health issues, scoring two podium finishes and four top-10s in five races during the World Series was an unbelievable feeling for the veteran racer. "We have nothing to hang our heads about this week," said Blewett. "We ran up front, you know, pretty much the majority of the week. They knew we were here, 100 percent. We were just lacking that little bit. After the pit stop, the stagger just didn't come in where I hoped it would. "I sure as hell know when I do win, that victory lane is going to be full. Not just my crew, but a lot of fans from the stands. I couldn't have made it through without all you guys, everybody back home, the list goes on. So many people reached out and kept in contact with me. "Taking a full year off and then coming back to compete, contend with the best, you know? Patrick is one of the best, Ronnie's one of the best. They're powerhouse teams. We took this small team here out of Long Island with Joe's trailer from 1984 that he bought brand-new. Got a good car here. We came out, we contended, and they knew we were here."Cam McDermott finished fourth, while 602 Modified World Series champion Paulie Hartwig, III rounded out the top five.
Richie Evans Memorial Unofficial Results FinNoDriverLapsDiff 150Ronnie Williams100--- 21EPatrick Emerling1003.610 32Jimmy Blewett1005.619 48Cam McDermott1005.958 520Paulie Hartwig1006.995 6179Austin Beers10010.457 756Trevor Catalano10011.478 846Jeff Goodale10011.856 924NJAndrew Krause10014.569 1066Timmy Solomito10014.682 1117Burt Myers10014.992 1276James Blewett10016.348 1319Jeffrey Batle10017.463 1484Tyler Catalano991 Lap 1581Mark Stewart991 Lap 1664Amy Catalano991 Lap 1709Chris Hatton4951 Laps 187JJon Puleo3268 Laps 197RRich Parker3169 Laps 2073JJon Laureigh793 Laps 2173SChris Laureigh397 Laps
Patrick Emerling's bounce-back effort at the 60th World Series of Asphalt Stock Car Racing at New Smyrna Speedway continued on Wednesday, winning the John Blewett, III Memorial 76 on Feb 11 Zach Evans
Emerling missed Monday's Tour-type Modified feature with an engine issue following qualifying, sidelining the 2025 World Series champion in the division. The New York native was back on track Tuesday, finishing second to Ryan Preece, before taking the victory in Wednesday's memorial race. "We had a little tough day Monday. We weren't able to race. Yesterday, we had a solid runner-up. We were able to get notes together from yesterday and kind of make ourselves a little bit better. The track conditions were a little bit different, a lot of grip out there tonight."What a way to honor John Blewett. He was a heck of a racer. I'm glad that we were able to do it. Thanks to everyone involved, it's an awesome night for us."The John Blewett, III Memorial is a yearly staple for the Modifieds during the World Series, honoring the legacy of Blewett, III since his passing while competing at Thompson Speedway in 2007. "I wasn't racing when John was racing," said Emerling. "I've heard nothing but good, and he was a heck of a competitor. I've had the pleasure to race with [brother] Jimmy, great guy. We talk on the phone sometimes and chit-chat about everything. Just a great family, and it's just an honor to be in victory lane, honoring Jimmy." Ronnie Williams bounced back from adversity of his own, blowing an engine during Tuesday's 60-lap feature. Williams finished second to Emerling, losing the lead on a restart and unable to capitalize on later opportunities to take the top spot back."He was able to take control on that restart pretty early on in the race," said Williams. "I knew I was going to have to capitalize at some point on one of those other restarts, and just never did. We were matching lap time to lap time. It is what it is."They're a good group of guys. They've got a lot of talent on their side. It's definitely upsetting to be one spot short, but it's also better than blowing a motor like we did last night." For the third time in this World Series of Asphalt Stock Car Racing, Austin Beers finished in the third position. The 2025 NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour champion finished third in both the NWMT opener on Saturday and the Tour-type feature on Monday evening. Beers saved his tires early on hoping to pass Emerling and Williams on a late caution, but didn't have the pace needed to make the moves late. "I let them get away," said Beers. "I was saving a long time. I thought we were going to be really good on the restart, and then we just had no side bite in the center. Hats off to Emerling and to Ronnie. To have that big of a pace and to have that grip at the end, it was really impressive. Burt Myers finished fourth, with Cam McDermott rounding out the top five.
John Blewett, III Memorial 76 Unofficial Results FinNoDriverLapsDiff 11EPatrick Emerling76--- 250Ronnie Williams760.703 3179Austin Beers763.332 417Burt Myers763.622 58Cam McDermott765.745 664Tommy Catalano766.589 724NJAndrew Krause766.983 846Jeff Goodale769.085 966Timmy Solomito769.497 1076James Blewett7610.537 117JJon Puleo7610.728 1256Trevor Catalano7610.957 1319Jeffrey Battle7611.363 1484Tyler Catalano7611.775 1524RSteven Reed7613.022 1639Conner Jones7613.081 1773SPaulie Hartwig6016 Laps 1811Norman Newman4828 Laps 1981Mark Stewart2848 Laps 207RRich Parker2155 Laps 2132Tyler Rypkema1957 Laps 222Jimmy Blewett1660 Laps 2373JSteve Whitt670 Laps 2420Jack Handley,175 Laps
14-Year-Old Paulie Hartwig, III Wins Tour-type Modified Opener at New Smyrna on Feb. 9 - Austin 3rd
Paulie Hartwig, III claimed the victory ahead of NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour champions Ron Silk and Austin Beers on Monday night at New Smyrna Speedway. Zach Evans on Feb 10, 2026
The World Series of Asphalt Stock Car Racing has a reputation for introducing rising stars to the racing world. Anyone who had not yet been introduced to 14-year-old Paulie Hartwig, III received a formal introduction on Monday night. In the first World Series race for the Tour-type Modifieds in 2026, the young Hartwig claimed the victory ahead of NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour champions Ron Silk and Austin Beers. Hartwig has impressed on several occasions already in his career, including a SMART Modified Tour victory in 2025 and four career podium finishes with the Race of Champions Modified Series, one of which came in the 2023 Race of Champions 250. Under the bright lights of New Smyrna Speedway during Florida Speedweeks on Monday night, Hartwig scored a marquee win against some of the best in Modified racing. artwig took the lead on lap 17 of the 60-lap contest and appeared destined for a runaway victory. The caution flew on lap 52, however, opening the door for Silk to line up alongside Hartwig for a late restart. "I got out to a pretty great lead there," said Hartwig in victory lane. "I thought I burned it off for a second. When the caution came out, I was so upset, man. "It was so frustrating, coming in here leading with only 10 to go by half a track. It sucks getting that yellow with 10 to go. We lined up on the front row with Ron Silk. We lit them up pretty good on that last restart." Hartwig prevailed over Silk on that late restart for his first Tour-type Modified World Series win, and his second victory already during the World Series. On Sunday night, Hartwig won in the 602 Modified division. "This is a dream come true, man," said Hartwig. "It's really cool to win here. To win yesterday with the 602 and now the Tour Mod, it was pretty damn cool." Silk settled for second place, holding on to the runner-up spot on the late restart. Not expecting the late caution, Silk admitted he used up too much of his tire trying to chase down Hartwig earlier in the race to capitalize on the opportunity. "When we had that long run there, I thought it was going to go green to the end," said Silk. "I drove as hard as I could to try to catch them. I was starting to get really loose right when that caution came out. "I didn't really think I'd be able to do anything with them, and I couldn't. I was just spinning the tires on exit, but good effort. Wish I would have probably waited for that yellow and not burned it up, but congratulations to Paulie. That's pretty impressive for a 14-year-old "He races a lot, so it's not like it's his first time in the car. He does a great job. He runs good in everything he runs, and he was better than us tonight." Beers finished third, just as he did in Saturday's NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour season opener. It's been a solid start to the week for the 2025 Whelen Modified Tour champion. "We're consistent so far this week, two thirds," said Beers. "We were just a little tight. I think I kind of used it up trying to maintain track position there. All in all, good race." Beers tipped his cap to Hartwig on his victory, acknowledging the young driver is both running up front and racing with respect. "Congrats to Paulie. Pretty cool, 14-year-old winning a Tour Modified race down here," Beers added. "He's really impressive for how young he is. He's getting a lot of reps in a Modified a lot earlier than a lot of people, but he's doing a great job and he's doing it the right way. "Racing respectfully, and that's what people like Ron and I like to see. We don't want to see kids coming in here roughing up equipment. He's doing a great job, and hopefully he keeps doing it." Ryan Preece finished fourth, with Luke Baldwin rounding out the top five.
120Paulie Hartwig, III60--- 216Ron Silk600.562 3179Austin Beers601.265 440Ryan Preece601.685 57NYLuke Baldwin603.136 62J.R. Bertuccio603.295 71KStephen Kopcik603.612 850Ronnie Williams604.293 98Cam McDermott604.472 1024Andrew Krause604.932 1166Timmy Solomito606.135 1217Burt Myers606.154 1332Tyler Rypkema606.398 1419Jeffrey Battle607.053 1581Mark Stewart607.475 1664Tommy Catalano608.234 177JJon Puleo6012.077 1876James Blewett591 Lap 1911Norman Newman591 Lap 2039Conner Jones591 Lap 2146Jeffrey Goodale5010 Laps 2284Tyler Catalano3723 Laps 237RRich Parker2139 Laps 2409Christopher H951 Laps 2573JSteve Whitt456 Laps 2656Trevor Catalano357 Laps 2773SMax Handley357 Laps
Bonsignore Claims Whelen Modified Tour Opener at New Smyrna on February 7
Zach Evans on Feb 8, 2026 Justin Bonsignore joined the list of NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour victors at New Smyrna Speedway, taking the win in the New Smyrna Beach Area Visitors Bureau 200 on Saturday evening. Bonsingore took the lead from Austin Beers inside of 40 laps to go and maintained the top spot, as the four-time series champion kicked off the 2026 season with a trip to victory lane. Bonsignore tipped his cap to crew chief Ryan Stone after the race after a strong showing throughout the night, qualifying on the pole and taking the win. "It was good because of Ryan Stone," said Bonsignore in victory lane. "The guys had great pit stops all night. Just a total team effort. It's been a tough winter for us. This just feels good to come out and do what we did today. We had a great car." The first race for the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour since an offseason switch to American Racer tires proved to be a learning experience for the 32 competitors in the field. Bonsignore gained some knowledge during a tire test, but found some of the knowledge he gained on-track was more valuable than time learning the new tire. "We obviously got the opportunity to do the tire test here, but we learned a lot, even if it was going to stick with the Hoosiers that night," explained Bonsignore. "We worked really hard on some new stuff that we have been hesitant to try while we're in points battles. It was really good. Just some lines we learned at the test were good, being that tight on rears only with 20 to go, moving around in three and four. "That was a great race with Ryan [Preece] for a while there for a while, and Tyler [Rypkema] kept us honest on the last bunch of starts. Just a great start to the year." Rypkema finished second to Bonsignore, balancing the bittersweet emotions of coming close to a victory and coming up short but earning a solid points showing to start a new season. "The last three restarts, firing off on the outside," said Rypkema. "It's so tough late in the run to get some good drive off the top and hang with them. We were just good at the end there and tried to hang with them and got a good restart on that last one there. It's tough, you know, to finish second, but it's a great way to start the season out points-wise looking forward." Last year's NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour champion, Austin Beers, finished third, his best finish in the New Smyrna season opener during his young career. "This is one race I am happy with a third," said Beers. "We were struggling there. I was just a little too tight. We took rears and rears, so we didn't have a right-front there at the end, and I think it hurt us. I feel like if we did get that right-front, we would have been mired in traffic. "Starts the season with a third. This is my finish here at New Smyrna on the Tour, so I can't complain."
151Justin BonsignorePhoenix Communication203-- 23Tyler RypkemaNortheast Drilling/SYP2030.56 364Austin BeersGAP Marquadt & Sons/Andrew Ja2031.736 41Patrick EmerlingUSNE Motorsports2032.314 546Craig LutzRiverhead Building Supply2032.971 679Jonathan McKennedyStuart’s2033.734 740Ryan PreeceRacechoice2034.228 84Ryan Newman/Acme Aero/Lucas Oil2034.484 956Trevor CatalanoUSNE Power2034.43 1058Eric GoodaleGAF Roofing2035.177 1105Teddy Hodgdon IV*/Montanari Fuel2036.234 1260Matt HirschmanBar Harbor Bank 2036.544 1321Stephen KopcikWanick Construction/Newton Pools2036.836 1471Jimmy ZachariasKevo Motorsports/2037.259 1502Joey Coulter IV/Simpson/Stilo/Molecule2037.661 1620Max ZachemLu-Mac’s Package Store/2038.939 1754Tommy CatalanoFX Caprara/USNE Power20310.24 188John-Michael ShenetteUSNE Power2039.863 1931Michael Christopher JrElite Towing/Baker Racing20312.348 2073Carson LoftinJ/Lavalette Har20314.514 2181Mark Stewart/ Eastside Building20315.61 2218Ken HeagyMerkel Racing Engines20321.434 237Luke BaldwinBaldwin Automotive2021 Lap 2455Jeremy Gerstner/JTS Services & Racecar Engineering19310 Laps 252Jimmy BlewettGershow Recycling/ John Blewett Scrap17825 Laps 2666Timmy SolomitoUSNE Power/Kennedy Realty/FX Caprara17627 Laps 2722Kyle BonsignoreChawLew Performance15548 Laps 2824Andrew KrauseSupreme Mfg Co.15053 Laps 2999Sam RameauFNO Racecars14360 Laps 3029Mike MarshallMLM Diagnostics/Jusczak Electric14360 Laps 3138Bobby LabonteCook Out95108 Laps 3216Ron SilkBlue Mountain Machine/Future Homes33170 Laps
Mini Tyrrell Secures No. 14 Ram Truck Ride, Wins 'Race For The Seat' Toby Christie| Feb 7, 2026
It's the opportunity every local short track racer dreams of, a full-time ride in the NASCAR National Series. Timothy "Mini" Tyrrell, a standout in the zMAX CARS Tour, was able to secure his shot at NASCAR stardom through Ram's eight-episode "Race For the Seat" reality TV show contest, which pitted 15 NASCAR hopefuls against each other.The final episode, in which Tyrrell narrowly defeated Carson Ferguson to win the contest, premiered on Friday on Ram's official YouTube channel. As a result of winning the contest, Tyrrell will pilot the No. 14 Kaulig Racing Ram Truck entry full-time during the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series in 2026."I’m just overwhelmed. Winning "Race for the Seat" is something I never in a million years figured would happen," said Tyrrell in a press release. "I came into this hoping to learn a thing or two, grow a bit, and see if I could hang with a bunch of great drivers. I’m thankful from the bottom of my heart for my family, for everybody who’s been in my corner, and for Ram and Kaulig Racing for this opportunity—taking a chance on a kid that comes from grassroots racing and elevating me to a professional level. I’m gonna work my tail off to make everybody proud.”The decision to allow a winner of a reality TV show pilot one of Ram's trucks full-time in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series this season was bold concept, but as Ram has shown in its return to NASCAR, they are looking to push the envelope.“Ram is built on grit, competition, and a relentless drive to approach our NASCAR effort differently,” said Tim Kuniskis, Head of American Brands, SRT Performance, North America Marketing and Retail Strategy, Stellantis. “Race for the Seat brought that spirit to a national stage. The series gave emerging drivers a chance to prove themselves under real pressure and earn their shot in the NASCAR Truck Series with Ram and Kaulig Racing. Mini earned his place on our team, performing exceptionally throughout the competition and is a natural fit for Ram’s ‘last tenth’ culture.”The competition was filmed over a three-week period at the conclusion of the 2025 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series season, and tested drivers on their abilities at a wide-range of vehicles and racetracks, including short tracks like South Boston Speedway and Caraway Speedway and Virginia International Raceway, a road course.In addition to their ability to wheel the race car, drivers were also judged on their ability to handle the rigor of press conferences, their leadership qualities, and overall marketability for the Ram Trucks brand.The tests given to drivers throughout the competition allowed Kaulig Racing, the team that will field the five Ram Truck entries in 2026, a much larger net to evaluate talent than is usually available.“Race for the Seat allowed us to evaluate drivers in a way you normally don’t get the chance to,” said Matt Kaulig, Team Owner of Kaulig Racing. “Over eight episodes, we saw how they competed, prepared, adapted, and handled pressure across different tracks and challenges. Mini proved he was ready for this opportunity, and we’re excited to welcome him to the Kaulig Racing team.” Heading into the final showdown at South Boston Speedway, Ferguson held a slim one-point advantage over Tyrrell, but was not able to hold off his competitor. While Tyrrell landed the full-time ride, Ferguson had one last chance to score a $50,000 prize and a one-off start in Kaulig Racing's No. 25 free-agent truck in the Fall race at Martinsville Speedway. The winner of each heat race from the final challenge, plus the top-two drivers in the Race For The Seat standings entering South Boston, would battle it out in a 20-lap contest in a Late Model Stock Car race. Ferguson came out on top in a dominant effort to secure the cash prize, and the start in the No. 25 truck at Martinsville Speedway in the Fall. Now, the 21-year-old Tyrrell will prepare for the full 25-race NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series schedule, and will look to parlay this opportunity into a long-term NASCAR National Series career. Tyrrell will get his first crack in his debut race in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series at Daytona International Speedway on Friday, February 13. As previously announced, Bruce Cook, a veteran crew chief and former car owner in the series, will serve as the crew chief for the No. 14 truck during the 2026 NASCAR Truck Series season, and he'll provide a veteran presence for the young driver, looking to acclimate to the NASCAR Truck Series. Cook will also field an ARCA Menards Series ride for Tyrrell at Daytona International Speedway, and more ARCA starts could materialize.
Austin Beers invited to participate in the made for TV Reality Racing competition as on of Fifteen competitors from the short-track ranks who will compete for a seat in a Kaulig racing truck in 2026.
One full-time ride remains for Kaulig Racing’s NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series program as part of Dodge’s long-awaited return to the sanctioning body. To determine who gets to race in Kaulig’s No. 14, Ram Trucks unveiled “Race for the Seat,” a reality television show that will see drivers test their skills at tracks like South Boston Speedway and Virginia International Raceway. The program will also provide a behind-the-scenes viewpoint as competitors make their case for a full-time ride. Those participating in “Race for the Seat” possess diverse backgrounds on their respective resumés. Making up the roster are competitors from the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour, ARCA Menards Series, CARS Tour and NASCAR’s Weekly Series. “Race for the Seat” debuts Jan. 25 on FOX, with the remaining episodes airing on Ram’s YouTube channel through Feb. 6. Below are the 15 drivers set to battle it out for an opportunity to drive in the Truck Series on a full-time basis.
Austin Beers won the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour championship in his fourth full-time season. Austin Beers — During the 2025 NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour season, Austin Beers became the youngest champion in series history by earning two victories and never finishing outside the top 10. Consistency has followed Beers since he made his Modified Tour debut in 2021, as he has amassed five wins, 32 top fives and led 1,183 laps.
Mike Christopher Jr. — The son of Modified Tour driver Mike Christopher and nephew of Modified legend Ted Christopher, Mike Christopher Jr. is continuing his family’s proud racing heritage. Christopher Jr. earned his lone Modified Tour victory in 2022 and finished 13th in his Truck Series debut last year.
Mini Tyrrell — Despite being just 21, Mini Tyrrell has established himself as a seasoned competitor on the CARS Tour with 88 starts. His most recent full-time campaign was his best with three victories in total, including a $50,000 payday in the Throwback Classic at Hickory Motor Speedway.
Cody Kelley — The reigning track champion at South Carolina’s Florence Motor Speedway, Cody Kelley has carved out a successful career in Late Model Stock Cars primarily in South Carolina. Kelley has also excelled when racing outside his home state, as he set the fastest time for the ValleyStar Credit Union 300 last year at Martinsville Speedway.
Casey Kelley — Like his twin brother Cody, Casey Kelley is a respected Late Model Stock competitor in South Carolina with a championship at Florence on his resumé. Casey has also proven himself against stout competition; he scored a top-five finish in the ValleyStar Credit Union 300 in 2024.
Landon Huffman has carried on the success of his father Robert with several accomplishments in Late Model Stocks. ) Carson Ferguson — Versatility has always been part of Carson Ferguson’s identity. He was the first to win a championship in the Dirt Nationals, Asphalt Nationals and Road Course World Finals in a Legends car in 2014. Ferguson now primarily competes in dirt-track events across the Southeast, earning two major victories in 2025.
Kade Brown — Kade Brown’s Late Model Stock accomplishments have accumulated with track championships at Hickory and Florence, plus victories in each facility’s crown-jewel events. Brown has been full-time on the CARS Tour since 2023; he earned a career-best points finish of third last year.
Ryan Gemmell — Primarily known for his success in vintage cars divisions like the NASCAR Classic series, Gemmell made his ARCA Menards Series debut with Joe Nemechek last year at Watkins Glen International. Gemmell has showcased his road-course expertise in all three of his ARCA Menards Series starts with no finishes outside the top 10.
Chase Burrow — Since breaking into Late Model Stocks at the turn of the decade, Chase Burrow has raced across his home state of Virginia, North Carolina and South Carolina looking to gain experience. Burrow’s patience and tenacity paid off last year when he obtained his first CARS Tour victory at Virginia’s Langley Speedway.
Jonathan Cash — One of the most experienced drivers on the “Race for the Seat” roster, Jonathan Cash’s career has seen him compete in Late Model Stocks, ARCA Menards Series East and USAR Pro Cup Series. Cash now finds himself in the Southeast competing full-time in Modifieds. He won in August at Coastal Plains Raceway.
Trevor Ward In 2023, Trevor Ward won the ValleyStar Credit Union 300 at Martinsville Speedway and took home the prestigious Virginia Late Model Triple Crown.
Tanner Reif — With his younger brother Tyler joining Niece Motorsports’ NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series program for 2026, Tanner Reif seeks to find his way onto the grid. The elder Reif has primarily competed in the ARCA Menards Series West during the 2020s, claiming three victories.
Landon Huffman — Motorsports has always been part of Landon Huffman’s life, as his dad Robert Huffman is a five-time NASCAR Goody’s Dash Series champion. The younger Huffman has carried on his family’s success by winning a track title at Hickory and finishing second in the ValleyStar Credit Union 300 in 2023, among other accolades.
Grant Griesbach — Although Grant Griesbach has been competing primarily in the Midwest since the mid-2010s, the 2025 season proved to be his best to date. Griesbach earned wins in the Midwest Truck Series and picked up his first major Super Late Model victory at Wisconsin International Raceway, all while gaining more experience against quality fields.
Jared Fryar — Throughout his career in short tracks, Jared Fryar has established himself as a quietly efficient competitor. He is one of two drivers to win championships in two CARS Tour divisions alongside Carson Kvapil and is coming off a career year in the platform’s Late Model Stock class, where he tallied three victories and six top fives across seven starts.
Trevor Ward — Every year in Late Model Stocks, Trevor Ward has gradually improved against the best of the discipline. His accomplishments include both a ValleyStar Credit Union 300 and Virginia Late Model Triple Crown title in 2023. Ward narrowly missed his first track
The number of drivers hoping to capture the 2026 NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour championship seems to grow by the day. More than a dozen drivers have verbally committed to contesting the entire NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour schedule this year, beginning Feb. 7 at Florida’s New Smyrna Speedway. Headlining that list is defending champion Austin Beers, who returns to the seat of the No. 64 KLM Motorsports Modified owned by Mike and Maggie Murphy. Beers is coming off a championship campaign that saw him score wins at Lancaster Motorplex and Riverhead Raceway. He never finished worst than ninth. In 2026, Beers will face a stacked list of competitors hoping to deny him the honor of back-to-back titles. That list includes three Modified Tour champions. Two-time Modified Tour title winner Ron Silk is back on a full-time basis after competing part-time last year, when he led the series with four wins despite racing in just 11 events. Justin Bonsignore is back for another full season of competition after falling eight points shy of his fifth series championship last year. Jon McKennedy, the 2022 champion, is also making a comeback to full-time competition with his own No. 79 program. Patrick Emerling, who has a new partnership with USNEPower for 2026, should also be considered a championship contender in the No. 1 Modified; he’s won five races over the last two seasons. Other notable contenders include Craig Lutz, Tommy Catalano, Kyle Bonsignore, Tyler Rypkema and Matt Hirschman, each of whom scored wins during an ultra-competitive 2025 campaign that saw nine drivers visit Victory Lane. A trio of Rookie of the Year contenders are also expected to contest the full Modified Tour schedule in 2026. They include Mike Christopher Jr., who will drive the No. 31 for Elite Racing, as well as Teddy Hodgdon and Paulie Hartwig III, who will drive for their own family operations. Additional drivers expected to race full-time include 2025 Rookie of the Year Stephen Kopcik, Trevor Catalano, Eric Goodale, John-Michael Shenette and Ken Heagy.