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MATT
HIRSCHMAN WINS 'HAUNTED HUNDRED' RACE AT SEEKONK SPEEDWAY
‘Big Money Matt’ Continues to Live up to His Name
by Denise DuPont |
 Closing
out their Tri-Track Open Modified Series (TTOMS)
season, teams headed to Seekonk Speedway for the
‘Haunted Hundred’. With unseasonably warm weather
fans packed the grandstands and thirty-eight
modified teams came to race. In the end only
twenty-six qualifiers took the green and the other
twelve teams sat on the sidelines.
 Coming
into the last race, Matt Hirschman of Northampton,
PA had already sealed the deal on the 2017 TTOMS
Championship by winning three of 2017 series races.
The unbeatable Hirschman had a bounty challenge set
on him for the last race -- any driver that beat
Hirschman at Seekonk would receive a $1,500 bonus.
In the end though, Hirschman was not dethroned from
his string of luck. He made it four for four
wrapping up the series, unbeatable. He took home the
bounty money along with the winning purse for his
‘Haunted Hundred’ win.
It cannot be said that racers did not try to end
their season with a win. Russ Hersey from Swanzey,
NH passed for the top position on lap 29. He
remained race leader until a tap from behind caused
him to spin on a lap 90 restart. When the green flag
had been thrown, drivers charged forward for the ten
lap shootout. Going into turn three Anthony Nocella
of Woburn, MA was pushed into Hersey from the
momentum of the cars behind him. Hersey had to go to
the rear because of the spin while other drivers
maintained their position.
Hirschman now inherited the lead with ten to go.
Nocella had a strong car and he was not letting
Hirschman out of his sight on the last restart. He
was right on Hirschman’s rear bumper from the green.
On lap 97, he went to the inside taking over the
lead on lap 98. With one to go Hirschman used a
cross over move to get inside Nocella. The two made
slight contact, righted themselves and charged
forward to race end. So there was a swapping of
position and hard racing between the two leaders but
in the end Hirschman held off Nocella to take the
checkers and his fourth TTOMS victory.
The last ten laps were wild and fans were on their
feet to watch the action. “It was a show for the
fans – you got their money’s worth today.” Stated
Hirschman in victory lane. “We appreciate your
coming. I was not too sure how the turn out would be
here today but fans supported us (the series) and we
had great weather. We thank you for your support.”
Coming into the series last race of the season,
Hirschman had a bounty price tag on him. That
coupled with a hefty purse and great weather all
laid out a perfect storm for race day. With a lot of
money on the line, the racing was going to be
competitive “You kind of had a feeling coming into
this with the ‘Bounty’ and the money up for grabs,
at the end it was going to get a little rough. And
it did,” confessed Hirschman. “We are just fortunate
that when lanes swapped out (Lap 90 restart Hersey
selected the top and then switched to the bottom
before the green) we were able to come back and take
the lead. It was a pretty crazy, wild finish.”
 “I
knew Nocella was good because I was pretty sure that
he had pitted. I really thought he was at top row
speed on the restart and I was still in second.”
Conceded Hirschman. “I knew the door was open for
him. That was the turning point of the race. I
really did not think that we were going to win the
race. I thought that the #88 or #92 was going to
win. Then the way that it worked out #88 was out of
the picture and that was the turning point of the
race. Those lap two laps – it does not get any
better than that. “
Nocella started the race sixth and was collected up
in an incident that brought him back close to the
rear of the field. Regrouping and with a fast car
under him, Nocella started his way through the
field. By lap 70, He was in the top five and
charging forward. On lap 90 he was behind Hersey for
third on the restart. Then he was outside Hirschman
for the lap 90 final restart.
“I knew that it was going to be tough down to the
end there. Our right rear was going away.” Stated
Nocella. “We got turned around earlier in the race.
I had to work my way through and I used up the
tires. I knew if I had a good start on that last
restart I had a shot at it. The top is not the
greatest place to be. We jumped at the line and we
slid up to the top of the track once. I figured with
two to go I only had one shot to beat him. He
(Hirschman) left the bottom open and I sailed it in
and then I was up to his door in two. He got
sideways and I moved him up. I did what I had to do
and I did not want to spin him. He then he did what
he had to do and I was up in the second groove
again.” So it ended up a battle of strategy and
equipment.
“With two to go, I got sideways on the track and he
brought me up.” Nocella said about Hirschman’s
winning move. “I would not have expected anything
less from him. I did it to him and he had an
opportunity to do it to me. He did what he had to
do. It is all hard racing.”
 Rowan
Pennink of Huntingdon Valley, PA was consistent in
practice and won the third heat race. The redraw for
the top eight positions found him fourth for race
start. He was involved in a caution on lap 17. He
pitted, regrouped and finished the 100 laps feature
third.
“We had a real good car out there,” exclaimed
Pennink after the race. “The #25 team put another
stellar car underneath me for this race. It was good
in practice and we won out heat. We were definitely
a factor in the race.”
Watching all the action unfold in front of him,
Pennink stayed out of trouble and earned himself
that podium finish. “We were a little short for
running in the battle for the lead with the 60 and
92. I want to thank everyone for coming out and
supporting Seekonk and the Tri-Track series. I also
have to thank all the guys on the #25 team for an
awesome season.”
Richard Savary and Les Hinckley rounded off the top
five. Steve Masse, Andrew Krause, Keith Rocco, Ron
Trees and Chris Pasteryak completed the top ten
finishers.
So the Tri-track Open Modified Series season ended
with excitement and left fans with a thirst for more
next season. We now will sit back and watch and wait
for what the 2018 race season will bring.
Matt Hirschman Captures TTOMS 2017 Championship
Title
Hirschman had a perfect TTOMS season that he can now
brag about. Winning all four races and capturing the
championship, he was the man to beat all year. He
always has been known as “Big Money Matt” and this
season he lived up to the name.
“It has been a great season and to have it already
wrapped up the championship is great. The only way
that it could have happened was to win all three. It
was good to get it done at the last race. ”
Hirschman had said pre-race.” Today we are starting
mid-pack and we are here to try to win. Some of the
other (wins) came a little easier because we drew
better and today we did not draw good. We are going
to see how good we can do from here.” Hirschman was
in fourteenth when the initial green flag flew and
used his crafty style to slowly crack into the top
five by lap 40. From there it was his race to go
forward and win.
Post-race with another win and the championship
under his belt, Hirschman was all smiles. “If I had
not had a top finish or to have wrecked the car I
really would have been disappointed. “ Hirschman
admitted. “Nocella and I both extended ourselves at
the end with the money on the line. One of us could
have been taken out. We both knew what we were in
position for and it worked out in our favor. It has
been an incredible season. I really thought we
should have won two out of the four (races). Three
maybe. The way this one worked out today –I did not
think we were the favorite to win in those closing
laps. This year we had a lot of breaks and things
went my way. We will see what we can do next year. I
know we are looking forward to Open Wheel Wednesday
it is always one of the best shows of the year.”
Race Notes From Seekonk Speedway:
What were your thoughts on the bounty?
Matt Hirschman
“I think that it was a good promotion and it seems
like it got a lot of attention. There is a lot of
people here and they have been coming by to the
hauler. Also when I was sitting in the grandstand
more people we acknowledging me. I hope that it
(bounty) does not change the race. If we do not win
and somebody else does it fairly it puts more money
in the racers pocket and I kind of like that. I am
all about giving more money to the racers.”
Summarizing the race end and the results.
Anthony Nocella
“You cannot expect anything different with this much
money on the line. He (Hirschman) had already won
three out of four races. I gave it a shot and then
he got by. He is the one that you are going to get
beat by especially in these races. He is one of the
best. We talked about it afterwards. I congratulated
him and we joked a little bit about the race. I used
him up first and he used me up the second time. It
was a great season for us.”
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Source:
Denise DuPont / TheChromeHorn.com
Posted:
October 28, 2017 |
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