NASCAR Modified Tour Oswego preview

The battle for the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour championship heads to Central New York this Saturday night as Oswego Speedway welcomes NASCAR’s oldest division for the running of the Toyota Mod Classic 150 (8 p.m. ET on FloRacing).

With just three races left in the 2026 season, the championship lead belongs to Patrick Emerling after a top-five finish last Friday at Stafford Speedway. Defending series champion Austin Beers sits second, 10 points behind Emerling ahead of Saturday’s 150-lap test of skill at the track known as “The Steel Palace.”

The historic 0.625-mile oval has hosted the Modified Tour 18 times dating back to 1988. The first two Modified Tour events held at Oswego were won by New York native Brian Ross. Other notable Oswego winners include Mike McLaughlin, Tony Hirschman, Mike Stefanik, Doug Coby, Ryan Preece, Matt Hirschman, Justin Bonsignore, Ron Silk and Emerling, among others.

Tickets to Saturday’s Toyota Mod Classic 150 are available here. Below is everything you need to know about the 14th race of the 2026 NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour season.

With only three races remaining in the 2026 NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour season, the championship chase remains incredibly tight.

Patrick Emerling has reassumed sole possession of first in the series standings after entering last Friday’s GAF 150 at Stafford Speedway tied at the top of the standings with Austin Beers. However, a fifth-place finish by Emerling has allowed him to regain command of the championship chase entering Saturday’s Toyota Mod Classic 150 at Oswego Speedway.

Emerling enters Saturday’s Oswego event with statistical advantage on Beers at the 0.625-mile asphalt oval. Emerling is a previous Oswego Speedway winner, having conquered The Steel Palace during the 2024 season when he led a race-high 81 laps. Beers, who is now 10 points behind Emerling in the title hunt, has finished in the top five at Oswego in each of the last three seasons.

Both drivers should be among the contenders Saturday night, but they’ll be far from the only drivers to watch.

Another will be Teddy Hodgdon, who stunned Modified Tour teams and fans by winning the Tour’s return to Stafford Speedway one weekend ago. The driver he beat last Friday night, Matt Hirschman, is a previous Oswego victor and should be another driver to watch this weekend.

Jon McKennedy and Stephen Kopcik are still in the hunt for the Modified Tour championship, but both need a win at Oswego to keep pace with Emerling and Beers. Tyler Rypkema, aboard the Ole Blue No. 3, will make his 100th Modified Tour start during Saturday’s Oswego Speedway event.

Additional entries for Saturday’s event include Mike Christopher Jr., Tommy Catalano, Eric Goodale, Andrew Molleur and Trevor Catalano, among others.

Procedures

SCHEDULE: Saturday, Sept. 5: Practice from 3:05 to 3:45 p.m. ET … Final practice from 4:15 to 4:45 p.m. ET … American Racer Pole Award qualifying at 5:40 p.m. ET … Start of the Toyota Mod Classic 150 (150 Laps / 93.75 Miles) at 8 p.m. ET.

QUALIFYING: Two consecutive qualifying laps. 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 Toyota Mod Classic 150 is limited to 24 starters including Provisional Positions.

TIRE ALLOTMENT: The maximum tire allotment available for this event is eleven (11) tires per team. All tires used for qualifying and the race must be purchased at the track and scanned by NASCAR Officials, unless otherwise approved in advance by the Series Director. The same four (4) tires must be used for qualifying and to begin the race. The remaining tire allotment may be used for practice and/or change tires during the event. A maximum of three (3) tires of the allotment may be used for change tires. The tire change rule is two (2) tires per stop. This includes “swapping” tires front to back.

Entry list