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Mother Nature blessed the Modified racing community with a beautiful weekend
and fans and racers alike made the best of a chance to remember one of the
strongest supporters of the division with the running of the “Josh Jenkins
Memorial 125”, the feature race of the 1st Annual “Frost Bite Modified
Winter Nationals” at Orange County Speedway in Rougemont, NC. Jenkins passed
away in 2007.
Northampton, PA’s Matt Hirschman was the big winner besting
Norwalk, CT’s Ronnie Silk to take the win in the Modified feature but not
before fans enjoyed some very good racing.
Friday qualifying saw Silk earn the DMC Auto Exchange with a lap at
13.190 seconds on the fast 3/8 mile OCS asphalt. Hirschman earned the number
two spot ahead of Charlie Pasteryak, George Brunnhoelzl, III and Burt Myers.
Jimmy Zacharias, Josh Nichols, Jason Myers, Danny Bohn and Tony Hanbury
rounded out the top ten. Twenty-one cars were on hand to take time but the
cars of Dean Ward and Gary Young, Jr. had engine problems on Friday
afternoon and Darryl Lacks Chevy expired on Saturday morning. The “Bear”
made his ASA/SMRT debut on Saturday Morning with Centerville, NY pilot J.R.
Bertuccio at the wheel of the familiar #14 Dodge powered Modified.
After Pedal car races for the kids decided the starting order the
top eight starters were, Silk, Hirschman, Pasteryak, Jason Myers, Burt
Myers, Zacharias, Brunnhoelzl, III and Nichols.
On the break, Silk jumped to the front of the pack with Hirschman
and Pasteryak close behind and the rest of the field settling in behind the
Myers brothers who in the early stages seemed to be in the tire control
mode. After a few laps the car on the move was Brunnhoelzl, III as he made
his way to fourth bringing Nichols, Zacharias and Foley along for the ride.
A one-car spin on lap 29 brought out the first caution flag that saw
Bertuccio hit pit road for adjustments. All cars were required to make a
mandatory stop between lap 30 and 110 and Bertuccio and Rickey Knapp, Jr.
were the only early takers on pit road.
As the field settled in on the restart, Silk remained at the point
with the regulars close behind and Brunnhoelzl, III on the move. George
moved up to the second spot before contact between Silk and Darrell Krentz
brought out caution flag number two on lap 60. That incident caught up the
cars of Brunnhoelzl, III and Tony Hanbury who was fighting to remain on the
lead lap. Both were able to make repairs under the caution period that
opened pit road for the mandatory pit stop and tire changes for most of the
leaders.
That left Jimmy Zacharias, Burt Myers, who was playing his
North-South Shootout winning strategy of late-pitting, and Scott Rigney at
the point for the restart. Zacharias led several laps and after a few tense
laps, Silk, Hirschman and Pasteryak made their way past Myers who was
fighting a loose race car and hoping for that late race caution that didn’t
fall until he went a lap down on lap 83. The car on the move again was the
#28 of Brunnhoelzl, III who was making his way from the rear of the pack
following his lap 60 misfortune. Only one more caution period would slow the
pace but that set the stage for a exciting finish as Hirschman who managed
his tires an little better than Silk, began to pressure the Hillbilly Racing
/ Coors Light Modified finally making the pass for the lead with only nine
laps remaining. Hirschman held off Silk who gave it one more try with five
to go, for the win. Pasteryak finished third ahead of Brunnhoelzl, III who
charged past Bertuccio for fourth at the finish. Jay Foley finished sixth
ahead of Danny Bohn, Zacharias, Rigney and Nichols. Burt Myers, Hanbury,
Jason Myers, Rob Schultz, Greg Butcher, Krentz, Knapp and Barry Dalton
completed the rundown.
Bertuccio earned the Pro Fabrication bonus for his fifth place
finish. Pro Fabrication, located in Concord, NC, builds custom headers and
exhaust systems.
The next event on the American Speed Association (ASA) sanctioned
Southern Modified Race Tour is set for May 9th at Franklin County Speedway
in Callaway, VA.
FINISHING ORDER
"JOSH JENKINS MEMORIAL 125"
Fin. / Start Pos. / Driver / Hometown /
Laps / Purse
1. 2 Matt Hirschman Northampton,
PA 125 $2,600.00
2. 1 Ronnie Silk Norwalk, CT 125
$2,100.00
3. 3 Charlie Pasteryak Lisbon, CT.
125 $1,600.00
4. 7 George Brunnhoelzl, III
Mooresville, NC 125
$1,350.00
5. 15 J.R. Bertiuccio Center Reach, NY 125 $1,400.00
6. 11 Jay Foley Stuart, VA 125 $1,150.00
7. 9 Danny Bohn Rockwell, NC 125 $1,050.00
8. 6 Jimmy Zacharias Candor, NY 125 $990.00
9. 12 Scott Rigney Mt. Airy, NC 125 $890.00
10. 8 Josh Nichols Cleveland, NC 124 $850.00
11. 5 Burt Myers Walnut Cove, NC 124 $825.00
12. 10 Tony Hanbury Owego, NY 124 $800.00
13. 4 Jason Myers Walnut Cove, NC 124 $785.00
14. 14 Rob Schultz Wayside, NJ 121 $760.00
15. 16 Greg Butcher Mocksville, NC 120 $745.00
16. 13 Darrell Krentz Huntersville, NC 120 $730.00
17. 17 Rickey Knapp Mooresville, NC 40 $720.00
18. 18 Barry Dalton Danville, VA 1 $710.00
DNS Darryl Lacks Goode, VA Engine
DNS Dean Ward Winston-Salem, NC Engine
DNS Gary Young, Jr. Burlington, NC Engine
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