Virginia is for Modified Lovers. A preview of the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour Virginia Is For Racing Lovers 150
By: Julian Austin
Wednesday, March 27th, 2024
Deez Lug Nutz Podcast is proud to announce that we will be on site at Richmond International Raceway to cover the weekend's Easter Trifecta in the Commonwealth.
The action will start off with the ground pounders of the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour on Friday evening.
When the Virginia Is For Racing Lovers 150 takes the green flag Friday evening, it will mark 55 days since the tour ran their opening race of the season at New Smyrna Speedway on February 10th. Defending series champion Ron Silk started his title defense in grand fashion by claiming his 23rd career win on the tour. Silk used early pit strategy to set himself up for the win by pitting early while other stayed out. After Austin Beers and Doug Coby made slight contact on a restart, Silk was able to pull away for the win.
Twice during the 2023 NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour Season, Silk finished worse than sixth. One of those was a seventh place finish at Richmond last season. In fact, the last three times the tour has returned to Richmond since 2021, Silk doesn't have a top five at this track.
So who has the edge at Richmond?
Austin Beers put his name on the map last season by winning his first career event on tour. Beers who just turned 21 on March 23rd, started on the pole and led over 100 laps to claim the win in a race that was postponed a day late due to rain during the day it was originally scheduled to run. The Northampton Pennsylvania native would add another win later in the season at Lancaster, eight more top fives and 13 more top tens in a career year to finish third in the standings. By returning to the site of his first win, he will be looking to celebrate again with some beverages of his namesake now that he is legal to partake that is!
Justin Bonsignore is also a past winner at the three quarter mile track. He took the checkered flag in 2022 and finished fourth in 2023. Justin finished runner up at New Smyrna nearly seven weeks ago to Silk. He was second in the points to Silk last season. The point is, Bonsignore is familiar with finishing second to Silk and will not settle for this.
If it wasn't for slight contact during the opener at New Smyrna and a disappointing qualifying effort of 13th, Doug Coby may have parked his Tommy Baldwin Racing machine in victory lane. The Series six time champion is coming to Richmond off of a third place finish at New Smyrna and a third place finish in the King Of The Modifieds event at South Boston Speedway for the SMART Modified Tour. Last year, Coby led 37 laps before ultimately settling for thirteenth. Coby is not running for a championship as of press time so he is simply focusing on getting wins. You would be foolish to count out Coby.
Speaking of the SMART Modified Tour, how about those SMART Modified Tour Invaders?
Carson Loftin is on the entry list this weekend. This young man has captured the hearts of race fans down south by winning the first two events of the SMART Modified Tour Season. This weekend, he and other will attempt to do a double header by racing in Richmond on the NASCAR tour and Tri County Speedway in North Carolina on Saturday. Loftin had a flat tire that derailed his day on Sunday but wasn't shaken by some of the northern veterans that came down to race on Sunday.
Ryan Newman will be making a cameo appearance on Friday night. The 2008 Daytona 500 winner will be piloting the Curb Records, Cassella Waste Management machine for Mike Curb of Curb Records. Curb has fielded entries in many racing series over the years including the King Richard Petty.
Joey Coulter and Fury Race Cars will also field an entry this Friday night. Coulter also competes full time on the SMART Modified Tour and is a perennial top five competitor on the tour.
2000 NASCAR Cup Series Champion Bobby Labonte returns to modifieds this weekend. He won two of the last three SMART Modified events in 2023. This season, he is racing on a more limited schedule as he accepted a position with Joe Gibbs Racing.
Others to watch out for
Craig Lutz won the pole at New Smyrna and led 80 laps. Lutz did not win in 2023 as his last win was at Thompson in 2022. A suspension issue relegated Lutz to a 28th place finish last season so you know he is itching to come back and improve on that performance.
Patrick Emerling bagged a fourth place finish at New Smyrna seven weeks ago and finished fifth at Richmond a season ago. The Xfinity Series competitor will be a factor this weekend.
Action kicks off Friday with two practice sessions during the day. Qualifying will be at 4:30 followed by an autograph session/meet and greet on the front stretch. Racing will start at 6:30. If you can't be at the track, Flo Racing will have you covered.
