DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. — NASCAR today revealed the 2026 NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour schedule, a 16-race slate that blends tradition, competition and fan-favorite venues.
The new season marks the highly anticipated return of Stafford Speedway and Oxford Plains Speedway, while the championship finale moves back to its storied home at Thompson Speedway Motorsports Park.
Activity and excitement surrounding the 9th annual Islip 300 Saturday November 15th at Riverhead Raceway building for the $12,000 to win tour type Modified spectacular. Monday, track management announced free registration for the Islip 300 and support classes is now open, as well revealing several major changes to race procedure for the 300. Chase Grennan of Glen Cove scored a huge upset win at just 17-years old last November, and the college freshman hopes to become the first back-to-back winner of the short track classic next month.
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Saturday evening as a large crowd looked on, three NASCAR Advance Auto Parts Weekly Series features were contested with 2025 Riverhead Raceway championships hanging in the balance for all three classes prior to the Whelen Modified Tour Eddie Partridge 256. Austin Beers of Northampton, Pa. would collect his first career Riverhead WMT victory when he paced Ron Silk of Norwalk. Ct. and Justin Bonsignore of Holtsville to the checkers. Beers now holds a 13-point championship lead over Bonsignore with two WMT events remaining at Thompson and Martinsville in the coming weeks.
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Fourteen years have passed since Matt Hirschman last contested the entire NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour schedule.
A lot has changed during that time for both Hirschman and the series, but one thing that hasn’t changed is Hirschman’s ability to win races. The driver from Northampton, Pennsylvania is always a threat to reach Victory Lane no matter where he’s racing. In fact, Hirschman has won a race in five consecutive Modified Tour seasons despite racing on part-time basis.
The NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour’s fall trip to Riverhead Raceway has carried plenty of sentimental value over the past few seasons.
Riverhead’s longtime co-owner Eddie Partridge passed away in 2021 shortly after his team won a Modified Tour race at Richmond Raceway with Ryan Preece. To honor his memory, the fall Tour event at Riverhead was renamed the Eddie Partridge 256, all while a replica of Partridge’s car remains suspended over the track.
It was a busy Championship Sunday at Riverhead Raceway with nine feature events clicked off under sun splashed skies. Jarrod Hayes of Calverton won his third Street Stock event of 2025, while Ryan Zukowski of Riverhead collected his second Mini Stock victory in convincing fashion.
Kyle Ellwood of Riverhead notched his second NASCAR Modified victory of 2025 when he passed John Beatty Jr. of Merrick with twenty laps remaining in Saturday’s 50-lap feature event at Riverhead Raceway. Beatty would have the last laugh though when he sewed-up his third consecutive NASCAR Advance Auto Parts Weekly Series Modified championship with his runner-up finish. Beatty joins Charlie Jarzombek (1976-1978) and Don Howe (1993-1995) as the only drivers to earn three Modified championships in succession.
The race for the 2025 NASCAR Modifieds championship will feature three main players for the 50-lap regular season finale Saturday at Riverhead Raceway, a mere ten points separating first through third. Additionally, three other 2025 track champions will celebrate a championship by the end of the program. Originally the 2025 champions for all seven divisions of the Advance Auto Parts Weekly Series were to be feted, however the September 6th WMT rain out moved the Eagle Chevrolet Crate Modifieds, Blunderbusts and INEX Legend Race Cars championship final to October 4th.
Red hot defending INEX Legend Race Car champion Riely O’Keefe of Manorville continued his hot streak Saturday winning his fifth event in since mid-July at Riverhead Raceway, but this one was very special, as well as lucrative. Not only did Riely lead all 50-laps of the Sara Sylvester INEX Legend Race Car National Qualifier 50, O’Keefe accomplished the fete in a car owned by Sara’s brother Jim Sylvester, with whom he’s won five races since July 12th. Saturday’s race was the richest ever for the Legends at Riverhead with O’Keefe earning $2,750 for his efforts.
Riverhead Raceway General Manager John Ellwood announced Wednesday the track will introduce a new payout procedure Saturday during the final 4/6-Cylinder Demolition Derby, a procedure that will carry into 2026 and beyond. The 4/6-Cylinder Demo will conclude a bust night of racing that is highlighted by the Sara Sylvester INEX Legend Race Car National Qualifier 50.
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