(Press Release from NASCAR Integrated Marketing Communications)
More than a month after the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour opened the 2024 season at Florida’s New Smyrna Speedway, the schedule resumes with the Tour’s annual trip to Richmond Raceway this Friday evening for the running of the Virginia is for Racing Lovers 150 (6:30 p.m. ET on FloRacing).
The second round of the 2024 season serves as the 14th visit for the Modified Tour to 0.75-mile asphalt oval. The series made its inaugural visit to Richmond in 1990, when Rick Fuller claimed one of his 20 series victories.
In the years that followed, some of the Modified Tour’s best have visited Victory Lane at the track, including legends like Reggie Ruggiero, Mike Stefanik and Ted Christopher. Other familiar names to visit Victory Lane at Richmond include Tony Hirschman, Ryan Preece, Justin Bonsignore and, most recently, Austin Beers.
Below is everything you need to know about the second of 16 races on the 2024 NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour schedule.
Virginia is for Racing Lovers 150 at Richmond Raceway
What to watch for:
Based on recent results, no one on the Tour right now is better than reigning champion Ron Silk.
During his championship season last year, Silk earned a career-high five victories and only finished outside the top 10 once in 18 races. He carried that momentum into 2024 by winning the opening race of the season at New Smyrna for the second straight year.
Silk will look to carry that momentum into Friday’s Virginia is for Racing Lovers 150 at Richmond, a track where he had one of his worst races of 2023. Don’t take that phrasing too seriously, though, as Silk finished seventh last year at Richmond.
Amazingly, that seventh-place run was his second-worst finish across the entire 18-race schedule last season. His worst race came at Monadnock Speedway in September, when he finished 12th.
One driver who should be expected to contend for the victory Friday at Richmond is defending race winner Austin Beers, who bagged his maiden Modified Tour victory at the track one year ago. He dominated the 150-lap event, leading a race-high 102 laps along the way.
A pair of familiar faces to fans of the NASCAR Cup Series will also be in the field. Ryan Newman, who also competed in the opening race of the year at New Smyrna, and 2000 NASCAR Cup Series champion Bobby Labonte will both be in action Friday. Labonte will again be in the No. 38 for Sadler-Stanley Racing. Newman will pilot the No. 77 fielded by Mike Curb.
Justin Bonsignore will look for his second Richmond victory in the No. 51 owned by Ken Massa, and 2010 Modified Tour champion Bobby Santos III returns to the series aboard the No. 14 Advantage Motorsports entry. Doug Coby will look for his first victory of the year driving for Tommy Baldwin Racing, and Patrick Emerling will once again pilot the No. 1 Fleetworks Inc. Modified.
Other notable entries include Craig Lutz, Eric Goodale, Andy Seuss, Jake Johnson, Kyle Bonsignore, Carson Loftin, Tyler Rypkema and Tommy, Tyler and Trevor Catalano.
The complete entry list for the Virginia is for Racing Lovers 150 is available here.
RACE FACTS
| Race | Virginia is for Racing Lovers 150 |
| Date | Friday, March 29, 2024 |
| Track | Richmond Raceway |
| Layout | 0.75-mile asphalt oval |
| Location | Richmond, Virginia |
| Start time | 6:30 p.m. ET |
| Laps | 150 |
| Posted awards | $122,497 |
| Tickets | Here |
| How to watch | FloRacing |
Schedule: Friday, March 29 … Practice from 12:45 to 1:30 p.m. ET … Final practice from 2 to 2:30 p.m. ET … Qualifying at 4:30 p.m. ET … Virginia is for Racing Lovers 150 at 6:30 p.m. ET (FloRacing)
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 Virginia is for Racing Lovers 150 is limited to 32 starters including Provisional Positions.
Tire allotment: The maximum tire allotment available for this event is fourteen (14) 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 six (6) tires, any position.
Weather looks good.
Incredible variety of chassis.
PSR: 3
BRE: 1
Chevy: 1
Fury: 9
Troyer/LFR: 16
Three teams have withdrawn.
Great to see Bobby Santos III in the race.
I hope this is a really good race.
First ever visit to Richmond WOW, double WOW triple WOW. What a place. Haven’t had a track buzz for a Modified race since the Pocono 3/4 days.
Superb venue for our favorite class and the spit and polish to the place is unreal. Totally different than say NH in the feel there. A tip of the hat to dareal here for mentioning Bobby Santos. I had the privilege of being asked to jack the Stearns/Putney Advantage Motorsports 14 and again work with one of the best wheelmen on short tracks in the country. 16th in practice out of the trailer the crew worked to bring it home P4 in TT and secure a great starting spot. The car started a bit loose but the gas and two tire stops gave us the opportunity to tighten it up and the great input from Bobby was a big part of it. While the broadcasters spent their time humping the Tours youth movement (too much in my opin) the patient veteran kind of snuck up on the field, showed his skill avoiding the calamity that the 3 and 56 nearly caused late to secure a fourth. Not too shabby for a first time effort from the 14 Advantage guys who like me have never seen the place before. BS3 made us all look good so one hellava start to the season it is. Select races coming for us in 24 and really looking forward to it.