Hodgdon stays hot and gets JMA Motorsports first win

Since August, Teddy Hodgdon has gained momentum in Tour Type Modifieds. 

Hodgdon joined forces with JMA Motorsports and the Albernaz family owned Tour Type Modified, to tackle the Monaco Modified Tri-Track Series in 2026.

Throughout the season, Hodgdon and the JMA Motorsports team showed speed and potential. They had strong runs going, but the results didn’t always reflect that. 

Heading into Seekonk, a hometrack race for the JMA Motorsports team and coming off a DNF at the Thompson World Series a couple of weeks prior, a bounceback was needed.

Hodgdon did just that for the Albernaz family, picking up their first win together, and the first win for the JMA Motorsports team. 

“It’s been a long time coming to be able to cross the line first with the Monaco Modifieds.” Hodgdon said. “We won a race there two years ago off of a DQ and I certainly would love to be able to say I won, but that’s not really how I want to do it. We had a pretty solid day to start. We practiced Friday and we were kind of all right and then practice on Saturday was the same thing. We’re just kind of okay, and then the more we ran raceday, like with qualifying, then the heat race, the car just began to come to us.”

As the Haunted Hundred XL went on, Hodgdon was confident in the JMA Motorsports 07 and worked his way forward.

“I knew we had something good,” Hodgdon said. “We made our way up to second before the pit stop and just kind of rode around. Then we were heavily debating on the radio, whether to take the tire or not. The last second call was just come follow the leader or do whatever he does and that’s what we ended up doing, just come take the tire and we ended up restarting eighth.. Then just methodically worked our way back up to third. On that final restart I knew that there wasn’t much time left and I had to go. So, I made the move on (Austin) Beers on the outside and then shipped it in on Kyle (Bonsignore) and the rest is history.” 

A win with the Monaco Modifieds, is a big win, with some of the best in Tour Type Modified action constantly competing. Hodgdon has appreciated being a part of the Monaco Modifieds Series and draws comparisons to the NASCAR Modified Tour.

“It’s definitely one A one B with the Modified Tour,” Hodgdon said. “Obviously you got the car counts and the great showing for Monaco, but then you have the prestige and the history and the notoriety that comes with the Modified Tour. It’s basically picking your favorite flavor of ice cream there. They’re both great series and I love Ed and Renee. They do such a great job over there. I love running the Monaco Modified Series. I’ve been running with them since 2022 and to be able to finally get one again, it really means a lot to my family, but also for Justin and Mike and all the Abernaz guys. They put their heart and soul into this thing and we’ve had speed, but no real success and results to come with it. So to finally put one all together, it means a lot.” 

The win at Seekonk, a first for the Albernaz family and their JMA Motorsports team, who are based out of town over from Seekonk, in Rehoboth, Massachusetts.

“I know it means a hell of a lot to them,” Hodgdon said “I know Mike has worked an extremely long time in modified racing and all the time that Justin’s been racing, with him driving, and then Justin has had other people, but they’ve never won a race. To be able to get the first one, and at their home track, because they live in the next town over. It was just the perfect day to come together, and capture that win, not just for me, but for them. They’ve wanted it for so long, and I know they’ve had the drive to do it, and it just felt really good on both sides.” 

Hodgdon and his family team picked up his first career NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour win in August this year at Stafford Speedway. Hodgdon knows the efforts and passion that Justin Albernaz and his grandfather Mike Albernaz have put forth to have a competitive program in Tour Type Modified racing. 

“Everyone saw the emotion for us at Stafford with my dad and I after all those hard years of work,” Hodgdon said “It was the same for them at Seekonk. It’s honestly just a relief to feel like that. Even though you’ve put in this time and effort, maybe there were times of doubt that you couldn’t do it, but you kept your nose on the grindstone and you never gave up. We just had to have one race come all together, and it finally happened. Just to be in that circumstance at that track, with this series. It just was just the perfect story.” 

In 2025, the Hodgdon family were using their only Tour Type Modified to compete in select races with the NASCAR Modified Tour, while also following the Monaco Modifieds. Creating extra work for the family owned team based out of Danbury, Connecticut.

With less pressure to swap the modified for different rules packages, it took a burden off Hodgdon and his father. For Ted Hodgdon, Teddy’s father, it was beneficial to see the growth and success of the relationship between Teddy and the JMA Motorsports family.

“It’s been great working with Justin and Mike,” Ted Hodgdon said. “They have brought a good car and we struggled a little bit at the beginning of the year, but got things worked out and got faster toward the end of the year and then being able to win it at Seekonk was terrific for both Teddy and the Albernaz family.”

Teddy Hodgdon finishes a roller coaster season with the Monaco Modifieds with a fifth place finish in the championship standings.

“I’ll take fifth place in points,” Hodgdon said gratefully. “We could have capitalized on probably half the races, we could have been deeper in the top five. We would end up crashing out or having a big bad pit strategy or getting almost wrecked out or whatnot. We’ve had great speed and pretty much every race we’ve been to with Albernaz’s, it just never panned out. Just to put it all together finally, it’s just awesome.” 

Hodgdon has heated up in Tour Type Modified action, picking up two wins with the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour, and closing out the Monaco Modified Tri-Track Series with the win at Seekonk.

“It’s honestly pretty incredible the last two to three months that we’ve had,” Hodgdon said.  “We found something in my program that really helped elevate us on the Modified Tour side and then we kind of pushed Justin into that direction as well. It’s made the difference between both of our cars. We’ve pretty much run Top-5, Top-3 week in, week out on both programs now. It’s pretty incredible to go up against these guys and competitors. With the family car, we’re just a little mom and pop team. It’s my dad and I, and I got one crew member that works in the shop. Justin’s the same way with him and his father. I feel like we both have the same strengths and that we have a very good familial bond. We can bounce ideas off each other like that and we’ve just been clicking.”

More seat time proved to be advantageous for Hodgdon in 2026 between Modified Tour and Monaco Modifieds.

“There’s more races with the Modified Tour than on the Monaco Modified series, and being able to learn new tracks, be adaptive, and learn new driving styles was important,” Hodgdon explained. “I feel like it’s helped me because when I came back to the tracks, I knew I could apply that and strengthen my strengths. I think as a driver right now, I’m driving the best that I’ve ever had in my career and I got a lot more knowledge this year. Working on my own stuff and then helping Justin when I can and just everything’s just clicking right now. I’ve got a lot of great people in my corner and in Justin’s corner too. It’s just been a good match and a great year overall for both programs.”

Hodgdon and the Albernaz family in recent weeks parted ways on friendly terms, as the Albernaz family was unsure of their team plans as they head into 2027.

For Hodgdon though, a new opportunity is ahead. Heading into 2027, Hodgdon announced this week a new partnership and plans to chase after the Monaco Modified Tri-Track Series championship with Jim Beckman, owner of Jim’s Welding Service.

“Jim has been a fantastic partner with our team over the years and we are proud to take the next step with him to chase trophies in 2027,” Hodgdon stated in the announcement. “I can’t thank everyone involved in putting this together enough. We are excited to go out there and try to pick right up where we left off at the end of the 2026 season, carrying our momentum. Even though it’s a new team, we feel we are poised for a strong year.” 

This partnership will launch a new entry for the Monaco Modifieds, with Hodgdon driving the number 56 modified, drawing Jim Beckman’s NHRA Division One drag team. Beckman is just as excited to welcome Hodgdon as his driver.

“Teddy is just such a smooth, smart driver,” Beckman said. “He’s always showing that he is thinking ahead, preparing for his next move. He works really hard. Teddy and his family are awesome people. The opportunity to put this deal together came about and I could not be more excited. The sky is the limit for us.” 

The schedule for the Monaco Modified Tri-Track Series has yet to be announced, but you can expect Hodgdon and the Jim’s Welding Service 56 to carry momentum into the new season off of Hodgdon’s late 2026 success.