MONEY MAN: Matt Hirschman Becomes First Four-Time Winner of Seekonk Speedway’s Open Wheel Wednesday

 Posted by Wayne G. Barber    Photo by Tom Morris

By Souza Media/Kyle Souza

SEEKONK, Mass. -- When the money is on the line, Matt Hirschman is at the front of the field. 

It was true yet again on Wednesday, August 25 at Seekonk Speedway, as Hirschman started from the outside pole position, stole the lead from Brian Robie on lap one, and led all but one circuit to score the victory in the Speed51.TV Modified Madness presented by the Tri Track Open Modified Series. The winning purse for Hirschman was $10,600 -- including the $10,000 to win purse in the 16th annual event and multiple contingency awards. The victory was Hirschman’s second in the first five races of the Tri Track season, and it helped cement his chances of a sixth Tri Track title with only one race left on the season schedule.

The Open Wheel Wednesday spectacular was postponed from June 30 to August 25 due to a power outage in the area.

“This is one of less than maybe a handful of races all year that you look forward to and if you don’t get it done, you have to wait a whole calendar year to have the chance to do it again,” Hirschman said. “This is a big race, and a big win. Very relieved to hold onto that at the end.”

Hirschman may have led nearly the entire distance, and cruised for much of the 100 laps, but the final few circuits were tougher than he expected. With just a few laps to go, Hirschman looked in his rear-view mirror and saw most recent Tri Track winner Chase Dowling try to chase him down. Dowling was able to get to the bumper with five laps to go, as Hirschman went to the outside of lapped car Blake Barney. Hirschman would work the top groove on Barney all the way until the field took the white flag, while Dowling tried to find a way to the bottom three-wide. For one lap, Dowling did edge Hirschman out for the lead at the line. However, luckily for Hirschman, he was able to clear Barney just in the nick of time to grab the big check and add another win to his historic resume. Hirschman became the first four-time winner of the prestigious event after entering the race tied with Doug Coby for three wins.

Dowling settled for second, after pitting during a lap 28 caution and staying out late, while Anthony Nocella rounded out the top-three with his best finish of the season. Richard Savary charged from the back of the field to fourth, while rising star Joey Cipriano drove the Bob Horn prepared entry into the top-five. Ron Silk was sixth, followed by Robie, Doug Coby, Les Hinckley and Pro Stock standout Angelo Belsito. 

With his fourth-place finish, Savary earned the Green Construction LLC Hard Charger award, worth $500. Hirschman posted the fastest lap of the race, winning the Jerico Performance Products Fast Lap Award, adding another $300 to his total. Although the qualifying racing took place in June, Hirschman also earned $300 for his heat victory in the Pepsi Challenge, along with Ron Silk, Justin Bonsignore, Brian Robie, Doug Coby, Austin Beers and Matt Galko.

Hirschman will have a double-digit points lead with one event left on the Tri Track schedule. Unofficially, with his second-place finish, Dowling sealed the 811 Call Before You Dig Modified Challenge championship, winning a smooth $8,111 in the process. Drivers are awarded points for a top-10 finish, including 10 to win, 9 for second, etc., and the points are tallied as a combination between the four Stafford Motor Speedway Open Modified events and the six Tri Track races.

The Tri Track Open Modified Series will return to the track for the season finale on Saturday, October 23, at Seekonk Speedway for the running of the Haunted Hundred. The Pro All Star Series Super Late Models and American-Canadian Tour Late Models will also join the show.

For more information on Seekonk Speedway, visit SeekonkSpeedway.com and follow the track on social media. For more information on the Tri Track Open Modified Series, visit TriTrackModifieds.com.

RESULTS: Tri Track Open Modified Series at Seekonk Speedway; Wednesday, August 25, 2021:

1. Matt Hirschman

2. Chase Dowling

3. Anthony Nocella

4. Richard Savary

5. Joey Cipriano

6. Ron Silk

7. Brian Robie

8. Doug Coby

9. Les Hinckley

10. Angelo Belsito

11. Chris Pasteryak

12. Dylan Izzo

13. Justin Bonsignore

14. Tommy Barrett

15. Matt Swanson

16. Austin Beers

17. Russ Hersey

18. Woody Pitkat

19. Max Zachem

20. Matt Galko

21. Anthony Sesely

22. Devin O’Connell

23. Blake Barney

24. Kirk Alexander

25. Austin Kochenash

26. Ronnie Williams

Former Division Champion Ryan Waterman takes down Limited Sportsmen Victory at Thompson Speedway Motorsports Park 8-11-21

 Posted by Wayne G.Barber  File Photos by Wayne G. Barber, 

Source: Act Tour Media Press Release

Danielson, CT’s Ryan Waterman took a different course than his norm en route to the Vandi Auto Supply Limited Sportsman feature win. The man known for late-race charges instead wen to the front early, diving underneath Johnston, RI’s Jeffrey Van Pelt to take the lead four laps into the 20-lap feature.

 

As “Leadfoot” Larry Barnett battled Van Pelt for second and Brent Gleason worked on Corey Fanning for fourth, Waterman took advantage to pull off into the sunset. Moosup, CT’s Barnett eventually got the second position with four laps to go but did not have time to close the gap on the eventual winner.

 

Gleason also slid past Van Pelt in the closing stages for third. Fanning took fifth followed by Scott Sundeen, Troy Waterman, Nicholas Hovey, Charles Stott III, and Aaron Plemons.

Bowman Gray Speedway, Winston Salem, N.C.Saturday August 7, 2021

 Posted by Wayne G. Barber  Report by James Snape and Photos by Crystal Snape 

After running time trials Jason Myers turned the Bowman Gray oval with a time of 13.366 which was 6th fastest of the day, but with a redraw of the entire 27 car field Myers drew the number one card putting him on the pole with Brian Loftin starting along side.

   Coming to starter Randy Smith's green flag Myers shot out to the lead, the lead he would never relinquish for the next 100 laps. Behind him veteran Randy Butner quickly came from his third row starting spot to fall in behind Myers and follow him for the next 32 laps until caution slowed the action for a spinning Bobo Brown and James Civali in turn one.

   At the restart Butner chose the inside lane behind Myers while Burt Myers chose the outside. On the restart the two Myers brothers ran wheel to wheel for two laps before Jason prevailed on the inside. Through the next four yellow flag periods the Myers brothers ran first and second with Burt committing himself to the outside on each restart.

   That's when the head games started with Burt holding back on the start which caused two false starts. When racing did get under way Jason and Burt ran side by side again but Jason was not letting this one get away.

   Behind the two, battle was raging between Tim Brown, Butner and Bobby Labonte. By lap 70 Brandon Ward flexed his muscle picking off competitors one by one until he fell in behind Brown who could do no better than third.

   For the next 30 laps Jason, Burt, Brown and Ward pulled away from the rest of the pack with Jason streaking to his 36th career Bowman Gray victory, which tied him for tenth place on the all time winners list.

  Behind Jason's potent Ford was Burt Myers. Tim Brown was third, Brandon Ward fourth and quickest qualifier of the day Johnathan Holleman IV was fifth.

   Myers dedicated this win to his daughter.

   Myers said" Tonight I had a heck of a race car, I felt like I had the fastest car out there tonight. Sometimes when you win you dont have the fastest car, sometimes you do have the fastest car and you dont win." Myers added "I got a good draw tonight and it put me up front and I showed everybody I had the fastest car. The car has been super good the last couple of weeks." he said. "When they implemented the cone restarts it made Bowman Gray racing 100% better. It sucks for the leader but it gives everybody else a chance to race to the front. You have to base your whole strategy on restarts." he said.

            Tiger Tommy Neal led the first sportsman feature green to checkerd for his fifty first victory at Bowman Gray. The win also added to his points lead.

   Amber Lynn scored her second win of the year, but she had to do it by coming from deep in the pack. Taking over the number one spot on lap 9 she was never headed, The win was a very popular one with the Bowman Gray fans.   

Zack Robinson is now a Late Model Winner at Stafford Speedway, Conn.

 Posted by Wayne G. Barber   Track Photo

In the 30-lap Late Model feature event, Paul Arute took the early lead at the green flag with Zack Robinson taking second from John Blake on lap-2 but the caution flew before the lap was complete for a spin in turn 1 by Armand Cote, Jr. to put Robinson back in third for the lap-2 restart.

Arute took the lead on the restart with Robinson again going door to door with Blake for second place.  Robinson took the spot on lap-2 just before the caution came back out for a spin in turn 1 by Marc Curtis.

Robinson took the lead from Arute on the restart with Blake briefly making it 3-wide for the lead.  Arute settled into second with Blake third before Rick Lanagan spun in turn 4 to bring the caution back out with 3 laps complete.

Robinson charged into the lead on the restart with Arute taking second.  Blake was third in line followed by Andrew Durand in fourth and the side by side duo of Wayne Coury, Jr. and Keane for fifth.  Coury took fifth on lap-5 with Keane right behind him in sixth. 

With 10 laps complete, Robinson had pulled out to a lead of several car lengths over Arute with Durand and Blake side by side for third with Coury in fifth.  Durand took over third from Blake on lap-14 and that move allowed Coury to take fourth, Keane fifth, and Adam Gray sixth as Blake slipped back to seventh in line.  Durand made a move to get by Arute and take over second place on lap-16 while Robinson was still in command. 

Coury’s car dropped off the pace on lap-19 and he limped his way back to pit road as Gray and Keane were now side by side for third place with Arute in fifth as Robinson continued to lead.  Gray took third with Keane and Arute falling into line behind him.

Robinson held Durand off to the checkered flag to pick up his first career Late Model win at Stafford.  Gray finished third with Keane and Andrew Molleur rounding out the top-5. Source; Scott Running Media Press Release 

LATE MODEL (30)

1) Zack Robinson, Putnam

2) Andrew Durand, Chicopee, MA

3) Adam Gray, Granby, MA

4) Darrell Keane, Enfield

5) Andrew Molleur, Shelton

6) Tom Fearn, East Longmeadow, MA

7) Michael Bennett, Willington

8) Paul Arute, Northbridge, MA

9) Paul Varricchio, Jr., Berlin

10) Kevin Gambacorta, Ellington

11) Tyler Leary, Hatfield, MA

12) Trace Beyer, Stratton, VT

13) Michael Wray, Durham

14) Josh Wood, Palmer, MA

15) Rick Lanagan, Broad Brook

16) John Blake, North Haven

17) Armand Cote, Jr., Rocky Hill

18) Wayne Coury, Jr., Fairfield

19) Tom Butler, Stafford Springs

20) Marc Curtis, Brookfield, MA