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By Adam Fenwick
NASCAR.com
Photo Michael Jaworecki/Myracenews
The 2023 NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour season featured incredible moments, culminating in Ron Silk’s second series championship 12 years after his first. The triumph also marked Haydt Yannone Racing’s first title in just their second full-time season.
With 2023 now in the rearview, it’s time to take a look back at some of the telling statistics from the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour season.
0.045 – Margin of victory, in seconds, for Justin Bonsignore over Doug Coby to win in the Mohegan Sun 100 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway in dramatic fashion.
1 – First time winners in 2023: Austin Beers scored his first victory in the second race of the season at Richmond Raceway. He proceeded to win again at Lancaster Motorplex in August.
1 – Number of drivers (Jamie Tomaino) who competed in the inaugural NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour season (1985) to start at least one event in 2023. He has competed in at least one event every season with the exception of 2020, when he withdrew from the lone race he entered.
2 – Best finish by Sunoco Rookie of the Year Award winner Jake Johnson, which came at Thompson Speedway Motorsports Park.
2 – Number of drivers (Ron Silk and Tyler Rypkema) running at the finish of every NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour event in 2023.
2 – Consecutive seasons the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour finale at Martinsville Speedway has been won by a full-time NASCAR Cup Series driver — Corey LaJoie last year and Ryan Preece in 2023.
3 – Number of NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour races that rank in the top 10 of most viewed events on FloRacing in 2023.
3 – Victories Justin Bonsignore is from moving into third on the all-time NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour win list following his five-win season in 2023.
3.2 – Average starting position of Austin Beers during the 2023 season.
3.3 – Average finish by NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour champion Ron Silk in 2023.
4.94 – Average number of lead changes during NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour events in 2023.
5 – Number of laps led by Kyle Bonsignore during his victory at Langley Speedway, the fewest of any winner in 2023.
5 – Drivers (Ron Silk, Justin Bonsignore, Matt Hirschman, Austin Beers, Doug Coby) to lead at least 400 laps during the 2023 season.
6 – Best finish by NASCAR Hall of Famer Bobby Labonte (Richmond) in three NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour starts in 2023.
7 – Different drivers (Ron Silk, Justin Bonsignore, Matt Hirschman, Austin Beers, Kyle Bonsignore, Doug Coby, Ryan Preece) to win NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour events in 2023.
9 – Finish by Woody Pitkat in the World Series 150 at Thompson Speedway Motorsports Park, which doubled as the first top-10 finish for team owner Stan Mertz in his final race as a team owner.
13 – Combined number of Mayhew Tools Dominator Pole Awards won by Justin Bonsignore (7) and Austin Beers (6).
15 – Top-five finishes by Ron Silk and Justin Bonsignore during the 2023 season.
16 – Drivers to make their NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour debuts in 2023.
17 – Top-10 finishes by NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour champion Ron Silk in 2023, more than anyone else.
18 – Drivers to lead at least one lap during the 2023 season.
21 – Years between NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour starts for Tim Connolly, who returned to the series this year for the first time since 2002.
22 – Career victories for Ron Silk following his five-win season in 2023, which ranks him 10th on the all-time NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour win list.
25 – Drivers to earn top-five finishes during the 2023 NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour season.
25.05 – Average field size during the 2023 NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour season.
38 – Drivers to compete in the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour event at North Wilkesboro Speedway, the biggest field of the 2023 season.
44 – With the addition of North Wilkesboro Speedway, the number of tracks to have hosted the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour.
77 – With Austin Beers’ win at Richmond, the number of drivers to win a NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour race
82 – Drivers to enter at least one NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour race in 2023.
129.9 – Speed, in mph, of the fastest qualifying lap of the season, set by Justin Bonsignore for the race at New Hampshire.
150 – Laps led by Matt Hirschman and Justin Bonsignore in their victories at Seekonk Speedway and Monadnock Speedway, respectively. They were the only two drivers to lead every lap of a race during the 2023 season.
152 – NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour races held at Thompson Speedway Motorsports Park, more than any other track. Justin Bonsignore and Ron Silk won the pair of Thompson races on the 2023 schedule.
312 – NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour events held in the state of Connecticut.
403 – Laps led by Matt Hirschman during his three NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour victories in 2023.
521 – Laps run under the caution flag in 2023, 28.94 per race, down 3.3 percent from 2022.
644 – Laps led by NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour champion Ron Silk in 2023, more than anyone else.
724 – With the completion of the 2023 season, the number of events held in the history of the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour.
1,791 – Days between Kyle Bonsignore’s first NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour victory in 2018 and his second at Langley Speedway this year.
3,048 – Laps completed by NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour champion Ron Silk in 2023, more than anyone else.
