Monday night the Tour Type Modified division had its first of five consecutive features at the World Series of Asphalt Stock Car Racing at New Smyrna Speedway.
It proved to be a messy start of the week for the division, but not for Matt Hirschman who held on through the caution-marred event to score victory.
Tuesday night the racing was fully opposite for the division, devoid of yellows, but the result was the same in victory lane.
Hirschman, of Northampton, Pa., cruised to victory in winning the caution-free 50-lap Tour Type Modified feature Tuesday at the World Series.
“You’re never really confident until it’s over,” said Hirschman, who ran just five laps of practice on Tuesday. “We were on today. Same car [Patrick Emerling] is in second too. Although it was a distant second there, they’re still right there and they’re going to be with us all week I think. … Rather uneventful for Tour Type Modifieds.”
It was the fifth consecutive Tour Type Modified division World Series victory dating back to 2022. Hirschman won the final three events in the division at the 2022 World Series.
“Usually we end the week very strong,” Hirschman said. “Never really started Monday and Tuesday this strong. It’s almost like I feel it’s a too soon celebrate. I don’t want to do the reverse and fall off at the end of the week because I’ve seen that happen many times here with a lot of people. We’ll appreciate the effort and try to enjoy it, but it’s tough. There’s two bigger one’s here to go. One tomorrow night.”
The Tour Type Modifieds run the John Blewett III Memorial 76 on Wednesday. There’s another 50-lap feature for the division Thursday before the Richie Evans Memorial 100 to end the week on Friday.
Emerling, of Orchard Park, N.Y., was second for the second consecutive night.
“Gotta give it to [Hirschman], that’s the most dialed car I’ve ever seen in my life,” Emerling said. “We were pretty good, but when I was trying to get into the gas he was getting to the gas. We pulled out our backup car for today and we made some changes to try to get a little bit better and I think it worked. But we’ve got to be perfect to be as good as him. … Second twice, you can’t complain about that. We just need to get a little bit better.”
Eric Goodale of Riverhead, N.Y. was third after a fifth place on night one.
“I thought that if the race went green to checkered we would be standing in victory lane,” Goodale said. “We just need a little bit more oomph to catch [Hirschman]. And [Emerling] is real fast this week. We’ll regroup and try to figure something out.”
Hirschman started fourth and made the jump to second on the first lap. On lap five he went by Emerling for the lead and went unchallenged the rest of the way.
RaceDayCT Poll: RaceDayCT Poll: Will Matt Hirschman Win All Five Tour Type Mod Division Events At New Smyrna – click to vote
Podium interviews told an interesting story. Hirschman implying his only competition in the racing coming up is some kind of undefined performance setback that may crop up. The other two guys scratching their heads not showing any confidence they have any clue on how to catch the 60. In so many words.
Perhaps a change in strategy would help. No not regarding any of the teams but what the announcers and camera concentrate on. If Hirschman is going to be the rabbit again tonight perhaps consider really concentrating on the racing deeper in the field wherever that ends up being. Show less of Emerling or whomever trying to catch Hirschman pretending there’s actually racing going on at the front.
We’re used to seeing PeeDee and Hirschman as the car to beat. When a guy with Emerling’s experience is saying he’s never seen a car so dominant it’s a whole new level of the Hirschman mystique.
Second Pick 6 for 2023 rolling out at the crack of dawn Thursday morning. Hirschman makes tonight another laugher and we’re having the first exclusion Pick 6 with Hirschman picks disallowed. He surely must be a busy guy but perhaps if he does hear of it he’ll consider it yet another honor to be added to a long list of accomplishments over the years.