The first of two trips to the Commonwealth of Virginia for the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour this year takes place Thursday evening at Richmond Raceway.
During the 1990s, Richmond became a regular stop on the Modified Tour calendar, with Mike Stefanik emerging as the most consistent driver at the track with three victories. After a two-decade absence, Richmond hosted the Modified Tour again in 2021 and has remained on the schedule since.
Of the four Modified Tour events at Richmond during the 2020s, only one featured fewer than 10 lead changes. Last year’s Virginia is for Racing Lovers 150 was the most competitive Modified Tour race at the track to date with the lead being exchanged 20 times between five drivers.
Richmond’s layout is unlike any Modified Tour competitors face all year with its sweeping corners that offer multiple racing grooves. Those qualities are expected to produce another thrilling race Thursday evening as drivers look to add their names to the facility’s storied list of winners.
Below is everything to know ahead of the 11th race of the 2025 NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour season.
Two of the best Modified Tour drivers from the last decade, Justin Bonsignore and Ron Silk, put on a show for fans as they settled who would prevail in the 2024 Virginia is for Racing Lovers 150.
Bonsignore came out on top in both laps led and the official results. In a three-lap sprint to the finish, Bonsignore and Silk traded blows on several occasions, but Bonsignore managed to gain the upper hand on his long-time rival after slightly moving him out of the groove in Turn 4 coming to the checkered flag.
Silk is not on the entry list for Thursday’s Virginia is for Racing Lovers 150, but Bonsignore will still have plenty of stiff competition with which to deal. Among them is NASCAR Cup Series driver Ryan Preece, the 2013 NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour champion who won the series’ first race back at Richmond in 2021.
The only other past Modified Tour winner at Richmond in the field Thursday is Austin Beers, the current series points leader. Beers’ Richmond triumph in 2023 was the first of his Modified Tour career. He looks to create another pleasant memory at the track Thursday by extending his advantage over Bonsignore in points.
Patrick Emerling put himself back in the hunt for the Modified Tour championship by picking up his second victory of 2025 at Thompson Speedway Motorsports Park last week. Richmond was the site of Emerling’s only finish outside the top 10 last year, as he finished 24th after getting collected in an early wreck.
Other names set to compete at Richmond on Thursday include Ryan Newman, Corey LaJoie, Carson Loftin, Danny Bohn and Andrew Krause.
Race facts
SCHEDULE: Thursday, Aug. 14: Practice from 3:15 – 3:45 p.m. ET … Final practice from 3:55 – 4:25 p.m. ET … Qualifying at 6 p.m. ET … Start of the Virginia is for Racing Lovers 150 at 7:30 p.m. ET.
QUALIFYING: Two consecutive qualifying laps. (EIRI) 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 ten (10) 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 two (2) tires per stop.
Entry list