SEEKONK, Mass. — The great state of Massachusetts welcomes back the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour this Saturday night with the running of the J&R Precast 150 at Seekonk Speedway.
Saturday’s race marks the 14th time the Modified Tour will compete at the 0.333-mile asphalt oval located fewer than 20 minutes from Narragansett Bay.
Matt Hirschman returns to Seekonk as the man to beat after winning the last three Modified Tour events at the track dating back to 2023.
In addition to Hirschman, other winners at Seekonk through the years include Reggie Ruggiero, Jerry Marquis, Chris Kopec, Ed Flemke Jr., Chuck Hossfeld, Eric Beers, Timmy Solomito, Doug Coby and Justin Bonsignore.
Matt Hirschman fans have many reasons to be excited about Saturday’s NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour race at Seekonk Speedway.
Hirschman returns to Seekonk as the winner of the last three Modified Tour events at the track dating back to 2023. He’s the only driver to win at least three times at Seekonk and has also set fast time in qualifying the last three seasons at the 0.333-mile oval.
From a statistical standpoint, Hirschman is the obvious favorite to win the J&R Precast 150, but that doesn’t mean he won’t face stiff competition from a stacked field.
Leading that charge is the only other driver with multiple Modified Tour wins at Seekonk Speedway: Doug Coby. The six-time series champion will make his second start of the year in the No. 28 for Jett Motorsports at a track where he is a two-time winner.
Another notable name on the entry list for Saturday’s event is four-time Modified Tour champion Justin Bonsignore. He and the Ken Massa Motorsports team originally announced plans to skip both the Oxford Plains event (postponed due to weather) and Saturday’s race at Seekonk, but Bonsignore is entered and expected to compete this weekend.
No other driver entered in Saturday’s event has won at Seekonk in Modified Tour competition, but there are several with significant experience at the track. They include Jon McKennedy, who has competed at Seekonk several times through the years in other divisions and should be a contender Saturday night.
Stephen Kopcik, who has won the last two Modified Tour events (Martinsville Speedway and Thompson Speedway Motorsports Park), could also be a contender Saturday night. The driver of the No. 21 for Wanick Motorsports finished second at Seekonk last year to Hirschman after a crash on the final lap took out several contenders.
Other notable entrants include Ron Silk, who has finished second to Kopcik in the last two series events, as well as Austin Beers, Patrick Emerling, Tyler Rypkema, Kyle Bonsignore, Mike Christopher Jr., Chase Dowling and Craig Lutz, among others. One driver, Jayden Harman, is scheduled to make his Modified Tour debut Saturday night at Seekonk.
