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MATT
HIRSCHMAN WINS "RICHIE EVANS MEMORIAL 100" RACE
Hirschman Finally Seals The Deal!
by Denise DuPont |
With
a compressed race week the tour type modifieds had
two good shoot out races and two longer feature
events. JR Bertuccio started the week off winning a
50 lap race. The next night, Tyler Rypkema won his
first race at New Smyrna Speedway in a 35 lap short
track shootout style race. Ryan Preece then captured
the tenth annual John Blewett III 76 Memorial race
on Wednesday night. Matt Hirschman finally broke his
second place streak and won Friday night’s 100 lap
Richie Evans Memorial 100.
The
coveted race for the World Series of Asphalt Stock
car Racing has been a 100 lap feature event that
ends the modifieds race week. Over the years several
different drivers have taken some the trophy and
prestige rights to say that they have won the
“Richie Evans Memorial 100” feature race. Among
these are Jimmy Spencer, Tony Jankowiak, Tom
Baldwin, Mike Ewanitsko, Rick Fuller, Steve Park,
Jamie Tomaino, John Blewett III and Ryan Preece.
Tonight’s winner, Matt Hirschman, added his name to
the impressive list.
Matt Hirschman of Northampton, PA. was second
fastest in qualifying and started the race sixth. He
quickly made his move and was in the lead by lap 20.
Hirschman briefly led until Ron Silk from Norwalk,
CT. went by him for the top spot. On lap 44, the
yellow flag flew for a modified spinning jus at the
entrance to pit road in turn four (Jimmy Blewett).
All but five drivers pitted for tires and
adjustments. Jon McKennedy of Chelmsford, MA was the
first car out followed by JR Bertuccio and then
Silk. Hirschman returned to the field almost
mid-pack. By the Half-way marker, Hirschman was in
fourth while Silk led the field followed in second
by McKennedy. From lap 70 onward it was the Silk-
Hirschman show as they ran lap after lap competing
for the top position.
A
lap 84 late race caution gave Hirschman a chance to
go under Silk in turn two. As they rounded the
corner, Hirschman road Silk up high and secured the
lead. “I have been fighting from behind all the time
trying to make the pass. I have never being the one
leading and trying to hold somebody off. It has been
hard to do and everybody has been protecting. A lot
of guys took from me all week and hardly gave a
little. That is not how I like to race if I did move
him (Ron Silk) up a little there, we did it.”
Hirschman confessed at the end of the race. There
was no contact between Silk and him but bringing
Silk up high on the track stopped his forward
momentum enough to give Hirschman the lead.
From there it was Hirschman’s race to win. He held
off Silk for the final laps and took home his first
2017 race win.
So with race week winding down for the modifieds,
Matt Hirschman was finally able to zero in on a
victory at New Smyrna Speedway. “We worked hard for
it all week. My crew worked really hard. This could
have been multiple wins this week but things just
did not work out, “exclaimed Hirschman. “But finally
tonight we closed the deal. My guys worked hard all
week and I am glad that we finished the week with a
win and especially with the biggest win of the week
here.”
Silk once again dominated the modified race but the
end was not what he planned. On the last restart
Hirschman passed Silk for the lead and he dropped to
second for a runner up finish. “Matt had a good car.
I started to get a little free at the end. The car
was not terrible but he was just a little better,”
stated Silk about his run. “We drove down into turn
one real hard and he kind of got my right sides high
up into the marbles. And it was easy pickings from
there. Congratulations to them, they did a great
job. I would like to that my car owner, Danny Watts,
my crew that worked hard all week and Brad
Lafontaine. The car was not good when we unloaded
and Brad did a lot of work the last two nights and
we made a lot of gains. We will take the positives
out of here and roll on.”
Jon
McKennedy was in the top five all night long. He
made it up to second but he was never able to get to
the front spot. Being there all week long, McKennedy
wanted just one win under his belt to start off the
2017 race year.
“I am just a little disappointed. All week we had
just a great car and we were a serious contender.
All practices, qualifying and race runs we were a
top five car every single night. We were unable to
get that win. We had top fives and threes but no
wins. That is just disappointing not to get that
win. It was a good effort on everyone’s end. They
knew we were here and they knew we ran up front all
week.” And with the new Race work’s Chassis Exit
Realty modified McKennedy definitely made his
presence on the track known.
Every night McKennedy was racing with the leader but
was just a little shy of the lead. “Come night time
is seemed like we were a little too loose every
night and we could not get it tightened up so we
will move on,” McKennedy said about his car. “When
you race with the group of guys that we have down
here you pretty much have to be spot on. It was
close to the toughest competition that this track
has seen in a decade. There were eight or ten cars
that could have won on any night. Like I said it was
a great effort by everyone. I want to thank my crew
and sponsors.’
So as another race week in Florida ends, race teams
are packing their haulers and will make the ride
home to prepare for the 2017 race season. Teams may
all head in their own direction but for one week
they were all united as race week competitors. See
you at the track!
Notes from New Smyrna Speedway:
Matt Hirschman received the "Going the distance
Award" in Honor of Kathy and Keith Goodale, a bonus
to the highest finishing car that also raced at
Bronson Speedway last Saturday night. Ann and Chris
Young from Bronson Speedway were at New Smyrna to
present the award for the Goodale family.
Matt Hirschman was the top finishing driver Saturday
night so he was given the "Going the distance
Award”.
Ann Young
“Matt congratulations on your win tonight. I want to
thank you for going to Bronson Speedway and
supporting our racing. Hopefully you will be back
next year. This is a special award from the Goodale
family. The award is being given to you for the
distance you went tonight. Thank you for going the
distance.” “I want to invite all the modified
drivers to Bronson Speedway next year. We will have
the modified race there again in 2018.”
Matt Hirschman
“Thank you. Bronson Speedway did a lot of nice
things to try to bring modifieds to Florida at
Bronson last Saturday. It was not the end result we
want at the Bronson race. But it was a good show and
a fun little track. Everyone should check it out.”
“I appreciate this award from the Goodale family and
it makes it a little more rewarding that we made the
trip.”
Would have done anything different this week?
Matt Hirschman
“Hindsight is 20-20. I wish that I could do some
things over again this week and we would have
multiple wins. We came here and the main objective
was a learning experience. This is a new team with a
relatively new car and we needed to learn and we
did. We had a fast car and finally we closed the
deal with a win tonight.”
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Race 4 - Richie Evans Memorial 100 Finish:
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1. Matt Hirschman
60
2. Ron Silk 82
3. Jon McKennedy 29
4. Ryan Preece 6
5. Justin Bonsignore 51
6. Timmy Solomito 16
7. Chuck Hossfeld 22
8. Spencer Davis 82x
9. JR Bertuccio 2
10. Richie Pallai 17
11. Tommy Catalano 54
12. Ricky Moxley 33
13. Matt Montineri 71M
14. Tyler Rypkema 32
15. Calvin Carroll 40
16. Paul Hartwig, Jr. 73
17. Jimmy Zacharias 23D
18. Amy Catalano 64
19. Shawn Balluzzo 70G
20. Jimmy Blewett 45
21. Matt Gallo 6x
22. Jeremy Gerstner 70
23. DJ Wagner 39
24. Al Ermmarino 2x
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Source:
Denise DuPont / TheChromeHorn.com
Posted:
February 24, 2017 |
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