The Modified division, NASCAR’s oldest class, ran its first race on Feb. 15, 1948, predating the NASCAR Cup Series by a full season.
From 1948 through 1984, some of NASCAR’s greatest drivers raced and won in Modifieds. They include legends like Bobby Allison, Richie Evans, Red Farmer, Red Byron, Bugsy Stevens, Jerry Cook and Fonty Flock. But as the sport continued to evolve, so did the division.
The NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour was formed in 1985. Having since transitioned from a national championship format to a season-long championship format, the Tour now hosts more than a dozen events at tracks up and down the East Coast.
To celebrate the 40th anniversary of the modern Whelen Modified Tour, NASCAR Regional has named the 40 greatest NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour drivers, selected based on their accomplishments on the Tour beginning in 1985. Accomplishments from the NASCAR Modified National Championship era (1948-84) were not used to determine this list.
The 40 drivers were revealed in no particular order throughout the summer in groups of 10. Below is the complete list of the 40 greatest NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour drivers.
40 greatest Modified Tour drivers: Part I | Part II | Part III | Part IV
The 40 greatest NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour drivers
| Wayne Anderson |
| Tom Baldwin |
| Jimmy Blewett |
| John Blewett III |
| Justin Bonsignore |
| Ted Christopher |
| Doug Coby |
| Tim Connolly |
| Patrick Emerling |
| Richie Evans |
| Mike Ewanitsko |
| Ed Flemke Jr. |
| Jeff Fuller |
| Rick Fuller |
| Eric Goodale |
| Doug Heveron |
| Matt Hirschman |
| Tony Hirschman |
| Chuck Hossfeld |
| Charlie Jarzombek |
| George Kent Jr. |
| Jan Leaty |
| Donny Lia |
| Jerry Marquis |
| Jon McKennedy |
| Mike McLaughlin |
| Steve Park |
| Rowan Pennink |
| Woody Pitkat |
| Ryan Preece |
| Brian Ross |
| Reggie Ruggiero |
| Bobby Santos III |
| Ron Silk |
| Timmy Solomito |
| Jimmy Spencer |
| Mike Stefanik |
| Todd Szegedy |
| Jamie Tomaino |
| Satch Worley |
Wayne Anderson
- 170 NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour starts
- 1994 NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour champion
- Three NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour wins
- 34 top-five and 77 top-10 finishes
Tom Baldwin
- 373 NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour starts
- 6 NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour wins
- 66 top fives and 141 top 10s
- Best championship finish of third
Jimmy Blewett
- 147 NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour starts
- Seven NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour wins
- 32 top fives and 57 top 10s
- Best championship finish of sixth
John Blewett III
- 164 NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour starts
- 10 NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour wins
- 43 top fives and 78 top 10s
- Best championship finish of third
Justin Bonsignore
- 230 NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour starts
- Four-time NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour champion
- 45 NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour wins (second all time)
- 133 top fives and 172 top 10s
Ted Christopher
- 372 NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour starts
- 2008 NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour champion
- 42 NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour wins (fourth all time)
- 133 top fives and 203 top 10s
Doug Coby
- 289 NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour starts
- Six-time NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour champion
- 35 NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour wins (tied fifth all time)
- 120 top fives and 183 top 10s
Tim Connolly
- 210 NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour starts
- Nine NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour wins
- 48 top fives and 90 top 10s
- Best championship finish of second
Patrick Emerling
- 167 NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour starts
- Eight NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour wins
- 51 top fives and 93 top 10s
- Best championship finish of second
Richie Evans
- 28 NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour starts
- 1985 NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour champion
- 12 NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour wins
- 17 top fives and 21 top 10s
- 2012 NASCAR Hall of Fame inductee
Mike Ewanitsko
- 289 NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour starts
- 28 NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour wins
- 79 top fives and 130 top 10s
- Best championship finish of second
Ed Flemke Jr.
- 439 NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour starts
- 17 NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour wins
- 91 top fives and 160 top 10s
- Best championship finish of second
Jeff Fuller
- 240 NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour starts
- 1992 NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour champion
- 31 NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour victories
- 90 top fives and 144 top 10s
Rick Fuller
- 438 NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour starts
- 1993 NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour champion
- 20 NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour victories
- 146 top fives and 232 top 10s
Eric Goodale
- 227 NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour starts
- 5 NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour victories
- 40 top fives and 111 top 10s
- Best championship finish of third
Doug Heveron
- 171 NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour starts
- Three NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour wins
- 48 top five and 83 top 10 finishes
- Best championship finish of fourth
Matt Hirschman
- 146 NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour starts
- 10 NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour wins
- 57 top five and 92 top 10 finishes
- Best championship finish of second
Tony Hirschman
- 320 NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour starts
- Five-time NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour champion
- 35 NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour wins (tied fifth all-time)
- 134 top five and 200 top 10 finishes
Chuck Hossfeld
- 162 NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour starts
- Seven NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour victories
- 52 top fives and 90 top 10s
- Best championship finish of second
Charlie Jarzombek
- 25 NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour starts
- 6 NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour victories
- 7 top-five and 13 top-10 finishes
George Kent Jr.
- 195 NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour starts
- 12 NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour wins
- 61 top fives and 117 top 10s
- Best championship finish of third
Jan Leaty
- 257 NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour starts
- Nine NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour wins
- 72 top fives and 122 top 10s
- Best championship finish of third
Donny Lia
- 197 NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour starts
- Two-time NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour champion
- 17 NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour victories
- 64 top-five and 100 top-10 finishes
Jerry Marquis
- 213 NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour starts
- 2000 NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour champion
- 19 NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour wins
- 74 top fives and 116 top 10s
Jon McKennedy
- 106 NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour starts
- 2022 NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour champion
- Two NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour wins
- 27 top five and 57 top 10 finishes
Mike McLaughlin
- 172 NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour starts
- 1988 NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour champion
- 16 NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour wins
- 83 top fives and 119 top 10s
Steve Park
- 187 NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour starts
- 16 NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour victories
- 56 top fives and 86 top 10s
- Best championship finish of second
Rowan Pennink
- 166 NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour starts
- Three NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour wins
- 38 top-five and 86 top-10 finishes
- Best championship finish of fourth
Woody Pitkat
- 194 NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour starts
- Four NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour wins
- 31 top fives and 90 top 10s
- Best championship finish of third
Ryan Preece
- 174 NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour starts
- 2013 NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour champion
- 26 NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour wins
- 82 top five and 111 top 10 finishes
Brian Ross
- 136 NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour starts
- Seven NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour wins
- 50 top fives and 79 top 10s
- Best championship finish of third
Reggie Ruggiero
- 418 NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour starts
- 44 NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour wins (third all-time)
- 169 top five and 227 top 10 finishes
- Best championship finish of second
Bobby Santos III
- 167 NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour starts
- 2010 NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour champion
- 19 NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour wins
- 58 top five and 91 top 10 finishes
Ron Silk
- 268 NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour starts
- Two-time NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour champion
- 27 NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour wins
- 117 top fives and 183 top 10s
Timmy Solomito
- 129 NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour starts
- 9 NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour victories
- 35 top fives and 68 top 10s
- Best championship finish of second
Jimmy Spencer
- 90 NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour starts
- Two-time NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour champion
- 15 NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour wins
- 46 top five and 59 top 10 finishes
Mike Stefanik
- 453 NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour starts
- Seven-time NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour champion (most all time)
- 74 NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour wins (most all time)
- 223 top fives and 301 top 10s (most all time)
- 2022 NASCAR Hall of Fame inductee
Todd Szegedy
- 212 NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour starts
- 2003 NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour champion
- 19 NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour wins
- 86 top fives and 130 top 10s
Jamie Tomaino
- 628 NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour starts (most all-time)
- 1990 NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour champion
- Three NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour wins
- 91 top five and 249 top 10 finishes
Satch Worley
- 194 NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour starts
- Two NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour wins
- 42 top five and 101 top 10 finishes
- Best championship finish of fourth