PIT BOX: Stacked Modified field ready to make more magic at New Hampshire Motor Speedway

The race every NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour driver looks forward to is finally on the horizon. The Mohegan Sun 100, the ninth race of the 2023 NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour season, takes place this Saturday evening at New Hampshire Motor Speedway at 6 p.m. ET (live on FloRacing).

Considered the biggest race of the season for NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour teams and drivers, the Mohegan Sun 100 represents one of the most challenging and rewarding events on the series schedule. Much like superspeedways like Daytona and Talladega, drafting will be in play when Whelen Modified Tour teams hit the 1.058-mile oval to battle for supremacy.

New Hampshire Motor Speedway has been a constant on the Whelen Modified Tour schedule since 1990, when Mike McLaughlin triumphed in the Tour’s first visit to the track. The series has raced at the track at least once every year since, with some of the best Modified drivers in history among those to earn trips to Victory Lane.

They include drivers like Mike Stefanik, Jeff Fuller, Reggie Ruggiero, Steve Park, Mike Ewanitsko, Tony Hirschman, John Blewett III, Ted Christopher, Chuck Hossfeld, Donny Lia, Ron Silk, Ryan Newman, Todd Szegedy, Doug Coby, Bobby Santos III, Justin Bonsignore and Ryan Preece. Last year Anthony Nocella avoided a last-lap crash on the frontstretch to earn his maiden NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour victory.

Tickets to Saturday’s Mohegan Sun 100 are available here. Below is everything you need to know about the ninth race of the 2023 NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour season.

Mohegan Sun 100 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway

What to watch for:

Close finishes are the norm rather than the exception at New Hampshire Motor Speedway and last year Anthony Nocella came out on top of one such close finish.

Nocella restarted sixth with three laps left and avoided a multi-car crash on the final lap to earn his first and, so far, only NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour victory. Unlike last year, when he drove his family No. 92 to Victory Lane, this year he’ll look to defend his victory aboard the No. 46 entry fielded by Goodie Racing.

In order to do so he’ll have to topple a stacked field of entries that includes NASCAR Cup Series star Corey LaJoie. The driver of the No. 7 Chevrolet for Spire Motorsports in the Cup Series is returning to the Modified Tour in the No. 1 for Robert Fuller after earning a victory in his last start at Martinsville Speedway last October.

Speaking of returns, defending NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour champion Jon McKennedy is back after missing the last two races at Riverhead Raceway and Wall Stadium Speedway. Andy Seuss, a multi-time champion of the defunct NASCAR Whelen Southern Modified Tour, is also returning to action aboard the No. 70 entry on Saturday.

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Bobby Santos III, the 2010 NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour champion and six-time New Hampshire winner, is making his first start of the season in the No. 44 owned by Lawney Tinio. Six of Santos’ last seven Modified Tour triumphs have come at New Hampshire. Max McLaughlin, who last raced with the Tour at Richmond Raceway, is also back in action aboard the No. 77 entry owned by Mike Curb.

You can’t forget about the series regulars either. Ron Silk, Justin Bonsignore and Doug Coby have all earned victories at New Hampshire during their respective careers and each would like to add another trophy on Saturday evening.

Other notable entries include Patrick Emerling and Eric Goodale, who wrecked racing for the victory on the last lap last year at New Hampshire, as well as Austin Beers, Craig Lutz, Ronnie Williams, Chase Dowling and Tommy Catalano, among others.

The complete entry list for the Mohegan Sun 100 is available here.

RACE FACTS

Schedule: Friday, July 14 … Final practice from 3:15 to 4:30 p.m. ET … Qualifying at 6:45 p.m. ET; Saturday, July 15 … Mohegan Sun 100 at 6 p.m. ET (FloRacing)

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 Mohegan Sun 100 is limited to 32 starters including Provisional Positions.

Tire allotment: The maximum tire allotment available for this event is twelve (12) tires per team. All tires used for qualifying and the race must be purchased at the track and scanned by Hoosier, unless otherwise approved in advance by the Series Director. Four (4) tires must be used for qualifying and to begin the race. All qualifying tires must remain in impound until released by NASCAR Officials. The remaining tire allotment may be used for practice and/or change tires during the event. The tire change rule is four (4) tires, any position.