The Christopher name is one of the most recognizable not only in NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour history, but across the entire Modified industry.
Ted Christopher is widely regarded as one of the greatest to ever drive a Modified, with his Whelen Modified Tour resume alone comprising of 42 victories and the 2008 championship. His brother Mike Christopher was also highly regarded during his career, earning plenty of local wins at tracks like Stafford Motor Speedway and Thompson Speedway Motorsports Park.
No member of the Christopher family has been full-time on the Modified Tour since 2014, but Mike’s son, Mike Christopher Jr., will change that trend this season. Christopher Jr. is set to pilot the No. 31 owned by Alan Dering, a car that was previously driven by another seasoned veteran in Matt Hirschman.
Just a few months ago, Christopher Jr. had no idea whether he would be making any starts on the Modified Tour this year. Now he looks forward to chasing a series championship just like his father and late uncle did many years ago.
"The whole deal came together pretty quick," Christopher Jr. said. "Alan Dering called me in December and said he wanted me to drive his car. He’s very excited for it, his crew is very excited for it, but I also get to bring some of my crew from Stafford, so I think this is going to be really great all together.
"There will be some learning curves along the way, but as long as we get over those humps as soon as possible, we’ll be good to go."
RELATED: 2026 Mods schedule [caption id="attachment_498693" align="aligncenter" width="2560"]Christopher Jr. understands how important his name is to race fans in the northeast. He has long been familiar with the stories surrounding Ted and Mike but also considers himself fortunate that he got to witness their on-track efficiency firsthand during his childhood.
Legacy was something Christopher Jr. pondered only occasionally during his youth. He was more focused on enjoying the moment and celebrating with either Mike or Ted in Victory Lane rather than studying how one of them applied their own driving style to set up a pass.
Now that he's fully embedded into the Modified discipline, Christopher Jr. has had plenty of moments to ascertain how he is going to carry on the family name. He considers himself his own, independent driver but admits he finds himself applying his father’s advice.
“I’d say I definitely race like my dad more,” Christopher Jr. said. “Ted [was] aggressive; I’ve seen that, and a lot of other people have seen that. My dad has always been touted as methodical, a little less aggressive, but he has his moments. I feel like I race like my own person. I try to be really smart behind the wheel and plan stuff out. That’s what my dad taught me.”
Respect has been crucial toward Christopher Jr. finding sustainability and recognition in Modifieds. The blue collar, no-nonsense culture embodied by many drivers in the discipline requires him to be courteous around others on track. That philosophy has resulted in more trips to Victory Lane, this time as a driver.
One of those wins came in a Whelen Modified Tour race at Jennerstown Speedway in 2022, only his third start in the series at the time.
[caption id="attachment_498692" align="alignnone" width="2560"]Piloting Tommy Baldwin Jr.’s iconic No. 7NY Modified, Christopher Jr. patiently worked his way up from the eighth starting position to challenge Tyler Rypkema for the win. Christopher Jr. put relentless pressure on Rypkema during the closing stages before making the race-winning maneuver with 11 laps remaining.
Christopher Jr. never imagined he could defeat drivers like series champions Justin Bonsignore and Ron Silk with only minimal Modified Tour experience to his name. Even though he was driving one of the strongest cars in the field that night, he felt his victory proved he could excel on the Modified Tour just like Ted and Mike.
“It came as a surprise, not only to me but to everyone else, too,” Christopher Jr. said. “I didn’t race the Tour. That was my third start, but we go out there and won. I owe most of that credit to Tommy [Baldwin] and his team for putting together a really good race car. If I put my sister in that car, who doesn’t drive at all, she’d probably finish in the top 10.
“I was happy to be the monkey behind the wheel.”
Despite the strong performance, Christopher Jr. made just two more starts on the Modified Tour that season and did not secure a ride in 2023 or 2024. He didn't let the circumstances deter him, as he went back to driving Modifieds at Stafford and other northeast tracks, building upon the family legacy in his own way.
When he found his way back to the Modified Tour last season, he capitalized on his limited starts. Along with a top-10 finish in the season finale at Martinsville Speedway, Christopher Jr. nearly won the prestigious Mohegan Sun 100 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway in his family-owned car before losing an engine on an overtime restart.
The outcome was disappointing, but it also reinforced Christopher Jr.'s belief that he could thrive against the best in the discipline as someone who can be both patient and aggressive.
An equal balance between Mike and Ted.
[caption id="attachment_498701" align="aligncenter" width="2560"]Now Christopher Jr. has the perfect chance to showcase those qualities with a successful Modified Tour program in Dering’s Elite Racing. Nothing is going to come easy against stout competition, but he is going to rely upon everything he knows about Modifieds to validate Dering's faith.
“You need all [the experience] to go Modified Tour racing,” Christopher Jr. said. “You’ve got to be good on the long run knowing you have 150 laps to complete before the checkered flag. I learned how to get to the finish in a long race from the few starts that I have along with the open Modified racing I’ve done [in the northeast].
“You also have to be aggressive at times, and Stafford has definitely taught me that.”
Christopher Jr.'s maiden full-time venture on the Modified Tour is not just about putting together consistent results. He's carrying on the legacy of a proud motorsports family, one defined by victories and garnering respect.
Dering’s previous track record as a Modified owner has Christopher Jr. convinced he can add onto his small-but-solid resume on the Modified Tour. He would love to earn a championship, as well, but he emphasized 2026 is about establishing his own identity in the series while reminding fans and drivers why the Christopher name is so prestigious.
“I expect to win races,” Christopher Jr. said. “Alan [Dering] is going full steam ahead; that’s how he is as a person. He wants to go out and compete for wins. It’s up to executing on race day, and a lot goes into that with the pit crew and setup, but we have really good help behind us.
“If we roll out the box at New Smyrna and we’re fast in practice, I expect to run up front and compete for the win.”
Christopher Jr. knows he is not his father Mike Christopher or his uncle Ted Christopher, two drivers who have left an indelible mark on Modified racing culture. But he can be Mike Christopher Jr., a stalwart, focused competitor who is eager to keep writing his own history in the discipline.