2026
Matt Hirschman Holds Off Jake Lutz to Win 37th Tribute to Tommy/Tony at Lancaster Motorplex on Aug 16
LANCASTER, N.Y. (August 15, 2026) – Matt Hirschman from Northampton, PA won his third consecutive Tommy Druar/Tony Jankowiak 110 for the Race of Champions Modified Series at Lancaster Motorplex on Saturday night. “The iRacer” Nathan Bryant from East Aurora, NY won the Street Stock main event after starting 11th on the grid. Mark Schulz from Newstead, NY won the Mighty TQ Midgets feature.
Andy Lewis Jr and Paulie Hartwig III shared the front row for the 37th Tribute to Tommy Druar and Tony Jankowiak for the Race of Champions Modified Series, with Lewis in the lead. It would take just three laps until “The Jersey Kid”, Paulie Hartwig III to take the lead away from Lewis, as Austin Kochenash, Matt Hirschman, and Mike Leaty raced in the top five. Kochenash would look underneath Lewis to take second away on lap seven, as Hirschman raced his way to third just one lap later. Mike Leaty would regain the fourth spot on lap 19 after passing Jake Lutz on the front straightaway. Kochenash would pass Hartwig on lap 27 to take over the lead, just as Hirschman put pressure on Hartwig for second place. Kochenash would continue to lead on lap 37, pocketing some bonus money, ahead of Hartwig, Leaty, Hirschman, and Lutz. The leaders would tangle on the back straightway on lap 72 to bring out the race’s first caution. As a result, Hirschman would inherit the lead. Hirschman and Jake Christman would lead the field back to the green flag on lap 82, with Hirschman in the lead ahead of Leaty, Lutz, Christman, and Andy Jankowiak. Jake Lutz would take second away from Leaty on lap 84. Paulie Hartwig would continue his march back towards the front of the field with 20 laps remaining, as he would move into third, as Hirschman and Lutz would pull away from the field. The caution would come out on lap 107 as Jake Christman and Shawn Nye got together going into turn three. Hirschman would hold off Lutz over the final three laps to score his third consecutive win in the event. Jake Lutz would finish in second and Paulie Hartwig III would drive through the field to round out the podium. Hirschman’s win was his 15th career win at Lancaster, tying him with Chuck Boos and Tom McGrath on the track’s all-time wins list.
Dan Dressel and Alex Bialkowski led the Street Stocks to the green flag for their main event, with Dressel into the early race lead. Nathan Bryant, Mark Hoch, and Dustin Novoa all started to work their way through the field. The caution would come out for the first time on lap nine as Chris Barber spun in turn two. By lap nine, Bryant was up to fourth place after starting in 11th. Bryant would continue to drive through the field as he would pass Tucker Welshans to take over second on lap 12. By lap 16, Bryant would take over the lead, and he would go on to collect the checkered flag.
Jeff Chapman and Mark Schulz brought the Mighty TQ Midgets to the green flag for their 20-lap main event, with Schulz in the lead ahead of Ronnie Flaim. Andy Jankowiak would work his way into the top five by lap six and was pressuring Jacob Schulz and Brendan Wallace for spots on the podium. Mark Schulz would go on to score the win over Ronnie Flaim, Brendan Wallace, Andy Jankowiak, and Jacob Schulz.
Stock car racing continues at Lancaster Motorplex on Saturday, August 22 for Pink Out Night featuring twin features for the Sportsman, Super Stocks, Street Stocks, and 4 Cylinders. Pit gates will open at 2pm, grandstands open at 4pm, racing will begin at 6pm.
For more information, follow Lancaster Motorplex on social media and visit the website at www.lancastermotorplexny.com
RACE RESULTS –8-15-26: 37th Tribute to Tommy Druar & Tony Jankowiak
Race of Champions Modifieds: MATT HIRSCHMAN, Jake Lutz, Paulie Hartwig III, Mike Leaty, Austin Kochenash, George Skora III, Shawn Nye, Andy Jankowiak, Andy Lewis Jr, Sean Verwys, Daren Scherer, Jayden Harman, Daryl Lewis Jr, Jeff Szafraniec, Jake Christman, John Barber, Eddie Hawkins, Matt Alix, Mason Hanel, Ricky Knapp, Matt Heale
Matt Hirschman sweeps the week with dramatic lap corner pass of Emerliing at Holland on Aug 8
1 – Matt Hirschman – Northampton, PA
2 – Patrick Emerling – Orchard Park, NY
3 – Paulie Hartwig III – Galloway, NJ
4 – Jake Lutz – Hamburg, NY
5 – Shawn Nye – Lancaster, NY
6 – Austin Kochenash – Danielsville, PA
7 – Jacob Christman – Walnutport, PA
8 – Andy Jankowiak – Tonawanda, NY
9 – George Skora III – Eden, NY
10 – Jayden Harman – Sugarloaf, PA
11 – Eddie Hawkins – Marion, NY
12 – Daryl Lewis Jr – Ontario, NY
13 – Sean Verwys – East Stroudsburg, PA
14 – Jeff Szafraniec – Akron, NY
15 – Andrew Lewis Jr – Ontario, NY
16 – Daren Scherer – Binghamton, NY
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 Speedway’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.
1 - 1 - Patrick Emerling - 200
2 - 3 - Tyler Rypkema - 200
3 - 64 - Austin Beers - 200
4 - 73 - Paulie Hartwig III* - 200
5 - 54 - Tommy Catalano - 200
6 - 05 - Teddy Hodgdon* - 200
7 - 58 - Eric Goodale - 200
8 - 79 - Jon McKennedy - 200
9 - 28 - Doug Coby - 200
10 - 21 - Stephen Kopcik - 200
11 - 50 - Ronnie Williams - 200
12 - 60 - Matt Hirschman - 200
13 - 17 - Anthony Nocella - 200
14 - 82 - Andrew Molleur - 200
15 - 56 - Trevor Catalano - 200
16 - 9 - Jayden Harman* - 199
17 - 8 - John-Michael Shenette - 198
18 - 95 - Cory Plummer* - 194
19 - 12 - Craig Lutz - 139
20 - 18 - Ken Heagy - 108
21 - 31 - Mike Christopher Jr. - 5
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.
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 - Matt solid 2nd after leading
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
Hartwig Goes Back-to-Back with Ol’ Boy Cup 60 Victory at Lancaster Motorplex on July 2- Matt grabs 5th
Paulie Hartwig III is quickly becoming one of the hottest names on the Race of Champions Modified Series. Just days after breaking through for his first career RoC Modified Series victory at Evans Mills Raceway Park, Hartwig backed it up in a big way Thursday night at Lancaster Motorplex, capturing the Ol’ Boy Cup 60 and the $5,000 payday that came with it. The Galloway, New Jersey driver wasted no time making his presence known on the Lancaster half-mile. Hartwig jumped to the front on the opening lap of the 60-lap main event and never looked back, controlling the pace from the early going and holding off a strong field of RoC Modified competitors to score his second straight series victory. It was another statement performance for Hartwig, who entered the night carrying plenty of momentum after his breakthrough win the previous weekend. Lancaster presented a different challenge, with the fast asphalt oval demanding discipline, drive off the corners, and the ability to manage track position over a sprint-style 60-lap distance. Hartwig answered every part of that challenge.
Behind him, Jake Lutz turned in a strong run to finish second, while veteran Mike Leaty charged from 9th and completed the podium in third. Both drivers kept pressure on throughout the event, but Hartwig’s early command of the race proved to be the difference as he stayed clean, consistent, and composed all the way to the checkered flag. The win adds another major highlight to Hartwig’s growing RoC Modified résumé. After earning his first series victory at Evans Mills, he showed Thursday night that the win was no one-off. Instead, Hartwig has suddenly become a serious player on the tour, stringing together back-to-back victories against some of the toughest asphalt Modified competition in the Northeast. For Lancaster Motorplex, the Ol’ Boy Cup once again delivered a strong showcase for the Race of Champions Modified Series. The event brought the tour-type Modifieds back to one of Western New York’s most recognizable short tracks, giving fans a fast-paced caution-free 60-lap feature and another memorable chapter in the history of the Ol’ Boy Cup. By the end of the night, the spotlight belonged squarely to Hartwig. From the first lap to the final corner, he controlled the race, protected the lead, and finished the job.
With two straight Race of Champions Modified Series wins now to his credit, Paulie Hartwig III leaves Lancaster with more than just another trophy. He leaves with momentum, confidence, and the attention of the entire RoC Modified field.
Top 10 Results:
1. Paulie Hartwig III
2. Jake Lutz
3. Mike Leaty
4. Patrick Emerling
5. Matt Hirschman
6. Austin Kochenash
7. Jacob Christman
8. Shawn Nye
9. Andrew Lewis Jr
10. George Skora III
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
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 -
60 FOR NUMBER 60…MATT HIRSCHMAN TAKES TOUR TYPE MOD CHECKERS FOR 60TH CAREER WIN AT EVERGREEN RACEWAY ON June 21
By Dino Oberto
(6-21-26) For 25 years Matt Hirschman of Northampton has been a driving force at Evergreen Raceway. It’s where he began his career and where he still comes whenever his schedule allows. In that span he’s recorded a record six Tour Type Modified championships, a record 13 King of the Green events and between him and his father, Tony Hirschman, they are the winningest family at the track. On Father’s Day Sunday Hirschman added another feather in his Evergreen cap, winning his 60th overall feature behind the wheel of his signature No. 60. There’s one thing about Hirschman is that in all his success here, rarely has it been by luck but rather having the best car being driven by the best driver. However, there was a little luck this time around that aided him in scoring today’s victory. The 50-lap feature was a cone race and on the first caution that occurred on lap eight when Ricky Collins spun, Hirschmann was sitting sixth. When it came time to choose the inside or outside for the restart, the first five cars all opted for the bottom lane. When it was Hirschman’s time to pick he wasted no time in going to the top and was then lined up alongside leader Jayden Harman. Two laps following the restart using that same lane he passed Harman and remained there to the finish. “That restart early in the race I kind of got a Father’s Day present there by getting the cone to advance all those spots,” said Hirschman. “I think I had a good car today, but I know the fans would have gotten a little better show because I still would have had some cars to pass. That just made it easier.” Once Hirschman took the lead, he maintained a two-car-length advantage over his challengers. Christman used a lap 27 restart to progress up to second but gave it up to Coss after a restart with 10 laps to go, however, it only took one lap for him to regain the spot. Also coming on strong at this point was Brian DeFebo who sat fourth and with eight laps to go motored into third. And from there to the checkers, he and Christman put on a sizzling battle while staying within close reach of Hirschman. DeFebo would take control of second and in the final few circuits fans were being treated to a pair of iconic drivers who together are the top two winningest Tour Type Modified stars at the track. Hirschman was able to uphold his lead to the checkers while DeFebo still had to fend off Christman in garnering the runner-up posting. Coss and Hartwig rounded out the top five. “I understand that they ended right behind me side-by-side from second to fifth,” said Hirschman. “I think this was one of the best Tour Tye Mod races we’ve had here in a while and one of the best race tracks we’ve had here in a while too. They had put cones out for practice today to get some rubber on the outside and I feel it made a huge difference.”
Tour Type Modified finish (50 laps): 1. Matt Hirschman, 2. Brian DeFebo, 3. Jake Christman, 4. Roger Coss, 5. Paulie Hartwig III, 6. Steve Shultz, 7. Evan Rygielski, 8. Jayden Harman, 9. Jaden Brown, 10. Ricky Ross Jr., 11. Ricky Collins, 12. Brian Rygielski Jr., 13. Brian Romig Jr., 14. Brian Romig Sr. DNS: Steve Wojick
Matt Hirschman dominated the back half of the Monaco Modified Tri-Track Series 100 lap main event to pick up yet another win at the shoreline oval on June 13
1 7 Matt Hirschman Northampton, PA #60
2 6 Jonathan McKennedy Chelmsford, MA #79
3 5 Kyle Bonsignore Mooresville, NC #8
4 8 Ron Silk Norwalk, CT #16
5 11 Teddy Hodgdon Danbury, CT #07
6 1 Trevor Catalano Ontario, NY #85
7 14 Chris Pasteryak Moosup, CT #5CT
8 21 Noah Korner Bloomfield, CT #31
9 10 Ronnie Williams Lebanon, CT #50
10 9 Tyler Chapman Ellington, CT #06
11 27 David Arute Stafford Springs, CT #75
12 12 Andrew Molleur Shelton, CT #11
13 4 Joey Cipriano Plymouth, CT #51CT
14 20 Bryan Narducci Colchester, CT #81
15 24 Michael Christopher Jr Wolcott, CT #00
16 19 Brett Meservey Brewster, MA #76
17 29 Tom Rogers Jr Riverhead, NY #9
18 30 Woody Pitkat Bellingham, MA #88
19 15 Joey Braun Manorville, NY #4
20 25 Steven Chapman Ellington, CT #25
21 23 Dana DiMatteo Canton, CT #20
22 17 Matthew Swanson Harvard, MA #89
23 28 Jon Puleo Branford, CT #7
24 18 George Bessette Jr. Danbury, CT #39
25 2 Jake Johnson Rehoboth, MA #15
26 3 Cory DiMatteo Farmington, CT #6
27 16 Keith Rocco Berlin, CT #22
28 26 Max Zachem Preston, CT #27
29 13 Nickolas Hovey Chaplin, CT #55X
30 22 Joey Mucciacciaro Wolcott, CT #47
31 31 Eric Berndt Cromwell, CT #11CT
32 32 Dylan Izzo Monroe, CT #04CT
Jon McKennedy dominates the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour’s return to Oxford Plains on June 6, 2026
By Brandon White
NASCAR.com
From Team:Hey PeeDee/Hirschman Fans...well...another race in the books. This one all the way up in Maine. After a dominating performance last night in the ROC Series by Matt and the Hirschman60 for the win...we backed it up with another subpar performance. Practiced at Oxford at P6. Qualifying rained out and started race P8...Got caught on the outside on the start and dropped positions from there...several pit stops under yellow flags with the Brown Dog Crew were not able to improve the performance. Finished the race P16...enough said for now...We know Matt and the Dogs are VERY disappointed....Stay Tuned
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.
1 79 Jon McKennedy 150 --
2 3 Tyler Rypkema Northeast Drilling; SYP 150 3.932
3 58 Eric Goodale GAF Roofing 150 5.149
4 50 Ronnie Williams Empower Financial Advisory 150 5.975
5 73 Paulie Hartwig III* 150 6.937
6 56 Trevor Catalano USNE Power 150 9.215
7 1 Patrick Emerling USNE Power 150 11.916
8 82 Andrew Molleur Horton Avenue Materials 150 12.166
9 05 Teddy Hodgdon* 150 12.666
10 8 John-Michael Shenette 150 13.26
11 64 Austin Beers ; Hugh 150 13.69
12 31 Michael Christopher Elite Towing; Elite Racing; Baker Racing 149 1 Lap
13 54 Tommy Catalano FX Caprara; USNE Power 149 1 Lap
14 21 Stephen Kopcik Wanick Construction; Newtown Pools 149 1 Lap
15 17 Anthony Nocella 149 1 Lap
16 60 Matt Hirschman Bar Harbor Bank & Trust; Pee Dee Motorsports 149 1 Lap
17 18 Ken Heagy Merkel Racing Engines 148 2 Laps
18 84 Tyler Catalano Catalano Motorsports 137 13 Laps
Big Money" Matt Hirschman scores the victory in the Race of Champions Modified Series Whittaker Ford F-50 at the Spencer Speedway on June 5.
Hirschman led wire-to-wire to start the RoC season two for two after winning the season opening event at Mahoning Valley Speedway Park.
Mike Leaty and Paulie Hartwig III rounded out the podium.
Next up for the Race of Champions Modified Series is the return to the "Concrete Castle", Shangri-La II Speedway on Sunday, June 14th.
1 Matt Hirschman Northampton, PA -
2 Mike Leaty Williamson, NY -
3 20 Paulie Hartwig III Galloway, NJ 4
4 Jake Lutz Hamburg, NY -1
5 Andrew Lewis Jr Ontario, NY -
6 Austin Kochenash Danielsville, PA -2
7 Jacob Christman Walnutport, PA -1
8 Jayden Harman sugarloaf, PA 1
9 Daren Scherer Binghamton, NY 2
10 Eddie Hawkins Marion, NY -
11 Daryl Lewis Jr Ontario, NY -3
12 Mark Tychoniewicz Rochester, NY -
13 Ricky Knapp Jr Buffalo, NY -
14 Tim Nies Elma, NY --
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
Seekonk race is in the books. Not a good night. Decent in practice...qualified 13th...
and the car was just not competitive tonight.
Sure that Matt and the crew will diagnose the issues....and we move on..
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
Mahoning "reopens" with RoC Race April 18 - Matt comes from 12th for the WIn
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.
1 12 60 Matt Hirschman Northampton, PA 11
2 3 20 Paulie Hartwig III Galloway, NJ 1
3 18 56 Jack Ely Northampton, PA 15
4 10 14 Blake Barney Jackson, NJ 6
5 15 76Z Gunnar Zeiner Bath, PA 10
6 1 9 Austin Beers Northampton, PA -5
7 2 8 Earl Paules Palmertown, PA -5
8 7 48 Jacob Christman Walnutport, PA -1
9 17 95 Jacob Kerstetter Allentown, PA 8
10 4 71 Austin Kochenash
11 23 03 Jaden Brown Kunkletown, PA 12
12 16 41 Nick Baer New Tripoli, PA 4
13 25 7X Mark Miller Lehighton, PA 12
14 8 29 Cody Kohler Schnecksville, PA -6
15 20 51 Jayden Harmann sugarloaf, PA 5
16 21 3 Daren Scherer Binghamton, NY 5
17 14 85 Lou Strohl Palmertown, PA -3
18 5 19 Kyle Strohl Palmertown, PA -13
19 11 1 Stephen Kopcikk Newtown, CT -8
20 19 53 Brian Defebo Berwick, PA -1
21 13 12 Bobby Jones Palmertown, PA -8
22 9 25NH Brian Robie Sunapee, NH -13
23 6 17 Roger Coss Lafayette, NJ -17
24 22 76S Rod Snyder Jr Lehighton, PA -2
25 24 22 Don Wagner Wharton, NJ -1
Back 2 Back: Stephen Kopcik Continues Hot Streak with Thompson Victory on August 12 as team works hard to show the speed they know they have
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 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.
1 21 Stephen Kopcik Wanick Construction/Newton Pools 200 --
2 16 Ron Silk Blue Moutian Machine/ Future Homes 200 0.147
3 3 Tyler Rypkema Northeast Drilling/SYP 200 0.835
4 58 Eric Goodale GAF Roofing 200 1.251
5 64 Austin Beers G&G Electrical Supply/ 200 1.665
6 1 Patrick Emerling USNE Motorsports 200 1.891
7 22 Kyle Bonsignore ChawLew Performance/MTT/LRD 200 2.04
8 54 Tommy Catalano FX Caprara/USNE Power 200 2.246
9 66 Timmy Solomito USNE Power/Kennedy Realty/FX Caprara 200 2.277
10 0 Ryan Newman Keydisplay/USNE 200 2.487
11 56 Trevor Catalano USNE Power 200 2.697
12 60 Matt Hirschman Pee Dee Motorsports 200 2.835
13 82 Andrew Molleur Horton Avenue Materials 200 3.108
14 46 Craig Lutz Riverhead Building Supply 200 3.399
15 31 Michael Christopher Jr Baker Racing 200 3.563
16 25 Danny Bohn Foxfire Farms/Ready Mix 200 3.743
17 38 Jack Baldwin* Stokes Shoes 200 3.943
18 71 Jimmy Zacharias Velocita 200 4.126
19 55 Jeremy Gerstner /JTS Services 200 4.328
20 8 John-Michael Shenette neral Contractor 199 1 Lap
21 40 Luke Fleming William EAutos by Nelson 195 5 Laps
22 95 Cory Plumme. roteau Machine & More 194 6 Laps
23 7 Luke Baldwin Baldwin Automotive 188 12 Laps
24 51 Justin Bonsignore Phoenix Communication 188 12 Laps
25 18 Ken Heagy Merkel Racing Engines 184 16 Laps
26 70 Andy Seuss Rockingham Boat 171 29 Laps
27 79 Jonathan McKennedy Stuart’s Automotive 160 40 Laps
28 05 Teddy Hodgdon IV* BMontanari Fuel 160 40 Laps
29 73 Paulie Hartwig III* Velocita USA 81 119 Laps
30 24 Andrew Krause Supreme Mfg Co. 58 142 Laps
CHAMPIONS AND INDIVIDUALS HONORED AT RACE OF CHAMPIONS 2025 SEASON-ENDING CELEBRATION
Participants, officials, and fans of the Race of Champions “Family of Series” gathered at the Holiday Inn Auburn – Finger Lakes Region in Auburn, NY, for an evening of awards, accolades, and celebration to conclude the 2025 championship season. More than $60,000 in awards and point fund monies were distributed, along with several special recognitions.
Honored as 2025 Series Champions were:
Matt Hirschman of Northampton, PA – Race of Champions Asphalt Modified Series
Andrew Lewis Jr. of Ontario, NY – Race of Champions Sportsman Modified Series
Tommy Barron of Ontario, NY – Race of Champions Super Stock Series
Cody McPherson of St. Catharines, Ontario, Canada – Race of Champions Dirt 602 Sportsman Modified Series
Scott Wylie of Blasdell, NY – Race of Champions Late Model Series
Tim Welshans of South Wales, NY – Race of Champions Street Stock Series
Joey VanLare of Webster, NY – Race of Champions 602 Sportsman Modified Series
Trisha Connolly of Palmerton, PA – Race of Champions FOAR SCORE Four Cylinder Dash Series
“This was another great season for us,” stated Hirschman during his championship acceptance interview. “We didn’t set out to run for the championship, but once we knew we had a shot, we turned up the heat. We’ve raced in a lot of places and done a lot of things, and this Series has always meant a great deal to our team and family. From what we’ve experienced, people should really appreciate it — the grass isn’t always greener on the other side.”
Point fund contributions were made possible through the support of Hoosier Racing Tire, Sunoco Race Fuels, Racing America, FX Caprara, Waddell Communications, the Erie Sports Commission, the FOAR SCORE Club, MyRacePass, Printed Image of Buffalo, Image X, Speedway Illustrated, and RoCModifiedSeries.TV.
In addition to championship honors, several special awards were presented recognizing dedication, sportsmanship, and fan engagement.
The 2025 Most Popular Driver Award recipients were:
Andy Jankowiak (Modifieds) – Tonawanda, NY
Andrew Lewis Jr. (Sportsman Modified) – Ontario, NY
Tommy Barron (Super Stock) – Ontario, NY
Jacob Gustafson (Late Models) – Webster, NY
MacKenzie Hanbury (602 Asphalt Sportsman Modified) – Ontario, NY
Trisha Connolly (FOAR SCORE Four Cylinder Dash Series) – Palmerton, PA
Mike Piccirilli (Street Stock) – Hamburg, NY
The Jerry Ward Dedication Award was presented to Race of Champions Director of Technical Inspection Brian Ruestow by the Ward family and the FOAR (Friends of Auto-Racing) SCORE Fan Club.
Jake Christman of Walnutport, PA, was named Rookie of the Year in the Modified division.
The evening’s program was hosted by Race of Champions “voice” Dave Buchanan, who served as Master of Ceremonies.
About the Race of Champions: The Race of Champions is a sanctioning body presenting Modified and Stock Car racing on asphalt and dirt surfaces throughout the Northeast, with events in New York, Pennsylvania, and New Jersey.
Primary marketing partners include Hoosier Racing Tire, Sunoco Race Fuels, FX Caprara, Airport Collision, Waddell Communications, Image X Design, Sherwood Racing Wheels, DirtTrackDigest.com, and Speed Sport.
The 76th Annual Race of Champions will take place in 2026, continuing its legacy as the second-longest consecutively run auto-racing event in North America, second only to the Indianapolis 500.
NEWS UPDATE:
Good Afternoon Race Fans. Matt rolled out the new paint scheme for the PeeDee#60 at New Smyrna. It's a patriotic America 250 scheme celebrating our Nation's 250th birthday.. Hope you enjoyed it. It was an up and down day and evening through practice, qualifying, and the race itself. The new tires, American Racer, presented a challenge for all of the race teams. Matt qualified 12th. During the race itself, he moved up to 7th. The Brown Dogs did a great job throughout the day in servicing the needs of the car and team. The race itself got a little rough with pit strategy playing an important role. Matt and the car got bounced around a few times with some cosmetic damage. He was able to bounce back to a respectable 12th place finish. We move on. Next up...Martinsville on the NWMT. Stay Tuned!
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."
1 51 Justin Bonsignore Phoenix Communication 203 --
2 3 Tyler Rypkema Northeast Drilling/SYP 203 0.56
3 64 Austin Beers GAP Marquadt & Sons/Andrew Ja 203 1.736
4 1 Patrick Emerling USNE Motorsports 203 2.314
5 46 Craig Lutz Riverhead Building Supply 203 2.971
6 79 Jonathan McKennedy Stuart’s 203 3.734
7 40 Ryan Preece Racechoice 203 4.228
8 4 Ryan Newman /Acme Aero/Lucas Oil 203 4.484
9 56 Trevor Catalano USNE Power 203 4.43
10 58 Eric Goodale GAF Roofing 203 5.177
11 05 Teddy Hodgdon IV* /Montanari Fuel 203 6.234
12 60 Matt Hirschman Bar Harbor Bank 203 6.544
13 21 Stephen Kopcik Wanick Construction/Newton Pools 203 6.836
14 71 Jimmy Zacharias Kevo Motorsports/ 203 7.259
15 02 Joey Coulter IV /Simpson/Stilo/Molecule 203 7.661
16 20 Max Zachem Lu-Mac’s Package Store/203 8.939
17 54 Tommy Catalano FX Caprara/USNE Power 203 10.24
18 8 John-Michael Shenette USNE Power 203 9.863
19 31 Michael Christopher Jr Elite Towing/Baker Racing 203 12.348
20 73 Carson Loftin J/Lavalette Har 203 14.514
21 81 Mark Stewart / Eastside Building 203 15.61
22 18 Ken Heagy Merkel Racing Engines 203 21.434
23 7 Luke Baldwin Baldwin Automotive 202 1 Lap
24 55 Jeremy Gerstner /JTS Services & Racecar Engineering 193 10 Laps
25 2 Jimmy Blewett Gershow Recycling/ John Blewett Scrap 178 25 Laps
26 66 Timmy Solomito USNE Power/Kennedy Realty/FX Caprara 176 27 Laps
27 22 Kyle Bonsignore ChawLew Performance 155 48 Laps
28 24 Andrew Krause Supreme Mfg Co. 150 53 Laps
29 99 Sam Rameau FNO Racecars 143 60 Laps
30 29 Mike Marshall MLM Diagnostics/Jusczak Electric 143 60 Laps
31 38 Bobby Labonte Cook Out 95 108 Laps
32 16 Ron Silk Blue Mountain Machine/Future Homes 33 170 Laps
2026 Season News
Hey MH60 fans! With some changes that took place during the off-season our 2026 season schedule will look a little different. Our intentions are to compete in the full NASCAR Regional WMT schedule with Pee Dee Motorsports. Our open modified schedule will change as needed. We will be opening our season next Saturday February 7th in the New Smyrna Beach Area Visitors Bureau 200. For the 2026 trip to Florida our focus will be on that event only and we will not be competing in the World Series events following. We would like to thank New Smyrna Speedway for a long overdue increase to the tour modified purse and hope to be able to compete in future years. We are looking forward to getting out of the cold and starting our 2026 season off in a big way next Saturday night. If you can’t make it in person be sure to tune in to FloRacing.
LANCASTER, N.Y. (August 15, 2026) – Matt Hirschman from Northampton, PA won his third consecutive Tommy Druar/Tony Jankowiak 110 for the Race of Champions Modified Series at Lancaster Motorplex on Saturday night. “The iRacer” Nathan Bryant from East Aurora, NY won the Street Stock main event after starting 11th on the grid. Mark Schulz from Newstead, NY won the Mighty TQ Midgets feature.
Andy Lewis Jr and Paulie Hartwig III shared the front row for the 37th Tribute to Tommy Druar and Tony Jankowiak for the Race of Champions Modified Series, with Lewis in the lead. It would take just three laps until “The Jersey Kid”, Paulie Hartwig III to take the lead away from Lewis, as Austin Kochenash, Matt Hirschman, and Mike Leaty raced in the top five. Kochenash would look underneath Lewis to take second away on lap seven, as Hirschman raced his way to third just one lap later. Mike Leaty would regain the fourth spot on lap 19 after passing Jake Lutz on the front straightaway. Kochenash would pass Hartwig on lap 27 to take over the lead, just as Hirschman put pressure on Hartwig for second place. Kochenash would continue to lead on lap 37, pocketing some bonus money, ahead of Hartwig, Leaty, Hirschman, and Lutz. The leaders would tangle on the back straightway on lap 72 to bring out the race’s first caution. As a result, Hirschman would inherit the lead. Hirschman and Jake Christman would lead the field back to the green flag on lap 82, with Hirschman in the lead ahead of Leaty, Lutz, Christman, and Andy Jankowiak. Jake Lutz would take second away from Leaty on lap 84. Paulie Hartwig would continue his march back towards the front of the field with 20 laps remaining, as he would move into third, as Hirschman and Lutz would pull away from the field. The caution would come out on lap 107 as Jake Christman and Shawn Nye got together going into turn three. Hirschman would hold off Lutz over the final three laps to score his third consecutive win in the event. Jake Lutz would finish in second and Paulie Hartwig III would drive through the field to round out the podium. Hirschman’s win was his 15th career win at Lancaster, tying him with Chuck Boos and Tom McGrath on the track’s all-time wins list.
Dan Dressel and Alex Bialkowski led the Street Stocks to the green flag for their main event, with Dressel into the early race lead. Nathan Bryant, Mark Hoch, and Dustin Novoa all started to work their way through the field. The caution would come out for the first time on lap nine as Chris Barber spun in turn two. By lap nine, Bryant was up to fourth place after starting in 11th. Bryant would continue to drive through the field as he would pass Tucker Welshans to take over second on lap 12. By lap 16, Bryant would take over the lead, and he would go on to collect the checkered flag.
Jeff Chapman and Mark Schulz brought the Mighty TQ Midgets to the green flag for their 20-lap main event, with Schulz in the lead ahead of Ronnie Flaim. Andy Jankowiak would work his way into the top five by lap six and was pressuring Jacob Schulz and Brendan Wallace for spots on the podium. Mark Schulz would go on to score the win over Ronnie Flaim, Brendan Wallace, Andy Jankowiak, and Jacob Schulz.
Stock car racing continues at Lancaster Motorplex on Saturday, August 22 for Pink Out Night featuring twin features for the Sportsman, Super Stocks, Street Stocks, and 4 Cylinders. Pit gates will open at 2pm, grandstands open at 4pm, racing will begin at 6pm.
For more information, follow Lancaster Motorplex on social media and visit the website at www.lancastermotorplexny.com
RACE RESULTS –8-15-26: 37th Tribute to Tommy Druar & Tony Jankowiak
Race of Champions Modifieds: MATT HIRSCHMAN, Jake Lutz, Paulie Hartwig III, Mike Leaty, Austin Kochenash, George Skora III, Shawn Nye, Andy Jankowiak, Andy Lewis Jr, Sean Verwys, Daren Scherer, Jayden Harman, Daryl Lewis Jr, Jeff Szafraniec, Jake Christman, John Barber, Eddie Hawkins, Matt Alix, Mason Hanel, Ricky Knapp, Matt Heale
Matt Hirschman sweeps the week with dramatic lap corner pass of Emerliing at Holland on Aug 8
1 – Matt Hirschman – Northampton, PA
2 – Patrick Emerling – Orchard Park, NY
3 – Paulie Hartwig III – Galloway, NJ
4 – Jake Lutz – Hamburg, NY
5 – Shawn Nye – Lancaster, NY
6 – Austin Kochenash – Danielsville, PA
7 – Jacob Christman – Walnutport, PA
8 – Andy Jankowiak – Tonawanda, NY
9 – George Skora III – Eden, NY
10 – Jayden Harman – Sugarloaf, PA
11 – Eddie Hawkins – Marion, NY
12 – Daryl Lewis Jr – Ontario, NY
13 – Sean Verwys – East Stroudsburg, PA
14 – Jeff Szafraniec – Akron, NY
15 – Andrew Lewis Jr – Ontario, NY
16 – Daren Scherer – Binghamton, NY
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 Speedway’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.
1 - 1 - Patrick Emerling - 200
2 - 3 - Tyler Rypkema - 200
3 - 64 - Austin Beers - 200
4 - 73 - Paulie Hartwig III* - 200
5 - 54 - Tommy Catalano - 200
6 - 05 - Teddy Hodgdon* - 200
7 - 58 - Eric Goodale - 200
8 - 79 - Jon McKennedy - 200
9 - 28 - Doug Coby - 200
10 - 21 - Stephen Kopcik - 200
11 - 50 - Ronnie Williams - 200
12 - 60 - Matt Hirschman - 200
13 - 17 - Anthony Nocella - 200
14 - 82 - Andrew Molleur - 200
15 - 56 - Trevor Catalano - 200
16 - 9 - Jayden Harman* - 199
17 - 8 - John-Michael Shenette - 198
18 - 95 - Cory Plummer* - 194
19 - 12 - Craig Lutz - 139
20 - 18 - Ken Heagy - 108
21 - 31 - Mike Christopher Jr. - 5
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.
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 - Matt solid 2nd after leading
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
Hartwig Goes Back-to-Back with Ol’ Boy Cup 60 Victory at Lancaster Motorplex on July 2- Matt grabs 5th
Paulie Hartwig III is quickly becoming one of the hottest names on the Race of Champions Modified Series. Just days after breaking through for his first career RoC Modified Series victory at Evans Mills Raceway Park, Hartwig backed it up in a big way Thursday night at Lancaster Motorplex, capturing the Ol’ Boy Cup 60 and the $5,000 payday that came with it. The Galloway, New Jersey driver wasted no time making his presence known on the Lancaster half-mile. Hartwig jumped to the front on the opening lap of the 60-lap main event and never looked back, controlling the pace from the early going and holding off a strong field of RoC Modified competitors to score his second straight series victory. It was another statement performance for Hartwig, who entered the night carrying plenty of momentum after his breakthrough win the previous weekend. Lancaster presented a different challenge, with the fast asphalt oval demanding discipline, drive off the corners, and the ability to manage track position over a sprint-style 60-lap distance. Hartwig answered every part of that challenge.
Behind him, Jake Lutz turned in a strong run to finish second, while veteran Mike Leaty charged from 9th and completed the podium in third. Both drivers kept pressure on throughout the event, but Hartwig’s early command of the race proved to be the difference as he stayed clean, consistent, and composed all the way to the checkered flag. The win adds another major highlight to Hartwig’s growing RoC Modified résumé. After earning his first series victory at Evans Mills, he showed Thursday night that the win was no one-off. Instead, Hartwig has suddenly become a serious player on the tour, stringing together back-to-back victories against some of the toughest asphalt Modified competition in the Northeast. For Lancaster Motorplex, the Ol’ Boy Cup once again delivered a strong showcase for the Race of Champions Modified Series. The event brought the tour-type Modifieds back to one of Western New York’s most recognizable short tracks, giving fans a fast-paced caution-free 60-lap feature and another memorable chapter in the history of the Ol’ Boy Cup. By the end of the night, the spotlight belonged squarely to Hartwig. From the first lap to the final corner, he controlled the race, protected the lead, and finished the job.
With two straight Race of Champions Modified Series wins now to his credit, Paulie Hartwig III leaves Lancaster with more than just another trophy. He leaves with momentum, confidence, and the attention of the entire RoC Modified field.
Top 10 Results:
1. Paulie Hartwig III
2. Jake Lutz
3. Mike Leaty
4. Patrick Emerling
5. Matt Hirschman
6. Austin Kochenash
7. Jacob Christman
8. Shawn Nye
9. Andrew Lewis Jr
10. George Skora III
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
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 -
60 FOR NUMBER 60…MATT HIRSCHMAN TAKES TOUR TYPE MOD CHECKERS FOR 60TH CAREER WIN AT EVERGREEN RACEWAY ON June 21
By Dino Oberto
(6-21-26) For 25 years Matt Hirschman of Northampton has been a driving force at Evergreen Raceway. It’s where he began his career and where he still comes whenever his schedule allows. In that span he’s recorded a record six Tour Type Modified championships, a record 13 King of the Green events and between him and his father, Tony Hirschman, they are the winningest family at the track. On Father’s Day Sunday Hirschman added another feather in his Evergreen cap, winning his 60th overall feature behind the wheel of his signature No. 60. There’s one thing about Hirschman is that in all his success here, rarely has it been by luck but rather having the best car being driven by the best driver. However, there was a little luck this time around that aided him in scoring today’s victory. The 50-lap feature was a cone race and on the first caution that occurred on lap eight when Ricky Collins spun, Hirschmann was sitting sixth. When it came time to choose the inside or outside for the restart, the first five cars all opted for the bottom lane. When it was Hirschman’s time to pick he wasted no time in going to the top and was then lined up alongside leader Jayden Harman. Two laps following the restart using that same lane he passed Harman and remained there to the finish. “That restart early in the race I kind of got a Father’s Day present there by getting the cone to advance all those spots,” said Hirschman. “I think I had a good car today, but I know the fans would have gotten a little better show because I still would have had some cars to pass. That just made it easier.” Once Hirschman took the lead, he maintained a two-car-length advantage over his challengers. Christman used a lap 27 restart to progress up to second but gave it up to Coss after a restart with 10 laps to go, however, it only took one lap for him to regain the spot. Also coming on strong at this point was Brian DeFebo who sat fourth and with eight laps to go motored into third. And from there to the checkers, he and Christman put on a sizzling battle while staying within close reach of Hirschman. DeFebo would take control of second and in the final few circuits fans were being treated to a pair of iconic drivers who together are the top two winningest Tour Type Modified stars at the track. Hirschman was able to uphold his lead to the checkers while DeFebo still had to fend off Christman in garnering the runner-up posting. Coss and Hartwig rounded out the top five. “I understand that they ended right behind me side-by-side from second to fifth,” said Hirschman. “I think this was one of the best Tour Tye Mod races we’ve had here in a while and one of the best race tracks we’ve had here in a while too. They had put cones out for practice today to get some rubber on the outside and I feel it made a huge difference.”
Tour Type Modified finish (50 laps): 1. Matt Hirschman, 2. Brian DeFebo, 3. Jake Christman, 4. Roger Coss, 5. Paulie Hartwig III, 6. Steve Shultz, 7. Evan Rygielski, 8. Jayden Harman, 9. Jaden Brown, 10. Ricky Ross Jr., 11. Ricky Collins, 12. Brian Rygielski Jr., 13. Brian Romig Jr., 14. Brian Romig Sr. DNS: Steve Wojick
Matt Hirschman dominated the back half of the Monaco Modified Tri-Track Series 100 lap main event to pick up yet another win at the shoreline oval on June 13
1 7 Matt Hirschman Northampton, PA #60
2 6 Jonathan McKennedy Chelmsford, MA #79
3 5 Kyle Bonsignore Mooresville, NC #8
4 8 Ron Silk Norwalk, CT #16
5 11 Teddy Hodgdon Danbury, CT #07
6 1 Trevor Catalano Ontario, NY #85
7 14 Chris Pasteryak Moosup, CT #5CT
8 21 Noah Korner Bloomfield, CT #31
9 10 Ronnie Williams Lebanon, CT #50
10 9 Tyler Chapman Ellington, CT #06
11 27 David Arute Stafford Springs, CT #75
12 12 Andrew Molleur Shelton, CT #11
13 4 Joey Cipriano Plymouth, CT #51CT
14 20 Bryan Narducci Colchester, CT #81
15 24 Michael Christopher Jr Wolcott, CT #00
16 19 Brett Meservey Brewster, MA #76
17 29 Tom Rogers Jr Riverhead, NY #9
18 30 Woody Pitkat Bellingham, MA #88
19 15 Joey Braun Manorville, NY #4
20 25 Steven Chapman Ellington, CT #25
21 23 Dana DiMatteo Canton, CT #20
22 17 Matthew Swanson Harvard, MA #89
23 28 Jon Puleo Branford, CT #7
24 18 George Bessette Jr. Danbury, CT #39
25 2 Jake Johnson Rehoboth, MA #15
26 3 Cory DiMatteo Farmington, CT #6
27 16 Keith Rocco Berlin, CT #22
28 26 Max Zachem Preston, CT #27
29 13 Nickolas Hovey Chaplin, CT #55X
30 22 Joey Mucciacciaro Wolcott, CT #47
31 31 Eric Berndt Cromwell, CT #11CT
32 32 Dylan Izzo Monroe, CT #04CT
Jon McKennedy dominates the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour’s return to Oxford Plains on June 6, 2026
By Brandon White
NASCAR.com
From Team:Hey PeeDee/Hirschman Fans...well...another race in the books. This one all the way up in Maine. After a dominating performance last night in the ROC Series by Matt and the Hirschman60 for the win...we backed it up with another subpar performance. Practiced at Oxford at P6. Qualifying rained out and started race P8...Got caught on the outside on the start and dropped positions from there...several pit stops under yellow flags with the Brown Dog Crew were not able to improve the performance. Finished the race P16...enough said for now...We know Matt and the Dogs are VERY disappointed....Stay Tuned
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.
1 79 Jon McKennedy 150 --
2 3 Tyler Rypkema Northeast Drilling; SYP 150 3.932
3 58 Eric Goodale GAF Roofing 150 5.149
4 50 Ronnie Williams Empower Financial Advisory 150 5.975
5 73 Paulie Hartwig III* 150 6.937
6 56 Trevor Catalano USNE Power 150 9.215
7 1 Patrick Emerling USNE Power 150 11.916
8 82 Andrew Molleur Horton Avenue Materials 150 12.166
9 05 Teddy Hodgdon* 150 12.666
10 8 John-Michael Shenette 150 13.26
11 64 Austin Beers ; Hugh 150 13.69
12 31 Michael Christopher Elite Towing; Elite Racing; Baker Racing 149 1 Lap
13 54 Tommy Catalano FX Caprara; USNE Power 149 1 Lap
14 21 Stephen Kopcik Wanick Construction; Newtown Pools 149 1 Lap
15 17 Anthony Nocella 149 1 Lap
16 60 Matt Hirschman Bar Harbor Bank & Trust; Pee Dee Motorsports 149 1 Lap
17 18 Ken Heagy Merkel Racing Engines 148 2 Laps
18 84 Tyler Catalano Catalano Motorsports 137 13 Laps
Big Money" Matt Hirschman scores the victory in the Race of Champions Modified Series Whittaker Ford F-50 at the Spencer Speedway on June 5.
Hirschman led wire-to-wire to start the RoC season two for two after winning the season opening event at Mahoning Valley Speedway Park.
Mike Leaty and Paulie Hartwig III rounded out the podium.
Next up for the Race of Champions Modified Series is the return to the "Concrete Castle", Shangri-La II Speedway on Sunday, June 14th.
1 Matt Hirschman Northampton, PA -
2 Mike Leaty Williamson, NY -
3 20 Paulie Hartwig III Galloway, NJ 4
4 Jake Lutz Hamburg, NY -1
5 Andrew Lewis Jr Ontario, NY -
6 Austin Kochenash Danielsville, PA -2
7 Jacob Christman Walnutport, PA -1
8 Jayden Harman sugarloaf, PA 1
9 Daren Scherer Binghamton, NY 2
10 Eddie Hawkins Marion, NY -
11 Daryl Lewis Jr Ontario, NY -3
12 Mark Tychoniewicz Rochester, NY -
13 Ricky Knapp Jr Buffalo, NY -
14 Tim Nies Elma, NY --
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
Seekonk race is in the books. Not a good night. Decent in practice...qualified 13th...
and the car was just not competitive tonight.
Sure that Matt and the crew will diagnose the issues....and we move on..
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
Mahoning "reopens" with RoC Race April 18 - Matt comes from 12th for the WIn
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.
1 12 60 Matt Hirschman Northampton, PA 11
2 3 20 Paulie Hartwig III Galloway, NJ 1
3 18 56 Jack Ely Northampton, PA 15
4 10 14 Blake Barney Jackson, NJ 6
5 15 76Z Gunnar Zeiner Bath, PA 10
6 1 9 Austin Beers Northampton, PA -5
7 2 8 Earl Paules Palmertown, PA -5
8 7 48 Jacob Christman Walnutport, PA -1
9 17 95 Jacob Kerstetter Allentown, PA 8
10 4 71 Austin Kochenash
11 23 03 Jaden Brown Kunkletown, PA 12
12 16 41 Nick Baer New Tripoli, PA 4
13 25 7X Mark Miller Lehighton, PA 12
14 8 29 Cody Kohler Schnecksville, PA -6
15 20 51 Jayden Harmann sugarloaf, PA 5
16 21 3 Daren Scherer Binghamton, NY 5
17 14 85 Lou Strohl Palmertown, PA -3
18 5 19 Kyle Strohl Palmertown, PA -13
19 11 1 Stephen Kopcikk Newtown, CT -8
20 19 53 Brian Defebo Berwick, PA -1
21 13 12 Bobby Jones Palmertown, PA -8
22 9 25NH Brian Robie Sunapee, NH -13
23 6 17 Roger Coss Lafayette, NJ -17
24 22 76S Rod Snyder Jr Lehighton, PA -2
25 24 22 Don Wagner Wharton, NJ -1
Back 2 Back: Stephen Kopcik Continues Hot Streak with Thompson Victory on August 12 as team works hard to show the speed they know they have
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
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.
1 21 Stephen Kopcik Wanick Construction/Newton Pools 200 --
2 16 Ron Silk Blue Moutian Machine/ Future Homes 200 0.147
3 3 Tyler Rypkema Northeast Drilling/SYP 200 0.835
4 58 Eric Goodale GAF Roofing 200 1.251
5 64 Austin Beers G&G Electrical Supply/ 200 1.665
6 1 Patrick Emerling USNE Motorsports 200 1.891
7 22 Kyle Bonsignore ChawLew Performance/MTT/LRD 200 2.04
8 54 Tommy Catalano FX Caprara/USNE Power 200 2.246
9 66 Timmy Solomito USNE Power/Kennedy Realty/FX Caprara 200 2.277
10 0 Ryan Newman Keydisplay/USNE 200 2.487
11 56 Trevor Catalano USNE Power 200 2.697
12 60 Matt Hirschman Pee Dee Motorsports 200 2.835
13 82 Andrew Molleur Horton Avenue Materials 200 3.108
14 46 Craig Lutz Riverhead Building Supply 200 3.399
15 31 Michael Christopher Jr Baker Racing 200 3.563
16 25 Danny Bohn Foxfire Farms/Ready Mix 200 3.743
17 38 Jack Baldwin* Stokes Shoes 200 3.943
18 71 Jimmy Zacharias Velocita 200 4.126
19 55 Jeremy Gerstner /JTS Services 200 4.328
20 8 John-Michael Shenette neral Contractor 199 1 Lap
21 40 Luke Fleming William EAutos by Nelson 195 5 Laps
22 95 Cory Plumme. roteau Machine & More 194 6 Laps
23 7 Luke Baldwin Baldwin Automotive 188 12 Laps
24 51 Justin Bonsignore Phoenix Communication 188 12 Laps
25 18 Ken Heagy Merkel Racing Engines 184 16 Laps
26 70 Andy Seuss Rockingham Boat 171 29 Laps
27 79 Jonathan McKennedy Stuart’s Automotive 160 40 Laps
28 05 Teddy Hodgdon IV* BMontanari Fuel 160 40 Laps
29 73 Paulie Hartwig III* Velocita USA 81 119 Laps
30 24 Andrew Krause Supreme Mfg Co. 58 142 Laps
CHAMPIONS AND INDIVIDUALS HONORED AT RACE OF CHAMPIONS 2025 SEASON-ENDING CELEBRATION
Participants, officials, and fans of the Race of Champions “Family of Series” gathered at the Holiday Inn Auburn – Finger Lakes Region in Auburn, NY, for an evening of awards, accolades, and celebration to conclude the 2025 championship season. More than $60,000 in awards and point fund monies were distributed, along with several special recognitions.
Honored as 2025 Series Champions were:
Matt Hirschman of Northampton, PA – Race of Champions Asphalt Modified Series
Andrew Lewis Jr. of Ontario, NY – Race of Champions Sportsman Modified Series
Tommy Barron of Ontario, NY – Race of Champions Super Stock Series
Cody McPherson of St. Catharines, Ontario, Canada – Race of Champions Dirt 602 Sportsman Modified Series
Scott Wylie of Blasdell, NY – Race of Champions Late Model Series
Tim Welshans of South Wales, NY – Race of Champions Street Stock Series
Joey VanLare of Webster, NY – Race of Champions 602 Sportsman Modified Series
Trisha Connolly of Palmerton, PA – Race of Champions FOAR SCORE Four Cylinder Dash Series
“This was another great season for us,” stated Hirschman during his championship acceptance interview. “We didn’t set out to run for the championship, but once we knew we had a shot, we turned up the heat. We’ve raced in a lot of places and done a lot of things, and this Series has always meant a great deal to our team and family. From what we’ve experienced, people should really appreciate it — the grass isn’t always greener on the other side.”
Point fund contributions were made possible through the support of Hoosier Racing Tire, Sunoco Race Fuels, Racing America, FX Caprara, Waddell Communications, the Erie Sports Commission, the FOAR SCORE Club, MyRacePass, Printed Image of Buffalo, Image X, Speedway Illustrated, and RoCModifiedSeries.TV.
In addition to championship honors, several special awards were presented recognizing dedication, sportsmanship, and fan engagement.
The 2025 Most Popular Driver Award recipients were:
Andy Jankowiak (Modifieds) – Tonawanda, NY
Andrew Lewis Jr. (Sportsman Modified) – Ontario, NY
Tommy Barron (Super Stock) – Ontario, NY
Jacob Gustafson (Late Models) – Webster, NY
MacKenzie Hanbury (602 Asphalt Sportsman Modified) – Ontario, NY
Trisha Connolly (FOAR SCORE Four Cylinder Dash Series) – Palmerton, PA
Mike Piccirilli (Street Stock) – Hamburg, NY
The Jerry Ward Dedication Award was presented to Race of Champions Director of Technical Inspection Brian Ruestow by the Ward family and the FOAR (Friends of Auto-Racing) SCORE Fan Club.
Jake Christman of Walnutport, PA, was named Rookie of the Year in the Modified division.
The evening’s program was hosted by Race of Champions “voice” Dave Buchanan, who served as Master of Ceremonies.
About the Race of Champions: The Race of Champions is a sanctioning body presenting Modified and Stock Car racing on asphalt and dirt surfaces throughout the Northeast, with events in New York, Pennsylvania, and New Jersey.
Primary marketing partners include Hoosier Racing Tire, Sunoco Race Fuels, FX Caprara, Airport Collision, Waddell Communications, Image X Design, Sherwood Racing Wheels, DirtTrackDigest.com, and Speed Sport.
The 76th Annual Race of Champions will take place in 2026, continuing its legacy as the second-longest consecutively run auto-racing event in North America, second only to the Indianapolis 500.
NEWS UPDATE:
Good Afternoon Race Fans. Matt rolled out the new paint scheme for the PeeDee#60 at New Smyrna. It's a patriotic America 250 scheme celebrating our Nation's 250th birthday.. Hope you enjoyed it. It was an up and down day and evening through practice, qualifying, and the race itself. The new tires, American Racer, presented a challenge for all of the race teams. Matt qualified 12th. During the race itself, he moved up to 7th. The Brown Dogs did a great job throughout the day in servicing the needs of the car and team. The race itself got a little rough with pit strategy playing an important role. Matt and the car got bounced around a few times with some cosmetic damage. He was able to bounce back to a respectable 12th place finish. We move on. Next up...Martinsville on the NWMT. Stay Tuned!
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."
1 51 Justin Bonsignore Phoenix Communication 203 --
2 3 Tyler Rypkema Northeast Drilling/SYP 203 0.56
3 64 Austin Beers GAP Marquadt & Sons/Andrew Ja 203 1.736
4 1 Patrick Emerling USNE Motorsports 203 2.314
5 46 Craig Lutz Riverhead Building Supply 203 2.971
6 79 Jonathan McKennedy Stuart’s 203 3.734
7 40 Ryan Preece Racechoice 203 4.228
8 4 Ryan Newman /Acme Aero/Lucas Oil 203 4.484
9 56 Trevor Catalano USNE Power 203 4.43
10 58 Eric Goodale GAF Roofing 203 5.177
11 05 Teddy Hodgdon IV* /Montanari Fuel 203 6.234
12 60 Matt Hirschman Bar Harbor Bank 203 6.544
13 21 Stephen Kopcik Wanick Construction/Newton Pools 203 6.836
14 71 Jimmy Zacharias Kevo Motorsports/ 203 7.259
15 02 Joey Coulter IV /Simpson/Stilo/Molecule 203 7.661
16 20 Max Zachem Lu-Mac’s Package Store/203 8.939
17 54 Tommy Catalano FX Caprara/USNE Power 203 10.24
18 8 John-Michael Shenette USNE Power 203 9.863
19 31 Michael Christopher Jr Elite Towing/Baker Racing 203 12.348
20 73 Carson Loftin J/Lavalette Har 203 14.514
21 81 Mark Stewart / Eastside Building 203 15.61
22 18 Ken Heagy Merkel Racing Engines 203 21.434
23 7 Luke Baldwin Baldwin Automotive 202 1 Lap
24 55 Jeremy Gerstner /JTS Services & Racecar Engineering 193 10 Laps
25 2 Jimmy Blewett Gershow Recycling/ John Blewett Scrap 178 25 Laps
26 66 Timmy Solomito USNE Power/Kennedy Realty/FX Caprara 176 27 Laps
27 22 Kyle Bonsignore ChawLew Performance 155 48 Laps
28 24 Andrew Krause Supreme Mfg Co. 150 53 Laps
29 99 Sam Rameau FNO Racecars 143 60 Laps
30 29 Mike Marshall MLM Diagnostics/Jusczak Electric 143 60 Laps
31 38 Bobby Labonte Cook Out 95 108 Laps
32 16 Ron Silk Blue Mountain Machine/Future Homes 33 170 Laps
2026 Season News
Hey MH60 fans! With some changes that took place during the off-season our 2026 season schedule will look a little different. Our intentions are to compete in the full NASCAR Regional WMT schedule with Pee Dee Motorsports. Our open modified schedule will change as needed. We will be opening our season next Saturday February 7th in the New Smyrna Beach Area Visitors Bureau 200. For the 2026 trip to Florida our focus will be on that event only and we will not be competing in the World Series events following. We would like to thank New Smyrna Speedway for a long overdue increase to the tour modified purse and hope to be able to compete in future years. We are looking forward to getting out of the cold and starting our 2026 season off in a big way next Saturday night. If you can’t make it in person be sure to tune in to FloRacing.