PIT BOX: Returning champ Jon McKennedy leads Whelen Modified Tour to Oswego Speedway

One of New York’s top racing institutions, Oswego Speedway is the next stop on the 2023 NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour schedule this Saturday night.

Saturday’s Toyota Mod Classic 150 marks the 16th trip to Oswego Speedway for the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour. The series visited the track for the first time in 1988 when four races were scheduled at the five-eighths-mile paved oval. Brian Ross won the first two events, with Mike McLaughlin and George Kent Jr. taking the other two.

Four more visits to Oswego followed in 1989, but the series didn’t return again until 2016, when Doug Coby powered to a dominant victory ahead of Timmy Solomito. Other Oswego winners have included Tony Hirschman, Mike Stefanik, Ryan Preece, Matt Hirschman, Justin Bonsignore and Ron Silk.

Tickets to Saturday’s Toyota Mod Classic 150 are available here. Below is everything you need to know about the 13th race of the 2023 NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour season.

Toyota Mod Classic 150 at Oswego Speedway

What to watch for:

The champ is back.

Jon McKennedy, the defending NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour champion, hasn’t been in action with the series since early June after parting ways with his previous team owners. That changes Saturday when the Modified Tour heads to Oswego Speedway for the running of the Toyota Mod Classic 150.

McKennedy will team up with Mike Curb and Gary Putnam to pilot the No. 77 entry that has been driven by Max McLaughlin in multiple events this year. He’ll look to challenge for his third career series victory alongside several other capable contenders.

They include Kyle Bonsignore, who is riding a wave of momentum after netting his second career NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour victory one weekend ago at Langley Speedway. His cousin, three-time series champion and defending Oswego winner Justin Bonsignore, will also be one to watch Saturday.

MORE OSWEGO: Watch live on FloRacing

Current NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour championship points leader Ron Silk heads to Oswego with a one-point advantage on Justin Bonsignore as he pursues his Oswego win. The Catalano family will have not one, but two competitors in the field as series veteran Tommy Catalano is joined by his younger brother Tyler Catalano, who will be making his series debut.

Bobby Santos III will be back in action aboard the No. 14 Advantage Motorsports entry that Patrick Emerling piloted during the World Series of Asphalt Stock Car Racing at New Smyrna Speedway in February. Austin Beers will chase his third win of the year in the No. 64 KLM Motorsports ride and Tyler Rypkema will continue his pursuit of his first series win.

Other notable entries include Craig Lutz, Anthony Sesely, Bryan Narducci and Tim Connolly.

The complete entry list for the Toyota Mod Classic 150 is available here.

RACE FACTS

Schedule: Saturday, Sept. 2 … Final practice from 2-3 p.m. ET … Qualifying at 5 p.m. ET … Toyota Mod Classic 150 at 7:30 p.m. ET (FloRacing).

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 Toyota Mod Classic 150 is limited to 28 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. The tire change rule is three (3) tires, any position.