Matt Hirschman salutes the crowd at Lee USA Speedway Sunday after winning the Bullring Bash 100
LEE, N.H. – In some cosmic sense of the world of Modified racing of late, it seemed the only conclusion possible.
Over the past few years Matt Hirschman has become the dominating factor in big money Open Modified shows across New England.
Sunday marked the inaugural event for a special three event series known as the Tri-Track Open Modified Series, and not shockingly, when the big check was handed out, it was Hirschman walking away with it.
After laying back most of the event, Hirschman, of Northampton, Pa., went to the front easily late and scored victory in the Bullring Bash 100 Sunday at Lee USA Speedway in Lee, N.H.
“This is me at my best in these short track bullring open shows,” Hirschman said. “… Lately these open shows, they’re my favorites. I love the effort that goes into them. It got exciting at the end. A little crazy probably, some guys got torn up. They usually get interesting. I want to lead lap 100 not lap one and today we had no chance of leading lap one, so we’ll take 100.”
Ryan Preece of Berlin was second and Dennis Perry of Pawcatuck was third.
“I don’t have much experience here but I pay attention to what goes on and I pay attention to all racing, all the different series’, who’s winning, who does what,” Hirschman said. “I may not have a lot of on-track experience here, but I know what it takes to win these shows.”
It was the first event for the Tri-Track Open Modified Series, which will pay a points purse to competitors competing in the event at Lee, the Open Modified show at Star Speedway in Epping, N.H. on June 14 and the Open Modified show at Seekonk (Mass.) Speedway on July 23.
Hirschman started 21st in the 26-car field and rode at or near the rear of the field for most of the event. He quietly started making his move to the front over the last third of the event. He was in 10th by lap 79 and up to fifth by lap 85.
Hirschman went by Jon McKennedy for third on lap 88 and then by Richard Savary for second two laps later. After Hirschman made the move for second, Savary spun to bring out the caution.
After three attempts to restart the event, Hirschman easily went by Steve Masse for the lead and never trailed again.
“I was riding, but at one point I was dead last on the track but the leaders were going the same speed as me,” Hirshman said. “It’s just part of it. To me, I feel more comfortable, if I’m going to ride, I’ll take the safest place, which is clear of any other cars. Obviously my goal is not to battle for 18th spot, it’s a moot point. You’ve just got to wait it out. Sometimes strategy like this, it’s not always going to work. I’ve made it work in a lot of these shows and we’ve won a lot of these races.”
Preece also used a late run to get on the podium, going from fourth to second over the final five laps.
“We had a pretty good car right off the get go,” Preece said. “I talked to [Masse] before the race and asked him what we should do and that was ride so I pretty much rode around 20th up until about lap 50. We were just one adjustment away from being as good as [Hirschman]. That seems to be a normal thing in these open shows where I finish second to him. But we’ve got two more open shows we can try and see if we can beat him.”
Perry proved the biggest surprise on the podium. The Thompson Speedway SK Modified division regular came home with a mangled ride, which included getting through a bad wreck in the final corner of the event.
Coming to the checkered, with Masse and Todd Annarummo battling for third, Perry got involved and Annarrummo ended up flying over Masse’s car. Perry took the blame for the incident.
“I couldn’t avoid it,” Perry said. “I gave Todd a pretty good punt. It happened. I was right on him. I tried to dig underneath for last turn and I gave him that shot. … It was nothing intentional, it was a racing deal, but I feel terrible about it.”
Big surprise there. I predict he will win all three.
anyone know how the crowd was?