In May 2019 officials from Martinsville Speedway in Martinsville, Va. announced a long awaited return for the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour at the track in May 2020.
The onset of the COVID-19 global pandemic eventually stole that event away from an ultimately decimated 2020 Whelen Modified Tour schedule.
On Sunday NASCAR and track officials are expected to announce the series will return Martinsville to the schedule for the 2021 season.
Multiple sources close to NASCAR and the Whelen Modified Tour confirmed to RaceDayCT that Martinsville track officials along with Whelen Modified Tour series director Jimmy Wilson will announce today that the series will be part of the schedule at the historic track as part of the weekend racing card for the track’s April NASCAR Cup Series event in 2021.
Wilson was not immediately available for comment Sunday morning. The Whelen Modified Tour event at Martinsville is expected to be announced for April 8.
It will mark the first Whelen Modified Tour event at Martinsville Speedway since 2010.
Bobby Santos III won in the division’s last event at the track on June 6, 2010. NASCAR Modifieds first raced at Martinsville in 1960. The Whelen Modified Tour had run at the track annually from its 1985 inception through 1992. The division returned to the track from 1997-2002 and then again from 2005 to 2010.
It was announced last week that the Thompson Speedway Icebreaker weekend will take place April 10-11. The Whelen Modified Tour is not expected to be part of the Icebreaker racing card. The Whelen Modified Tour has been part of the Icebreaker weekend at Thompson every year that the event has been held since the series’ inception in 1985.
There is also speculation that the Whelen Modified Tour will add a return to Richmond Raceway in Richmond, Va. for the 2021 season. It’s unclear when that race would take place. Richmond is scheduled to host NASCAR Cup events on Sunday April 18 and Saturday Sept. 11 in 2021.
The Whelen Modified Tour last raced at Richmond on June 28, 2002, with Todd Szegedy winning the event. The series has raced at Richmond 10 times in its history.
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