The only accomplishment that eluded Jon McKennedy in the first NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour event at Oxford Plains Speedway since 1991 was the American Racer Tire Pole Award.
If not for an afternoon rain shower that washed out qualifying, McKennedy likely could have earned that Saturday, as well.
McKennedy’s No. 79 set an early commanding tone for the All States Materials Group 150 by sweeping the two practice sessions. Once he passed polesitter and Modified Tour points leader Stephen Kopcik, McKennedy enjoyed a dominant, quiet afternoon around Oxford Plains for his fourth series victory and second of 2026.
The confidence McKennedy had in his car after practice proved to be well-founded, as he faced minimal opposition for the lead all evening. McKennedy credited the car’s stellar speed to the hard work exuded by everyone on his team.
“At the end of the day, I got a good group of guys behind me,” McKennedy said. “A lot of work and preparation went into this deal for this race, and the car was honestly awesome. I was content with the race just going [green]. All day, [the car] was a rocket ship. What can I say?”
Unlike most of the other drivers entered in the All States Materials Group 150, McKennedy has logged plenty of laps around Oxford Plains during his career.
McKennedy’s accolades at Oxford Plains include both Modified and Supermodified victories. That versatile background helped McKennedy settle into a rhythm, something that would be imperative if he wanted to gain vital ground in the Modified Tour standings.
Not only did McKennedy dominate, but everyone in front of him endured varying degrees of misfortune at Oxford Plains. Patrick Emerling faded from the top five late, while the top two in the standings in Kopcik and Austin Beers both had poor finishes, with Beers’ 11th being his first finish outside the top 10 since Richmond Raceway in 2024.
Also taking advantage of a rough day for the title contenders was Tyler Rypkema, who placed second in the iconic Ole Blue Modified for Boehler Racing Enterprises. Ole Blue was the only car in the field that was entered in the Modified Tour race at Oxford Plains in 1991, when it finished second with Doug Heveron.
Despite not feeling well at the start of the day, Rypkema persevered to earn his third top five of the 2026 Modified Tour campaign. The performance was a much-needed change of pace for Rypkema, whose streak of bad luck included damaging the fence in the most recent series event at Riverhead Raceway.
“We really needed that,” Rypkema said. “Had two really bad races in a row obviously, the wreck at Riverhead and getting into the wall at Seekonk [Speedway], essentially ended my night there on my own. As soon as we crossed the checkered flag, I’m like ‘thank god, we needed that’. Never seen this place before today, but it was a fun little track.”
Although Rypkema proved experience at Oxford Plains was not essential to finish strong Saturday evening, McKennedy made sure to use every bit of knowledge he had about the place. What transpired was McKennedy’s most efficient showing since leading 137 laps at Claremont Speedway during his championship campaign in 2022.
McKennedy is now firmly in contention for another Modified Tour title after his near-perfect day at Oxford Plains. By understanding all the characteristics that make Oxford Plains unique, McKennedy felt he was always one step ahead of his fellow competition, a trend he hopes to continue going forward.
“We had two-tenths on the field it seemed like,” McKennedy said. “We definitely had a little bit of an advantage. [Oxford Plains] is a very line-sensitive track. There’s no markings out there; it’s wide, and your perception is challenging here as far as lift points. Laps and experience here definitely helps, and it all paid off.”
Eric Goodale secured his second top five finish of 2026 with a third-place run in the All States Materials Group 150. Ronnie Williams picked up his first Modified Tour top five since 2021 by finishing fourth, with Paulie Hartwig III following him in fifth for a career-best run in the series.
In two weeks, the Modified Tour will return to action at White Mountain Motorsports Park. The green flag for the Thunder in the Mountains 200 waves at 8 p.m. ET on June 20 with FloRacing providing live flag-to-flag coverage.
Brandon White is the Digital Editorial Coordinator for NASCAR Regional. A former contributor to Short Track Scene, his content originates from NASCAR.com.
