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Photo: Tom Morris Racing Photography
The battle for the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour championship has reached its crescendo as Austin Beers and Justin Bonsignore settle the battle for the series championship during Thursday evening’s Virginia is for Racing Lovers 200 at Martinsville Speedway (7:30 p.m. ET on FloRacing).
Beers enters Thursday’s race with a 14-point advantage in the standings and needs only to finish eighth or better to claim the series championship regardless of what Bonsignore does. Bonsignore, however, is the defending winner at Martinsville and could turn the tide in his favor if things Beers stumbles at the 0.526-mile oval.
Thursday’s event marks the 40th trip to Martinsville for the modern Modified Tour. Drivers to score wins there include Mike Stefanik, Mike Ewanitsko, Jeff Fuller, Reggie Ruggiero, Charlie Jarzombek, Tom Baldwin, Brett Bodine, Ryan Preece, Ted Christopher, Tony Hirschman, Donny Lia, Mike McLaughlin, Bobby Santos III and Bonsignore, among others.
Tickets to Thursday’s Virginia is for Racing Lovers 200 are available here. Below is everything you need to know about the final race of the 2025 NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour season.
RACE: Virginia is for Racing Lovers 200 at Martinsville Speedway
Austin Beers and Justin Bonsignore have a lot on the line in Thursday’s NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour season finale at Martinsville Speedway.
Both drivers have a chance to leave the track as the 2025 Modified Tour champion, but each has an opportunity to earn a unique distinction should he manage to secure the title.
Should Beers capture the championship, not only would be his first and the first for the KLM Motorsports team owned by Mike Murphy, be he also would become the youngest champion in Modified Tour history.
The record currently belongs to Ryan Preece, who won his championship when he was 22 years, 11 months and 25 days old.
Bonsignore has the chance to further cement his legacy should he capture his fifth Modified Tour championship. In the history of the modern series, only three drivers have won five or more championships. They are Mike Stefanik (seven), Doug Coby (six) and Tony Hirschman (five).
Beers enters the weekend with a 14-point advantage on Bonsignore in the fight for the series championship and needs only to finish eighth or better to clinch the title no matter what Bonsignore does. Beers has three previous Modified Tour starts and has finished eighth or better in two of them. Bonsignore has made five starts at Martinsville and has finished third or better in all but one.
While most of the focus will be on Beers and Bonsignore Thursday night, there are several other notable drivers scheduled to compete in the Virginia is for Racing Lovers 200. They include 2000 NASCAR Cup Series champion Bobby Labonte, who will make his second Modified Tour start of the season aboard the No. 38 for Sadler-Stanley Racing.
Also returning to the series is Ryan Newman, who will make his fifth start of the season at Martinsville. He’ll once again pilot the No. 4 Mystic Missile entry for Tim Connolly.
Luke Baldwin returns to the series in the family No. 7 fresh off a big win over the weekend at North Wilkesboro Speedway.
Other notable entrants include Jake Lutz, Carson Loftin, Jeremy Gerstner, Eric Goodale, Andy Seuss, Mike Christopher Jr., Conner Jones, Luke Fleming, Danny Bohn and Teddy Hodgdon as well series regulars like Craig Lutz, Patrick Emerling, Matt Hirschman, Stephen Kopcik, Trevor Catalano, Tommy Catalano and Tyler Rypkema.
The full entry list for Thursday’s Virginia is for Racing Lovers 200 is available here.
RACING REFERENCE:
- Previous NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour races at Martinsville
- NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour drivers at Martinsville
RACE FACTS
| Race | Virginia is for Racing Lovers 200 |
| Date | Thursday, Oct. 23, 2025 |
| Track | Martinsville Speedway |
| Layout | 0.526-mile oval |
| Location | Martinsville, Virginia |
| Start time | 7:30 p.m. ET |
| Laps | 200 |
| Posted Awards | $137,154 |
| Tickets | Here |
| How to Watch | FloRacing |
SCHEDULE: Thursday, Oct. 23: Practice from 12:35 – 1:05 p.m. ET … Final Practice from 1:45 – 2:15 p.m. ET … Hoosier Tire Pole Award qualifying at 3:30 p.m. ET … Start of the Virginia is for Racing Lovers 200 at 7:30 p.m. ET (200 Laps / 105.20 Miles)
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 Virginia is for Racing Lovers 200 is limited to 32 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. Maximum of nine (9) tires may be used for the race, not including Emergency Change Tires. Teams will declare to NASCAR Officials at the conclusion of practice the tires they will use during the race. The tire change rule is two (2) tires per stop.
