(Press Release from NASCAR Integrated Marketing Communications)
The stat sheet will show only two races in the books for Matt Hirschman on the Whelen Modified Tour thus far in 2021, but there’s more to his season than what the numbers bare out.
Sure, the results of a win at Oswego Speedway and runner-up at Beech Ridge Motor Speedway are great. But, why only those two races? The four-time winner on the tour has opted to run a limited schedule for multiple years, with his last full-time campaign coming in 2011 — but he makes sure that whenever he shows up, he will be a force to be reckoned with.
Mainly, it’s the increased cost and logistical hurdles involved with gathering up his group to go race all over the Northeast on the tour, coupled with his escapades in other series and big events, that have prevented him from running more races annually.
“I run a busy schedule, a very diverse schedule to start with,” he said. “For us to put the full team together, especially races that have pit stops in it, requires us drawing from several different states to bring everyone together. It’s just difficult to do that multiple times.”
But the Northampton, Pennsylvania, native enjoys the time he does spend racing side-by-side with the names that have populated the NWMT over the years. He just prefers to do so at different venues, citing his first ever trips to Langley Speedway and White Mountain Motorsports Park in recent years as something new to try, where he came home with top-three finishes.
Hirschman always had Beech Ridge in his plans — but postponements in other series made it a bit tougher for the No. 60 team to make it work as the date creeped up. Nevertheless, they came home with a runner-up result after leading a race-high 66 laps from the pole and losing the top spot inside the final 10 laps.
“We’ve tried to do something different each year,” he said. “It’s kind of a combination of things. When you’re only doing three or four (races per year), unfortunately, there’s only a few you’re going to pick and maybe there’s some others that would be of interest that you don’t do.”
RACING-REFERENCE: Career Stats For Matt Hirschman
Hirschman has spent much of his 2021 season competing in the Tri Track Open Modified Series and currently leads the standings with just one race remaining, closing in on his sixth series title. He’s also spent time competing in the Race of Champions and running locally in Pennsylvania.
On July 24, he was victorious at Star Speedway in New Hampshire, bringing home a hefty $17,000 paycheck for besting the rest over the 125-lap feature. In the five races so far in Tri-Track, he’s only finished outside the top 10 once and hasn’t finished worse than third in every other race. He won the Open Wheel Wednesday $10,000 to win race at Seekonk Speedway on Wednesday night and took home a grand total of $10,600 with bonus awards.
He’s earned the nickname ‘Money Matt’ that everyone in New England knows him by.
“What I do, I probably run as many as much or as or more than anyone in terms of tour type modified races annually,” Hirschman said. “We run a pretty diverse schedule and have been very successful. I kind of believe in the ‘if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it’ type of mentality.”
With four races remaining on the Whelen Modified Tour schedule, Hirschman has his eye set on Oswego, the next event on the slate on September 4, where he won earlier this season for the second time in his career with Pee Dee Motorsports, leading a race-high 70 laps.
MORE: Schedule, Times & More For Mod Tour Race Day at Oswego
He’s entering that event with high expectations — per usual — especially given their exceptionally strong results this season and successful history at the .625-mile.
“Winning races is never easy. But if we continue to put ourselves in a position to contend for wins, they seem to come your way,” he said. “If we weren’t a contender to win, it would definitely be a disappointment. But actually winning the event, they’re all tough to win. They don’t come easy. I fully expect to contend.”
The Toyota Mod Classic 150 at Oswego is scheduled to go green at 7:30 pm ET on Saturday, September 4. NBC Sports Gold’s TrackPass will have live coverage of the event. The race is part of the 65th annual Classic Weekend at the historic New York oval.
Maybe it puts too much emphasis on the source but for a NASCAR press release it was different. Promoting a driver that is not a regular and in a very even handed and flattering way. Describing the bigger picture for Hirschman including other races he’s competing in even Tri Track with a mention of the $10,000 to win prize.
So why doesn’t Matt race more in NWMT races? Geography basically and assembling all the hands needed to compete successfully. An actual drawback of the series frequently sighted but here a NASCAR article is telling it like it is a basically doing an nice even handed piece on the top guy in modifieds that isn’t loyal to their program.
Well done whomever wrote that profile.
Interesting stats, which I know don’t cover everything, but what a difference a team makes. When in that Pee Dee car, forget about it… instant contender.. I’d love to see his full schedule stat sheet…
You know all those folks that love to dance on NWMT misfortune? Time to assess exactly what that series means at this point of the season.
Tri Track you love don’t you but only one race left way, way off in October. Stafford opens done. Thompson only two, a Wednesday open and World Series featuring the return of the 300. But looky here, the NWMT has four events left and points battle that is still up in the air. Imagine what it would be like right now with them not existing.
So what’s on tap this weekend?
A regular show at Stafford. In past years regulars shows could be a little routine with limited options for winners. Not so this year. The SK’s have turned into a bare knuckle brawl and the Late Models as well. Best season in a long time is my view.
For the home gamers the SMART tour is on Speed51 Saturday night. Or you can PPV the huge Oxford 250 weekend on a day by day or 3 day package basis. MRS is on Saturday night at $30 for modified fans.
The biggest show in Connecticut this weekend is at the Speedbowl. It’s Geezerpoluzza with a host of nostalgia series and features as well as the second leg in the Fast 5 series with big money on the line. No you won’t find any promotion here because that’s what the owner of the facility wants but Facebook has some information. Not really promotion and not really much of a response but information nonetheless. Ed Flemke Jr lending the Flemke name to the Waterford event with sponsorship by Ron Bouchard’s Auto Stores. The Racing Guys helping to promote the event and Vault Productions there to record it all so it’s a really big deal.
Big show, nostalgia racing, SK Special and money up for grabs, The Racing Guys, Vault Productions and dyed in the wool modified legends. Meanwhile just recently the Courant and other news outlets told of yet another civil suit brought against the owner of the Speedbowl with some pretty strong and sordid evidence. The owner limited by an ankle device and allowed out and about only during the day but still free on appeal. One wonders if justice is ever served on the wealthy or if the sentence is just an accounting entry involving legal expertise to keep you free until you die.
The Racing Guys going from Tri Track to this is not very impressive but more money for racers is their goal so they are true to their original mantra. Vault Productions records Speedbowl history. This is Speedbowl history so in the longer term current circumstances will be merely a chapter in a longer novel. The great Speedbowl fan base what can you say. They’re loyal and are supporting the track they have and not their ideal hoping for a better day when the full potential of the facility can be unleashed.
It’s the dyed in the wool Northeast modified legends lending their names to this that’s just plain sad. The times call for a low profile and there they are. Ron Bouchard, Ed Flemke Sr and Jr right on the marquee. One wonders how Flemke Sr and Ron Bouchard would have reacted to this or even allowed it.
Why?
Goldy,
Here’s Matt Hirschman’s stat sheet…
http://www.matthirschman.com/schedule.html
Flemke helping the Bowl out is little surprise…. He’s sticking by his guy.
Thanks Fella… very impressive…
Doug, I also thought what a very kind article coming from NASCAR integrated marketing communications??