The NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour heads to the Commonwealth of Virginia for Friday night’s “Virginia Is For Racing Lovers 150” at the ¾-mile D-shaped oval known as Richmond Raceway. NASCAR officials have released the entry list for Friday’s race, and with more than 30 cars entered it is full of the best Modified racing has to offer.

Headlining the entry list is the defending winner of this race and a three-time NWMT champion, Justin Bonsignore, from Holtsville, New York. Bonsignore won the race from the pole position after leading 58 laps. He took the lead from Tommy Catalano with just 11 laps remaining to secure his first of four victories in 2022.

One driver that will be one to watch on Friday night is Norwalk, Connecticut’s Ron Silk. The 2011 champion broke a long winless drought by winning the season-opener back in February at New Smyrna Speedway. Silk finished tenth in this race one year ago.

Perhaps the driver that is most excited to get on track on Friday is six-time NWMT champion, Doug Coby. The Milford, Connecticut native attended college at the University of Richmond, just 20 minutes west of the Richmond Raceway. He always wanted to run a Modified race at Richmond and on Friday he will finally be able to.

“All of my college buddies when we graduated in our twenties missed the opportunity to come watch me race,” said Coby. “I kept telling them one of these days we’ll be back at Richmond and they’ll be able to watch me race. I didn’t race last year because I didn’t have a ride. Now I’m super excited. Richmond means a lot to me. Obviously, it’s an awesome short track, we want to showcase the Modifieds there and race there, but the city is special to me. I had a great experience there for four years and I look forward to going back any time I can.”

If last year’s race is any indication, Ontario, New York’s Tommy Catalano is one to watch for potentially picking up his first career victory. Catalano led the most laps one year ago, leading 69 of the 150 laps. He started sixth and finished second after losing the lead to Bonsignore with just 11 laps to go.

And then there’s the man they call “Big Money.” Northampton, Pennsylvania’s Matt Hirschman is on the entry list for the second race in a row to start off the 2023 NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour season. Hirschman finished third at the season-opener back in February behind Silk and Bonsignore. Hirschman will be making his debut at Richmond Raceway on Friday night behind the wheel of a car prepared by the Pee Dee Motorsports team in a partnership with Baker Racing, the team he drove for at Riverhead Raceway in the Islip 300 last November.

There’s also a bit of NASCAR Cup Series flavor entered in Friday night’s 150-lap race. 2008 Daytona 500 champion Ryan Newman, and 2000 NASCAR Cup Series champion Bobby Labonte, will both be in the race. Labonte is piloting a car owned by Phil Stefanelli and PSR Products, while Newman is racing a car owned by William Stanley and Hermie Sadler. 

The Virginia is for Racing Lovers 150 from Richmond Raceway is scheduled to go green at 6:30 p.m. ET. The event will be broadcast live on FloRacing and can be seen with a FloRacing subscription. To join FloRacing, click here. 

NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour At Richmond Raceway Entry List