PIT BOX: Oswego Speedway ready to welcome Whelen Modified Tour as title fight intensifies

With just six races left in the 2024 NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour season, the series travels to historic Oswego Speedway this Saturday for the running of the Toyota Mod Classic 150 (8 p.m. ET on FloRacing).

Oswego Speedway, located in Oswego, New York, first welcomed the Modified Tour during the 1988 season. That year, Brian Ross won not once, but twice at the legendary Steel Palace. Additional visits to the track that season were won by Mike McLaughlin and George Kent Jr.

A number of familiar faces have since won at the track, with Tony Hirschman leading all drivers with three Modified Tour victories at the 0.625-mile oval. Other notable winners at the historic track include Ron Silk, Justin Bonsignore, Matt Hirschman, Ryan Preece, Doug Coby and Mike Stefanik.

Tickets for Saturday’s Toyota Mod Classic 150 are available here. Below is everything you need to know about the 11th race of the 2024 Whelen Modified Tour season.

Toyota Mod Classic 150 at Oswego Speedway

For the first time in 2024, someone not named Ron Silk leads the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour standings.

It just so happens to be Justin Bonsignore, who utilized a runner-up finish in the most recent event at Thompson Speedway Motorsports Park to move to the top of the leaderboard by four points with five races left this season.

That gives Bonsignore all the momentum heading into Saturday’s Toyota Mod Classic 150 at Oswego Speedway, a track where Bonsignore has twice visited Victory Lane. However, one season ago, things didn’t go as planned for Bonsignore when he crashed out of the event while racing in the top five.

That race was won by Silk, who used the victory to help catapult himself to his second Modified Tour championship and first since 2011. Silk, who has struggled to regain his early season form, will look for a return trip to Oswego Speedway’s Victory Lane this Saturday night.

Another likely contender should be Patrick Emerling, who enters the Toyota Mod Classic 150 with plenty of momentum after a dominant win at Thompson Speedway Motorsports Park a few weeks ago. The win catapulted him to third in the series standings, 31 points behind Bonsignore.

Austin Beers, also a winner this year at Lancaster Motorplex, should also be considered a contender at Oswego.

The full entry list for Saturday’s Toyota Mod Classic 150 will be available later this week.

RACING REFERENCE

Schedule: Saturday, August 31 … Final practice from 3:15 to 4 p.m. ET … Qualifying at 5:15 p.m. ET … Toyota Mod Classic 150 at 8 p.m. ET (FloRacing).

Qualifying: Two consecutive qualifying laps. (EIRI) 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 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 two (2) tires, per caution period.