Matt Hirschman celebrates victory in the Whelen Modified Tour Toyota Mod Classic 150 Saturday Oswego (N.Y) Speedway (Photo: Fran Lawlor/RaceDayCT)
At the Steel Palace it was Matt Hirschman showing nerves of steel for the late dramatics Saturday in Oswego, N.Y.
Hirschman clung to the lead through three green-white-checkered attempts at a finish and finally took home the checkered in the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour Toyota Mod Classic 150 Saturday at Oswego Speedway.
It was the third career Whelen Modified Tour victory for Hirschman, of Northampton, Pa. and his first since Oct. 5, 2008 at Chemung (N.Y.) Speedrome. Hirschman’s only other Whelen Modified Tour career victory came on July 12, 2008 at Spencer Speedway in Williamson, N.Y.
“It’s been a long time for me, but for this PeeDee Motorsports team, it hasn’t been, it’s been a short amount of time,” Hirschman said. “We’ve been knocking on the door for two years together to get a win, and it finally came together tonight. No better place for it to come than right here at Oswego. I always have said this was my favorite track. I love coming here.”
Outside of 2011 and 2014, Hirschman has run part-time on the Whelen Modified Tour since 2009. Hirschman was making his fourth series start of the season on Saturday.
Series points leader Justin Bonsignore of Holtsville, N.Y. was second and five-time and reigning series champion Doug Coby of Milford was third.
Woody Pitkat of Stafford and Eric Goodale of Riverhead, N.Y. rounded out the top-five respectively.
Hirschman passed Bonsignore for the lead on a lap 120 restart and never trailed again.
There was a scary moment late in the event when on lap 147 the car of Ryan Preece, running near fifth, climbed the wall coming out of turn four and hit the main grandstand structure.
“We were trying to put a good show on,” Preece said. “Something may have broke when we made contact earlier on. But there was no indication coming out of turn four that there was anything wrong. We have a real beat up car.”
With four races remaining this season, Bonsignore holds a 75-point lead over Chase Dowling in the standings. Timmy Solomito sits third in the standings, 103 behind Bonsignore.
Job well done matt!
What say you all you Hirshman haters ?
I’m sure there has been teams that could show up on a limited basis and win or place well consistently against top notch competition. You tell me.
Hirschman has to be one of the greatest of all time to do it consistently.
Loyalty pledge not required.
Hirchman has been running in top notch equipment since he started. He has been coached by the best, his Dad Tony. Now this is not the car that won last night at Spencer Speedway. My hats off to the guy he’s fun to watch. And when he goes somewhere the competition can figure on second for sure, he’s only planning on first. And to everyone that doesn’t like him probably don’t like busch either! At Spenser I saw te best race ive seen in years him and preece swapped the lead for a couple laps and they did it with the cross over move. Most impressive was they never touched either!!
CONGRATS to Matt & the #60 team. Scary moment for Preece, glad to see he’s ok.
Wow 10 years to get another win! Not impressed at all . It’s his backyard. Run the tour again and win nothing….. move on and it’s not huge tour boys still rule!!!!
“He can’t run the tour and be competitive..”
Runs tour, competitive, wins poles, leads laps, wins…
“He can’t win in anything other than that red car”
Wins Tour in black PeeDee car, white Horn car, black Gallaer car, Orange J&J car…
“He can’t win outside his backyard”
Name another driver who has won at more tracks up and down the east coast in the last 10 years? Guess it’s not really impressive for the guys with a million laps in SKs at Stafford and Thompson to win there either, since that’s half the Tour schedule.
The keyboard cowboys keep chirping, while the Hirshmans keep working hard and winning, just like a generation before.
Todd Patnode has had some success up north in modified races against some of the best competition. So when he came down to Stafford to run the VMRS the expectation was he’d do pretty good. He didn’t and struggled.
My point is these NWMT teams are just really good with all the experience and the best of equipment. Then Hirschman enters only a handful of races and invariably runs in front. Given the level of competition that’s really hard to do.
I don’t know how beating guys like Fuller, Baldwin, Bonsignor, Coby and whomever else doesn’t command the highest respect.
At the least it’s a break from seeing the 51 dominate.
Well said XRACER !! Matt wins 2 nights in a row in 2 different cars and these Taco Bell drive threw employees think they could do better. How come they are not racing out on the TOUR showing us how it is done….
GEE KEYBOARD cowboys and taco bell drive threw employees, nice to have a good debate with such people that have to sort to name calling to defend their boy, when is his next race at STAFFORD, THOMPSON, NHMS???????????
I am not an MH hater, the kid has a ton of talent and he can get the job done. However, why don’t we see the 60 at Thompson, Stafford, Bristol, New Hampshire, Riverhead just to name a few tracks. He seems to cherry pick where he goes and I am wondering why? No excuses, just reasons please.
Matt said in his post race interview LAST year that we “missed” the set up a little but we’ll work on it
and be better next time. Well by God…….. What he doesn’t do is worry about all the Internet “experts”
and they’re ideas on what to race when and where. GIVE IT A BREAK ALREADY..it’s getting embarrassing.
One of my favorite lines from the past on here was the idea that Oswego was just an overgrown bullring. (Was that you Doug?) LOL, Ask Ryan Preece after two wall shots last night if he thinks it’s a bullring. You can type or write or think anything you like but no one seriously thinks Oswego is nothing but one fast a** place. but wait!! MH is afraid of the “real” speed tracks…. I forgot.
SPANKED…..tour in trouble as car counts are lower and lower..
Humphry, maybe Matt just doesn’t want to be committed to schedules or any particular organization like NASCAR, and just wants to go have fun when and where he wants to. Maybe it’s his way of spending more time with his family and not worrying about point races, traceling and championships. Race when and where you want to, and don’t go when and where you don’t want to. If it works for him, don’t worry about it. It’s his choice. He’s entitled to it.
But it’s OK when the same crew comes on here and name calls and trash talks about any of Matt’s accomplishments, and when the shoe is on the other foot it’s childish? Back in the day when guys like Richie, Bodine, Flemke, Sacks used to barnstorm all over the east coast and chase money and prestige races it was the greatest thing ever, now we have a current day barnstormer doing just that and it hurts everyone’s feelings that he goes to a 1 day show at track x and spends a third of what it costs to run a Tour race, with a third of the needed help, a third of the time away from their shop business, to win the same amount of money in most cases. That same “keyboard cowboy” crew that wants Racing to get back the the old days, then complains when someone does just that? That’s the world today, some people aren’t happy unless they are unhappy-but enjoy your next race, wherever that may be.
So now Matt has won a NWMT event and everyone (well not everyone) wants him to visit all these other tracks to prove it was legit. PeeDee Motorsports is only a couple of years old and they do a very limited schedule. They are based down south and it makes sense for them. How many NWMT list their driver as their crew chief ? NONE!!! Maybe that’s one of the reason Matt does so well , he’s in complete control of his equipment & set up. It’s been my pleasure to watch Matt for the past 15 -20 years, whenever he’s at an event you know for that you’ll get your monies worth.
Well said Bob. Some people just like stirring the pot
Yes Sir, I wish I had been there ! They are two of the best !!
Maybe he puts his family first and is home being a good Dad or hubby.We don’t have the right to put people down because we have different opinions. MH can race when and where he wants !! I personally like him even though I don’t know him. I’ve been watching and following the Mods for 50 years. MH is a class act like hi Dad.
Ya Bud !!
I have a hard enough time defending what I say porcupine let alone what others say. I know nothing of Oswego. The comment you are referring to is Dareal’s June 5th when in fact it was you he got into it with.
“Crazy, Oswego is a Seekonk on steroids. Oswego might be ⅝, but it’s all left turn. Thompson is ⅝ and has two real straightaways. Oswego is a big left turn, like Seekonk. Just look at how the track rubbered in.”
I have a hard enough time defending what I say porcupine let alone what others say. I know nothing of Oswego. The comment you are referring to is Dareal’s June 5th when in fact it was you he got into it with.
“Crazy, Oswego is a Seekonk on steroids. Oswego might be ⅝, but it’s all left turn. Thompson is ⅝ and has two real straightaways. Oswego is a big left turn, like Seekonk. Just look at how the track rubbered in.”
So, everyone is complaining about car counts, yet another car enters. Matt shows up and wins. So are we complaining that an outsider won?Or just the fact it’s him? If Rocco won the MRS race Friday at Stafford would he get the same comments? Cherry picking?Probably not. Just be glad someone showed up to race! Break up the consistent 51,6,2,58 we see every race. Are all the tour disciples out there really that threatened? Personally I don’t care either way. If the race is that more interesting, even better considering the money we all spend to get through the gates.
You ask why doesn’t he race the tour. Well if I was him it cost money to get a nascar license then there’s travel costs and crew equipment that he doesn’t have to have. Yes minimal costs if you want to criticized but not max costs. Then why would he race where the compation is so tuff he’d be looking at a 4 or 5th finish and they don’t pay what the races he enters cost and he wins a minimum $1000. Ajd since hes not racing weekly he has some family time.
My bad Doug…I’m removing one quill LOL. Unlike you I don’t have a catalog of the moronic statements on this site or who says them and when. Please forgive. So…to the world that MUST have the 60 at every
CT Mod race or Loudon well don’t hold your breath…. Under his current operating plan it is what it is.
The reasons? Call him and ask him yourself. Explaining himself to the nameless faceless on a BS web log
is waaaaaay down the list of important things to worry about. Me? I’m enjoying the show here. Carry on dolts.
I’ve sponsored many modifieds over the years. First sponsored Matty after the 2008 season, when I thought he got a bum deal from the 59 Whelen Tour team. He is a class act! So happy for him and the entire 60 team on the Oswego win. But honestly, of the two races this weekend, the Spencer ROC was the one to go to!! Both him and Preece put on a show there, coming from deep in the field.
BOOOOO YAAAAAA>>>>> SOLOMITO>>>>TOLD YA SO>>>>>>>!!
I Congratulate Matt on both wins as well, he is a class act and knows how to wheel a car for sure
So to summarize the answers I got;
I should ask him myself, and your reasoning for that crazy is absurd since your alias is really your name, LOL…
More time for the family
Only attends the big money races
High cost of running a WMT race
PeeDee is based down South
Added car count when he is there so why complain
Pick races he knows he had a real good opportunity to win
Interesting. The Musket 250 is paying 25k to win not including lap money, will the kid they call Big Money be there? Could be his biggest pay day ever. Will or should I say can he live up to his reputation? I can’t wait to see!
Tour count conversations are for trolls who have an axe to grind with NASCAR or the big boy tour. The best of the best run this tour. Get a clue. Go watch the MRS. You’re a clown
You know I used to think that the weekly Pro Stock\PASS Series Pro Stock vs. ACT Late Model style debates that started happening some places over a decade ago could become ridiculous and downright nonsensical as you could get. However, that was before I saw the Tour Type Modified vs Tour Type Modified and even the specific chassis of Tour Type Modified debates that happen here.
I already asked crazy that, he said NOOO race of champions following week and his business wont allow him to be there for 50K possibly
i love waretford
kettle 9ne racong
im at a bar in nyc
i got 5000 cash
just bought a glass of milk toi
dareal iss hete too
Whoa, whoa, whoa. I’d say this rhubarb has been fairly civil. Even the folks that think Hirschman should race at more of our CT tracks support the guy. i would love to see Hirschman at a Stafford Open and think they should simply ask the guy what winners purse it will take to motivate him to come.
Trolls, really. We’re all trolls at some point.
Denigrating the VMRS is not the way to go. They have arguably as strong a stable of teams car count wise as the NWMT and the field is super competitive. Averaging the first 5 cars in the NWMT qualifying times at Oswego against the 20th thru 24th teams the speeds drop off 6%. In the VMRS at Stafford their fast lap comparison dropped off 1%. Respect those elite NWMT teams a ton but on the grass roots level the cast iron block engines and cars of the VMRS with guys from all over the Northeast are in the best spirit of modified racing.
Thanks JMB. It’s always cool to see someone criticize people that judge others by judging others himself.
Crack open a Bud Light, fire up youtube and watch the VMRS race at Stafford and relax. If Goody had a caution he may have won the race.
It’s just fans being fans. Dilly, dilly.
humphry,
After having to buy 6 sets of tires and the wear and tear on an engine after 250 laps at Loudon I wouldn’t blame Matt for not being there.
I made an unfortunate comment earlier with reference to this being a BS web log. A comment I’d just soon have not made in retrospect. I got caught up in all the “fun” here and the” intellectual” debate that follows. My failure was not separating the informative and accurate reporting done here with the
sometimes questionable reactive reactions of the some of the readers. For me that won’t happen again.
The Crazy in my handle is from the multitude of conversations I’ve had with fellow racers, crew and friends of over the years with the idea that we all are a bit crazy to do what we do. Mostly laughter and some self reflection usually follows but in the age of the Internet and the Web, where people now do what they used to yell through the fence back when, it (crazy) must mean crazy to try and have a real conversation with the yappers. I’m throwing in the towel …you Humpy and company want the truth? ( you think you’re entitled?) I CAN’T HANDLE THE TRUTH!!! . HERE IT IS
the 60 cheats …always has always will.. nobody can catch them not even might NASCAR
MH is deathly afraid of real speedways like SMS, Thomp and NH where the worlds best drivers compete on the greatest racing tour on earth. They’re skill was on display during the multiple late cautions last night at the Palace ( you know that cozy little bullring in CNY)
NH ? for the Muskett….no way….we might finish second…Couldn’t live that down .
So fans…they’re you have it. Soul laid bare. No more lies. I’m unhooking the chain so jerk it all you want. It will feel stack. You want to engage me further? Yell through the fence next time.
Crazy signing off……………….but lurking ;).
I hope you all noticed that Melissa had a top 20 at Oswego! I’ll drink to that… 🥂 🥂 🍻 🥃 🍻 🥂 🥂 Wooooooooooohooooooo!
His dad is probably the smartest guy in the garage area and yes many smart guys in the garage they also come to the track prepared every time they have a great notebook they come to the track low key and tack care of business they treat it like a business the way it should be
What a lovely group.
Glad Jeffrey and I are in NYC sipping a fine bottle of $5,000 bourbon and enjoying rare Cuban cigars. Liz, wish you were here. Best sangrias around. You folks make the city that never sleeps look so peaceful and boring.
🥃
Car counts always go down this time of the season. Especially a race like this that ¢o$t$ more than a one day show.
Yeah, how often does a driver take off to spend time with the family? LOL!!! Pretty lame excuse.
PeeDee looks likes they are based in SC. Very nice of them run anywhere.
Preece is the driver and crew chief. MH is not the only one to drive and crew chief.
🇺🇸 🇺🇸 🇺🇸 🇺🇸
Yes, top 20 and only 18 laps down! Not bad, every 9.16 laps she got lapped by the leader.
MH runs a Troyer, right?
Good to see we can divide. Maybe next we can learn how to properly round off… I’ll add that to the list of things DeReal Man of Genius can eventually teach you all.
Ok it is time for everyone to calm down and have some Disaronno 🥃 and a biscotti…
dateal i would like to say every monent i spend with you is special
i must say im glad i get to expense our diner. total bill amount 1400$$$
all good thougj
thanks for THE company
he runs a tech frame
this is new stuff that i am going into business with
better than lfr and troyer
hey dareal i hope people understand the piwer i have. finacily and mentally
Liz, I can and do teach, but I can’t make them understand.
So glad to see MH is a real family guy that runs only a couple events so he can spend more time with the family. But I wonder what that says about all the other drivers, crews, and teams that run more races and even full seasons. That must make those people look like they are doing everything they can to get away from their families, and are woefully negligent. How many years did Tony Hirschman run full time? I’m amazed that all sports aren’t made up of part-time players, and part-time teams so they can all spend more time with their families and not be so selfish and negligent. Come to think of it, we should all not work anymore so we can stay home and spend more time with the family.
Next up, Riverhead. A couple days on the east end will be nice.
Boy, allot of Hirshman haters. The guy enters a tour race and spanks the regulars. I’d say that’s an accomplishment, even if it is in his back yard. A small, young team beats the high dollar regulars, and everyone loses their minds. Don’t get it. CONGRATS to Matt, and the #60 team, JOB WELL DONE!
wmass01013 said: “I already asked crazy that, he said NOOO race of champions following week and his business wont allow him to be there for 50K possibly”. That is the following week, not the week of the way you are explaining it, so what is the issue?
Sicklajoie said: “After having to buy 6 sets of tires and the wear and tear on an engine after 250 laps at Loudon I wouldn’t blame Matt for not being there”. I thought PeeDee owned the car and they are the one making the investment, not MH.
Rob P said “Boy, allot of Hirshman haters. The guy enters a tour race and spanks the regulars. I’d say that’s an accomplishment, even if it is in his back yard. A small, young team beats the high dollar regulars, and everyone loses their minds”. How many laps does he have logged at Oswego that gave him an advantage over the WMT regulars? Come on down to Thompson, Stafford, NH or Riverhead and spank the regulars if it is as easy as you are making it sound.
Maybe his new name should be Big Money with shades of grey. Again, not an MH hater, the kid can wheel a modified and he did a great job Saturday night.
I, too, don’t understand the bashing of MH. I don’t see him putting the WMT regulars down, I don’t hear him proclaiming to be the Almighty, I don’t see him wrecking people regularly. I see a driver and the teams he drives for show up and perform, in a respectful manner, when and where they want. How does this harm anyone? If where and when he races bothers some as much as it does; they need more important things to worry about. Seriously.
I don’t wan’t to get in the middle of “The Great Hirschman Debate”, but to me when a very part time WMT team can come in and win an event, I find that to be very impressive. With a number of full time teams that are capable of winning but haven’t in a while, the #60’s performance is all the more impressive. Congrats to Hirschman and PeeDee Motorsports! Maybe another WMT race or two is financially possible for them.
Rob p., I wouldn’t say haters, just don’t worship the same god, or gods, or any god at all.
The record shows that MH just isn’t as wonderful as a few would like everyone else to believe. But then, he’s effectively a part-timer, being a staunch family-man and all.
That PeeDee is a young team is not any excuse at all. Oswego is a hometrack for MH, he better run well there. Just like the Riverhead boys dominate at Riverhead.
That’s the “joy” of the social media era. Like I said in another post, years ago you would have a guy like Richie or Flemke show up at a strange place, beat the regulars, and everyone thought it was great because he put on a good show. It wasn’t “ He beat everyone because he was cheating” or “he should have won, he has more laps than anyone here” or “why didn’t he run at track x or series x”. People were simply happy to have seen a good race, or thought it was cool that an outsider could come in and upset the regulars, or even be competitive against the regulars. Everyone thought it was awesome that guys like that would travel around, hit the big money shows, race when and where they wanted, not lock themselves into a set schedule. They were considered real racers, not just points chasers. Wasn’t it Eddie Flemke that said “you can’t eat off of points”? How many racers like that do we have today, that run all different tracks, all different series? We have one that’s been pretty darn successful at it, yet the same crew that wish Racing was more like the old days gives MH nothing but grief over it. Do these folks have a full time business like the Hirshmans that runs 7 days a week, 365 days a year? Do these guys own their own cars, foot their own bills, maintain their cars, with no full time help, mainly just a father/son team with a small core of dedicated help? Can they afford to take 3 days away from work/business to run all the races everyone wishes they would run. Can they afford to run 1 Tour race, or 3 open races for the same expense? It’s really not that difficult folks if you simply pay attention, sorry Matt does not cater his schedule to what a few of you would like to see. For the rest-glad you enjoy the show he puts on wherever and whenever he chooses to race, at least you are getting the thrill you are supposed to get from just watching a good race, no matter what track, series it may be. I wish the other select few could just go back to a simpler time, where a “wow, that was a good show, good for Matt” would suffice and get excited about their next race. But that’s asking a lot..
The funny thing is that only 2 drivers planning to run the whole entire WMT season this year(Bonsignore and Coby ) have won. However, 4 drivers running less than the full schedule(Preece, Santos, Hirschman, and Mckennedy) have won. And despite not winning, and missing 3 races before retiring, Pennink is still sitting in the top 10 in the points standings.(and it might take a race or 2 more before he drops out of the the top 10)
So what Humphrey said is it’s unfair because Hirshman has so many laps at Oswego. So if Keith Rocco were to win a tour race at Stafford, then everyone should be pissed off. I don’t see the logic. It’s plain and simple Hirshman won driving for a small underfunded team, against all the tour regulars. Who cares that he’s turned more laps there. It’s what you do on that day during that race that counts.
Rob where do you get PeeDee motorsports is a small underfunded TEAM???
Rob P, please don’t put words in my mouth. I said his experience and laps logged at Oswego put him in a better position to win than the other competitors. I would feel the same way if KR won a WMT race at Waterford, Thompson or Stafford. Let’s take it one step further, why would he not want to run a WMT race at either of the 3 tracks I mentioned with the experience he has and the laps logged at all 3. Would either one go to a track where they have little or no experience to try to win a WMT race?
It is called cherry picking weather you want to hear it or not. Any “part time driver” would obviously pick the track they have the best opportunity to win at especially with the investment involved.
Matt Hirshman has led the 3rd most laps in MWMT this season: 1) Bonsignore 484 in 12 starts 2) Preece 298 in 9 races 3) Hirshman 286 in 4 starts
Matt Hirshamn has ed 46% of the laps in entered NWMT events – Bonsigmore has led 26% of laps in events he entered
Matt Hirshman has the best average finish in NWMT this season at 2.5
Matt Hirshman has an avg start position of 1.5 in NWMT events he has entered
i just cashed a huge check…life is good.
go Trump
Rob p., knowing the track and how to set up for it and current conditions can be a huge advantage. That comes with experience at a track. Especially a track that is a big left turn. Oswego is a home track for MH and that is a huge advantage. Just like running at Riverhead is a HUGE advantage for the Riverhead boys. How often does a non-Riverhead regular win a Riverhead NWMT event? Riverhead guys dominate at Riverhead. Experience at a particular track is definitely an advantage. Look at Jimmy Blewett at Wall, he’s practically unbeatable there.
JMB, excellent observation. Again, so much for the “any of 15 cars can win on any night” slogan. And usually, the vast majority of wins goes to one or two cars. And to add to your observation, Preece has also missed three races, had too many mechanical failures and DNFs, and is in 13th place. Look at who is ahead of him, and the small points gap, and just a couple good finishes puts him back in the top 10.
Last time I checked, there was no rule in the NWMT rulebook, that said you must run every race. Nor was there a rule that you couldn’t run at a track you had allot of laps at. That’s the beauty of racing, at the beginning of the night everyone is equal, at the end 1 guy wins.
Dareal your picking up right where Ringling Bros.and Barnum and Bailey left off , the more you say the bigger the clown
Rich give me his stats at STAFFORD, THOMPSON, NHMS??????
So by this logic, it’s no big deal when a Coby wins at Stafford, Preece wins at Thompson, Justin wins at Riverhead, because they grew up racing at these places. Yet I don’t hear the uproar when that happens, or even when these guys have won the series championship, which they should since half the series races are in their “backyard” where they’ve got a million laps according to this logic. No one devalues those accomplishments, I don’t see anyone on here complaining about the unfair home track advantage. With every MH win, there’s the same group with a “but”, “if”, no matter what track or series is involved. When Matt wins at Oswego it’s because he’s got more laps than anyone there. When he gets outrun at STAFFORD or Thompson, it’s because he’s “not that good”, not that “those guys have tens of thousands more laps there than him”. Nice double standard. There’s no worshipping going on, just people giving credit where credit is due. Bottom line-racers race, winners win. It’s hard to win ANY race, there are no gimmes, even when someone makes it look easy. As a real racer- I can sure appreciate the effort it takes to win ONE race, never mind the roll that a Matt or Justin is on this year, never mind what all the internet crew chiefs think. I’d like to hear their feedback after footing the bill to be able to race in one race, or put in the shop hours in one week to prepare a race car. There’s a lot of race teams looking for help- let’s see how many are willing to step up to the plate with their money or time, then maybe they can have some input on where people race, when they race, and what results they get. But I’ll put money that they just spend that time and effort griping on a keyboard, because that makes a big positive difference in our racing community.
” I always have said this was my favorite track. I love coming here.” – Matt Hirschman
I’m sure MH is more concerned with what his racing peers think of his exploits than he is by a group (essentially) of keyboard jockeys who have never bought a gallon of race fuel or a tire in their lives.
No logic Coby never saw the pace ever and won the first time there.
Interesting that a South Carolina based team hauls up to Oswego to run as a part-timer for insignificant money.
“The keyboard cowboys keep chirping, while the Hirshmans keep working hard and winning, just like a generation before”.
“hat same “keyboard cowboy” crew that wants Racing to get back the the old days, then complains when someone does just that?”
“But I’ll put money that they just spend that time and effort griping on a keyboard”
I get the impression XRacer you are an actual member of a current racing team. And although anonymous like the vast majority of us chickens have made it abundantly clear everyone else that disagrees with you is stupid. Nonetheless at 73 lines in this thread to this point you are the actual king of the “keyboard cowboys”. FYI. Think about a paragraph every now and then. It will make your mockery of we mere fans so much more effective.
That’s an interesting perspective you have XRacer on the days of old when we all loved seeing Evans show up at the big money races. But I don’t think historically that’s accurate.
From the mid 70’s to 1985 when the limited tour schedule started Evans and Cook chased wins. Nascar rewarded wins at Home Tracks and determined the national championship by that standard. Evans and Cooks exploits chasing as many wins as possible in a week regardless of payout is established Nascar Modified lour. Evans with 475 career wins and Cook with 342 have no equal in totals and they weren’t chasing just the high pay days because that many didn’t exist.
You may or may not have a valid point on Hirschman and maybe Flemke. But invoking Evans is comparing apples and donuts as someone once said.
Moreover your assumption that everyone was happy to see his big orange hauler at the back gate pull in to tussel with our weekly favorites is not correct. My recollection is it was divided much like it is here in this thread for and against with neither side being wrong in my view.
I apologize for taking the time and thought to post more than a 10 word answer. You are right, maybe Flemke would be a better comparison to MH than Richie. But watch the YouTube video of a Richie interview where he explains why he got behind in national/“tour” points, because he spent most of the year Racing places he wanted that paid the best, then had to make a late charge to try and win the points because he wasn’t focused on that to start. All the greats did it, like I said wasn’t it Flemke that said “you can’t eat points?” There is no mockery of anyone on my part, it’s the mockery against any of MH’s accomplishments that many of us are posting on. Go back and read many comments on MH stories the past years-you’ll see many of the same names on this one “Matt can’t win on the tour, he can’t be competitive in anything other than the cheated up Red car, etc.” He goes out and does just that, winning poles, races, leading laps, in a multitude of cars, in every series, at tracks up and down the east coast, and then its “but but but..” It seems any car that comes out of that shop is pretty competitive no matter where it goes, dating back to that black 48 car that had no problem winning races and championships. It’s ok for this group to mock his accomplishments, and trash talk behind a keyboard without having spent a minute in a shop working on a car, or spending a dollar fielding a car at any race, then their feelings get hurt when someone calls them on it? There is no racing without fans, but some “fans” need to look in the mirror because all they do is gripe about this racer, that track, this series And wonder why Racing today is struggling on so many levels. What ever happened to “that was a good race, good job driver x, can’t wait to go again next weekend!”? That would be a nice short post, wouldn’t it?
XRacer, I think you finally get it. I saw Richie race, and MH is no Richie. No way, no how. And I will say it’s an insult and detriment to Richie’s legacy to be compared to MH. And times today are very different than back then when there could be something to be gained in chasing the big paying events and/or points. Those options do not exist today. I think that is the beef in the appearance of “haters” against MH. He’s good, but no means is he great, and no way should he be compared to the greats such as Richie, Jarzombek, and Stefanik. MH is nothing close to them, and has no time left in his career to ever get close to them.
So if some want to be shills promoting drivers, they are subject to those with differing opinions. No need for anybody to have funded a team, swung a gas can, changed tires, welded a clip, set up suspension, swapped out QC gears, hung a body, etc. to do any of that. As simple fans that pay and travel to these events, they have done all that is needed to discuss and comment.
I’ll state my position again in that MH is a small track, bullring specialist, particularly on the ROC tracks that he has spent most of his career on. He ran the NWMT and was not memorable. If he was that good, he would have been a top prospect to fill many empty top-tier NWMT seats over the years. That never happened.
In 12 years and 101 NWMT and NSMT races, he’s only won 3 times. That’s not impressive at all. He’s not a threat to win wherever he shows up. And that is crucial for a guy that apparently eschews running for points and goes wildcatting. If MH wins frequently in other series on uncommon NWMT tracks, all that can be concluded is that he beats up on weaker competition on tracks that he has plenty of experience, which goes in his favor. But his standing in the company of the NWMT and the regular NWMT venues is not that great. A cherry picker is never going to be a great. Like Boris Said, a specialist that was brought in for road courses. Those three wins… MH won on tracks that MH is very familiar with: Spencer, Chemung and Oswego. These are his regular tracks, tracks that rarely if ever show up on the NWMT.
Let’s make it clear that MH & PeeDee have been chasing a NWMT win. So they pick a track that MH has massive experience. He even says it’s his favorite track.
“I always have said this was my favorite track. I love coming here.” – MH
So Rob P, I have a question and really looking forward to your response.
Here is the scenario;
It is the last race of the season and you are second in the WMT points and have supported the tour the entire season. A team shows up for their one and only appearance on the tour and qualifies. During the feature the point leader has a mechanical issue and drops out giving you a shot at winning the championship. The only way you can win the championship though is to win the feature and earn enough points to overcome the deficit. The one timer wins the race and costs you the championship.
Please tell me how you would “really” feel about that.
I can say with 100% certainly that any observation that no people in this forum have ever been 100% invested in race teams both from a financial and time standpoint at some point in their lives is 100% wrong.
I’d also like to draw your attention to the many many supportive comments even from those that want to see Hirschman in more places. Including guys like JMB and Rich Gourley who took the time to put some interesting numbers together that is a winner in my book. Everyone is on the same page in one respect. If they paid $40 bucks to get into the World Series at Thompson and found out that Hirschman was there for the NWMT race not one person would be anything but fired up.
Finally the porcupine who I’m sad to see had a meltdown and is lurking but not participating any longer had a great reference to shouting through the fence. But that’s over. Now fans can engage in every sport and say all kinds of things and it’s part of being a fan. It’s engaging and a good thing for the most part and frequently informative. If you can’t handle it I’d suggest to you XRacer the same thing I suggested to Stu Fearn who favors the keyboard references to demean opinions he thinks are ignorant. Invent a time machine, go back to 1965 and stay away from the fence. But I warn you, there won’t be any of those big white portable garages around to block out the sound.
“What ever happened to “that was a good race, good job driver x, can’t wait to go again next weekend!”? That would be a nice short post, wouldn’t it?”
You asked for it XRacer, he’s already here. Always positive, always supportive and always concise, Mr. Bob Npt.
All the MH haters don’t like him because he is not a WMT tour regular…he came in and won..he’s a great driver and can certainly wheel a modified…Just because when he shows up you know he’ll start in the top 3 and also finish there.Face it all you WMT ers,the tour is watered down…the talent is not there like it was years ago and never will be.When someone 18 laps down finishes in the top 20 that is very bad.The tour goes to one of the best tracks in the country and can only draw 23 cars.Pretty bad…..also where will all the WMTers be the day after NHMS has 23 cars tops for the 250 lap big one where only 4 cars will be on the lead lap ,12 will finish and the 01 will be 35 laps down with 17 lucky dogs…..
Muddbus, do have any idea what you just wrote?
You are saying that the NWMT is weak. And your guy MH is barely competitive on the “weak” Tour. His three wins came in his backyard, on his regular tracks. He’s not a threat to win on regular NWMT tracks, he never has in over 100 races and 12 years.
The 01 is looking for sponsorship for the tire bill. At the speeds that car goes, it can get by with very few tires. Besides, it is unlikely that it will get near 100 laps.
OK My 02 cents
Nobody is jealous of Matt Hirschman, NO WMT ers Hate Matt Hirschman, some have questioned his lack of success in yrs he has run the full tour but has won many BIG MONEY TRI-TRACK races, some have questioned his Link to Wayne Darling who is a big part of Tri Track, some questioned does he run legal and is he TECHED in his BIG MONEY WINS,
Yes he won at Oswego, congrats, whether his home or fav track does not matter to me, nobody is jealous when Part Time Patrick Emerling has won WMT races, and some of us don’t understand why when BIG MONEY races happen at STAFFORD, THOMPSON OR NHMS why ne never shows, just as we wonder why Melissa Fifield has ran 69 WMT RACES the last 6 yrs and runs the same every race and shows nooooooo sign of improvement AND ASKED WHY SHE DOESNT run weekly in an sk, sk light,VMRS to not just RUN last every race! wmass01013= keyboard jockey
Maybe the majority of opinions on here aren’t as far off as some would like to think:
“As a true statement if I was dad or bugs ,flemke,Ross,Kent , etc could keep naming names but take your series back mod tour is a joke !!! Hirschman meaning Matt is the only one I see as a driver the rest need to follow suit just saying”-from Richie Evans Jr Facebook. But what does he know about racing anyway?
There will never be another Richie, another Flemke, another Bugsy-but then again no one ever said MH was better than them, or even at their level, just comparing their racing exploits traveling all over and racing for good purses at tracks they enjoy racing at. Will anyone ever run 80 races a year again, 3 or 4 times a week? No, but Matt sure has a nice variety in his schedule compared to a lot of racers today, so good for him. And good for other racers who run Tri track, Roc, MRS, open shows-variety is the spice of life. One thing we can all agree on is there is no better racing than Modifieds!
Xracer wrote, ‘ “As a true statement if I was dad or bugs ,flemke,Ross,Kent , etc could keep naming names but take your series back mod tour is a joke !!! Hirschman meaning Matt is the only one I see as a driver the rest need to follow suit just saying”-from Richie Evans Jr Facebook. But what does he know about racing anyway? ‘
Richie Evans Jr. is *what* to modified racing? What’s his record? Are children of brain surgeons de facto experts in brain surgery? Are children of rocket scientists de facto experts in rocketry?
I would take Richie Evan’s Jr’s word over The King of Troll’s, whose only record is struggling to service a push lawnmower.
I don’t get the hubbub about Hirschman racing when and where he wants. He interrupted JB’s domination this year by invading and winning making it more interesting. What’s the beef?
XRacer nailed it. Comparisons, expectations involving Matt with anyone in the past is futile. Everything is different now and this is different.
He shows up to any race and it’s more exciting. Why can’t that be enough?