NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour veteran Patrick Emerling announced recently that he will launch a full-time Xfinity Series team in partnership with Joey Gase for the 2022 season. It will mean Emerling, a three-time Whelen Modified Tour winner in 2021 and the runner-up in the standings, will not run full-time with the series in 2022. Today’s Daily Poll question asks, how many Whelen Modified Tour drivers do you think will start all 16 series events in 2022? Vote below.
Missy is looking at finishing the season in the top 5 in points.
Stipulated…….the number of teams that will elect to run the entire NWMT schedule will be at a new low in 2022
Stipulated…….The Massa 51 will be the overwhelming favorite to win the championship in 2022.
Stipulated……..the schedule as published includes so much travel and the expense so great that only a handful of teams in the final standings will have taken running the full schedule for points seriously.
Stipulated….Tour modified racing has passed NASCAR by. Their model involving the same teams racing a full schedule at far flung tracks for the purpose of placing well in a season long championship is over.
How’s that, sound negative enough?
What do fans want? They want events with good car counts, competitive races and exciting finishes.
What do fans care less about. Where a team is in the points at any given time during the season.
Will fans care if the field is good for a NWMT event yet there is only a hand full of cars competing seriously for points? Doubt it.
Will fans care if the team that places 6th in the final standing only participated in 75% of the events. Unlikely.
Are we fans now conditioned to appreciate open races more then traditional points racing? I believe so.
The NWMT may or may not know it but they will be holding opens in 2022. This isn’t 2000, 2005 or 2015. The page isn’t turning it’s turned. Most teams view themselves as free agents picking the events they can run based on their budgets, geography, potential success and fun factor. The competition to attract cars now with competing events is staggering. Running the full NWMT schedule is too much work and too little fun.
The assumption is that guys like Wilson and Vanada don’t know the score and it’s business as usual. We’ll see about that. They may very well front load events with good payouts to incentivize teams and make events attractive stand alone races for teams. They’ll be some clinkers for sure but some events that are blockbusters and must see that garner more interest then any other events promoted by any organization in 2022. .
Starting with New Smyrna.
Zoom, zoom.
Next poll: Who do you think will win the ’22 NWMT Championship: Silk or JBon?
I hope the most popular driver award returns… And Melissa wins it yet again!!!
As for myself, I’m celebrating National Whipped Cream Day today with a White Russian 🍸 followed by a Brandy Alexander🍸. Bottoms up boys!
If JBon and Silk come out of the box firing on all 8 it will be an interesting 2 car season.
IMHO
Pre season is about guessing. My guess is that 10, plus or minus cars will be seriously racing for a strong finish in the 2022 points standings by competing in 75% of the events or more.
1) 51, Massa- Full Schedule
2) 07, Emerling, a few races won’t be able to help himself
3) 10, Coby, New Smyna definitely, then see how it goes
4) 85, Out
5) 22, K, Bonsignor, All or near all races
6) 07, Baldwin, Part time see how it goes
7) 58, All or near all races
8) 1, Now the Dunleavy 88. Might stick their toe in but mostly out
9) 82, Watts, With Lutz all or near all. Will get best finish ever in 2022.
10) 32, Rypkema, all or near all
11) 34, Fortin, all or near all
12) 64, Murphy, unknown but I’ll say all or near all
13) 54, Catalano, they’re back with the intent of a strong showing in 2022.
14) 78, Sutcliffe, all or near all
15) 01, Fifield, all or near all
16) 2, Bertuccio, around a half the races
17) 6ny, Partridge, Preece, 2022 appearance(s) would be a pleasant surprise
18) 36, Thilberg, Sap for half plus, likes the big stage
19) 77, Curb, a number of the big shows
20) 46, Russel Goodale, mostly out helping the Watts 82 and Lutz
21) 21, Krause, approaching half and definitely Wall
New entries
79, Tim & Sheryll Lepine, will be points racing
16, Haydt-Yannone Racing, didn’t hire Moran to be a part timer