Justin Bonsignore won the battle on the tight confines at Martinsville Speedway, but it was Austin Beers winning the war.
Beers used a second place finish to Bonsignore Thursday in the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour Virigina Is For Racing Lovers 200 to clinch his first series championship.
“I can’t thank everybody on this team [enough]. Whelen, everybody at NASCAR that puts this series on,” Beers said. “… I love running this series. I didn’t want to think about what I would say because I thought it would jinx it so I don’t really know what to say right now. This is unbelievable that we got this … championship. Obviously [Bonsignore] was so good tonight and I was struggling there a little bit.”
At 22 years and seven months old, Beers became the youngest Whelen Modified Tour champion in the 41-year history of the division. The mark was previously set by current NASCAR Cup Series driver Ryan Preece who was 22 years, 11 months and 26 days old when he won the series title in 2013.
“This is unbelievable,” Beers said. “To be the youngest now. … It’s kind of a full circle moment for me with knowing [Preece] growing up and him kind of being my idol pretty much.”
Beers came into the event holding a 14-point lead over second place and four-time series champion Justin Bonsignore in the standings. Bonsignore did everything he could possibly do by scoring a maximum points day, winning the pole, leading the most laps and scoring the victory. Beers ended the season with an eight point advantage over Bonsignore.
It was Bonsignore’s 47th career Whelen Modified Tour victory.
“We certainly want to win a championship, but you’ve got put a whole year together and we didn’t do as good a job as we needed to this year and Austin outran us,” Bonsignore said. “First of all, congrats to his guys. I’m really good friends with Austin since he joined this series. I’ve raced against his dad Eric.
“I’ve lost more way more of these championships than I’ve ever won so not going to stress it. Way more important things in life than stressing about your hobby.”
Craig Lutz ended up third in the final standings, 37 behind Beers. Matt Hirschman was fourth, 52 points off the top spot. Patrick Emerling was fifth in the points, 65 points back from Beers.
Beers closed out the season with two victories, 12 top-five’s and 16 top-10’s in 16 events.
Thursday proved the pinnacle moment of a colorful ride to a series title for KLM Motorsports and team owner Mike Murphy.
Murphy, a native of Ireland, made his debut as a car owner in the Late Model division at the New London-Waterford Speedbowl in 1999. The team eventually went to the SK Modified division at the Speedbowl, winning a track title with driver Ron Yuhas in 2009.
KLM Motorsports made the jump from the SK Modified division at the New London-Waterford Speedbowl to the Whelen Modified Tour in 2011.
Beers joined the team for the 11th event of the 2021 season. Beers won the Whelen Modified Tour Rookie of the Year title driving for the team in 2022. Beers got the first series victory for KLM Motorsports at Richmond Raceway on April 1, 2023. He finished third in the series standings in 2023 and was fourth in 2024.
Healthy issues plagued Murphy since 2020, but after a lung transplant he was back as a fixture at the track in 2025 and was celebrating with the team Thursday at Martinsville.
“I’m just trying to savor this moment,” Beers said. “This is a once in a lifetime opportunity to run these cars and have this championship. I’m going to really enjoy it. … This means a lot to win this championship. I can’t thank Mike and Maggie Murphy [enough] for giving me this opportunity.”
Bonsignore controlled the pace from the pole position in the opening laps.
The first caution flew on lap seven when Connor Jones and Ryan Newman made contact coming off of turn four. Jones spun and Bobby Labonte ending up into Jones, suffering substation right front damage.
On the lap 15 restart, Bonsignore set the pace once again with Patrick Emerling moving past Kyle Bonsignore for second and Craig Lutz following to third.
On lap 47 Emerling moved past Justin Bonsignore for the lead.
Caution flew on lap 49 for the stopped car of Ken Heagy. Emerling held the lead with Justin Bonsignore in second and Lutz in third. Beers was ninth.
Under caution some teams headed to pit road once and some twice. After the pit stops Matt Hirschman assumed the top spot with Ryan Newman in second and Stephen Kopcik in third. Beers was 10th and Justin Bonsignore 11th after the stops.
Hirschman held control at the front following the restart with Kopcik moving to second and Tommy Catalano finding his way to third. Beers was able to quickly jump to sixth after the restart while Justin Bonsignore fell to 12th.
On lap 64 Catalano got by Kopcik for second. Catalano then went by Hirschman for the lead on lap 66. Kyle Bonsignore followed to second.
With Beers in sixth on lap 71, Justin Bonsignore clawed back to ninth. On lap 78 Kyle Bonsignore got by Catalano to move into the lead.
With Kyle Bonsignore leading, Catalano in second and Hirschman third, caution flew for the third on time on lap 108. Beers was in sixth and Justin Bonsignore seventh when caution flew.
After the pit stops it was Luke Baldwin assuming the lead with Lutz in second and Catalano third. Beers would restart fifth with Justin Bonsignore restarting 12th.
A massive wreck took place on the restart when fourth place Hirschman didn’t come up to speed. The pileup collected about 10 cars on the frontstretch. Beers was able to get ahead of the mess and Justin Bonsignore weaved by to avoid getting caught in the mess.
The race restarted on lap 124 with Beers quickly jumping to second with Justin Bonsignore following him to third. Beers moved past Baldwin for the lead a lap later with Justin Bonsignore following to second. On lap 130 Justin Bonsignore moved by Beers to move into the lead. Patrick Emerling got by Beers for second on lap 134. Beers settled into fourth place by lap 143.
Caution flew on lap 197 for the slowing car of second place Patrick Emerling. It set up a restart with Justin Bonsingore leading, Kopcik in second and Beers in third.
On the final restart of the season, Justin Bonsignore checked out. Beers moved by Kopcik for second and then held off Kopcik for the spot over the final two laps.
Kopcik ended up finishing third on Thursday at Martinsville to clinch a sixth place finish in the standings and the division’s Rookie of the Year honors.
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