A few weeks ago, after getting his first NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour victory of the 2026 season at Claremont Motorsports Park, Patrick Emerling talked about the slow start to the season for his team.
It’s fair to say now that any thoughts about that slow start are deep in the rear view.
Emerling led 97 of 200 laps Saturday and rolled to victory in the Whelen Modified Tour Duel at the Dog 200 Energized by USNEPower at Monadnock Speedway.
It was the third consecutive series win for Emerling, of Orchard Park, N.Y., who began the streak at Claremont on July 10 and continued it at White Mountain Motorsports Park on July 19. It marked the first time Emerling has won three consecutive series events.
It was Emerling’s 12th career Whelen Modified Tour victory.
“We had really good notes here on a different tire but it translated pretty well today and yeah we just unloaded with a rocket ship some other guys could fire off a little bit better but we knew we had a had a really good race pace and we just kind of executed. … We just kind of did our thing. A couple guys were a little bit faster early but we were able to just manage a really good race and a really good pit stop adjustment and we were able to I think have the best car at the end of the day.”
Tyler Rypkema of Owego, N.Y. was second and reigning series champion Austin Beers of Northampton, Pa. was third.
“A good all around race,” Rypkema said. “Was pretty elbows up racing the whole time there. Definitely lost forward drive toward the end of those runs.”
Said Beers: “We had another great car like we have the past two weeks and it just doesn’t fire off on restarts unfortunately. I try everything I can to get it to turn and just wouldn’t and then we were just a little too tight there the second run and just disappointing to have a great car these past three weeks and you know we’re not capitalizing on it points wise and not getting race wins.”
Emerling came into the evening holding a 10-point lead over Beers in the standings, with Jon McKennedy and Stephen Kopcik tied for third, 25 points off the lead.
Emerling left Monadnock with a 16-point cushion over second place Beers in the standings. McKennedy was eighth at Monadnock and sits third in the standings, 36 points behind Emerling. A 10th place finish at Monadnock dropped Kopcik to fourth in the standings, 39 points behind the leader.
Six events remain for the Whelen Modified Tour season with the series returning to Thompson Speedway on Aug. 5 for its next event.
RaceDayCT Exclusive video with Patrick Emerling following Monadnock
RaceDayCT Exclusive video with Tyler Rypkema following Monadnock
RaceDayCT Exclusive video with Austin Beers following Monadnock
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