Jon McKennedy checked off a pivotal career milestone Saturday by winning the Mohegan Sun 100 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway, his first victory at the track known as ‘The Magic Mile’ with NASCAR’s oldest division.
McKennedy had cycled to the lead during the closing stretch of the Mohegan Sun 100, but he knew a victory was far from guaranteed. Not only did McKennedy have to fend off a stout field of competitors behind him, but he also had to manage a fuel tank that was close to running empty.
The intensity was palpable for McKennedy, especially knowing that a two-lap sprint would decide the winner. McKennedy was unphased, utilizing every bit of power to fend off Tommy Catalano and get his No. 79 across the finish line first. Seconds after crossing the finish line, McKennedy’s Modified ran out of gas.
Of all the accolades McKennedy has earned throughout his career, his third NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour victory of 2026 is one he plans to cherish for the rest of his life.
“This is huge,” McKennedy said. “I’ve won a few hundred races in my career all up and down the East Coast, all different types of cars, tons of race tracks. I’ve won [at New Hampshire] before in open Modified stuff, but this is the one I’ve always wanted. I’m speechless.
“This might be one of the biggest wins of my career.”
McKennedy has been chasing a New Hampshire victory with the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour since 2006. It would take until 2018 before McKennedy led his first laps at New Hampshire with the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour, which came while piloting the No. 7NY for Tommy Baldwin Racing. The following season, McKennedy led a combined 112 laps between the two New Hampshire events in Baldwin’s car, but came up short of a victory each time.
McKennedy’s career flourished in the succeeding years with multiple victories and a NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour championship in 2022. Yet the one item missing from McKennedy’s resumé was that elusive New Hampshire win; a race he and every other Modified driver consider to be the series’ Daytona 500.
Reigning series champion Austin Beers and Justin Bonsignore traded the lead numerous occasions to open the Mohegan Sun 100, all while McKennedy stayed composed when he briefly lost touch with the lead draft.
A round of pit stops allowed McKennedy to get ahead of Beers and Bonsignore. He proceeded to work his way to second behind Chase Dowling before inheriting the lead after Dowling was forced to pit due to a tire punctioner after a rain delay.
What followed was a display of mental fortitude and car control from McKennedy. On numerous occasions, McKennedy willingly gave Catalano the top line on the straightaways but maintained control of the lead by driving his No. 79 deep into the corner and keeping the power down on exits.
Catalano never relented and was finally able to take the lead away from McKennedy coming to the white flag. A deep drive into turn one propelled McKennedy back around Catalano, with a crash behind them disrupting the draft enough to prevent Catalano from generating another run.
Narrowly missing out on his first New Hampshire victory in his 11th try was equal parts bittersweet and rewarding for Catalano. Bad luck had always followed Catalano each time he made the trip to New Hampshire, so to score his personal best finish at the 1.058-mile track was something worth appreciating.
“This is the first New Hampshire race I’ve ever finished without an issue, whether that be a tranny or a motor,” Catalano said. “Last year we crashed. Every year we come here, I feel so confident. I feel fast, I feel like I draft well, but I’ve never had anything to show for it. This is huge.
“I had a shot at it at the end, what more can you ask for?”
Both McKennedy and Catalano have raced at New Hampshire plenty of times to know the presence of the draft requires a different approach compared to other NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour events. The lead changed hands 29 times across the Mohegan Sun 100, with McKennedy claiming the last and most important one.
McKennedy admitted drivers are often at the mercy of those around them during events at New Hampshire Motor Speedway. Misfortune never found McKennedy as drivers scrambled for track position in the waning moments, which allowed him to control his own destiny.
“It’s definitely luck,” said McKennedy, who won at New Hampshire in his 17th start at the track. “You’ve got a 50 percent chance of making a move. You’re either a hero or zero. Everything seemed to work out in my favor the last 10 laps or so. I’ve been in this position before in the past with a few laps to go and came up short. Today, it all worked out.”
NASCAR Cup Series driver Ryan Preece, the 2013 NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour champion, crossed the finish line third in his own Modified. The most recent Mohegan Sun 100 winner Tyler Rypkema placed fourth with Tommy Catalano’s younger brother Trevor rounding out the top five.
Mike Christopher Jr., Dowling, Dave Sapienza, Teddy Hodgdon and Andrew Molleur were sixth through 10th, respectively.
Next up for the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour is a return to Stafford Speedway for the first time since 2021 on Friday evening, Aug. 28. FloRacing will carry live coverage of the GAF 150, with the green flag scheduled to wave at 8 p.m. ET.
NWMT Mohegan Sun 100 New Hampshire Motor Speedway August 22 2026
Jon McKennedy Tommy Catalano Ryan Preece Tyler Rypkema Trevor Catalano Michael Christopher Chase Dowling David Sapienza Teddy Hodgdon* Andrew Molleur Matt Hirschman Craig Lutz Paulie Hartwig III* Doug Coby Ronnie Williams Jacob Perry Stephen Kopcik Ryan Newman Austin Beers John-Michael Shenette Cory Dimatteo* Ken Heagy Eric Goodale Justin Bonsignore Cory Plummer* Anthony Nocella Matt Kimball Luke Baldwin Andy Seuss Patrick Emerling
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