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By Brandon White NASCAR.com
Photo: Michael Jaworecki
The NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour’s fall trip to Riverhead Raceway has carried plenty of sentimental value over the past few seasons.
Riverhead’s longtime co-owner Eddie Partridge passed away in 2021 shortly after his team won a Modified Tour race at Richmond Raceway with Ryan Preece. To honor his memory, the fall Tour event at Riverhead was renamed the Eddie Partridge 256, all while a replica of Partridge’s car remains suspended over the track.
During his time overseeing the speedway, Partridge built upon everything that made Riverhead successful since it opened in 1951. Partridge’s legacy lives on through the current owners in his widow Connie Partridge and Tom Gatz, as Riverhead remains a staple of motorsports culture in the northeast with two Modified Tour events a year.
Many talented names like Mike Stefanik, Richie Evans, Donny Lia, Ted Christopher and others have won at Riverhead over the years. Saturday’s race will feature an even mix of Modified Tour regulars and local Riverhead heroes, all of whom look to secure a victory in honor of Partridge.
Below is everything to know ahead of the 14th race of the 2025 Modified Tour schedule.
Eddie Partridge 256 at Riverhead Raceway
No NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour competitor has earned more victories at Riverhead than four-time series champion Justin Bonsignore.
Riverhead was the site of Bonsignore’s debut on the Modified Tour in 2007, when he finished fourth out of 28 cars. Since that day, Bonsignore has found Victory Lane at Riverhead on 12 different occasions. In June, he broke the previous record of 11 held by Mike Ewanitsko.
Following a runner-up finish at New Hampshire Motor Speedway two weekends ago, Bonsignore is now just seven points behind Austin Beers in the battle for the 2025 championship. A 13th Riverhead win would be a huge boost to his championship hopes.
Among the drivers expected to stand in the way of Bonsignore on Saturday night is his long-time Modified Tour rival Ron Silk. A three-time Riverhead winner, Silk has engaged in numerous clashes with Bonsignore at the facility, including last year’s Eddie Partridge 256 when Silk prevailed after late contact with his rival.
Beers enters Saturday’s Eddie Partridge 256 with a narrow seven-point advantage over Bonsignore in the Modified Tour standings. Although Beers struggled at Riverhead during the early days of his career, he has improved at the facility in recent years with three top-five finishes, including a runner-up result in 2024.
Craig Lutz, Matt Hirschman and Patrick Emerling enter Saturday’s race in a dog fight over third in the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour standings. All three are still in the race for the championship and a win by any of them could significantly close the gap to Beers and Bonsignore.
Speaking of Hirschman, the 10-time series winner will make his 150th career NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour start on Saturday night.
The complete entry list for the Eddie Partridge 256 is available here.
RACING REFERENCE:
- Previous NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour races at Riverhead
- NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour drivers at Riverhead
RACE FACTS
| Race | Eddie Partridge 256 |
| Date | Saturday, Oct. 6, 2025 |
| Track | Riverhead Raceway |
| Layout | Quarter-mile asphalt oval |
| Location | Riverhead, New York |
| Start time | 8 p.m. ET |
| Laps | 256 |
| Posted Awards | $104,304 |
| Tickets | At track |
| How to Watch | FloRacing |
SCHEDULE: Saturday, Sept. 6; Practice from 3:30 – 3:55 p.m. ET … Final practice from 4:05 – 4:35 p.m. ET … Qualifying at 6:15 p.m. ET … Start of the Eddie Partridge 256 at 8 p.m. ET.
RE-DRAW: The fastest qualifier will spin the wheel to determined the number of drivers that will re-draw for their starting positions: 4, 6, 8, or 10 positions will re-draw. Once the fastest qualifier spins the wheel, NASCAR will have the various buckets ready to immediately start the re-draw procedure. Driver will re-draw in their qualifying order after qualifying has been completed (1 through 10, or however many are applicable). The pole position and/or any bonus point(s), if applicable, will be awarded to the fastest qualifier and will be the pole of record. If, due to adverse conditions, qualifying is canceled, the field will be set in accordance with the 2025 NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour Rule Book.
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 Eddie Partridge 256 is limited to 26 starters including Provisional Positions.
TIRE ALLOTMENT: The maximum tire allotment available for this event is eight (8) 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 one (1) tire per stop. Maximum of three (3) crew members are permitted in the car servicing area during a pit stop.
- Entry list
| Car No. | Driver | Team | Crew Chief | Chassis | Sponsors |
| 00 | Chris Rogers | David Brigati | Brian Schwarz | LFR | Coors Light; JDL Environmental |
| 1 | Patrick Emerling | KPL Racing LLC | Dale Hedquist | LFR | Fleetworks, Inc. |
| 3 | Tyler Rypkema | Boehler’s Racing Equipment | Greg Fournier | Boehler Racing | USNE; SYP; Northeast Drilling |
| 16 | Ron Silk | Haydt Yannone Racing | Phil Moran | FURY Race Cars | Blue Mountain Machine; Future Homes |
| 18 | Ken Heagy | Christopher Fleming | Greg Gorman | FURY Race Cars | Hunter Mechanical |
| 21 | Stephen Kopcik | Wanick Motorsports | Nick Kopcik | Troyer | Wanick Constructions, Inc.; Newtown Pools |
| 22 | Kyle Bonsignore | Kyle Bonsignore | Keith McDermott | FURY Race Cars | MTT; ChaLew Performance; Munns Auto |
| 26 | Gary McDonald | Lakeland Avenue Landscape Supply | Chad McDonald | Chevrolet | Lakeland Avenue Landscape Supply |
| 46 | Craig Lutz | Goodie Racing | Douglas Ogiejko | FURY Race Cars | Riverhead Building Supply |
| 51 | Justin Bonsignore | Kenneth Massa Motorsports, LLC | Ryan Stone | FURY Race Cars | Phoenix Communications, Inc. |
| 54 | Tommy Catalano | Catalano Motorsports | Rick Kluth | Troyer | FX Caprara |
| 56 | Trevor Catalano | Catalano Motorsports | David Catalano | Troyer | USNE Power |
| 58 | Eric Goodale | Goodie Motorsports | Rob Hyer | FURY Race Cars | GAF Roofing |
| 60 | Matt Hirschman | Pee Dee/Elite Motorsports | Mike Stein | Troyer | Elite Towing; Bar Harbor Bank and Trust |
| 64 | Austin Beers | KLM Motorsports | Ron Yuhas | Troyer | G&G Electric Supply, Dell Electric, Fastrack Electric, Lumiere Electrical, Andrew James Interiors, AP Marquadt & Sons, Hughes |
| 81 | Mark Stewart | Turbush Racing | Christopher Turbush | FURY Race Cars | Cromers Market; Keith Grimes Excavating; Eastern Fuel; East Side Builders; Truck and Auto Works; Hydro Action; Spider Web Rac |
| 88 | Roger Turbush | Roger Turbush | Rob Waller | FURY Race Cars | Rheem |
| 96 | Matthew Brode | Peter Clark Motorsports | Martin Condit | Troyer | Peter Clark Motorsports |
| 129 | Mike Marshall | TLC Performance | Kevin Ledoux | Troyer | MLM Diagnostics; Jusczak Electric |
