Matt Hirschman came into the 2024 World Series of Asphalt Stock Car Racing at New Smyrna Speedway riding a seven event win streak in the Tour Type Modified division.
That streak ended in the division’s first event of the week on Monday when Ron Silk was victorious. Ryan Preece won the second of five Tour Type Modified World Series events on Tuesday. On Wednesday Hirschman got back to victory lane at New Smyrna in winning the John Blewett III Memorial.
Thursday Hirschman started a new streak.
Hirschman went to the lead on lap nine and went unchallenged the rest of the way to win the 50-lap Tour Type Modified feature Thursday at the World Series at New Smyrna Speedway.
“It was a good long run car,” Hirschman said. “Probably still need to get better for tomorrow night. I think actually we were better last night. We’ll take a look at everything and see if we can make it better for tomorrow night. [Ronnie] Williams I think improved, but I think we still need to get a little bit better. I know [Ryan] Preece is coming back tomorrow night and he was real good on Tuesday. We’ll go to work and see what we can do tomorrow night.”
Ronnie Williams was second and Eric Goodale third.
On Friday at the World Series Hirschman will be looking to win his fifth consecutive Richie Evans Memorial 100 in the Tour Type Modified division. The event was cancelled in 2023 due to rain. Overall Hirschman has won the event a record six times in nine attempts.
Preece will be back in the field for the Richie Evans Memorial 100. Preece missed the events Wednesday and Thursday at New Smyrna due to his commitments with his Stewart-Haas Racing NASCAR Cup Series team at Daytona International Speedway.
“It’s about getting your stuff right,” Hirschman said. “Depending on the weather, the track and just having everything right. There will be more than just me and Preece for the win tomorrow night, but I know there’s a good chance if we both have our stuff right it could come to down to the two of us.”
With Patrick Emerling leading, Hirschman in second and Anthony Nocella in third, the first caution of the event flew on lap eight for the stopped car of Norman Newman.
On the lap eight restart it was Emerling and Hirschman going side-by-side for a lap, with contact happening. After going side-by-side through turn one on lap nine it was Hirschman moving past Emerling for the lead with Williams following into second.
On lap 18 Nocella was looking for a lane under Emerling off of turn two. Going into turn three Nocella got under Emerling. With Emerling sliding Nocella drove over the nose of Emerling’s car. Emerling spun and was able to drive away while Nocella’s car ended up in the turn four wall.
Hirschman was able to get away from Williams on the lap 18 restart. Behind them Craig Lutz got by Jimmy Blewett for third.
By lap 35 Hirschman had opened just under a second lead over Williams, with Lutz two and half seconds behind the lead in third.
With Hirschman checked out from Williams, caution flew on lap 47 for the stopped car of Anthony Bello in turn two.
On the first attempt at a lap 47 restart Hirschman was able to get away from Williams, but the caution was quickly back out for the spinning car of Tyler Rypkema in turn one.
On the second attempt at the restart it was Hirschman once again getting away from Williams. Behind them it was Goodale getting by Lutz to take over third.
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