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March 25, 2026
By Adam Fenwick NASCAR Wire Service
Photo Tom Morris Racing Photography
After more than a month off, the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour season kicks into high gear Friday night with the running of the Virginia is for Racing Lovers 200 at Martinsville Speedway (7:30 p.m. ET on FloRacing).
Friday’s event marks the 41st visit for the Modified Tour to Martinsville and the first time the series has visited the 0.526-mile asphalt oval in the spring since 2021. Justin Bonsignore has won the last two series events at Martinsville and will try to become the first driver in series history to win three consecutive events at the track.
Mike Stefanik is the all-time Modified Tour wins leader at Martinsville with five. Other notable winners include Mike Ewanitsko, Jeff Fuller, Reggie Ruggiero, Charlie Jarzombek, Tom Baldwin, Brett Bodine, Ryan Preece and the aforementioned Bonsignore.
Below is everything you need to know about the second race of the 2026 NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour season.
Virginia is for Racing Lovers 200 at Martinsville Speedway
Statistically speaking, no one has been better at Martinsville Speedway over the last two years than Justin Bonsignore.
The four-time Modified Tour champion has led 258 of a possible 406 laps in the two most recent events at Martinsville, and he walked away with the Grandfather clock each time.
This Friday, Bonsignore with the help of his Ken Massa Motorsports team will try to do something no other driver has done: Win three consecutive Modified Tour events at the track known as the paperclip. The team already has a win this year at Florida’s New Smyrna Speedway, making them an obvious favorite heading into Friday’s race.
More than 30 drivers will look to deny Bonsignore’s bid for history Friday night, including defending Modified Tour champion Austin Beers. The Northampton, Pennsylvania driver is still looking for his first Martinsville victory and could very well be the man that denies Bonsignore his record third consecutive win at the track.
One driver who shockingly has never won at Martinsville is two-time Modified Tour champion Ron Silk. The Connecticut driver has struggled at Martinsville during his career, earning only one top-five finish in nine previous Martinsville starts. He’ll be in the field Friday looking to add his name to the list of Martinsville winners.
A slew of other drivers could be in the running to find Victory Lane on Friday night. Eric Goodale, who won the last time the Modified Tour raced at Martinsville in the spring, is an obvious contender aboard the family-owned No. 58. Matt Hirschman in his eighth start at the track will look to join his father Tony as a Martinsville winner.
Tyler Rypkema, who enters Friday’s race second in points following a runner-up result at New Smyrna in the Ole Blue No. 3, is a former Martinsville pole winner who could be a contender. Patrick Emerling is another driver who is winless at Martinsville and could be a threat to take home a Grandfather clock. Ryan Newman will make his second straight start with the series Friday, but he’ll do so in a car fielded by first-time Modified Tour car owner Glenn Styres.
Two drivers will be making their NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour debuts Friday evening. Paulie Hartwig III, who turned heads in February when he scored wins during Tour Modified and 602 Modified competition at New Smyrna, will pilot his family’s No. 73. Jack Baldwin will join the series for the first time in the PSR Products No. 38. His brother, Luke Baldwin, will also be in the field in the No. 7 for Tommy Baldwin Racing.
Other notable entrants include Andrew Molleur, who is scheduled to race the No. 82 for Danny Watts Racing for the remainder of the season, Craig Lutz, Jon McKennedy, Jimmy Blewett, Stephen Kopcik, Kyle Bonsignore, Mike Christopher Jr., Danny Bohn, Andy Seuss, Tommy and Trevor Catalano, and Timmy Solomito, among others.
RACE FACTS
Race: Virginia is for Racing Lovers 200
Date: Friday, March 27, 2026
Track: Martinsville Speedway
Layout: 0.526-mile asphalt oval
Location: Martinsville, Virginia
Start Time: 7:30 p.m. ET
Laps: 200
Posted Awards: $138,982
How to Watch: FloRacing
SCHEDULE: Friday, March 27: Practice from 12:30 – 1 p.m. ET … Final Practice from 1:10 – 1:40 p.m. ET … American Racer Pole Award qualifying at 3:15 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. (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 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 twelve (12) tires per team. All tires used for qualifying and the race must be purchased at the track and scanned by NASCAR Officials, 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. A maximum of four (4) tires of the allotment may be used as change tires. The tire change rule is two (2) tires per stop. This includes “swapping” tires from front to back.
