RPW Exclusive: Austin Beers still soaking up NASCAR Modified Championship as Youngest NASCAR Whelen Modified Champion

RPW Exclusive Column By: Stephen Durham / RPW – SEEKONK, MA  –

In 2021, KLM Motorsports and then 18-year-old Austin Beers teamed up to race a few races on the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour. They raced full-time in 2022 on the NASCAR modified tour, and then in 2023 they picked up their first win together at Richmond Raceway. Now, in 2025 Austin Beers, the 22 year-old out of Northampton, Pennsylvania, became the youngest NASCAR Whelen Modified Champion, at Martinsville Speedway last Thursday with the KLM Motorsports team. Beers never thought this chance would come, but he is now a NASCAR modified champion.

“I didn’t really think I’d have an opportunity to run a Whelen Modified tour car, you know, six, seven years ago. And, here I am now the champion. So anybody can do it. You know, I feel like I took my time. I’m the youngest, but I feel like I took my time to get here.”

Just two days before the final race of the 2025 season for the Monaco Modified Tri-Track Series, Austin Beers became the youngest NASCAR Whelen Modified Champion at Martinsville Speedway. For Beers, even 48 hours later, it fully hadn’t settled in that he is a NASCAR Whelen Modified champion.

“It hasn’t really sunk in yet, honestly, just of what we did. Obviously coming here at Seekonk, focused on this now, but, just a lot of long nights, a lot of traveling to get to this point and just really excited for not only me, but for Murph and that whole KLM Motorsports team that, you know, they put their trust in me these past four years to, you know, do the job and they give me a great race car and everything we need.”

For Austin Beers, it felt even more special to earn this NASCAR Whelen championship for Mike Murphy and the KLM motorsports team after Murphy has battled health issues.

“It just means a lot for me to get it for Murph, especially with him having his health problems in 2024 and really since 2020 pretty much and not coming to the racetrack, but now he’s been back with us every race this year. So just to get this championship for not only me, but him, it means a lot.”

For the 22 year old, he has slowly built his name across open-wheel modified racing, and is beginning to peak with a team where they have elevated each other to new levels over the past few years.  

“It started with just building that relationship with Sly and Ron and the whole KLM team, and I think, we’ve all steadily improved and gotten better over time,” Beers explains “you know, the more races we ran together just got more comfortable and more trust we got in each other. So it just means a lot that, we came in, got them their first win, and now their first championship.”

Since Beers won the NASCAR Whelen Modified championship last Thursday, beating out defending and multi-champion Justin Bonsignore, he’s had a few notable names congratulating him, including NASCAR Hall of Famer Dale Earnhardt Jr., who he plays NCAA football with. 

“It was cool to have Preece texting me and Dale Jr. shared a picture on his Instagram, so that was pretty special. You know, I kind of consider him a friend as weird as that sounds now. We play college football and stuff in some leagues together,” Beers says “TJ Majors gave me kind of a congratulations. You know, for him, it’s a lot to congratulate someone. So, yeah, it’s just pretty cool. You don’t expect them to be watching, but they are and they congratulate me and that means a lot to me that they’re watching not only me, but our series and that’s big for us.”

For those that regularly see Austin Beers at a racetrack, before or after the races you will see him traveling with his bags, off to another race or for the long trek home back to Pennslyvania. The Northampton, Pennsylvania native is always likely to be found within the modified field. He could be found racing with the Monaco Modified Tri-Track Series, ROC Modifieds, the NASCAR Whelen Modifieds, and other series. 

“Something I took from Ryan Preece, if you can get in, where you’re not bringing money and you find a ride that’s stable and you can elevate it, as long as you get there and you’re providing results, you’ll stay there and that’s where you need to be,” Beers explains “I was able to break through to do that, and anybody can do it.”

As a young 22 year-old, Beers has been able to build confidence in himself, while also gaining respect at the track across the several series from all his competitors, providing opportunity for more seat time. 

“Getting the respect from competitors and, you know, other team owners. And that’s allowed me to get into these rides that I have now. And yeah, it’s just a steady climb that we had. But, you know, like I said, anybody can do it. You just got to put the work in and, you know, that’s pretty much it.” 

For Austin Beers, the 2025 NASCAR Whelen Modified champion, he is especially thankful for his family. 

“They sacrificed a lot you know, a lot of long drives and nights, a lot of weekends where we’re not home. You know, we raced 50 something times this year,  we’re never home on the weekends to do anything else, really,” Beers explains,” so, I got to thank my mom especially, she likes to camp and she didn’t get much camping this year,  and just obviously thanks to KLM Motorsports, all of our partners, everybody involved with the team.” 

Austin Beers would go on to finish 6th with the Monaco Modified Tri-Track Series, and finish 5th overall in the championship standings.