Posted on August 31, 2022 by Adam Fenwick

When Tommy Catalano was a school-aged child, he looked forward to Fridays.

Sure, most of us looked forward to Fridays during our school years, but Tommy had a different reason.

While Tommy was riding the bus home from school, his parents Amy and Dave would be riding in their race car hauler on the way to nearby Spencer Speedway in Williamson, New York.

“It’s a mile and a half, maybe a little less from our house,” Tommy said of Spencer Speedway. “You’d get home from school, and I would wait for my Grandparents. They would take me to the track with them. My parents, you’d be getting off the bus and they’d be passing you with the truck and trailer headed down the road to the track.

“That was kind of the Friday night routine.”

The Catalano family has been involved in racing — specifically Modified racing — for decades. It may as well be a family tradition.

It all started with Tommy’s great uncle Joe Catalano, who began racing Modifieds in the 1960s in upstate New York. The racing bug was handed down to Dave, Tommy’s father, who drove for Joe years later.

Tommy inherited the bug from his father and mother, both of whom are racers. The third-generation driver is in the midst of his fifth NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour season, which continues this Saturday night at New York’s Oswego Speedway.

Tommy Catalano, driver of the No. 54 FX Caprara Modified, during qualifying for the Phoenix Communications 150 for the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour at Thompson Speedway Motorsports Park on August 18, 2022. (Photo: Adam Glanzman/NASCAR)

It all adds up to more than 60 years of racing Modifieds for the Catalano family.

“When you look back on it, you see pictures on Facebook or even if you go to the race track and they have the vintage class and you look at some of the cars and you go, ‘Man, I can’t believe people raced these,’” Tommy said. “Then you think, ‘That’s where our family started in Modifieds.’

“It’s definitely crazy to think about how far it’s come and how long we’ve stayed in it.”

Historically speaking, the Catalano family is relatively new to the Tour.

Tommy didn’t make his first Tour start until 2018. His mom Amy made her Tour debut in 2019, his uncle Buck made three starts during the mid-2000s, and his younger brother Timmy has made 23 Tour starts.

However, when one takes into account all of their local and regional Modified racing through the decades, the Catalanos might be the one of the longest tenured families in all of Modified racing.

“To me they are some of the coolest race cars,” Tommy said. “Growing up in my late teens I ran Late Models, Midgets, obviously the SK and Modified stuff in our family car. The Modifieds have always been, I don’t want to say a challenge, but they’re something that if you work at it, you get better and you see the results.

“Growing up, my uncles, my dad, my mom, the whole family, it was Modifieds. Where we’re from, if you got to the Modifieds, that was the premier division. That was the class everyone came to watch. That was the goal, to get to the Modifieds.”

Despite their short history with the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour, the Catalano family does have a special place in the Tour history books.

On Aug. 31, 2019, the Catalano family made history when mom Amy raced against her sons Tommy and Timmy at Oswego.

While that may seem like a unique accomplishment, for the Catalano family, it happened nearly every Friday night when they raced at Spencer.

Tommy Catalano driver of the No. 54 FX Caprara Modified, enters his car before the Duel at the Dog 200 for the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour at Monadnock Speedway on June 19, 2022. (Photo: Nick Grace/NASCAR)

“That was just normal,” Tommy said. “When you got old enough, you just jumped in. Mom was out there. That’s just what we did. Around here, it’s kind of what we do. When we went to the Tour everyone was like, ‘Oh my goodness!’

“We were like, ‘What’s going on, what’s wrong?’ I tell everyone all the time, ‘I wonder what normal people do on weekends?’ And they say, ‘Are you calling yourself not normal?’ And I say, ‘Apparently not,’ because to us that was normal, but so many people are shocked by it.”

The Catalano family will be racing against each other in the lead-up to Saturday’s Tour race at Oswego when they return to Spencer this Friday evening. In all, five members of the Catalano family are expected to be in action Friday. Four of them — mom Amy and brothers Tommy, Timmy and Tyler — will be competing in the headlining Modified division. A fourth brother, Trevor, will also be in action in the SK Modified class.

Oh, and there is a fifth Catalano brother. His name is Troyer, and he currently races Go Karts.

The future of the Catalano family looks bright, especially with the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour.

While Tommy has yet to win a Tour race, he’s come close. This season he nearly won at Richmond Raceway, leading a race-high 69 laps before Justin Bonsignore passed him for the lead and eventually the victory with 11 laps left.

At 24 years old, Tommy should have plenty of opportunities to break into Victory Lane with the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour.

If all goes as planned, he hopes to continue racing Modifieds for the rest of his life and then hand the tradition down to his own children.

Until then, he plans to continue making memories and adding to the legacy of the Catalano racing family. As long as he’s having fun, he says, he’ll continue racing Modifieds.

“At the end of the day, you’ve got to be able to ride home in that truck and still enjoy it, because if you’re not enjoying it, it’s another job,” Tommy said. “At that point, it’s not worth it.”

Posted on August 31, 2022September 1, 2022 by Staff Report

Editor’s note: The 2022 NASCAR Cup Series series will be spotlighted in USA Network’s new unscripted series “Race for the Championship” airing this fall. The first episode is Thursday, Sept. 1, at 10 p.m. ET/PT.

A new car, new race tracks and new rivalries reshaped the NASCAR Cup Series this season, fueling on-track action and off-track story lines worthy of their own TV series. Fortunately for fans, that’s exactly what’s in store beginning this week.

USA Network’s new unscripted series “Race for the Championship” premieres Thursday, Sept. 1 at 10 p.m. ET/PT, and drivers have opened up recently on the filming process and what it’s like to have their more private moments captured.

“It’s very entertaining, like highly entertaining,” Joey Logano said at Daytona International Speedway. “And it’s a good mix of preparing for racing, personal lives, and the race itself, which may actually be the smallest part of it because everyone gets to see the race on Sunday anyway. You don’t have to tell that story again because everyone knows how it goes, but at least the preparation side of it and how my competitors do it and those type of things I’m interested in.”

MORE: NASCAR on TV this week | Darlington schedule

The 10-episode series will tell the story of the 2022 Cup Series season and NASCAR Playoffs, from the competitive introduction of the Next Gen car at the Busch Light Clash at the Coliseum in Los Angeles through the treacherous postseason road that brings four drivers their chance at championship glory in Phoenix.

As “Race for the Championship” documents the lives of NASCAR’s best on and off the track, viewers will get a rare glimpse of what it takes to balance personal relationships with the pressure to perform in the high-stakes world of Cup Series racing.

NASCAR Hall of Famer, NBC analyst and two-time Daytona 500 winner Dale Earnhardt Jr. joins the program as its executive producer, eager to help present the stars of today’s racing in more accessible ways to the fan base.

“We need to give everyone a better opportunity to get to know the individuals that are involved in NASCAR,” Earnhardt Jr. said in an interview with Variety. “I think this is a great opportunity to put a very human element into what we do and into our identity. It’s something I think that should have a profound impact on perception of the sport and also to give our fans a deeper dive into each individual.

“I have such a passion and love for the sport that I feel like this type of content is something that our fans are starving for. It’s always a lot of fun to work on a project that is unique and about something you’re passionate about. So that makes it easy to want to dive in, give input and get feedback — and be a part of the process.”

The series will feature a variety of drivers at different points as the drama of the 2022 season unfolds, including past champions like Chase Elliott, Kyle Larson, Kyle Busch, Logano and Brad Keselowski, along with others eager to write their own NASCAR legacies such as Ryan Blaney, Daniel Suárez, Ross Chastain, Corey LaJoie and others.

Busch, the series’ only active multi-time champion, is hopeful the show ends up “humanizing the villain” spectators may usually see on a Sunday afternoon.

“I’d like to be known by a heck of a lot more than just what is on broadcast television each weekend — or not on broadcast television,” Busch said at Daytona. “But to me, you know, I’m a husband, I’m a father, I’m a racer. And that’s all I’ve really known. I’ve grown up doing that. I’ve come from a blue-collar family from Las Vegas where my dad was a Mac Tool man and didn’t come up from a lot, but obviously trying to instill those same traits into my kids and how we go about what we do each and every week to go to the race track. So, for me, I would like to think that just, you know, again, showing the human side. Humanizing myself and what is important to me, not just at the race track, but away from the race track.”

Logano, winner of the 2018 Cup Series title, voiced his pleasure for the pilot episode and excitement for at-home viewers to get behind-the-scenes looks at what goes into the drivers’ lives when they aren’t piloting a race car at 200 mph.

“It was pretty entertaining, so it’s a step in that direction, for sure, and I think it’s gonna be great,” he said. “I really don’t see it where it’s bad for the sport. It has some drama in it. It’s life. It shows life and it follows different drivers on different weeks, so I think it’s gonna be great for our sport, for sure.”

The premiere episode serves as a perfect primer for the Cup Series Playoffs, which begin three days later at Darlington Raceway on Sunday, Sept. 4. That opening race airs at 6 p.m. ET and will also be broadcast on USA.

“Race for the Championship” is produced by NASCAR Studios with NASCAR’s Tim Clark, Amy Anderson, Matt Summers and Tally Hair, along with production industry veteran Chaz Gray, serving as executive producers.

Posted on August 30, 2022September 1, 2022 by Staff Report

The No. 51 NASCAR Xfinity Series Chevrolet of Jeremy Clements Racing was levied an L2-level penalty by NASCAR officials, the sanctioning body announced Tuesday.

Wednesday morning, driver Jeremy Clements officially announced that the team had filed an appeal.

pic.twitter.com/4MEcsjSpdM

— Jeremy Clements (@JClements51) August 31, 2022

Clements wheeled the vehicle to victory in Friday night’s Xfinity Series race at Daytona International Speedway, but the win as it stands will no longer count toward playoffs eligibility. The No. 51 was found in violation of Sections 14.6.12K&U of the NASCAR Rule Book, which pertains to the intake manifold.

Additionally, crew chief Mark Setzer was fined $60,000 and the team was assessed the loss of 75 owner points, 75 driver points and 10 playoff points should it still qualify for the postseason.

MORE: Darlington schedule | Xfinity points standings

Section K of the rule states that the intake manifold must conform to NASCAR templates, gauges, scales, fixtures and any and all other measuring devices; while Section U notes the floor of the intake manifold plenum must conform to the NASCAR Inspection Intake Manifold Plenum Plug Gauge.

In order to qualify for the 2022 playoffs, Clements will need to win one of the final three races of the regular season before the Xfinity Series Playoffs begin on Sept. 24 at Texas Motor Speedway. The Daytona triumph marked Clements’ second career win.

The Xfinity Series is back on track for the Sport Clips Haircuts VFW Help a Hero 200 on Saturday at Darlington Raceway (3 p.m. ET, USA Network, NBC Sports App, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio).

Editor’s note: This story will be updated with the status of the appeal and/or final ruling.

Posted on August 30, 2022August 30, 2022 by Press Release

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (Aug. 30, 2022) – NASCAR and Riverhead Raceway today announced the September NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour race will now be known as the Eddie Partridge 256 and will feature a format change in tribute to the late Eddie Partridge, the long-time Riverhead Raceway and team owner who passed away last year.

The race length will be 256 laps (the previously announced length was 200 laps) and will feature a live pit stop in full view of the fans, bringing an additional element of excitement to the race. A temporary pit wall will be built in the infield to allow for the format. The six in the race length is in honor of the car number Partridge used as a team owner.

“Track general manager John Ellwood spearheaded this exciting change for the fans,” said Riverhead Raceway co-owner Tom Gatz. “His enthusiasm for the track is unmatched, and we are excited about what this will mean for everyone in attendance in September.”

Partridge was the 2011 and 2017 owner champion in the Whelen Modified Tour, and also won the 2011 driver title with Ron Silk in his car. Shortly before passing away on September 10, 2021, Partridge stood in Victory Lane one final time as Ryan Preece won at Richmond in his car that night.

“Eddie was a larger-than-life figure in the Modified community, and it was a goal of his to bring this format to Riverhead,” said Jimmy Wilson, Senior Director, NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour. “We know this will be a fitting homage to his legacy and can’t wait to put on a show he would be proud of.”

But aside from his legendary career as a car owner, during which he was known for giving many in the NASCAR industry their start, Partridge was also the long-time owner of Riverhead Raceway.

“I’m committed to keeping Eddie’s memory alive and this will be a tribute to him,” said Ellwood. “We all know how great the Whelen Modified Tour racing is at Riverhead, and Eddie really wanted to add this live pit stop format to give the fans in the stands even more to cheer for.”

Riverhead has hosted two Whelen Modified Tour races thus far this season, with Doug Coby winning the May race and Riverhead Raceway regular Kyle Soper winning in June.

The Eddie Partridge 256 at Riverhead Raceway will take place Saturday, Sept. 17, at 8 p.m. ET. Tickets are available for purchase at the box office, and the race can be seen live on FloRacing. The delayed broadcast of the race will be on USA on Sunday, Sept. 25, at 1:30 p.m. ET.

The NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour next races Saturday, Sept. 3, at Oswego Speedway. The race can be seen live on FloRacing at 8:30 p.m. ET and delayed on USA on Friday, Sept. 16 at 12 p.m. ET.

Posted on August 30, 2022August 30, 2022 by Staff Report

During the 2022 NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs, fans have the opportunity to compete in The Playoffs Grid™ Challenge presented by Ruoff Mortage on their own or as part of a created league.

Fans can enter by visiting The Playoffs Grid™ Challenge page beginning Tuesday, Aug. 30 and registering for a free NASCAR.com account before filling out a bracket. From there, choose from a list of playoff-eligible drivers round by round and you’re on your way to compete for prizes!

RELATED: How the NASCAR Playoffs work

Why do I need an account?

Registering for an account allows you to score points and keep track of your progress throughout the NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs. Additionally, a NASCAR.com account allows you to keep track of the latest news, customize updates and learn inside information throughout the playoffs and beyond. If you already have a registered NASCAR.com account, simply logging in with the same credentials will allow you to compete without additional steps or the creation of a new account.

Can I create multiple entries?

All entrants are eligible to create up to three entries per person.

Does The Playoffs Grid™ Challenge work on mobile?

Participants are able to access the challenge and fill out brackets on mobile web and desktop applications.

Can I set up a league?

In addition to joining the overall leaderboard, participants can create their own leagues to compete with friends and others throughout the community. Leagues can be public and available for anyone to join or private and password protected. To join or create a league, follow the instructions on the Leagues tab. There, you can see participants, standings and point totals for each of your league entries. Creating or joining a league does not impact the eligibility to win prizes.

When do I make my picks?

The Playoffs Grid™ Challenge is conducted in a round-by-round format, mirroring the 2022 NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs elimination rounds. Beginning with the first opportunity to register on Aug. 30, each round has a window for participants to make their picks. When choosing drivers, list them in the correct order you think they will finish in.

Selections for the playoff-opening Round of 16 (drivers you believe will advance to the Round of 12) can be submitted before 6 p.m. ET on Sept. 4. Not long after the elimination at Bristol Motor Speedway, points are awarded and the Round of 12 selections (drivers you believe will advance to the Round of 8) will open until 3:30 p.m. ET on Sept. 25. After the Charlotte Motor Speedway Roval, Round of 8 selections (drivers you believe will make it to the Championship 4) will be available until 2:30 p.m. ET on Oct. 16. The Championship 4 and final round opens after the race at Martinsville Speedway (picking the driver you believe will win the title) and must be submitted before 2:30 p.m. ET on Nov. 6.

What am I picking?	When does it open?	When does it close?
Which drivers from the Round of 16 will advance to the Round of 12?	The Playoffs Grid™ Challenge launches Monday, August 30. Participants, start your selections!	Sept. 4 at 6 p.m. ET — before the playoff race at Darlington Raceway
Which drivers from the Round of 12 will advance to the Round of 8?	Within 12 hours of the race at Bristol Motor Speedway on Sept. 17	Sept. 25 at 3:30 p.m. ET — before the playoff race at Texas Motor Speedway
Which drivers from the Round of 8 will advance to the Championship 4?	Within 12 hours of the race at the Charlotte Motor Speedway Roval on Oct. 9	Oct. 16 at 2:30 p.m. ET — before the playoff race at Las Vegas Motor Speedway
Which driver will win the 2021 NASCAR Cup Series Championship?	Within 12 hours of the race at Martinsville Speedway on Oct. 30	Nov. 6 at 2:30 p.m. ET — before the Cup Series Championship race at Phoenix Raceway

Is there a points system?

Yes. During each round, participants will earn points based on their selections. Participants will receive 10 points for each driver correctly selected to advance to the next round of the playoffs, except for the Championship Round™. For the final round, all coming down to the finale at Phoenix Raceway, the correct driver chosen to win the 2022 Cup Series championship earns participants 40 points.

Five bonus points (per correct pick) are also awarded for arranging playoff drivers in the correct finishing order and one point for finishes one spot before or after. Points carry from round to round, and the eligible participant with the most points at the end of the Championship Round™ will be declared the winner.

Scoring factors in official finishing order after post-race inspection.

What are the prizes I can win for competing?

Cash prizes for The Playoffs Grid™ Challenge are awarded to the top three eligible entrants in the overall standings. One first-place winner will receive $10,000, one second-place winner will receive $5,000 and one third-place winner will receive $2,500. Participants can track their place in the standings with the live leaderboard throughout each round of the playoffs. Accounts listed in the top three positions — or any other position — may not necessarily be the top participants eligible to win prizes.

See the official rules for additional information on eligibility, prizes and tiebreak procedures.

RELATED: Analyzing the 16-driver field

Who are the 2022 NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs drivers?

Chase Elliott, Joey Logano, Ross Chastain, Kyle Larson, William Byron, Denny Hamlin, Ryan Blaney, Tyler Reddick, Kevin Harvick, Christopher Bell, Kyle Busch, Chase Briscoe, Daniel Suárez, Austin Cindric, Alex Bowman, Austin Dillon.

Posted on August 30, 2022 by Staff Report

Corey LaJoie is a man of the people and is happy to stop for fans.

But heading home from the track one Sunday afternoon, LaJoie stopped for some enthusiastic fans — who happened to be mistaken.

As LaJoie explains in this second installment of “Corey’s Stories,” a father and his son were elated to see a NASCAR Cup Series driver on the way to the airport following the event. But once LaJoie stopped, the fans realized they had the wrong driver in mind. Watch LaJoie relive the story below, and catch the “Stacking Pennies” podcast every week on www.nascar.com/podcast.

Posted on August 30, 2022August 30, 2022 by Sponsored Content

The 2023 Toyota Sequoia is here, and Toyota has gone all out to make it a truly legendary SUV. Completely reimagined from the ground up, the all-new Sequoia has the power, style, and capability fans need to take on any adventure.

Now Toyota and NASCAR are going all out to give one fan a chance to bring the Sequoia home. Fans can enter daily during the NASCAR Playoffs™ for a chance to win a 2023 Toyota Sequoia TRD Pro — loaded with incredible features like the powerful, standard i-FORCE MAX Twin Turbo V6 Hybrid powertrain, modern styling, 14-in. Toyota Audio Multimedia touchscreen with 14 JBL® speakers, and much much more.

ENTER THE CONTEST

Plus, as the action heats up on-track, fans who enter on NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs™ race days will receive +10 bonus entries if a Toyota driver wins that week’s race.

Don’t miss out on a chance to win the all-new, go-anywhere, do-anything Toyota Sequoia.

NPN. Ends 11/6/22. Click for Rules/Entry. The Toyota model or models shown are designed to meet most off-road driving requirements, but off-roading is inherently dangerous and may result in vehicle damage. Toyota encourages responsible operation to help protect you, your vehicle and the environment. Seatbelts should be worn at all times. Do not allow passengers to ride in cargo area.

Posted on August 30, 2022 by Press Release

SOUTH BOSTON, Va. — The stakes are high. The drama will be higher.

One final night of racing remains in South Boston Speedway’s 2022 points season. Twin races are on the schedule. A three-way battle looms for the South Boston Speedway NASCAR Advance Auto Parts Weekly Series Late Model Stock Car Division championship between Layne Riggs, Peyton Sellers and Jacob Borst. A tight battle for the NASCAR national championship between Riggs and Sellers that grew closer this past weekend adds to the pressure.

Saturday night, Sept. 3, will be one of the most impactful nights of the season as South Boston Speedway hosts the Halifax County Farm Bureau Championship Night event.

WATCH: South Boston championship night live on FloRacing

Riggs, of Bahama, North Carolina, is the current South Boston Speedway and NASCAR national points leader. Sellers, a Danville, Virginia resident, is the defending South Boston Speedway and NASCAR national champion. He trails Riggs by 20 points in the track point standings entering the twin 65-lap NASCAR Late Model Stock Car Division races that will headline the seven-race Halifax County Farm Bureau Championship Night event.

Borst, of Elon, North Carolina, last season’s South Boston Speedway points runner-up, sits in third place in the track point standings, two points behind Sellers and 22 points behind Riggs.

In the NASCAR national points chase, Riggs’ lead over Sellers had shrunk to 16 points entering last weekend’s action. That margin is likely to drop into single digits, as Sellers won the twin races at Dominion Raceway last weekend while Riggs had finishes of eighth and second.

While there is a true sense of urgency among Riggs, Sellers and Borst, none are admitting they are facing a lot of pressure heading into the twin 65-lap NASCAR Late Model Stock Car races Saturday night at South Boston Speedway.

Riggs says he does not pay attention to points.

“That’s something as a driver I don’t pay attention to,” he remarked. “I just pay attention to my car, my strategy and keeping my focus and my head about me. We’re going to keep doing what we’ve always been doing. I’m keeping my head down, being smart behind the wheel, and just trying to chip away and get a win everywhere we go.”

Sellers, who has six career South Boston Speedway NASCAR track championships under his belt, says the path to a record-tying seventh career South Boston Speedway title is a tough one, and he is not going to change his approach for the Sept. 3 twinbill.

“We can’t change what we’re doing,” Sellers pointed out. “We’re just going to try to win races, try to get our car the best we can, and the pieces will have to fall in place. He (Riggs) will have to have bad luck.”

Borst said he is going to give it his best shot in Saturday night’s twinbill. While he can possibly win the championship, he may have a better shot at second place in points, the spot where he finished last season.

“I’d love to win the championship, but Layne has a pretty good lead, and it’s going to be very hard to catch up to him,” Borst noted. “We’re going to go out there and try to do our best. If luck plays into our favor great, if it doesn’t, it’s just a part of racing. We’re going to go out there like nobody has any points and try to get the wins. We’ll take it like we do every weekend and just worry about ourselves and run our race.”

A seven-race card will fill the Sept. 3 Halifax County Farm Bureau Championship Night event. In addition to the twin 65-lap NASCAR Late Model Stock Car Division races, there will be twin 30-lap races for the Budweiser Limited Sportsman Division, a 25-lap race for the Southside Disposal Pure Stock Division, a 20-lap race for the Virginia State Police HEAT Hornets Division and a 20-lap race for the Mills Family Practice Champ Karts.

Track championships will be riding on the outcome of the Budweiser Limited Sportsman Division twinbill as well as on the outcome of the Southside Disposal Pure Stock Division and the Virginia State Police HEAT Hornets Division races.

Kyle Barnes of Draper, Virginia holds a 30-point lead over Jason Myers of Hurt, Virginia in the chase for the Budweiser Limited Sportsman Division title, with Myers still having a shot at the title with the division’s twin races.

Four drivers are in the hunt for the Southside Disposal Pure Stock Division title. Scott Phillips of Halifax, Virginia holds an eight-point lead over Johnny Layne of Halifax, Virginia entering the race. Jimmy Wade of Halifax, Virginia, who is having the best season of his career in the division, is only 23 points out of the lead, and B.J. Reaves of South Boston, Virginia is only 26 points out of the top spot.

In the Virginia State Police HEAT Hornets Division, Jason DeCarlo of Chase City, Virginia holds a seven-point lead over former division champion Kevin Currin of Chase City, Virginia. Dillon Davis of Nathalie, Virginia, the winner on August 20, is in third place, just 13 points out of the lead.

The Sept. 3 Halifax County Farm Bureau Championship Night race-day schedule has practice starting at 3:30 p.m ET. Grandstand gates will open at 5:30 p.m. ET, qualifying begins at 6 p.m. ET, and the first race of the night will get the green flag at 7 p.m. ET.

Advance adult general admission tickets are priced at $10 each and may be purchased online on South Boston Speedway’s website through Friday night, Sept. 2. Advance tickets may also be purchased by calling the speedway office at 434-572-4947 or toll free at 1-877-440-1540 during regular business hours.

Tickets at the gate on race night will be $15 each. Seniors ages 65 and older, military, healthcare workers and students (with ID) can purchase tickets for $10 each at the gate on race night.

Fans and competitors can find the latest updates and news on the speedway’s website, southbostonspeedway.com, and through the track’s social media channels. Information may also be obtained by phoning the speedway at 434-572-4947 or toll free at 1-877-440-1540 during regular business hours.

Posted on August 30, 2022 by Adam Fenwick

The NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour season is nearing its crescendo as the series prepares for the 13th of 16 events this Saturday night at New York’s Oswego Speedway.

Jon McKennedy enters the event, the 15th in Tour history at the popular New York speedway, with a narrow, three-point edge on Ron Silk in the battle for the 2022 NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour championship.

The Tour’s return to Oswego could be good news for Silk, as he is the defending race winner at the 0.675-mile oval. He dominated at Oswego last season, winning the pole and leading 111 laps en route to his most recent Tour victory.

Silk is one of 10 drivers to earn Tour victories at Oswego dating back to 1988, when Brian Ross won the first two Tour events in track history. Other victors at Oswego include Justin Bonsignore, Matt Hirschman, Ryan Preece, Doug Coby, Tony Hirschman, Mike Stefanik, George Kent Jr. and Mike McLaughlin.

Below is everything you need to know about Saturday’s Toyota – Bud Mod Classic 150 at Oswego Speedway.

Toyota – Bud Mod Classic 150 at Oswego Speedway

What to watch for:

Silk has been among the most consistent competitors all season with the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour. His 6.8 average finish is equal to that of his championship rival McKennedy. The only difference between the two is McKennedy has a victory, which came at Claremont Motorsports Park.

Silk is hopes a return to Oswego will be a good omen since he is the defending race winner. A victory would be a vital piece of the puzzle as he looks to claim his second Tour championship.

There will be plenty of competitors looking to deny Silk and McKennedy in Saturday’s event. In addition to Silk, there are three other previous Oswego winners entered in the Toyota – Bud Mod Classic 150. They include the Tour’s most recent winner, Coby, who triumphed at Oswego when the Tour returned to the track in 2016 after a 17-year absence.

Bonsignore, a two-time Tour winner this year who is still trying to get back in the championship hunt, triumphed at Oswego during the 2019 season. Part-time competitor Matt Hirschman, a winner already this year with the Tour at Florida’s New Smyrna Speedway, is back as he searches for his second Oswego triumph with the Tour.

Bobby Santos III, who was forced to miss the race at Thompson Speedway Motorsports Park due to a scheduling conflict, will look to get back on track at Oswego. He’ll once again pilot the No. 44 fielded by the Tinio family. Patrick Emerling also returns to Tour competition in his own No. 07.

The field prior to the Steel Palace 150 for the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour at Oswego Speedway on June 12, 2021. (Photo: Bryan Bennett/ARCA Racing)

Donny Lia continues his comeback season with Boehler Racing Enterprises with a visit to Oswego this weekend. His only previous Oswego start came in 2016 and resulted in a 15th-place finish.

Eric Goodale, currently third in the Tour standings, continues his quest for his first victory of the year in the No. 58 Modified. Austin Beers, fresh off a career-best third-place run at Langley Speedway, will also look to be a contender Saturday evening.

Additional entrants for Saturday’s race include New York’s own Tommy Catalano, Craig Lutz, Tyler Rypkema, Kyle Bonsignore, Kyle Ebersole, Brian Robie and Mike Leaty, among others.

The complete entry list for the Toyota – Bud Mod Classic 150 is available here.

RACE FACTS

Race	Toyota – Bud Mod Classic 150
Date	Saturday, Sept. 3, 2022
Track	Oswego Speedway
Layout	0.675-mile paved oval
Location	Oswego, New York
Start time	7:30 p.m. ET
Laps	150
Posted awards	$92,763
TV channel	USA (Delayed: Friday, Sept. 16, 12 p.m. ET)
Live stream	FloRacing (Live)

Schedule: Saturday, Sept. 3: Garage opens at 11:30 a.m. … Final practice from 2-3 p.m. ET … Single-car qualifying (two laps) at 4:30 p.m. ET … Race at 7:30 p.m. ET

Qualifying: Two consecutive qualifying laps. Faster lap determines qualifying position. Adjustments or repairs may not be made on the vehicle after the vehicle has taken the green flag at the start/finish line. NASCAR reserves the right to have more than one vehicle engage in qualifying runs at the same time. Starting field for the Toyota – Bud Mod Classic 150 is limited to 28 starters including Provisional Positions.

Tire allotment: The maximum tire allotment available for this event is eleven (11) tires per team. All tires used for qualifying and the race must be purchased at the track and scanned by Hoosier, unless otherwise approved in advance by the Series Director. Four (4) tires must be used for qualifying and to begin the race. All qualifying tires must remain in impound until released by NASCAR Officials. The remaining tire allotment may be used for practice and/or change tires during the event. The tire change rule is four (4) tires, any position. To utilize the fourth (4th) change tire, the team will have to take a practice tire purchased at Oswego Speedway and turn in by the conclusion of practice.

Posted on August 29, 2022 by Staff Report

Sunday’s NASCAR Cup Series regular-season finale had everything to do with momentum, from the wild in-race swings on the postseason standings picture to the moves made in the draft at Daytona International Speedway. The deciding shift stemmed from the late-race momentum generated by Austin Dillon’s No. 3 Chevrolet in a fateful bump of Austin Cindric’s No. 2 Ford.

That changing of the guard for the lead in the Coke Zero Sugar 400 made the difference in the battle for the final berths in the Cup Series Playoffs grid, and Dillon’s first victory of the season cleared his way into the championship-eligible grid. Cindric’s defeat narrowed the playoff gap, leaving room for only one remaining qualifier – a spot that Ryan Blaney grabbed late, edging out Martin Truex Jr.

The implications from that final nudge with three laps remaining were wide-ranging. Here’s what the principals involved had to say about the pivotal moment:

Austin Dillon, No. 3 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet driver: “Laps are clicking down, and I knew I could get to the 2’s back bumper pretty good. The 62 (Noah Gragson) and the 8 (teammate Tyler Reddick) did a good job of getting up through there, so I felt like three Chevys in a row was an advantage. In the back of my mind, I knew that the 12 car (Ryan Blaney) was still out there, and before I didn’t know where he was points-wise. If I waited until the white flag to make the move, possibly if he wrecks or someone wrecks back there, it could take our shot away.

“I wanted to make it before the white (flag). Truthfully, that was — it just kind of happened. I was kind of planning on getting a bigger run than that before and pulling out to the right. And I figured that the 2 was going to be a sitting duck because they were going to go with me, the Chevys would, and then we would race it out from there.

“He kind of got loose as I got to his back bumper into one, and I kind of have been giving him that same shove. I don’t know if I just caught more momentum that lap than the others, but when he got free, I just kind of moved up the track. Then I got way out front. It’s very hard to tell yourself to hit the brake pedal when you are driving away from the guys that are behind you to not give up that huge gap.

“When I saw Tyler got there and they were all splitting up, I was, like, ‘Man, I can’t let them go too big of a run.’ I knew Tyler would have my back. He has been a good teammate to me, and I enjoyed working with him. Hit the brake pedal. He got on my back bumper and from then on it was managing the gap to him in my mirror. We were able to bring it home.”

Austin Cindric, Team Penske No. 2 Ford driver: “I think it’s fair game any race of the season, but obviously that meant a lot for him to win that race. He had three cars that were certainly going to be able to work with him, and I was lifting way before the flagstand, trying not to get that gap. I kept trying to get the runs, trying to get the runs, and I feel like they got the run too late and then he hit me straight on the entry to the corner. Just glad I saved it, glad I had a shot to come back up through the field but yeah, I hate losing.”

Richard Childress, team owner of Richard Childress Racing: “He kept running up behind him. I think he was trying to get him loose. I didn’t see that move. I don’t know if he got so close, he got him loose, or if he bumped him a little to push him and got him sideways. When you are racing for the win, that’s what all of them is going to be doing.”

Travis Geisler, Team Penske’s NASCAR Competition Director: “Those guys pretty much knew where things were. I mean, it was pretty obvious what the situation was. He was in such a tough spot. I mean, he was a sitting duck with the whole RCR chain behind them. It was like, ‘Man, I hope we just don’t end up wrecked right here,’ which, fortunately, we just got moved and he was able to kind of come back and get a pretty good finish out of it.”