Safety-Kleen Sponsors Whelen Mod Opener

MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. – The 2017 season for the unified NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour will kick off in a big way with its March 18 event at Myrtle Beach Speedway, as the legacy of NASCAR’s top Modified drivers racing up and down the Atlantic coast continues at the historic venue.

Adding to the significance of the event, the track announced yesterday that Safety-Kleen will be the entitlement sponsor for the kickoff. The race event, which will also feature NASCAR Whelen All-American Series action, will be the Performance Plus 300 presented by Safety-Kleen.

Safety-Kleen has been an official partner of NASCAR since 2004. The Richardson, Texas based Safety-Kleen is owned by Norwell, Massachusetts based Clean Harbors, Inc., and is the Official Environmental Services Supplier of NASCAR.

The Performance Plus 150 will be the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour portion of the race event, and will be the first opportunity for fans to see the Northeast’s top modified teams compete against the South’s best under the unified tour banner. Four-time Whelen Modified Tour champion Doug Coby of Connecticut will lead a stout field that is expected to also include North Carolina’s Burt Myers, who swept the Modified division title at Bowman Gray Stadium and the final NASCAR Whelen Southern Modified Tour championships last year.

“We are excited about being able to open the season at Myrtle Beach,” said NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour director Jimmy Wilson. “The track has produced some great races over the years and is steeped in NASCAR tradition. To be able to have a company like Safety-Kleen support the tour as the sponsor for our season-opening event is a testament to the passion and following of our fans, and we look forward to an exciting event.”


The overall Performance Plus 300 will feature a total of 300 combined laps of racing between six divisions including the NASCAR Whelen Modified, as well as the NASCAR Whelen All-American Series Late Model, Charger, Mini Stock, and Super Truck divisions, as well as Vintage Cars.

“We are excited and honored to be a part of the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour and to sponsor the race at Myrtle Beach Speedway,” said Safety-Kleen President David Vergo. “Our Performance Plus lubricants are known for their high-quality, high-performance oil formulations, so the brand is a perfect fit to sponsor this outstanding inaugural event.”

For the first time the north and south NASCAR Whelen Modifieds will compete together as a unified tour, giving fans the opportunity to see the best of the best at Myrtle Beach Speedway.

“When I committed to NASCAR that we would host the season opener for the very first Whelen Modified Tour race at Myrtle Beach Speedway, I reached out to Safety-Kleen,” said Robert Lutz, president and CEO of Myrtle Beach Speedway. “I am a big supporter of green alternatives and products that can help us meet our sustainability goals and Safety-Kleen helps get us there. We were able to put a package together that was a perfect fit for Performance Plus Lubricants. I am proud to be hosting the Performance Plus 300 presented by Safety-Kleen and seeing the best Modified racers battle it out at Myrtle Beach.”