NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour standings: Breaking down the top 10 in points after New Hampshire

Saturday‘s Whelen Manufactured in America 100 produced all the thrills fans and drivers have grown accustomed to every time the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour visits New Hampshire Motor Speedway.

A furious battle between series veterans Patrick Emerling and Eric Goodale ended with the duo crashing on the frontstretch coming to the checkered flag, allowing Anthony Nocella to slip past both for his first victory.

Goodale‘s late accident was only one twist on what turned out to be a chaotic day in the series standings.

RELATED: Race results from the Whelen Manufactured in America 200

Ron Silk‘s efficient 2022 season hit its first major detour when he was swept up in a big crash just 28 laps into the race, forcing him to settle for a 21st-place finish while the rest of his closest competition finished ahead of him.

Although Silk still managed to keep his points lead, the breathing room he enjoyed all year has now evaporated, as several drivers are now in position to potentially overtake the 2011 Whelen Modified Tour champion when the series heads to Claremont Speedway on July 29.

Below is a breakdown of how the top 10 drivers fared in the Whelen Manufactured in America 100 along, plus a complete look at the Whelen Modifed Tour standings. 

1. Ron Silk: 335 points

The current championship leader had nowhere to go when Austin Beers lost control in front of him in Turn 1, with the ensuing accident also collecting Dave Sapienza and Kyle Ebersole. Silk‘s team was able to make repairs and get him back on track, but he only gained a couple positions and finished 51 laps behind the leader.

1. Jon McKennedy: 325 points

McKennedy was the one who benefitted the most from Silk‘s misfortune. Although he was unable to battle the leaders for the victory in the closing laps, McKennedy dodged the last-lap crash and ended up bringing home a solid fifth-place finish, which cut his deficit to Silk from 26 points to just 10.

1. Eric Goodale: 324 points

A golden opportunity for Goodale to pick up his first win of the 2022 season ended moments away from crossing the start-finish line after colliding with Emerling. Despite this, Goodale still drove his wounded car to a fourth-place finish, allowing to gain valuable ground on Silk.

1. Justin Bonsignore: 310 points

Bonsignore‘s roller coaster 2022 season continued at New Hampshire on Saturday. An early mechanical issue cost the three-time champion two laps, yet Bonsignore made up both to salvage a 12th-place finish and minimize the damage from the missed opportunity of capitalizing on Silk‘s wreck.

1. Austin Beers: 307 points

Of the four cars involved in the Lap 28 crash, Beers sustained the least amount of contact and stayed in the lead draft for most of the day. The Rookie of the Year points leader came home 11^th, but the run was soured by right-front suspension damage he got in the last-lap crash.

1. Tommy Catalano: 306 points

 A promising afternoon for Catalano ended when the engine on his car expired with 19 laps remaining. Despite this, Catalano still finished one spot in front of Silk and remains in the championship hunt with seven races left on the schedule.

1. Kyle Bonsignore: 298 points

Like his cousin Justin, Kyle Bonsignore endured an eventful day at New Hampshire that started with him having to overcome an early pit road penalty. Kyle persevered through the adversity and picked up his best finish on the season after barely getting nipped at the start-finish line by Nocella.

1. Craig Lutz: 274 points

Saturday‘s Whelen Manufactured in America 100 was a quiet race for Craig Lutz. He successfully kept his car out of trouble to obtain his third top-10 finish on the year.

1. Dave Sapienza: 241 points

Sapizena‘s day ended before he had a chance to battle the leaders after getting swept up in the Lap 28 crash that also included Silk. The 24th-place finish was the worst for Sapienza in 2022 and the first time he failed to finish a race this year.

1. J.B. Fortin: 236 points

Saturday proved to be a struggle for Fortin. He failed to keep pace with the lead pack and ended up finishing in 16^th, two laps behind the race winner in Nocella.

NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour standings