Three Way Fight: Breaking Down The NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour Driver Championship Standings

(Press Release from NASCAR Integrated Marketing Communications)

Jon McKennedy has slightly more breathing room to work with in the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour standings following Saturday’s Toyota Bud Mod Classic 150 at Oswego Speedway.

Entering the race with just a three-point advantage, McKennedy stayed out of trouble all evening while the second-place points driver in 2011 champion Ron Silk was forced to make a late pit stop, which increased McKennedy’s lead to 10 points.

Although McKennedy and Silk have primarily controlled the top two spots during the summer, a third contender has entered the conversation in three-time champion Justin Bonsignore. By winning at Oswego on Saturday, Bonsignore only trails McKennedy by 17 points with just three races remaining on the 2022 schedule.

Below is a breakdown of how the top 10 drivers in the standings fared during the Toyota Bud Mod Classic 150, along with a complete look at the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour standings.

1. Jon McKennedy: 492 points 

As has been the theme for most of the 2022 season, McKennedy enjoyed a calm evening at Oswego to settle for a solid, sixth-place finish. Maintaining consistent runs will be imperative for McKennedy over the final three races if he wants to keep Silk and Bonsignore behind him.

2. Ron Silk: 482 points

For most of the Toyota Bud Mod Classic 150, Silk was running right with McKennedy until he was forced to make a late, unscheduled stop. Silk’s 13^thplace finish at Oswego will now force him to play both offense and defense as he attempts to claim his second NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour title.

3. Justin Bonsignore: 475 points

Two poor early-season finishes at New Smyrna Speedway and Riverhead Raceway are the primary reason why Bonsignore is not atop the point standings. Now armed with three wins on the year, momentum is shifting in Bonsignore’s favor to win a third consecutive title in the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour.

4. Eric Goodale: 465 points 

Goodale remains a dark horse contender for the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour title, but he has work to do after Oswego. A ninth place run for Goodale on Saturday gives him eight Top 10s on the 2022 season, yet Bonsignore’s victory caused him to fall from third to four in the standings.

5. Kyle Bonsignore: 445 points

The other Bonsignore did everything possible to overtake his cousin during the final laps of Saturday’s Toyota Bud Mod Classic 150. Kyle ended up settling for fifth, matching a season-best three top-five finishes that he originally set last year.

6. Austin Beers*: 441 points

After tallying a career-best performance of third at Langley Speedway last weekend, Beers ended up getting a reality check on Saturday evening. Beers struggled to maintain solid track position at the front of the field and ended up finishing in 12^th.

7. Tommy Catalano: 438 points

The Bud Mod Classic 150 was a night to forget for Catalano. He finished two laps down in the 17^th position; his worst run on the 2022 season since New Hampshire Motor Speedway, where he finished 20^th after blowing an engine.

8. Craig Lutz: 429 points

Lutz has quietly turned his season around after finding Victory Lane at Thompson Speedway Motorsports Park. Lutz mixed it up with the Bonsignores and Chuck Hossfeld during the final laps of the Toyota Bud Mod Classic 150 and ultimately came home in third for his second top five of 2022.

9. Doug Coby: 368 points

Despite now being a part-time competitor in the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour, Coby remains one of the most efficient drivers in the series with three wins on the year. The six-time champion enjoyed plenty of time out front at Oswego on Saturday but diverging pit strategies forced him to settle for seventh

10. J.B. Fortin: 339 points

An early accident set the tone for Fortin’s night at Oswego. He finished in the 22^nd position and has not recorded a top 10 since finishing third at Jennerstown Speedway back on May 28.

Whelen Modified Tour Driver Championship Standings