NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour

Whelen Engineering extends entitlement sponsor agreement of the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour through 2029
By Julian Austin
October 26th, 2024

Officials with NASCAR and Whelen Engineering announced this morning that Whelen will continue to be the entitlement sponsor for the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour through 2029. Whelen who has been the entitlement sponsor since 2005 also will increase their commitment to the tour that will benefit drivers and teams alike going forward. This commitment will see the largest purse increase in the last decade with prize money increasing by 250 percent with the minimum of $2,000 awarded to the teams for simply starting the race. This is more than double the current payout for lower finishing positions in some cases.

Race winners will get a minimum of $11,000 in payout in all races. 

“The heart of NASCAR is in our regional racing and long-time partners like Whelen help support the high quality racing our fans and competitors deserve in the grassroots programs,” said Joseph Dennewitz, Managing Director of NASCAR Regional. “By building up the purse for all in the garage, Whelen is putting their money where their mouth is in ensuring the success and health of the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour for years to come.”

In addition, championship points money will be paid out to paid out to the top 20 teams in the final owners standings.

“We are incredibly proud to extend our longstanding partnership with NASCAR and celebrate 20 years as the title sponsor of the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour,” said Peter Tiezzi, General Manager of Motorsports for Whelen Engineering Company Inc. “For the past two decades, being part of this iconic series has been both an honor and a reflection of our commitment to grassroots racing. As the Official Warning Lights of NASCAR, we are excited to continue supporting the sport while further strengthening our ties within the racing community. This partnership highlights our dedication to safety and performance, both on and off the track.”

The 2025 schedule will consist of several NASCAR Cup Series tracks and some of the favorite bullrings that fans and drivers have come to love over the years. 

The season will open on February 8th at New Smyrna Speedway in Florida for the fourth consecutive year as a part of the annual World Series of Asphalt. The North Wilkesboro event moves from October to May 18th which will be run before the Cup Series All Star event. The Richmond event moves to Thursday, August 14th while the New Hampshire race will be run during the NASCAR Cup Series playoff weekend the same day as the Craftsman Truck Series playoff event on September 20th. 

The tour will return to White Mountain Motorsports Park on June 28th for the first time since 2020 when the facility hosted two events that season. This event takes place of the third event at Monadnock Speedway which will host two events this season. 

Thompson Speedway will host three races. One a part of their Icebreaker Weekend, a mid week Wednesday Night event returns in August and a fall date in October will coincide with their World Series of Speedway racing. 

The full schedule is below. 

NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour Driver Melissa Fifield Announces Cancer Diagnosis
October 24th, 2024
By Julian Austin

Photo courtesy of Melissa's Facebook Page.

NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour Regular Melissa Fifield announced on her Facebook and X pages (formerly known as twitter) tonight that she has been diagnosed with Breast Cancer.

"Hey everyone. I wanted to share a quick life update with you all. In the last month I was diagnosed with breast cancer. I am fortunate to be working with some fantastic doctors and have the most supportive family and friends. While the next few months will be tough, I am very optimistic and motivated to come out of this healthy and get back behind the wheel!

Thank you all for your support "

The Wakefield New Hampshire native has been a regular on the NASCAR Whelen Modified tour since 2014. She is a former three time winner of the NASCAR Whelen Modffied Tour Most Popular Driver Award and is coming off an 18th Place finish at North Wilkesboro on Sunday.