Patrick Emerling Aims for Second Win in Historic 75th Race of Champions

For Patrick Emerling, the Race of Champions isn't just another date on the calendar; it's part of the 33-year-old's racing DNA. The longtime modified standout and part-time NASCAR National Series competitor grew up following the prestigious event, which dates back to 1951 and is second only to the Indianapolis 500 in longevity among American motorsport races.

"It's a series I love to run," Emerling said of the Race of Champions Modified Series, which the iconic Race of Champions is part of. "Even though we're racing out at Thompson this year, that's still like my home. That's where I cut my teeth in modified racing."

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Emerling, who started the 2025 racing season off with an incredibly dominant performance in his modified at New Smyrna Speedway and followed that up with a top-10 run in the NASCAR Xfinity Series event at Daytona International Speedway, enters this weekend's 75th running of the Race of Champions looking to become a multi-time winner of the prestigious modified racing event.

Having broken through for a long-awaited victory in the race in 2023, Emerling, a 25-time race winner in ROC Modified Series competition, has a chance to join a who's who list of multi-time winners of this event. While 2025 has been a season of growth speed-wise for Emerling's team, the driver has experienced some frustrating lows to go with the highs this year.

Patrick Emerling in victory lane at Holland Speedway with the Race of Champions Modified Series earlier in the 2025 season (Photo credit: MoJo Phoots/Race of Champions)

Mechanical failures, parts issues, and bad luck incidents have plagued his efforts across multiple series.

"This September and early October have been [really bad months] for us," Emerling admitted. "We've had good speed all year; we just need some things out of our control to go our way."

Emerling was running inside the top two for the majority of the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour race at New Hampshire Motor Speedway last month when he had a car lose control in front of him and collected him in a crash not of his doing. That same week, Emerling experienced similar heartbreak in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series event at New Hampshire, where he was driving for Spire Motorsports.

Emerling had nearly broken inside the top-10, and was looking to close out what had been a decent run. Then, a tire cut down, sent him into the outside wall, and derailed his day. That's been the story of the last couple of months for Emerling.

Still, Thompson Speedway offers a shot at redemption, a track where Emerling has found speed and success, including a win from the rear of the field earlier this year in the NASCAR Whelen Modified Series event.

"I think we had a second [place finish] this year, and that was coming back from an issue," Emerling recalled. "So, I think the first race we finished second, and we were a lap down that race because we did have a loose wheel, and then we won from dead last the last [race]."

Emerling continued, "So, yeah, we're feeling pretty confident going back to Thompson, for sure."

The move to Thompson Speedway also signals a new era for the Race of Champions, bringing the traditionally New York-centric event deeper into New England modified territory. With strong local entries expected alongside ROC regulars like Emerling, Matt Hirschman, and Austin Beers, the field is shaping up to be one of the most competitive in recent memory.

"It's cool to bring the ROC front and center in New England," Emerling said. "It's a race with so much history, and winning it again, especially on this stage, would mean the world."

Additionally, Emerling feels like the move to Thompson could help ROC, which has enjoyed success in recent years, continue to expand its reach and level of field quality with a more consistent infusion of New England-based modified stars to go along with the New York-area modified stars, who frequently compete in the series.

"It's definitely a series that I want to see continue to thrive," Emerling stated.

Can Emerling join the elite list of multi-time winners of the Race of Champions, which includes NASCAR Hall of Famers Richie Evans and Ray Hendrick, as well as Geoff Bodine, the 1986 Daytona 500 winner and one of NASCAR's 75 Greatest Drivers, among several others?

Make sure to click here to become a RacingAmerica.TV subscriber, as subscribers can watch the two days of coverage from Thompson Speedway's Sunoco World Series, which will culminate with the Race of Champions 150 on Saturday, October 11.

- Photo Credit: Jonathan McCoy | Racing America