By: Ashley McCubbin

The last time the modifieds were on the track was back in February at New Smyrna Speedway, and it was a show with the battle for the win coming down to three of the best on the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour. The trio will be hoping in the conversation for the checkered flag once again, with 27 others looking to join them.

Ron Silk came out on top in Florida in dominating fashion in pacing 97 of the 200 laps en route to the victory. It just added to the speed shown by Haydt Yannone Racing en route to winning the series championship in 2023. After crashing out in his first trip to Richmond in 2021, Silk has been smooth en route to 10th and seventh-place finishes the past two trips.

Austin Beers showed the way last year at Richmond en route to his first career series checkered flag. He also boasts the best average finish at Richmond (6.3) of drivers entered in the event. It’s a trend he hopes to repeat this year after placing sixth at New Smyrna.

Doug Coby boasts the next best average finish (9) of those entered, following results of fifth and 13th in his previous two appearances. The multi-time champion was a factor at New Smyrna in the battle for the win, placing third with Tommy Baldwin Racing.

The other driver that played a factor at New Smyrna? Justin Bonsignore, who placed second to follow his string of recent series championships in the series. A lot of people were calling him the king of the roost until Silk put a damper in that trend. Kenneth Massa Motorsports, LLC has ran well at Richmond, as the driver of the No. 51 won the event in 2022 alongside a fourth last season.

Patrick Emerling proved RGM AZ LLC will be a factor in their first full-time attempt on the tour, as evident with a fourth-place finish at New Smyrna. After a drive shaft issue and crash took him out of Richmond in the initial trips there, he was able to pick up a fifth last season at the 0.75-mile oval.

Trevor Catalano is a rookie on the tour, but he is already proving to be someone to watch as he parlayed his Race of Champions experience into a fifth in his tour debut at New Smyrna. He is one of three Catalanos entered in the race, as both Tommy and Tyler will hope to rebound after having issues at Florida. Tommy is the only one with previous experience at Richmond, scoring a runner-up in 2022 before engine issues took him out in 2023.

Eric Goodale knows what it takes to have a good result at Richmond, picking up a pair of top-10’s in three appearances with a best result of sixth in 2022. He could use a good run as he was one of those involved in an incident at New Smyrna.

The flip side, though was watching Tyler Rypkema find his way to the front during the second half of the New Smyrna Beach Area Visitors Bureau 200 to pick up a solid seventh. He has a single top-10 in three trips to Virginia, placing fifth in 2022.