8/2/2024
Lancaster Speedway
Local Contingent Strong for NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour Stop at Lancaster
LANCASTER, N.Y. (August 2, 2024) – When the stars of the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour come to Western New York for this weekend’s Nu-Way Auto Parts 150 at Lancaster Motorplex, they will be met by a talent-laden local favorites that would love nothing more than to defend “home turf”.
Trevor Catalano from Ontario, NY is the most recent winner on the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour. Trevor is no stranger to victory lane at Lancaster, as he was the winner of the Sportsman main event when the tour came to town in 2023. Trevor will be joined by his brothers Tommy and Tyler. Tommy has four Sportsman wins and a pair of Late Model victories on the historic Lancaster oval. All three Catalano boys are looking for their first Tour-Modified win at Lancaster.
Second-generation driver Andy Jankowiak from Tonawanda, NY will be piloting the Steve Mendoza entry this weekend. Jankowiak is one of the most prolific winners at Lancaster in recent years. Jankowiak has five Lancaster tour-type modified checkered flags in his career.
Patrick Emerling from Orchard Park, NY is looking for his second Nu-Way Auto Parts 150 victory. Emerling brought down the house in 2021, edging out Justin Bonsignore to score the win in front of the hometown crowd. Entering Saturday night, Emerling has 11 Modified wins at Lancaster, with his last coming in June of 2023.
Hamburg, NY Jake Lutz is making his third NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour Start, and first at his home track. Lutz finished 25th in his last appearance at Loudon, NH, and has a sixth-place finish in his first career Tour start at Seekonk Speedway in June. Lutz has a win at Lancaster in the 2023 Tribute to Tommy Druar and Tony Jankowiak 110. Lutz will be driving the Joey Stearns owned, Billy Putney prepared number 14.
Tyler Rypkema of Owego, NY is another former Lancaster winner. Endicott’s Tim Connolly will be in attendance driving the famed Mystic Missle. Connolly has support from Speed77 and led early in the Ol’ Boy Cup back in June. Making their first starts on the Tour include Depew, NY open-wheel veteran Bob Reis in a car that has been prepared by Jeff Ulrich. Reis last raced a Sportsman-Modified at Lancaster in 2021 and spent time driving an Oswego Speedway Supermodified. Niagara Falls, NY driver Andrew Spurback will be making his pavement racing debut. Spurback comes from a dirt racing background that saw him be competitive at the Ransomville Speedway for several years.
Two drivers from “Mud Lane” will also be favorites entering Saturday night. Matt Hirschman is not only a 13-time Lancaster Modified winner, but he is also a nine-time winner of the Whelen Modified Tour. Austin Beers is the defending Nu-Way Auto Parts 150 champion and coming off a top-five run in Lancaster’s last Open Modified show on July 13 driving the DeLange Racing number 45.
The locals will be tough to deal with and will try to use their home track advantage to hold off the stars of the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour. The third edition of the Nu-Way Auto Parts 150 will also be a historic race for the track, as it will be the 850th Modified feature all-time at the half-mile facility.
Grandstands open at 2:00pm. Practice starts at 2:30pm with racing getting underway at 5:00pm Saturday, August 3. The anticipated green flag of the Nu-Way Auto Parts 150 will be at 8pm. Grandstand tickets are on sale at SeetheEvents.com. Adult general admission tickets are $40. Seniors (ages 65+) and Military discounted tickets are available for $35, Kids ages 4-12 tickets are $10. Children 3 years of age and under are admitted free.
A full-racing card on this special night featuring the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour will also include Lancaster’s weekly divisions of the Insinger Performance/VP Race Fuels Sportsman, Monroe Extinguisher Street Stocks, and the Rusty Diamond Cores Pro 4’s. Fireworks will be presented by Skylighters of New York.
PHOTO CREDIT: CRAIG DUVE
Article Credit: Steven Petty
Submitted By: Steven Petty
