The Race of Champions Modified Series will reach a significant milestone in its 30-year history when it takes to the track at Chemung Speedrome on Saturday, May 11. That event will be the 300th race in the series’ history which dates back to its inaugural season in 1994.
The Race of Champions Modified Series, born 30 years ago as the New York State Modified Series, has come a long way. It was conceived with a vision to ignite interest in Modified racing in Western and Central New York and to bolster the Race of Champions, which had just relocated from Flemington, NJ, to the Oswego (NY) Speedway. The inaugural race, held at the Tioga Motorsports Park, formerly the Shangri-La Speedway, in Owego, NY on May 28, 1994, saw Modified legend Jan Leaty of Williamson, NY, clinch his first of 16 career Series wins.
Sixty more drivers would claim victory during the 298 races that followed, which took place across 19 different race tracks in five states and one Canadian province. Seven-time Series champion Matt Hirschman of Northampton, PA, leads all drivers with 58 career wins, including eight victories in the “Greatest Tradition in Modified Racing,” the Race of Champions 250, and is the most recent series winner, capturing series race #299 at the Mahoning Valley Speedway in Lehighton, PA., on April 20 of this year.
Chuck Hossfeld of Lockport, NY, is the series second most winningest driver with 29 checkered flags captured. His first win came at the Oswego Speedway on July 5, 1997, while his most recent victory came on June 9 of last year at the Spencer Speedway in Williamson, NY. Hossfeld also has four Series championships as part of his hall-of-fame-caliber resume.
Current NASCAR Xfinity Series driver and three-time Series champion Patrick Emerling of Orchard Park, NY, has the third-most feature wins with 24. His first win came during a three-win season for Emerling in 2015 at the Shangri-La 2 Speedway in Tioga Center, NY. Emerling’s last win to date was the 73rd Race of Champions 250 at Lake Erie Speedway in North East, PA., in September 2023.
The legacies of Leaty, Hirschman, Hossfeld, and Emerling show how the Race of Champions Modified Series has helped to bridge the past, present, and future generations of Modified racing in New York and the Northeast region.
During the series’ early seasons, Jan Leaty battled fellow legends of the Mod Squad, such as Charlie Rudolph, Sege Fidanza, Tim Mangus, and George and J.R. Kent. Leaty’s son, Mike Leaty, is also a 13-time series winner and former series champion, while his granddaughter, Alyssa, is a winner in the entry-level Rocket Performance Race of Champions 602 Sportsman Modified Series and will make her debut in the Race of Champions Sportsman Modified Series this season.
The rivalry between Hirschman and Hossfeld on the Series trail was one of the biggest stories in Modified racing during the early 2000s, when they competed against the likes of T.J. Potrzebowski, Billy Putney, Eric Beers, and Zane Zeiner. Emerling leads a new generation of Modified stars, which also includes Andy Jankowiak, Austin Beers, Jack Ely, Jake Lutz, Paulie Hartwig III, and more.
The current level of competition on display with the Race of Champions proves that there are plenty more stars to be made and memories to be had.
Milestones in Race of Champions Modified Series History
Race #1 – Spencer Speedway – 5/28/1994 – Winner: Jan Leaty
Race #50 – Wyoming County Int’l Speedway – 8/27/2000 – Winner: George Kent
Race #100 – Chemung Speedrome – 5/22/2005 – Winner: Brian Bowen
Race #150 – Oswego Speedway – 9/20/2008 – Winner: Tony Hirschman
Race #200 – Shangri-La 2 Speedway – 5/18/2014 – Winner: Matt Hirschman
Race #250 – Lancaster Speedway – 8/2/2018 – Winner: Chuck Hossfeld
Race #299 – Mahoning Valley Speedway – 4/20/2024 – Winner: Matt Hirschman
Pit gates will open at 3:00pm with grandstand gates opening at 5:00pm and qualifying to begin at 6:00pm on Saturday, May 11 at Chemung.
All Race of Champions “Family of Series” events will be streamed on RoCModifiedSeries.TV powered by Racing America. For more information in regard to the Racing America streaming platform and an incredible discount visit; offer.racingamerica.com/race-of-champions/. The discount provides fans who “tuned in” to every Race of Champions Modified Series event in 2023 well over a $100 discount to purchase and subscribe for the entire year featuring all Race of Champions Series races, plus access to 200+ live short track races from tracks across North America as well as expanded media coverage including NASCAR and more than 10 years of short track racing archives. (www.racingamerica.tv).
What: “Race 300” 75 (Race of Champions Modified Series), Race of Champions FOAR Score Four Cylinder Dash Series (20-laps)
When: Saturday, May 11, 2024 (Inclement Weather Date if Needed; Saturday, June 15, 2024)
Where: Chemung Speedrome
Directions: The track is located at 605 Wyncoop Creek Road, Chemung, NY 14825, Exit 59 off of Interstate 86 (12 miles East of Elmira, N.Y., 45 miles West of Binghamton, N.Y., and 45 miles South East of Watkins Glen, N.Y.)
More Information: www.chemungspeedome.net (Track Phone: 607.529.9998) / www.rocmodifiedseries.com
ROC Mods PR
