NASCAR Modified Champion Shuts Down Race Team

What’s Happening?

Jon McKennedy, defending NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour Champion, announced on Facebook that the race team he drives for will be shutting down. He gave no specifics on the reason, only stating, “Unforeseen circumstances.”

• According to Racing Reference, McKennedy has run 97 career NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour races, and 2022 was his first championship. He is a two time race-winner in the series.
• This comes amidst general conversations about the financial viability of stock-car racing. From Kyle Busch’s comments about John Hunter Nemechek a few weeks ago to ARCA Menards Series Daytona winner Greg Van Alst closing down his ARCA team.
• Fans on social media were upset at the news. It is a harsh truth about the reality of stock car racing.

In the Stands

Even though he does not know much about modifieds, justBusinessbb is unhappy at the news.

Immedaite_Lie7810 theorizes that it is something due to finances.

Not a bad comparison Spinebuster03

Arctic_Revival expects McKennedy to find a ride at some point.

Diligent_Barber_8407 has a theory for how this happened.

This is nothing short of a disappointment. When a defending series champion cannot find the funding to continue a race team, regardless of the level, it is an upsetting thing. It further shows how difficult that the economics of racing can be.