It was a sweet homecoming ‘cookin’ for Patrick Emerling, who picked up his fourth win of 2026 in dominant fashion. It could also prove to be a pivotal win in the championship fight at Oswego on September 5
The NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour made the trip to Oswego Speedway for the Toyota Mod Classic 150. It was Austin Beers on the pole, with Emerling starting to his outside. Emerling would fall in behind Beers to start the race, but would eventually reel in Beers and take control of the race at Lap 28. Emerling would go on to lead 124 laps at Oswego, a race he had won back in 2024 and had a strong showing just a year ago.Emerling, who’s out of Orchard Park, New York, was ready for Oswego this year.“This is a race where we were really excited to run all season,” Emerling said in victory lane. “We ran really well here last year, and won here the year before. We lost track position last year. We were really looking forward to this one. We were really confident. We had a really good package for here. This is a home race for us. This is a track that I grew up on, raced ROC and sport mods, and it’s really special to come and win. This would be my home race on the tour. I’m just super excited.”Emerling said their USNEPower Motorsports 1 unloaded a fast piece, Top-5 in both practices and qualified second.“Really thankful, I didn’t do a lot of work out there,” Emerling said “That was all Dale Hedquist, just making the car go fast. I just got to give up to the whole USNEPower, number one team, Davis Miller, my family, Dale, right there. The thing was a missile today, and just really exciting to come here and get another one.” Early on in the race, it was Austin Beers jumping out front, leading the first 27 laps, before Emerling would get by and take over on Lap 28. Despite being patient in the opening laps, Emerling was hungry to get by Beers, who sat second in the championship standings 10 points back coming into Oswego. “He(Beers) started out a little bit snug, and I started out neutral, and I just wanted to try my hardest and get around them while I still could,” Emerling explained. “His car can come in a little bit more, and that’s what we kind of did, and then we just played. We just had a good car all night, just had track position, got the rears on, and the car was perfect after that.“ Coming home with a second place finish was Jonathan McKennedy, picking up his sixth Top-5 of the year.“We had a pretty good car in the race,” McKennedy said. “We just ultimately got a little bit loose, loose in, really was my biggest issue. We made some changes in that pitstop. We put two new rear tires on. The weird thing was the car got even looser, so I want to go home and spend some time and figure out why that was. That was kind of strange, but overall, a great day, a second place for me here is great. I’ve raced here probably nine or 10 times over the years, between modified and supers, and I think I’ve only finished two races. I’ve just always had a black cloud here, we’ve blown motors here, rear ends, and flat tires. I’ve always had horrible luck here, so obviously it would have been nice to win, but Patrick had a really good car, he drove a great race. Yeah, just come up a little bit short. We’ll take a second and we’ll head to Waterford tomorrow with the Monaco Tri-Track Series.” Tyler Rypkema comes home with a solid third place finish, after the BRE Racing team made the right adjustments and found their way into the Top-5.“It made a huge difference,” Rypkema said. “We were just way too tight earlier on and it was just really pushing the nose hard and getting free off. We kind of jumped them there, and it helped a lot to get down and roll through the middle a little bit. I was watching a lot of other guys who were a lot worse than I was. Had elbows up on those restarts and got past the 64, and got down in, and had something for the 79 there, but just didn’t quite make it happen. Great day all around. A great points day. Hard to complain about a third year. I haven’t run very well here the last few years, so it’s really good to get back here in that least competitive form.”It was another very strong day for Teddy Hodgdon, despite a pitroad miscue for the Hodgdon Racing team. They put on a third tire under the same caution, to then be penalized, but that third tire likely was an advantage for Hodgdon. “That was huge, it was just a miscue on the road,” Hodgdon said. “We misunderstood the rules, and thought we could put three on in one caution, and just, that wasn’t the rule. So, I had to serve the penalty. I was a little hot in there, not going to lie. I didn’t want to go a lap down like that, but I had to keep calm and cool. Keep focused and we ended up doing that at the end there.” Hodgdon would fight his way from the rear of the field after getting his lap back, picking off positions one by one.“It was definitely cool,” Hodgdon said “I could see a lot of guys were getting loose, and we were building tight, so I knew if I could just get the power down, and it went straight off, then I’d get guys, and especially charging into Turn 3, they would kind of hold their line up, and I’d be able to sneak right underneath them. It was just a great effort by our guys. I can’t thank all our sponsors enough.”Hodgdon, a rookie in his first full-time season with the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour is on a roll with the Top-10 at New Hampshire, win at Stafford, and now a hard fought comeback Top-5 at Oswego.“Hopefully they keep this momentum going,” Hodgdon said. “Riverhead, I didn’t do so good last time, but Thompson and I have a ton of laps there, so we’ll keep the momentum going, and hopefully make some spots up in the standings.”Rounding out the Top-5 was Mike Christopher Jr., his second Top-5 finish in the 2026 season. Christopher Jr. was using the restarts to his advantage, picking off positions on the high line. “I think it fired pretty good, but the tops seem to go on the restarts there, so we got lucky starting eighth, sixth, and positions like that,” Christopher Jr. explained. “Definitely didn’t have anything for those top guys, but coming from the back was a lot of fun, a little bit of strategy involved, where the 05 was better on taking that right front tire, but we needed a night like this where, you know, it went right, and we’re talking to you guys, but we’re not third or first, but it’s progress. I know there’s only two races left in the year, but I’m having a good time. Thank you to Alan, Darrell Baker, all the guys to help out, Gino and Dave, and, all the guys that I bring too. It’s been an up and down season, but might as well finish out strong.” Notables results on the day, with championship contender Austin Beers leading the first handful of laps would fade late in the race, coming home in sixth.“We were good the first run, just too tight,” Beers said. “Fired off the same for the second one and it built very free the last 30 laps.” Matt Hirschman was another driver with an up and down day. Hirschman topped the charts in both practices today, running inside the Top-5 much of the first 100 laps. On a Lap 102 restart, Hirschman would get into the inside wall, knocking the tow out, but would salvage the day with an eight place finish. Another driver with a busy day, was Stephen Kopcik and the Wanick Motorsports team. Kopcik would spin in first practice in Turn 3, making contact with the wall, damaging the right front. Kopcik and the Wanick Motorsports team would make it for qualifying, timing 10th, and then finishing the day in 10th.
Full Toyota Mod Classic 150 at Oswego Speedway Results:
Position Driver Laps Led 1 Patrick Emerling 2 Jon McKennedy 3 Tyler Rypkema 4 Teddy Hodgdon 5 Mike Christopher Jr. 6 Austin Beers 7 Eric Goodale 8 Matt Hirschman 9 Paulie Hartwig III 10 Stephen Kopcik 11 Andrew Molleur 12 Trevor Catalano 13 Timmy Catalano 14 John-Michael Shenette 15 Ken Heagy 16 Tim Connolly 17 Tommy Catalano
TIMMY SOLOMITO IS THE $10,076 WINNER OF THE JBIII MEMORIAL 176 AT WALL STADIUM SATURDAY August 29
WALL, NJ ~ Timmy Solomito of Islip, N.Y. pocketed $10,076 plus bonuses by winning the 176 lap John Blewett III Memorial in the NASCAR Local Racing Series presented by O'Reilly Auto Parts on Saturday night at Wall Stadium. The Tour Type Modified stock car event contested in front of a near capacity crowd was presented in the memory of the popular driver who lost his life in a Connecticut racing accident in 2007. Young James Blewett led the event honoring his late uncle at the outset as Danny Bohn of Mooresville, N.C., also from a family with deep racing roots, soon advanced to second. A few cautions slowed the early third of the test including one for Jimmy Blewett, the leader's father, who suffered rear suspension trouble in turn four. Bohn continued to chase the leader as nearly 90 non stop laps were then recorded. Meanwhile, Solomito, also from a family with a deep racing heritage, was patiently advancing to the front from an 11th starting spot. On a lap 151 restart Bohn was able to power to the outside lane to steal the lead from Blewett. Solomito charged into second on lap 157 before diving to the inside lane to take the lead and eventual win. Bohn's great run ended moments later when he tagged the front stretch rail.Carsten DiGiantomasso of Jackson and Ricky Collins of Willow Grove, Pa. were impressive finishing second and third, while Patrick Emerling of Orchard Park, N.Y. and James Blewett were fourth and fifth.“It has been a long couple months out of the Modified seat,” Solomito said after the win. “I had to take some time off for a lot of reasons. My dad was sick over the winter. We did do a little racing with family in the Legend Car. A big thank you to all of our Modified sponsors who stuck it out. Thankful to get a big win with not only my family & friends, but with my dad! “If you would have told me we would win this after qualifying I wouldn't have believed it. My guys made some great changes and the car was fast in the race.”
A dream come true': Hometown hero Teddy Hodgdon scores emotional first Modified Tour win at Stafford on August 28, 2026 By Brandon White | NASCAR.com
STAFFORD SPRINGS, Conn. – The NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour's return to Stafford Speedway on Friday evening was a day Teddy Hodgdon was eagerly looking forward to. A good portion of Hodgdon's childhood was spent at Stafford watching the track legends do battle around the storied facility. Hodgdon would eventually get a chance to write his own history at Stafford, racking up numerous accomplishments that included an SK Light Modified track championship in 2019. Hodgdon had to wait seven years after his 2019 championship for a chance to chase a NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour victory at his home track. When that time came Friday evening, Hodgdon did not let it go to waste. He charged from 23rd on the starting grid to win his first NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour event. An emotional Hodgdon was in disbelief as he climbed out of his No. 05 in Victory Lane, elated that his small, family-owned team bested the giants of the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour at the track that defined him. "This has been so many years in the making," Hodgdon said. "I knew qualifying in the back was going to be an uphill battle, but as soon as we got through the first turn, I knew we had a piece tonight. My mentality at the beginning was to pick guys off and try to get the best track position we could for the pit stop. We made some changes with the tires and this thing was lights out after that. I fought the hardest 16 laps I could during the last run. I can't believe that just happened." Entering Stafford, Hodgdon had seven top 10s through the first 12 races of the season. Given his previous experience at Stafford, Hodgdon knew there was an opportunity for the GAF 150 to be his best NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour race yet. Hodgdon set the quickest time in the first practice of the day but could not back that speed up in qualifying. Disappointed but not deterred, Hodgdon went to work when the green flag waved, surviving a first corner crash that collected numerous contenders before patiently working his way to the front. With 25 laps remaining, Hodgdon was pulling away with a comfortable lead. Then the caution waved with less than 20 laps left after Stephen Kopcik spun off the front bumper of Matt Hirschman, who would line up second for the ensuing restart. The restart was a near-disaster for Hodgdon, who spun the tires and lost the lead to Hirschman, though he quickly regrouped and gave chase. Hirschman was unable to withstand Hodgdon's pressure and conceded the top spot only a few laps later. While Hirschman would have loved to win at Stafford for the first time with the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour, he commended Hodgdon's drive and felt he was deserving of the victory. As for the contact with Kopcik that triggered the final yellow, Hirschman said it was unintentional despite their past encounters throughout the season. "I sent it in the corner and didn't have enough grip in the right front there to hold it," Hirschman said. "Slid up and got into [Kopcik] a little bit. I've gone around twice this year off his front bumper. I wasn't intending for that to happen, but I'll at least own it. He didn't do that at Riverhead and it cost us about the same amount of spots. If I really wanted to return any kind of payback, I would have just done it." Being able to beat so many other talented competitors for win number one in the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour was a surreal moment for Hodgdon. Many of the drivers in Friday's field were racing at Stafford when Hodgdon's own career there was beginning during the late 2000s. Hodgdon never imagined that two decades of hard work and sacrifice would lead to a NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour victory at Stafford. There were even times when running an event in the series at Stafford seemed far-fetched to him. Patience paid off for Hodgdon in the most rewarding way possible. He'll now be forever recognized as one of the select few to win a NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour event at Stafford, which he achieved by besting a legend like Hirschman. "Everyone knows Matt [Hirschman] is one of the greatest Modified drivers of all time," Hodgdon said. "I tried to race him with as much respect as I could, but I knew that me and this orange No. 05 was a hard combo to beat. I'm so speechless right now. This is truly a dream come true. I don't think you could have wrote a script better." Chase Dowling came home third, with Justin Bonsignore placing fourth after being involved in the crash on Lap 1. Patrick Emerling finished fifth to regain sole possession of the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour championship lead. Jon McKennedy, Kopcik, Mike Christopher Jr., Eric Goodale and Paulie Hartwig III were sixth through 10th, respectively.
Pos. Car No. Driver Laps Diff 1 05 Teddy Hodgdon IV* 150 -- 2 60 Matt Hirschman 150 0.906 3 44 Chase Dowling 150 1.426 4 51 Justin Bonsignore 150 2.394 5 1 Patrick Emerling 150 2.437 6 79 Jonathan McKennedy 150 3.144 7 21 Stephen Kopcik 150 4.365 8 31 Michael Christopher Jr 150 4.572 9 58 Eric Goodale 150 4.635 10 73 Paulie Hartwig III* 150 5.198 11 82 Andrew Molleur 150 6.382 12 3 Tyler Rypkema 150 7.927 13 28 Doug Coby 150 8.035 14 15 Joey Cipriano 150 8.447 15 64 Austin Beers 150 9.052 16 20 Max Zachem 150 9.297 17 89 Matt Swanson 150 9.841 18 54 Tommy Catalano 150 10.016 19 50 Ronnie Williams 149 1 Lap 20 6 Cory Dimatteo* 149 1 Lap 21 95 Matt Kimball 148 2 Laps 22 18 Ken Heagy 145 5 Laps 23 8 John-Michael Shenette 77 73 Laps 24 56 Trevor Catalano 55 95 Laps 25 36 David Sapienza 44 106 Laps
Jon McKennedy fends off the pack to finally earn first New Hampshire Modified Tour victory on August 22
Jon McKennedy finally captured his first NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour win at New Hampshire Motor Speedway, taking the Mohegan Sun 100 after a two-lap sprint to the finish and running out of fuel just after crossing the line; he'd been chasing this specific victory since 2006, having led his first laps there in 2018 and won a series championship in 2022, and called it one of the biggest wins of his career. The race saw the lead change hands 29 times, with Tommy Catalano briefly taking over coming to the white flag before McKennedy dove deep into turn one to retake it, aided by a crash behind them that broke up the draft; Catalano, in his 11th try at the track, called it his best-ever finish there. NASCAR Cup driver Ryan Preece finished third in his own Modified, with Tyler Rypkema fourth and Trevor Catalano fifth, while Mike Christopher Jr., Chase Dowling, Dave Sapienza, Teddy Hodgdon, and Andrew Molleur rounded out the top ten. The series heads to Stafford Speedway next. Results: 1 – Jonathan McKennedy – 100 2 – Tommy Catalano – 100 3 – Ryan Preece – 100 4 – Tyler Rypkema – 100 5 – Trevor Catalano – 100 6 – Michael Christopher – 100 7 – Chase Dowling – 100 8 – David Sapienza – 100 9 – Teddy Hodgdon – 100 10 – Andrew Molleur – 100 11 – Matt Hirschman – 100 12 – Craig Lutz – 100 13 – Paulie Hartwig III – 100 14 – Doug Coby – 100 15 – Ronnie Williams – 100 16 – Jacob Perry – 100 17 – Stephen Kopcik – 100 18 – Ryan Newman – 100 19 – Austin Beers – 100 20 – John-Michael Shenette – 100 21 – Cory Dimatteo – 100 22 – Ken Heagy – 100 23 – Eric Goodale – 100 24 – Justin Bonsignore – 100 25 – Cory Plummer – 98 26 – Anthony Nocella – 80 27 – Matt Kimball – 80 28 – Luke Baldwin – 70 29 – Andy Seuss – 10 30 – Patrick Emerling – 3
Jon McKennedy wins the Tri-Track Open Modified Series 1st Seekonk Speedway on August 15, 2026.
Starting well back in the 25-car field, McKennedy fought through traffic and made the winning pass on Stephen Kopcik for the lead on lap 123, holding on to take the checkered flag. Ron Silk rounded out the podium in third. It's McKennedy's second series win of the 2026 season and reflects a strong return to form after a tough recent stretch.
Jon McKennedy – Chelmsford, MA Stephen Kopcik – Newtown, CT Ron Silk – Norwalk, CT Brett Meservey – Brewster, MA Ronnie Williams – Lebanon, CT Derek Gluchacki – North Dartmouth, MA Kyle Bonsignore – Mooresville, NC Austin Beers – Northampton, PA George Bessette Jr – Danbury, CT Chris Pasteryak – Moosup, CT Matt Swanson – Harvard, MA Teddy Hodgdon – Danbury, CT Tyler Chapman – Ellington, CT Steven Chapman – Ellington, CT David Arute – Stafford Springs, CT Joey Braun – Manorville, NY Trevor Bleau – Troy, NH Noah Korner – Canton, CT Cainen Schulz – Norton, MA Derek Robbie – Bellingham, MA Paul Kusheba IV – Colchester, CT Kurt Vigeant – Oxford, MA (22 laps down) Woody Pitkat – Bellingham, MA (56 laps down) Joey Cipriano – Plymouth, CT (61 laps down) Ryan Doucette – Framingham, MA (64 laps down)
Matt Hirschman finally wins at Thompson, scores second victory of 2026 on August 5
In the two decades Matt Hirschman has competed on the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour, a win at Thompson Speedway Motorsports Park had eluded him. Thompson has long been a special track for Hirschman, who spent a good portion of his childhood watching numerous Modified legends compete there, including his father Tony, who won eight Modified Tour races at the track. Hirschman checked off that box Wednesday in his 34th Thompson start. The speed in his No. 60 Bar Harbor Bank & Trust Modified enabled Hirschman to pass polesitter Austin Beers early on, but he made sure to credit his pit crew for keeping him ahead during the lone caution of the evening. "When you have a car that's been a winning car all day out of the trailer, you need [your pit crew] to do their part as well," Hirschman said. "It was a perfect day. I missed the pole by a little bit, but with the way this car was running, I probably looked more like Tony Hirschman out there [on Wednesday] than what I've done here in my career." The first Modified Tour event at Thompson for Hirschman in 2005 ended in a crash after 92 laps. Misfortune followed Hirschman across his ensuing four Thompson starts, all of which ended with him behind the wall. Despite the growing pains, Hirschman was determined to find a rhythm at a track where his father, Richie Evans, Mike Stefanik and so many others had won before. The first top five for Hirschman at Thompson came in the 2007 Modified Tour season opener. One year later, he earned his first runner-up finish at the track. As the years progressed for Hirschman on the Modified Tour, Thompson continued to provide mixed results. Yet top-five finishes in his last three trips to Thompson with Pee Dee Motorsports left Hirschman optimistic that he was close to that elusive first series victory at the complex. Hirschman's faith was grounded in reality Wednesday. He was the only driver to break into the 18-second bracket during the final practice session. Although Hirschman did not get the pole, the speed he showcased earlier in the day emanated once again after finding his way around Beers. Like Hirschman, Beers was also hoping to secure his first Thompson Modified Tour victory in his 12th start at the track. Beers was thrilled to earn his second Thompson pole and finish runner-up Wednesday, which he believes are indications that his team is returning to their championship form from 2025. "He's taken a lot of wins from me, but he was the class of the field on Wednesday," Beers said. "We were a tick snug on that second run, but it was a good points day for us. We've been consistent since Oxford [Plains] when we had that little mishap. We're getting better and better every week and we're going to keep fighting." Hirschman now has two Modified Tour victories on the year to go along with four top fives in the last five races. Hirschman felt Wednesday was going to be different from the moment he unloaded. Everyone at Pee Dee Motorsports, including himself, did their part to ensure Hirschman finally got to enjoy a Thompson victory. "We've had pole speed in some of these recent races," Hirschman said. "We were close at Claremont with a second, but today we had a car off the trailer that could win this race tonight. My guys probably could tell I knew everything mattered tonight. I was getting on some of them, but I came in locked and loaded today. I had a good night sleep [on Tuesday]. I came here to take care of business, and I needed everyone to get on that same page." Patrick Emerling's win streak came to an end at three races, but he still enjoyed a solid points night by finishing third. Chase Dowling secured a fourth-place finish, with Matt Swanson rounding out the top five.
Matt Hirschman, Austin Beers, Patrick Emerling, Chase Dowling, Matt Swanson, Eric Goodale, Paulie Hartwig III, Stephen Kopcik, Doug Koby, Tyler Rypkema, Tommy Catalano, Michael Christopher, Teddy Hodgdon, Andrew Molleur, David Saplenza, Ken Heagy, Trevor Catalano, John-Michael Shenette, Cory Plummer, Cory DiMatteo, Ronnie Williams, Andrew Krause, Max Zachem, Jonathan McKennedy.
MATT HIRSCHMAN GOES FROM 8TH TO WIN “SUMMER SHOWDOWN” AT MAHONING VALLEY SPEEDWAY FOR 69TH CAREER VICTORY on August 1
Matt Hirschman is always a contender, no matter the track. But when the Race of Champions Modified Series visits Mahoning Valley Speedway, one of the tracks closest to his home, Hirschman seems to find another gear. On Saturday night, Hirschman started 8th, methodically worked his way through the field, took the lead and fended off the challenges of Austin Beers of Northampton, PA to go on and win the 75-lap "Summer Showdown." It was the 69th victory of Hirschman's career. "It's always great to win here at home," said Hirschman following the event. "We've had a great start to the Race of Champions season. I want to thank my family, the team, our sponsors, and everyone that supports us. Hopefully we can keep our momentum going." The race began with Austin Kochenash of Danielsville, PA and Jake Christman of Walnutport, PA showing the way before Hirschman found his rhythm, worked through the field, and took the lead in the caution-plagued event. Beers was able to show his nose to Hirschman on a couple of late-race restarts, but it was to no avail. Beers wound up second, with early race leader Kyle Strohl of Palmertown, PA coming home third. Christman came home fourth, and Paulie Hartwig III of Galloway, NJ rounded out the top five. Hirschman, Roger Coss of Lafayette, NJ, and Hartwig won the qualifying races. Hirschman posted the fastest time in green-white-checker qualifying.
1 – Matt Hirschman – Northampton, PA 2 – Austin Beers – Northampton, PA 3 – Kyle Strohl – Palmertown, PA 4 – Jacob Christman – Walnutport, PA 5 – Paulie Hartwig III – Galloway, NJ 6 – Justin Bonsignore – Wading River, MA 7 – Nick Baer – New Tripoli, PA 8 – Roger Coss – Lafayette, NJ 9 – Bobby Jones – Palmertown, PA 10 – Austin Kochenash – Danielsville, PA 11 – Jacob Kerstetter – Allentown, PA 12 – Earl Paules – Palmertown, PA 13 – Samantha Osborn – Quakertown, PA 14 – Brian Defebo – Berwick, PA 15 – Jayden Harman – Sugarloaf, PA 16 – Tommy Rought – Rome, PA 17 – Cody Kohler – Schnecksville, PA 18 – Mark Miller – Lehighton, PA 19 – Jaden Brown – Kunkletown, PA 20 – Gunnar Zeiner – Bath, PA 21 – Jack Ely – Northampton, PA 22 – Daren Scherer – Binghamton, NY 23 – Ricky Ross Jr – Mountain Top, PA 24 – Josh Mooney – Lehighton, PA
Patrick Emerling continues his Modified Tour hot streak with a win in Monadnock’s Duel at the Dog 200 July 25 Adam Fenwick
WINCHESTER, N.H. – There's hot, and then there's whatever Patrick Emerling is right now on the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour. The 33-year-old driver from Orchard Park, New York captured his third consecutive NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour victory Saturday night at Monadnock Speedway in the Duel at the Dog 200 Energized by USNE Power to further solidify his place at the top of the series standings. If that weren’t good enough, he also earned a $5,000 bonus as champion of the Whelen Midsummer Championship miniseries following his victory Saturday night. “Absolutely incredible,” Emerling said. “Never would I have ever thought a while back that we would be in this position winning three in a row like that. We kind of struggled at the beginning of the season and just had to find our footing and get dialed in on the American Racer tire.” RELATED: Complete results from Monadnock Emerling started Saturday’s 200-lap event from the fourth position following the redraw and raced inside the top five during the first portion of the event. Following a caution and subsequent round of pit stops just before the halfway mark, Emerling was able to muscle his way past defending series champion Austin Beers to take the lead for the first time. After that, the only time Emerling was challenged was during restarts. His stiffest challenge came from Tyler Rypkema, who stayed glued to Emerling’s outside for several laps following the final restart before Emerling was finally able to clear. [caption id="attachment_520334" align="aligncenter" width="1300"]
Patrick Emerling Patrick Emerling further padded his NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour championship with a win Saturday at Monadnock Speedway. (Photo: Jaiden Tripi/NASCAR)[/caption] Once he disposed of Rypkema, Emerling pulled away to a comfortable, 2.326-second victory. The win, the 13th of his career, was his second at Monadnock Speedway. Emerling’s three consecutive victories marks just the 18th time in the history of the modern NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour that a driver has won at least three races in a row. Justin Bonsignore was the last driver to do it at the conclusion of the 2024 season. “Dale Hedquist just prepared another masterpiece of a race car,” Emerling said. “We had to work for it. We were really elbows up tonight and raced really, really hard each and every lap of the race. The team did an incredible job, and we were able to edge it out there. “Just happy to be out here racing. I feel really lucky to do it. We had a lot of fun.” Rypkema settled for second, his third runner-up finish of the season in Boehler Racing Enterprises’ Ole Blue No. 3. Beers was third, followed by rookie Paulie Hartwig III and Tommy Catalano. Teddy Hodgdon, Eric Goodale, Jon McKennedy, Doug Coby and Stephen Kopcik were sixth through 10th, respectively. The NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour takes next week off before returning to action for a midweek show at Thompson Speedway Motorsports Park on Wednesday, Aug. 5. The Thompson 150 presented by FloSports.com takes the green flag at 8 p.m. ET live on FloRacing.
Emerling Conquers White Mountain for Second Straight Win on July 19 Patrick Emerling picked up his second consecutive NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour victory on Sunday, this time at White Mountain Motorsports Park, a track that had given him nothing but trouble in three prior tries. After starting from the pole, Emerling looked strong early but had to fight back from adversity when a broken carburetor stud knocked his air cleaner loose on lap 46. His team used the mishap as cover to put on fresh tires, banking on a caution to bail them out. It worked: when Trevor Catalano hit mechanical trouble with 83 laps to go, most of the leaders pitted and Emerling cycled back to the front row. From there he took the lead from rookie Paulie Hartwig III and cruised to his 11th career series win, tightening his grip on the points lead. Austin Beers, the defending series champion, came home second after leading much of the middle stages before a late-race scuffle cost him track position. Hartwig held on for a career-best third-place finish, with Tyler Rypkema fourth and Matt Hirschman rounding out the top five. With the top four in points separated by just 10 heading into the race, every finishing position is carrying extra weight this season. Thunder in the Mountains 200 - Final Results Pos 1 - Car #1 - Patrick Emerling - 200 laps - Winner Pos 2 - Car #64 - Austin Beers - 200 laps - 1.953 back Pos 3 - Car #73 - Paulie Hartwig III* - 200 laps - 4.34 back Pos 4 - Car #3 - Tyler Rypkema - 200 laps - 6.928 back Pos 5 - Car #60 - Matt Hirschman - 200 laps - 7.52 back Pos 6 - Car #31 - Mike Christopher Jr. - 200 laps - 7.87 back Pos 7 - Car #58 - Eric Goodale - 200 laps - 9.629 back Pos 8 - Car #28 - Doug Coby - 200 laps - 10.587 back Pos 9 - Car #82 - Andrew Molleur - 200 laps - 12.062 back Pos 10 - Car #05 - Teddy Hodgdon* - 200 laps - 13.414 back Pos 11 - Car #21 - Stephen Kopcik - 200 laps - 14.376 back Pos 12 - Car #79 - Jon McKennedy - 199 laps - 1 lap down Pos 13 - Car #54 - Tommy Catalano - 199 laps - 1 lap down Pos 14 - Car #9 - Jayden Harman* - 198 laps - 2 laps down Pos 15 - Car #18 - Ken Heagy - 196 laps - 4 laps down Pos 16 - Car #95 - Cory Plummer - 196 laps - 4 laps down Pos 17 - Car #8 - John-Michael Shenette - 131 laps - 69 laps down Pos 18 - Car #56 - Trevor Catalano - 116 laps - 84 laps down Original reporting: NASCAR.com, article by Brandon White, published July 19, 2026.
Ron Silk Wins GAF Roofing Modified Masters on July 15 as Austin gets caught up in someone else's mess
(Stafford Springs, CT)—The Monaco Modified Tri-Track Series came to Stafford Motor Speedway on Wednesday, July 15th for the 80-lap GAF Roofing Modified Masters feature event. Ron Silk led early and then retook the lead after a mid-race pit stop and dominated the GAF Roofing Modified Masters 80-lap feature event at Stafford Speedway to take the checkered flag and the $10,000 winner’s check. Silk’s win was his second win in the last three years in the GAF Roofing Modified Masters. The race took the green flag with Ron Silk taking the early lead with Jon McKennedy right behind him in second. Justin Bonsignore went around Teddy Hodgdon on lap-3 to take third with Hodgdon fourth and Cory DiMatteo fifth. Ronnie Williams and Tyler Chapman were dueling wheel to wheel for sixth place with Williams getting clear into sixth on lap-8 after several laps of side by side action. Williams nearly took fourth from DiMatteo but settled back into line behind him on lap-9 before taking the position on lap-10. Williams then set his sights on Justin Bonsignore in third and he took that position on lap-12 while Silk and McKennedy were still the top-2 runners. With 20 laps complete, Silk was still leading McKennedy with Williams, Justin Bonsignore, Joey Cipriano, Tyler Chapman, Hodgdon, DiMatteo, Noah Korner, and Kyle Bonsignore making up the top-10. Silk was starting to stretch out his lead over McKennedy when the caution flew with 22 laps complete for George Bessette, Jr., who spun in turn 4. McKennedy got a good run to the outside of Silk on the restart but wasn’t able to make a pass and he settled back into second after a lap of side by side racing. Justin Bonsignore was third with Williams going wheel to wheel with Tyler Chapman before securing fourth place on lap-25. Cipriano was now side by side with Chapman for fifth place with Cipriano winning that duel. As the race hit the halfway point, it was still Silk leading McKennedy with Williams, Justin Bonsignore, Cipriano, Tyler Chapman, Hodgdon, Austin Beers, Kyle Bonsignore, and Ryan Newman making up the top-10. The caution came back out with 42 laps complete for spins in turn 3 by Matt Gallo and Bessette. Under the caution period, the majority of the lead lap cars came to pit road tire changes and adjustments. Williams won the race off of pit road followed by McKennedy, Justin Bonsignore, Silk, Kyle Bonsignore, Joey Cipriano, Patrick Emerling, Newman, Beers, and Tyler Chapman. Ryan Preece, who had pitted under an earlier caution period at lap-22, inherited the lead with DiMatteo to his outside and Woody Pitkat behind him. Williams restarted in fourth place with McKennedy and Justin Bonsignore making up the third row. Preece took the lead back under green with DiMatteo glued to his back bumper in second. Pitkat was side by side with Williams with Williams quickly taking third. Williams then took second place from Preece on lap-46 and set his sights on DiMatteo, who had taken the lead from Preece on the prior lap. The caution came out with 46 laps complete for a spin in turn 2 by Beers. Preece relinquished third place by coming back to pit road under the caution period. The restart saw Cipriano spin through the backstretch grass after climbing up and over the left front of Pitkat, which brought the caution flag right back out. DiMatteo took the lead on the restart with Williams moving into second. McKennedy took third with Silk foruth and Justin Bonsignore fifth. Williams took the lead from DiMatteo on lap-48 and that opened the door for McKennedy to take second and Silk third as DiMatteo fell back to fourth place just in front of Justin Bonsignore. Silk was starting to apply heavy pressure to McKennedy for second and he made his move on lap-54 to take second with a pass in turn 4. Silk applied some heavy pressure to Williams and he retook the lead on lap-57 with a pass coming out of turn 4. Cipriano, Korner, and Chris Pasteryak all took a trip through the frontstretch grass with Korner coming to a stop in turn 2 to bring the caution flag back out with 63 laps complete. Silk took the lead back under green with Williams right behind him in second. Justin Bonsignore took third with Newman up to fourth and McKennedy was fifth. Gallo and Steven Chapman both went around in turn 4 to bring the caution flag back out with 64 laps complete. Silk charged back into the lead on the restart with Justin Bonsignore taking second. Williams was third with Newman fourth and McKennedy fifth. Teddy Hodgdon took fourth place from Newman on lap-72 while Silk was slowly pulling away from Williams and Justin Bonsignore. The caution flag came back out with 74 laps complete for a spin in turn 2 by Tom Sekulski. Silk took the lead on the restart with Tyler Chapman looking to take second. He pulled to the inside of Williams and they raced wheel to wheel with Hodgdon and Newman lined up behind them. Williams finally got clear into second after two laps of side by side racing but the caution came back out for a spin at the entrance of turn 3 by Cipriano. Silk took the lead again on the restart with Williams getting into second. Justin Bonsignore was third with Hodgdon fourth and Newman fifth. Williams couldn’t catch Silk who took the checkered flag to win the GAF Roofing Modified Masters and the $10,000 winner’s purse. Williams finished second with Justin Bonsignore, Hodgdon, and Newman rounding out the top-5.
MATT HIRSCHMAN WINS ROD SPAULDING CLASSIC AT SHANGRI LA ON JULY 12
Matt Hirschman won the Rod Spaulding Classic for Race of Champions modifieds at the Shangri-La 2 Speedway in Tioga Center.
The 75-lap main event on the concrete, half-mile oval saw Patrick Emerling lead most of main event, but Hirschman moved into the top spot with 20 laps to go and rolled to the win.
Andrew Lewis Jr. followed Emerling in third, with Austin Beers and Jimmy Zacharias completing the top five finishers.
Rod Spalding Classic Finish Start # Competitor Hometown +/- 1 4 60 Matt Hirschman Matt Hirschman Northampton, PA 3 2 1 11E Patrick Emerling Patrick Emerling Orchard Park, NY -1 3 2 11L Andrew Lewis Jr Andrew Lewis Jr Ontario, NY -1 4 11 9 Austin Beers Austin Beers Northampton, PA 7 5 6 71J Jimmy Zacharias Jimmy Zacharias Oswego, NY 1 6 7 48 Jacob Christman Jacob Christman Walnutport, PA 1 7 8 66 Austin Kochenash Austin Kochenash Danielsville, PA 1 8 5 73X Andy Jankowiak Andy Jankowiak Tonawanda, NY -3 9 9 3 Daren Scherer Daren Scherer Binghamton, NY - 10 13 14B Blake Barney Blake Barney Jackson, NJ 3 11 3 51 Jayden Harman Jayden Harman sugarloaf, PA -8 12 17 44 Kyle Strohl Kyle Strohl Palmertown, PA 5 13 14 72 T.J. Potrzebowski T.J. Potrzebowski Elmira, NY 1 14 15 42 Bobby Jones Bobby Jones Palmertown, PA 1 15 10 20 Paulie Hartwig III Paulie Hartwig III Galloway, NJ -5 16 12 16 Ricky Collins Ricky Collins Willow Grove, PA -4 17 16 V4 Tim Connolly Tim Connolly Endicott, NY -1 18 19 40 Tommy Rought Tommy Rought Rome, PA 1 19 18 71G Garrett Zacharias Garrett Zacharias Candor, NY -1 DNS 20 14L Jake Lutz Jake Lutz Hamburg, NY -
Patrick Emerling Wins at Claremont on July 10, Takes Whelen Modified Tour Points Lead - Austin solid 4th
Patrick Emerling picked up his first win of the season Friday night at Claremont Motorsports Park, topping the field in Round 2 of the Whelen Midsummer Championship miniseries. It was the 10th career Modified Tour victory for Emerling, making him the 24th driver in series history to reach double digits in wins. Emerling credited extra practice time at the track in the weeks leading up to the race, saying the team used an earlier visit to dial in their setup after a runner-up finish. Starting from the pole after a redraw, he led early before Matt Hirschman took over the top spot on a Lap 30 restart. Emerling reeled him back in during a long green-flag stretch and retook the lead with about 56 laps to go, then held on despite pressure from Hirschman over the closing laps. Hirschman, who finished second, had been chasing a $10,000 bonus for sweeping all three rounds of the Midsummer Championship after winning at Seekonk on July 1. He said afterward that Emerling simply had the stronger car by the end. The win also shook up the points standings: previous leader Stephen Kopcik struggled with power steering problems all night and finished last, handing the championship lead to Emerling. Rounding out the top ten: Jon McKennedy (3rd), Austin Beers (4th), rookie Paulie Hartwig III (5th), followed by Max Zachem, Teddy Hodgdon, Mike Christopher Jr., Eric Goodale, and Andrew Molleur.
Pos | No. | Driver | Laps | Behind 1 | 1 | Patrick Emerling | 150 | -- 2 | 60 | Matt Hirschman | 150 | 0.851 3 | 79 | Jonathan McKennedy | 150 | 1.611 4 | 64 | Austin Beers | 150 | 2.647 5 | 73 | Paulie Hartwig III* | 150 | 3.622 6 | 20 | Max Zachem | 150 | 6.204 7 | 05 | Teddy Hodgdon* | 150 | 7.07 8 | 31 | Mike Christopher Jr. | 150 | 10.029 9 | 58 | Eric Goodale | 150 | 13.448 10 | 82 | Andrew Molleur | 149 | 1 Lap 11 | 3 | Tyler Rypkema | 149 | 1 Lap 12 | 54 | Tommy Catalano | 149 | 1 Lap 13 | 56 | Trevor Catalano | 149 | 1 Lap 14 | 15 | Joey Cipriano | 148 | 2 Laps 15 | 9 | Jayden Harman* | 148 | 2 Laps 16 | 8 | John-Michael Shenette | 148 | 2 Laps 17 | 95 | Cory Plummer* | 147 | 3 Laps 18 | 18 | Ken Heagy | 147 | 3 Laps 19 | 21 | Stephen Kopcik | 146 | 4 Laps
Hirschman Ends Slump with Firecracker 150 Win at Seekonk; Beers Rolls to Fifth
Seekonk, Mass. — July 1, 2026
Matt Hirschman put a rough start to his 2026 NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour season behind him on Wednesday night, driving the No. 60 to victory in the Firecracker 150 at Seekonk Speedway. The win kicked off the three-race Whelen Midsummer Championship miniseries and marked Hirschman's fourth Tour win at Seekonk in his last five starts there, plus the 11th of his career. Defending Tour champion Austin Beers turned in a solid run of his own, working forward through the field to finish fifth in the No. 64. How it went down Hirschman started eighth after the redraw and steadily worked his way toward the front, sitting second when the race's first caution flew with under 50 laps to go. On the restart, he lined up outside race leader Stephen Kopcik, powered into Turn 1, and took the top spot for good. It was a big turnaround from Hirschman's last trip to Seekonk in May, when he finished a rough 20th. He credited the team for putting things together on a night he wasn't sure would go their way, and said the win was as much for the crew's morale as anything. Chase Dowling, making only his third Tour start of the year, drove from 12th to second, his best Whelen Modified Tour finish since runner-up at South Boston Speedway back in 2019. Patrick Emerling came home third, Kopcik held on for fourth after leading the most laps, and Beers rounded out the top five. Eric Goodale, Teddy Hodgdon, Andrew Molleur, Jon McKennedy, and Paulie Hartwig III completed the top 10.
Firecracker 150 – Official Finish
1 60 Matt Hirschman Bar Harbor Bank & Trust; Pee Dee Motorsports 150 -- 2 44 Chase Dowling 150 1.199 3 1 Patrick Emerling USNE Power 150 3.326 4 21 Stephen Kopcik 150 4.072 5 64 Austin Beers Hughes Motors 150 4.736 6 58 Eric Goodale GAF Roofing 150 4.861 7 05 Teddy Hodgdon Business Time Motorsports; 150 5.455 8 82 Andrew Molleur Horton Avenue Materials 150 6.054 9 79 Jon McKennedy Stuarts Automotive; 150 7.287 10 73 Paulie Hartwig III Jersey Shore Contracting 150 7.808 11 31 Mike Christopher Jr. Baker Racing 150 10.513 12 89 Matt Swanson Ceravolos Auto; Swanson GMC 149 1 Lap 13 3 Tyler Rypkema Northeast Drilling; J&R Pre Cast; SYP 149 1 Lap 14 28 Doug Coby Nucar 149 1 Lap 15 54 Tommy Catalano FX Caprara; USNE Power 149 1 Lap 16 56 Trevor Catalano USNE Power 148 2 Laps 17 36 David Sapienza USNE Power; Sapienza Enterprises 148 2 Laps 18 18 Ken Heagy Merkel Racing Engines 148 2 Laps 19 8 John-Michael Shenette Eighty-Two Services 78 72 Laps
Paulie Hartwig III Tops Race Of Champions Modified Series At Evans Mills Raceway Park on June 27 as Austin grabs 4th place
Paulie Hartwig III of Galloway, NJ, continued his rise through the Modified ranks Saturday night by charging from the 11th starting position to earn his first career Race of Champions Modified Series victory in the Bob Johnson Auto Group Rocket 76’er at Evans Mills Raceway Park. Hartwig’s breakthrough victory did not come easily. Standing between him and Victory Lane was one of the most accomplished Modified racers of the modern era, Matt Hirschman of Northampton, PA. Hirschman wasted little time taking command of the race, quickly moving past pole sitter Austin Beers of Northampton, PA and controlling the opening half of the event. As the laps wound down, Hartwig methodically worked his way through the field before closing on the race leader just past the halfway point. The battle for the lead became one of the highlights of the evening. Hartwig worked the bottom groove while Hirschman maintained momentum on the outside, the pair racing side-by-side for several thrilling laps without either driver giving an inch. The crowd watched an old-school Modified battle unfold before Hartwig finally completed the pass and drove away to secure his first Race of Champions Modified Series victory. “We’ve run this Series for several years now and this feels really good,” Hartwig said in Victory Lane. “To beat Matt (Hirschman) is incredible. We’ve been trying so hard. I need to thank my Mom and Dad for all of their support, my family, my team and all of our sponsors. This was a great race and I’m just excited we got it done here tonight.” Patrick Emerling of Orchard Park, NY also worked his way past Hirschman in the closing stages to finish second. Hirschman completed the podium in third after leading the early portion of the race. Austin Beers finished fourth after starting from the pole position. Earlier in the evening, Hirschman set fast time in qualifying. Qualifying race victories were earned by Hirschman, Hartwig III and Emerling. For Hartwig, the victory marks a milestone moment in his young career and adds his name to the growing list of Race of Champions Modified Series winners.
1 11 20 Paulie Hartwig III Paulie Hartwig III Galloway, NJ 2 7 11E Patrick Emerling Patrick Emerling Orchard Park 3 2 60 Matt Hirschman Matt Hirschman Northampton, PA -1 4 1 9 Austin Beers Austin Beers Northampton, PA -3 5 10 3 Daren Scherer Daren Scherer Binghamton, NY 5 6 6 73X Andy Jankowiak Andy Jankowiak Tonawanda, NY - 7 9 6X Evan Rygielski Evan Rygielski Wilkes-Barre, PA 2 8 5 48 Jacob Christman Jacob Christman Walnutport, PA -3 9 8 11L Andrew Lewis Jr Andrew Lewis Jr Ontario, NY -1 10 15 51 Jayden Harman Jayden Harman sugarloaf, PA 5 11 3 95 Bryan Sherwood Bryan Sherwood APALACHIN, NY -8 12 12 10 Daryl Lewis Jr Daryl Lewis Jr Ontario, NY - 13 14 33 Eddie Hawkins Eddie Hawkins Marion, NY 1 14 16 80 Samantha Osborn Samantha Osborn Quakertown, PA 2 15 17 29 Dylan Bancroft Dylan Bancroft Copenhagen, NY 2 16 4 66 Austin Kochenash Austin Kochenash 17 13 5 Taylor Caprara Taylor Caprara Watertown, NY -4 18 18 73K Kaden Rogers Kaden Rogers Binghamton, NY -
Silk Captures $10,000 Thompson Jackpot - Austin steady with a 4th place finish June 25, 2026
Ron Silk banked the $10,000 top prize as the Monaco Modified Tri-Track Series headlined a full card of racing at Thompson Speedway. Noah Korner and Mike Christopher Jr. fought for the lead in the opening laps. Content to ride it out, veterans Ronnie Williams and Silk followed the leaders before slowly picking them off with the turn three slingshot underneath. After blowing the engine in his primary car in practice, Jon McKennedy ran home to Chelmsford to grab the back-up car and just made the tail of the starting field. By the lap 19 caution for a single-car spin in turn two, McKennedy sat tenth on the grid. It continued to be the Ronnie and Ron show out front with Williams leading Silk around the five-eighths-mile oval until the lap 39 caution sent the field pit-side for fresh Hoosier rubber. Patrick Emerling would use the superior pit stop to take the restart lead but Williams, McKennedy and Silk stayed nose-to-tail behind him. One final restart with 14 laps remaining left this talented gaggle of cars to fight it out to the end. Ultimately it was Silk who took down the $10,000 win with Emerling across the line in second followed by Williams, Austin Beers and Jon McKennedy. Ron Silk returned to Sign Pro Victory Lane Wednesday night, capturing the Monaco Modified Series Midweek Special at Thompson Speedway Motorsports Park and pocketing the $10,000 winner’s prize in the 75-lap feature. Contested before a strong midweek crowd and streamed live on NESTN.tv, the Wednesday night spectacular arguably featured one of the strongest fields of modified talent assembled in 2026. Finishing second was Patrick Emerling, whose runner-up finish was one of the night’s most exciting performances. After suffering a broken rear end during his qualifying heat race, Emerling was forced to start at the rear of the feature field. He methodically worked his way through traffic over 75 laps to finish second and earned the Van Horst Hard Charger Award, along with the accompanying $500 bonus, for advancing the most positions during the race. Ronnie Williams crossed the finish line third after another strong championship-caliber run. Williams also won the evening’s first qualifying heat race and earned the $250 Constantine Paving & Sealing Most Laps Led Award. Austin Beers continued his consistent 2026 campaign with a solid fourth-place finish, keeping himself firmly in the championship conversation. Rounding out the top five was Jon McKennedy, whose night nearly ended before it began. After losing an engine during practice, McKennedy and his team made a herculean effort to return home, retrieve a backup car, and race back to Thompson in time for the evening’s headlining event. Their determination paid off with a fifth-place finish, salvaging valuable championship points after what could have been a disastrous night. Also of note, Michael Christopher Jr. put in a commanding run to win the second heat race of the night, adding an extra $300 to his team’s payday.
Official Top-5 Finish – Monaco Modified Midweek Special Ron Silk Patrick Emerling Ronnie Williams Austin Beers Jon McKennedy
Jon McKennedy dominates the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour’s return to Oxford Plains on June 6, 2026 By Brandon White NASCAR.com
OXFORD, Maine — The only accomplishment that eluded Jon McKennedy in the first NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour event at Oxford Plains Speedway since 1991 was the American Racer Tire Pole Award. If not for an afternoon rain shower that washed out qualifying, McKennedy likely could have earned that Saturday, as well. McKennedy’s No. 79 set an early commanding tone for the All States Materials Group 150 by sweeping the two practice sessions. Once he passed polesitter and Modified Tour points leader Stephen Kopcik, McKennedy enjoyed a dominant, quiet afternoon around Oxford Plains for his fourth series victory and second of 2026. The confidence McKennedy had in his car after practice proved to be well-founded, as he faced minimal opposition for the lead all evening. McKennedy credited the car’s stellar speed to the hard work exuded by everyone on his team.“At the end of the day, I got a good group of guys behind me,” McKennedy said. “A lot of work and preparation went into this deal for this race, and the car was honestly awesome. I was content with the race just going [green]. All day, [the car] was a rocket ship. What can I say?” Unlike most of the other drivers entered in the All States Materials Group 150, McKennedy has logged plenty of laps around Oxford Plains during his career. McKennedy’s accolades at Oxford Plains include both Modified and Supermodified victories. That versatile background helped McKennedy settle into a rhythm, something that would be imperative if he wanted to gain vital ground in the Modified Tour standings. Not only did McKennedy dominate, but everyone in front of him endured varying degrees of misfortune at Oxford Plains. Patrick Emerling faded from the top five late, while the top two in the standings in Kopcik and Austin Beers both had poor finishes, with Beers’ 11th being his first finish outside the top 10 since Richmond Raceway in 2024. Also taking advantage of a rough day for the title contenders was Tyler Rypkema, who placed second in the iconic Ole Blue Modified for Boehler Racing Enterprises. Ole Blue was the only car in the field that was entered in the Modified Tour race at Oxford Plains in 1991, when it finished second with Doug Heveron. Despite not feeling well at the start of the day, Rypkema persevered to earn his third top five of the 2026 Modified Tour campaign. The performance was a much-needed change of pace for Rypkema, whose streak of bad luck included damaging the fence in the most recent series event at Riverhead Raceway. “We really needed that,” Rypkema said. “Had two really bad races in a row obviously, the wreck at Riverhead and getting into the wall at Seekonk [Speedway], essentially ended my night there on my own. As soon as we crossed the checkered flag, I’m like ‘thank god, we needed that’. Never seen this place before today, but it was a fun little track.” Although Rypkema proved experience at Oxford Plains was not essential to finish strong Saturday evening, McKennedy made sure to use every bit of knowledge he had about the place. What transpired was McKennedy’s most efficient showing since leading 137 laps at Claremont Speedway during his championship campaign in 2022. McKennedy is now firmly in contention for another Modified Tour title after his near-perfect day at Oxford Plains. By understanding all the characteristics that make Oxford Plains unique, McKennedy felt he was always one step ahead of his fellow competition, a trend he hopes to continue going forward. “We had two-tenths on the field it seemed like,” McKennedy said. “We definitely had a little bit of an advantage. [Oxford Plains] is a very line-sensitive track. There’s no markings out there; it’s wide, and your perception is challenging here as far as lift points. Laps and experience here definitely helps, and it all paid off.” Eric Goodale secured his second top five finish of 2026 with a third-place run in the All States Materials Group 150. Ronnie Williams picked up his first Modified Tour top five since 2021 by finishing fourth, with Paulie Hartwig III following him in fifth for a career-best run in the series.
179Jon McKennedy150-- 23Tyler RypkemaNortheast Drilling; SYP1503.932 358Eric GoodaleGAF Roofing1505.149 450Ronnie WilliamsEmpower Financial Advisory1505.975 573Paulie Hartwig III*1506.937 656Trevor CatalanoUSNE Power1509.215 71Patrick EmerlingUSNE Power15011.916 882Andrew MolleurHorton Avenue Materials15012.166 905Teddy Hodgdon*15012.666 108John-Michael Shenette15013.26 1164Austin Beers ; Hugh15013.69 1231Michael ChristopherElite Towing; Elite Racing; Baker Racing1491 Lap 1354Tommy CatalanoFX Caprara; USNE Power1491 Lap 1421Stephen KopcikWanick Construction; Newtown Pools1491 Lap 1517Anthony Nocella1491 Lap 1660Matt HirschmanBar Harbor Bank & Trust; Pee Dee Motorsports1491 Lap 1718Ken HeagyMerkel Racing Engines1482 Laps 1884Tyler CatalanoCatalano Motorsports13713 Laps
Score one for the local guys: Mark Stewart holds off Justin Bonsignore at Riverhead for his first Modified Tour victory on June 30 By Brandon White NASCAR.com
RIVERHEAD, N.Y. – Anytime a local Riverhead Raceway competitor upsets the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour, it’s a moment worth celebrating. Mark Stewart added his name to that short-but-prestigious list in Saturday’s Miller Lite Salutes Don Howe 200. In his ninth career NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour start, Stewart faced the herculean task off fending off four-time champion Justin Bonsignore, winner of 12 previous Riverhead events.Despite losing the lead to Bonsignore twice, Stewart was not going to be denied Saturday. He fended off one of the best in Riverhead and series history for his first career victory.Nothing about the journey toward Saturday’s milestone came easy for Stewart, which made the Victory Lane celebration so special. “It just means everything,” Stewart said. “[We were] able to run with these guys and be as good as them. I even think Justin [Bonsignore] was a little better than I was; we just got better restarts. It means everything for a small team like this. There is nothing better than this. Out here at my home track, winning on the Tour, it’s just incredible.” Stewart’s only other Modified Tour top five came in 2023, fittingly at his home track of Riverhead. That 2023 race marked his second Tour start. Stewart that night was a witness to an incredible battle for the win between Bonsignore and fellow Modified Tour champion Ron Silk. Bonsignore earned one of his many Riverhead victories while Stewart stole second from Silk in the final moments Those early Modified Tour events at Riverhead taught Stewart a valuable lesson: No one in the series was going to pull any punches. If he wanted to win a Modified Tour race himself one day, Stewart would need to stay committed to his craft and learn from the veterans every chance he got. Momentum seemed to favor Stewart from the moment work began at Riverhead on Saturday morning. Not only did Stewart prevail in Riverhead’s Super Pro Truck feature, but he also posted the fourth quickest time of 25 Modified Tour competitors, the subsequent re-draw improving his starting position to third. After an early incident collected the front row of Stephen Kopcik and his uncle Roger Turbush, Stewart suddenly found himself pacing the field. The euphoria was only momentarily for Stewart, as he had Bonsignore in his rearview mirror.The numerous cautions throughout the evening ensured Stewart and Bonsignore never left each other’s sight lines. Bonsignore tried everything to find his way around Stewart, from using the high line on a longer green flag run to nearly spinning Stewart. Even when Bonsignore did take the lead, Stewart had an answer for every punch thrown his way.The final restart of the night proved to be the deciding factor. With Stewart on the bottom line, a wide entry from Bonsignore in Turn 1 caused him to lose vital ground. Bonsignore did find his way to Stewart’s back bumper again but could not find his way around the local Riverhead hero before the checkered flag. As Bonsignore watched Stewart celebrate in Victory Lane, he could not help but reflect on his own journey from the local races Riverhead to becoming a Modified Tour champion. Bonsignore commended Stewart’s performance Saturday but felt he needed more green flag laps to mount more of a challenge. “It’s tough losing to these locals,” Bonsignore said. “I was the local for a long time. I’ve known [the Stewart family] since Marky was a very, very young kid racing go-karts. This is now the second time I’ve lost to the local guy here. We had a great car on the long run, but we were really struggling on the short runs. “[Stewart] ran a really perfect race, so congrats to him and his family.” Kyle Soper was the most recent Riverhead regular to usurp Bonsignore and the other Modified Tour full-timers in 2022. That was a source of inspiration for Stewart and the other Riverhead locals who venture into the series, but pulling off such a task was always going to be arduous. Countless hours have been exerted by Stewart and his family, including Turbush, to build their small program into something capable of earning a Modified Tour victory. There have been plenty of highs and lows along the way, but Stewart never lost his determination to see that effort get rewarded. Now Stewart is forever etched into the Modified Tour record books as a winner. Being able to defeat a series legend like Bonsignore at the track that defined him is something Stewart intends to cherish for the rest of his life. “Every time Justin comes here or anywhere, he’s just the best everywhere he goes,” Stewart said. “When he got by me on the outside, I gave him the room. He was better than me. I just had really good restarts tonight; that’s the only reason I got back by him. This thing was so good the whole race. “This win is for everyone here. It’s not even for me. I just drove the damn car.” Owen Grennan, another Riverhead regular, finished third in his Modified Tour debut. Grennan was followed in the top five by Tommy Catalano and Patrick Emerling. The rest of the top 10 consisted of Ron Silk, Austin Beers, Jon McKennedy, Kopcik and Eric Goodale. There will not be much time for the Modified Tour competitors to regroup from Riverhead, as they will be back in action Saturday for their rescheduled date at Oxford Plains Raceway. The green flag for the All State Materials Group 150 will wave at 6:15 p.m. ET with FloRacing providing live flag-to-flag coverage.
1 36 Mark Stewart Sapienza Enterprises; 200 -- 2 51 Justin Bonsignore Phoenix Communications; Inc. 200 0.396 3 38 Owen Grennan* Black Forest Automotive; Dillner Precast; Eastport Feeds 200 2.091 4 54 Tommy Catalano FX Caprara; USNE Power 200 2.927 5 1 Patrick Emerling USNE Power 200 3.273 6 16 Ron Silk Blue Mountain Machine; 200 4.119 7 64 Austin Beers G&G Electrical Supply; 200 4.426 8 79 Jonathan McKennedy Stuarts Automotive; 200 4.744 9 21 Stephen Kopcik Wanick Construction Inc.; 200 5.838 10 58 Eric Goodale GAF Roofing; Riverhead 200 6.864 11 2 Chase Grennan* Gershow Recycling 200 7.565 12 73 Paulie Hartwig* Professional 200 9.156 13 56 Trevor Catalano USNE Power 200 10.05 14 82 Andrew Molleur Danny’s Cesspool Service Inc 200 10.325 15 88 Roger Turbush Rheem; Jerry Scalice 200 11.245 16 05 Teddy Hodgdon* Business Time Motorsports 200 11.482 17 60 Matt Hirschman Bar Harbor Bank & Trust; 200 12.041 18 18 Ken Heagy Merkel Racing Engines 199 1 Lap 19 31 Michael Christopher Elite Towing; g 198 2 Laps 20 8 John-Michael Shenette USNE Power Charlotte; 197 3 Laps 21 95 Cory Plummer* Tucker’s Fabrication & Welding; 196 4 Laps 22 96 Matthew Brode Peter Clark Motorsports 196 4 Laps 23 46 Craig Lutz Riverhead Building Supply 175 25 Laps 24 3 Tyler Rypkema Northeast Drilling; SYP 171 29 Laps 25 00 Chris Rogers* Coors Light; JDL Environmental 161 39 Laps
After nearly four years, Jon McKennedy is a Modified Tour winner again at Seekonk Speedway on May 16
By Adam Fenwick NASCAR.com
It had been nearly four years – 1,387 days to be exact – since Jon McKennedy last won a NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour race. That win, which came at Claremont Motorsports Park, was the only triumph of McKennedy’s 2022 championship season that also doubled as his most recent full season with the series. McKennedy’s winless drought officially ended on Saturday night when he stormed past Stephen Kopcik on the outside to win the J&R Precast 150 at Seekonk Speedway. We just had a really good car to be honest,” McKennedy said. “As the race went on it seemed like the top got better and my car was definitely better on top.” Starting sixth after the redraw, McKennedy methodically worked his way to the front in barnburner of a race that took just 38 minutes and 49 seconds to complete. McKennedy was running second when the second and final caution flag of the race waved for a spin by Trevor Catalano on Lap 92. When the race resumed McKennedy hounded Kopcik on the bottom before shifting gears and going to the top. The top lane was exactly what the doctor ordered for McKennedy, who powered past Kopcik on the outside on Lap 129 after a multi-lap fight. “When I ran the bottom, I was too loose in and at times it was a handful,” McKennedy said. “I could Stephen there at the end, it looked like he was getting real tight. A few times I tried to like work the outside and sneak under him and give him a little trick there, but he was good enough to know what I was doing. “I was finally able to just keep rolling the top and once I got a wheel on him, he gave me all the room I needed.” Kopcik, who was attempting to become the first driver in NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour history to win his first three series events in consecutive races, led a race-high 81 laps but had to settle for second. Despite the runner-up result, Kopcik was able to pad his Modified Tour championship lead. He now holds an 11-point advantage on reigning champion Austin Beers through four events. “We were pretty good. Started maybe a little too tight,” Kopcik said. “This is all new to us, racing on this tire on a bullring track like this. All in all, couldn’t be happier with our performance. Three in a row really would have been something, but Jon just turned the middle a little better than me. “Towards the end of the run there that’s what it comes down to. It’s a fine line between being too free and still being able to turn the middle.” Chase Dowling came from 10th to finish third and Austin Beers overcame an early spin to finish fourth and keep his now 34-race top 10 streak alive. Tommy Catalano, Patrick Emerling, Teddy Hodgdon, Jayden Harman, Doug Coby and Andrew Molleur were fifth through 10th, respectively.
1 79 Jon McKennedy Stuarts Automotive; Christophers Towing; Levasseur HVAC; Leone’s Landscaping; Hillsboro Inc.; Central Mass Tree 150 -- 2 21 Stephen Kopcik Wanick Construction Inc.; Newtown Pools 150 1.606 3 44 Chase Dowling S&S Paving; Harshaw Paving 150 2.1 4 64 Austin Beers G&G Electrical Supply; 150 3.439 5 54 Tommy Catalano FX Caprara; USNE Power 150 4.836 6 1 Patrick Emerling USNE Power 150 4.941 7 05 Teddy Hodgdon* Business Time Motorsports; 150 5.042 8 9 Jayden Harman* Wanick Construction e 150 5.2 9 28 Doug Coby Nucar 150 5.883 10 82 Andrew Molleur Horton Ave Materials LLC 150 5.913 11 51 Justin Bonsignore Phoenix Communications Inc. 150 7.413 12 46 Craig Lutz Riverhead Building Supply 150 7.557 13 89 Matt Swanson Ceravolos Auto; Swanson GMC 150 8.572 14 56 Trevor Catalano USNE Power 150 9.023 15 73 Paulie Hartwig III* Jersey Shore Contracting; 150 10.344 16 31 Mike Christopher Jr. Elite Towing; Elite Racing; 150 10.673 17 15 Joey Cipriano III J&R Pre-Cast Inc 150 11.44 18 58 Eric Goodale GAF Roofing; y 150 12.683 19 22 Kyle Bonsignore ChawLew; MTT; Munn’s Auto 150 12.693 20 60 Matt Hirschman Bar Harbor Bank & Trust; 150 12.938 21 16 Ron Silk Blue Mountain Machine; Future Homes 149 1 Lap 22 3 Tyler Rypkema J & R Pre-Cast; Northeast Drilling; SYP 149 1 Lap 23 36 David Sapienza Sapienza Enterprises; Eastport Feeds 148 2 Laps 24 95 Cory Plummer* Tucker’s Metal Fabrication & Welding; 148 2 Laps 25 8 John-Michael Shenette USNE Power Charlotte; 148 2 Laps 26 18 Ken Heagy Merkel Racing Engines 148 2 Laps
"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.