DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – NASCAR officials have announced 13 races for the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour, with additional dates and venues to be announced in the future.
The schedule features some of the most popular short tracks in the northeast as well as historic tracks in Virginia and Florida.
For the first time in series history, the season will kick off at New Smyrna Speedway in Florida on Saturday, Feb. 12, as part of the track’s World Series of Asphalt Stock Car Racing during NASCAR’s Speedweeks. It will also be the series’ debut at the half-mile oval. The race falls on the weekend before the 64th running of the Daytona 500 at nearby Daytona Int’l Speedway.
“It will be special to start the season off at New Smyrna Speedway,” said Jimmy Wilson, Senior Director, NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour. “The Daytona Beach area is obviously the heart of NASCAR racing. We can’t wait to add the track to our history books.”
After opening the 2021 season for the Whelen Modified Tour, Martinsville Speedway will serve as the season finale and the stage upon which the champion is crowned on Thursday, Oct. 27. This will mark the first time in 30 years – and sixth time overall (1985, 1986, 1988, 1990, 1991) – Martinsville has hosted the final Whelen Modified Tour race of the year.
The race adds championship flair to the NASCAR weekend at the half-mile track that also serves as the host of the penultimate races for the NASCAR Cup Series and NASCAR Xfinity Series.
“For our 75th anniversary season, we will go back to the roots of racing at Martinsville with the return of the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour,” said Clay Campbell, Martinsville Speedway President. “With the season finale of the Mods joining the fourth consecutive season of penultimate races for the NASCAR Cup Series and NASCAR Xfinity Series in the fall, the road to a NASCAR championship will now include the crowning of a champion.”
The series will return to Richmond Raceway (Saturday, April 1) and New Hampshire Motor Speedway (Saturday, July 16), making it three weekends in total the Whelen Modified Tour will race in conjunction with NASCAR national series events.
Riverhead Raceway will again host a trio of Saturday dates – May 14, June 25 and Sept. 17. In addition, the Tour will return to Thompson Speedway after a one-year hiatus in 2021 with a Wednesday night battle on Aug. 17.
Following a three-year absence from the schedule, Langley Speedway in Hampton, Va., will host a race on Saturday, April 23. Langley previously hosted the series in 2017 and 2018, and prior to that held eight NASCAR Whelen Southern Modified Tour races. Additionally, Wall Stadium in Wall Township, N.J. – which has hosted five Whelen Modified Tour races (most recently in 2019) – rejoins the calendar on Saturday, July 9.
Monadnock Speedway in Winchester, N.H., which hosted the series in 2020 for the 13th time, also returns, hosting a race on Saturday, June 18. The schedule is rounded out by stops at Jennerstown (Pa.) Speedway on Saturday, May 28, and Oswego (N.Y.) Speedway on Saturday, Sept. 3.
“Riverhead and Thompson, as well as the addition of Monadnock Speedway, are key tracks for our drivers and teams who are based in the Northeast,” Wilson added. “We’re looking forward to returning to race in front of some of the most passionate fans in motorsports.”
Race times and broadcast networks will be announced at a later date.
2022 NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour Schedule
Feb. 12 – New Smyrna Speedway – New Smyrna Beach, Fla.
April 1 – Richmond Raceway – Richmond, Va.
April 23 – Langley Speedway – Hampton, Va.
May 14 – Riverhead Raceway – Riverhead, N.Y.
May 28 – Jennerstown Speedway – Jennerstown, Pa.
June 18 – Monadnock Speedway – Winchester, N.H.
June 25 – Riverhead Raceway – Riverhead, N.Y.
July 9 – Wall Stadium – Wall Township, N.J.
July 16 – New Hampshire Motor Speedway – Loudon, N.H.
July 30 – TBA
Aug. 6 – TBA
Aug. 17 – Thompson Speedway Motorsports Park – Thompson, Conn.
Sept. 3 – Oswego Speedway – Oswego, N.Y.
Sept. 17 – Riverhead Raceway – Riverhead, N.Y.
Sept. 24 – TBA
Oct. 27 – Martinsville Speedway – Martinsville, Va.