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This Saturday night, the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour makes its annual visit to Upstate New York, specifically Oswego Speedway. Let’s take a closer look at the frontrunners for the upcoming 150-lap event at “The Steel Palace.”
2024 NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour at Oswego Speedway
When discussing Modified racing at Oswego Speedway, it’s impossible to overlook Matt Hirschman. His success at Oswego is impressive, to say the least. Since the Tour returned to Oswego in 2017, Hirschman has secured two NWMT victories, winning in 2018 and 2021. He has only finished outside the top five there once in six starts, with his sole non-podium finish being a fifth-place result last year. Every other time he has raced at Oswego in the NWMT, he has either emerged victorious or finished as a runner-up.
In addition to his NWMT achievements at Oswego, Hirschman also boasts three Race of Champions wins at the venue in 2012, 2013, and 2016. Therefore, if you’re searching for a favorite this Saturday, look no further than “Big Money” and the No. 60 car.
If not Hirschman, the competition is tight among two other drivers who have excelled in the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour in recent years: three-time champion Justin Bonsignore and the two-time defending champion, Ron Silk.
First, let’s discuss Bonsignore, who currently leads the points standings by a narrow margin of four points. Bonsignore has clinched two victories at Oswego, specifically in 2019 and 2022. His performance there also includes finishes of third, sixth, second, fourth, and another third-place finish in 2021. The only drawback on Bonsignore’s record at Oswego is the crash that led to a 15th-place finish last year, significantly hindering his chances for a fourth championship. Although he remained in contention at the series finale, many attribute his missed opportunity partly to his DNF at Oswego. Bonsignore had been leading 85 of the 129 laps before his crash, which occurred when he collided with Tommy Catalano while maneuvering a lap car, Gary McDonald, in a bid for second place.
Now turning to Silk, who, like Bonsignore and Hirschman, has also celebrated two victories at Oswego Speedway. Notably, one of these wins occurred last year during the same event that saw Bonsignore’s crash. Silk’s other victory was in 2021. However, Silk’s overall record at Oswego, apart from his wins, does not quite measure up to those of Bonsignore or Hirschman. Aside from his two victories, he has secured just one additional top-five finish—a third-place result in 2019. His performance history includes finishes of ninth, tenth, and thirteenth as well. On the bright side, the Ron Silk competing today is a much different driver, backed by a significantly stronger team compared to the Silk of eight years prior or even just a couple of years ago.
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Four years ago, Silk has been a constant contender for victory nearly every week since he started working with multi-time champion crew chief Phil Moran.
On Saturday night, another driver worth keeping an eye on is young Austin Beers. Beers achieved two wins during his 2023 season and finished third in the points standings. Last year, he was the runner-up behind Silk in the same race. This season, he has already recorded one victory, which he secured during the Tour’s recent visit to Upstate New York at Lancaster Motorplex in early August.
The 150-lap race on Saturday is set to begin at 8 p.m. ET. Subscribers to FloRacing can watch it live, as they can for all events in the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour. Race enthusiasts can subscribe to FloRacing by clicking here.
