MATT HIRSCHMAN BREAKS THROUGH FOR FOR FIRST CAREER NASCAR WMT VICTORY

 
WILLIAMSON, NY: Matt Hirschman reached Victory Lane for the first time in his NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour career Saturday night at Spencer Speedway when he led 79 laps and won the Mason Farms 100.

Hirschman, who won the second of two 25-lap heat races earlier in the evening, led four times throughout the 100-lap main and was the car to beat all night. After Mike Stefanik had moved through the field and took the lead on lap 89, the veteran was caught up in an accident coming out of Turn 3 and Hirschman took back a lead that he would never relinquish.

Hirschman’s first victory came in his 45th career NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour start.

Ronnie Silk was the runner-up to Hirschman in the race which marked his third top 10 finish in a row. Chuck Hossfeld, who won the first heat race, came home third, and has yet to finish outside the top five in six races this year.

Jimmy Blewett followed Hossfeld across the finish line while Stefanik wound up fifth. They were followed in the top 10 by Glen Reen, Todd Szegedy, Wade Cole, Danny Sammons and Bobby Grigas III. The finish was the best of Reen’s rookie season.

Earlier in the evening Williamson native Jan Leaty captured the Coors Light Pole Award following group qualifying, but suffered a crash on the first lap of the main and could not continue.

With six races in the books, the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour will move to Riverhead (N.Y.) Raceway for the next date on the schedule. The Miller Lite 140 will take place on Saturday, August 2.

7/12/08 Spencer Speedway Mason Farms 100 Finish:
Finish/Start/Car Number/Driver/Team/Laps Completed/Points/Money Won/Status
1. (2) #59 MATT HIRSCHMAN - NORTHAMPTON, PA: Ed Bennett Properties Chevrolet, 100, 180, $3,700/Running
2. (8) #79 Ronnie Silk: Hill Enterprises/Coors Light/Sunoco Pontiac, 100, 170, $2,200/Running
3. (1) #4 Chuck Hossfeld: Mystic Missile Dodge, 100, 165, $1,900/Running
4. (10) #19 Jimmy Blewett: TS Haulers/Major Motion Transport Chevrolet, 100, 160, $1,650/Running
5. (4) #16 Mike Stefanik: Diversified Metals/Ace Moldings Pontiac, 100, 155, $1,550/Running
6. (19) #17 Glen Reen *: Reen Orthodontics/Pep Boys Chevrolet, 100, 150, $2,050/Running
7. (23) #2 Todd Szegedy: Wisk-Snuggle Ford, 100, 146, $1,350/Running
8. (29) #33 Wade Cole: Performance Engines/Kendall Oil Chevrolet, 100, 142, $2,050/Running
9. (25) #0 Danny Sammons: Area Auto Racing News Chevrolet, 100, 138, $1,050/Running
10. (9) #09 Bobby Grigas, III: Triple-G Scaffold Services Chevrolet, 100, 134, $1,200/Running
11. (18) #11 Anthony Sesely: A-1 Auto Center Dodge, 100, 130, $1,150/Running
12. (13) #93 Rowan Pennink: Monk Mechanics Hand Cleaner Chevrolet, 100, 127, $1,025/Running
13. (24) #8 Glenn Tyler: Sypher Const./Twin Forks Chevrolet, 100, 124, $925/Running
14. (22) #05 Joe Hartmann: WMS Const./Charlie's Collision Chevrolet, 100, 121, $875/Running
15. (30) #9 Jake Marosz: Middlesex Auto Center Chevrolet, 100, 118, $630/Running
16. (17) #10 Ed Flemke, Jr.: Ron Bouchard Auto/Premier Kitchens Chevrolet, 100, 115, $800/Running
17. (3) #46 Eric Beers: Reynold's Auto Wrecking Chevrolet, 99, 112, $775/Running
18. (28) #12 Ken Heagy: Buoy One Seafood/TS Haulers Ford, 99, 109, $725/Running
19. (6) #36 Ted Christopher: Al-Lee Installations Chevrolet, 90, 106, $700/Suspension
20. (27) #66 Bill Hebing: Monroe Extinguisher/Kennedy-Schum Chevrolet, 89, 103, $475/Accident
21. (21) #99 Jamie Tomaino: J Co./Clean-Up Supply Chevrolet, 89, 100, $425/Running
22. (26) #32 Tom Abele, Jr. *: Synergyn/Crystal Auto Body Chevrolet, 83, 97, $600/Running
23. (15) #21 Richard Savary: Superior Oil/Pine Hill Service Chevrolet, 67, 94, $575/Steering
24. (31) #45 Erick Rudolph *: Original Pizza Logs/Prime Tyme Chevrolet, 63, 91, $325 Clutch
25. (12) #3 Ryan Preece: Mizzy Const./F.J. Hubeny Chevrolet, 62, 88, $500/Accident
26. (20) #28 James Civali: Ramar-Hall/Civali Auto/Genesis Chevrolet, 61, 85, $500/Running
27. (7) #58 Kevin Goodale: Riverhead Building Supply Chevrolet, 36, 82, $500/Accident
28. (16) #47 Jim Storace: Harry's Fuel/TRC Race Components Pontiac, 24, 79, $300/Accident
29. (11) #25 Mike Leaty: U.S. Army Chevrolet, 14, 76, $300/Accident
30. (14) #48 Buck Catalano: Hunter's Hope Chevrolet, 12, 73, $300/Accident
31. (5) #6 Jan Leaty: Pace Electronics/Heluva Good Foods Pontiac, 0, 70, $900/Accident

Fastest Qualifier: Jan Leaty, Time: 19.098 Seconds, Speed: 94.251 MPH
Heat 1 Winner: Chuck Hossfeld, #4 Mystic Missile Dodge
Heat 2 Winner: Matt Hirschman, #59 Ed Bennett Properties Chevrolet
Time of Race: 1 hrs., 6 mins, 7 secs Average Speed: 45.374 mph Margin of Victory: 0.782 Seconds
COORS LIGHT POLE AWARD: Jan Leaty, #6 Pace Electronics/Heluva Good Foods Pontiac
FEATHERLITE MOST IMPROVED DRIVER AWARD: Glen Reen *, #17 Reen Orthodontics/Pep Boys Chevrolet
POWERADE POWER MOVE OF THE RACE AWARD: Wade Cole, #33 Performance Engines/Kendall Oil Chevrolet
SUNOCO ROOKIE OF THE RACE AWARD: Glen Reen *, #17 Reen Orthodontics/Pep Boys Chevrolet
WHELEN WINNER OF THE RACE AWARD: Matt Hirschman, #59 Ed Bennett Properties Chevrolet
Caution Flags: Laps 2-6; 9-11; 13-17; 26-31; 36-39; 58-61; 66-69; 86-88; 90-95. 9 for 40 laps.
Lap Leaders: Chuck Hossfeld 1-18, Matt Hirschman 19-39, Chuck Hossfeld 40, Matt Hirschman 41-59, Chuck Hossfeld 60, Matt Hirschman 61-88, Mike Stefanik 89, Matt Hirschman 90-100.
Total Laps Led: Matt Hirschman 79, Chuck Hossfeld 20, Mike Stefanik 1. 7 changes involving 3 drivers.

Top 10 Driver Points after Spencer event:
1. Chuck Hossfeld #4 - 1020
2. Ted Christopher #36 - 925
3. Todd Szegedy #2 - 896
4. Matt Hirschman #59 - 823
5. Eric Beers #46 - 797
6. Mike Stefanik #16 - 789
7. Ed Flemke, Jr. #10 - 777
8. Rowan Pennink #93 - 766
9. Ronnie Silk #79 - 751
10. Ryan Preece #3 - 692

Next Race: Miller Lite 140 - Riverhead Raceway: August 2

* Denotes Rookie of the Year Contender

 

Source: Jason Cunningham/NASCAR PR
Additions and corrections: Mark Southcott/NYRaceZone.com
Posted: July 13, 2008