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3/30/2010 |
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TWO FOR TWO FOR
THE COBY-CZARNICKI #20 TEAM
by
Denise DuPont |
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 The
Modified Racing Series opened up their 2010 season at Waterford Speedbowl
with thirty-five Modified Racing Series (MRS) teams ready to race. During
practice a few teams had issues and went home, most notably, 2009 series
runner-up Rob Goodenough who hit the wall in Fridays practice session. When
it was qualifying time, there were thirty teams left to drive for one of the
twenty-six starting spots.
Eight different drivers previously have had MRS victories at Waterford. Doug
Coby made history this weekend when he took the checkered flag. He was the
first repeat winner. “Now we are two for two here at Waterford. It is a
great win for this team (Czarnicki Brothers). These guys work so hard on
this car. We can only run about four or five shows a year and you hope to
win every one (race) that we do (run).”
At Waterford’s MRS race last spring, Coby ran the #20 Mod into mud in the
center of the track as he celebrated winning his first MRS race. This year
he selected to settle for a traditional victory lap he stayed on the track.
“The best part about this win is I do not have to clean this car for the
next two weeks.” said Coby from Victory Lane. “That is a good thing. I want
to thank my crew guys, all of the Modified Racing Series Officials, all the
drivers that ran us clean, and Bob Valenti for stepping on board with this
series. It is going to be a great sponsorship.”
Crossing the start finish line second was second generation driver Matt
Hirschman. “It was pretty good for us we came up from eighteenth. They ran
us real good and we were able to make it up to as high as second. Then we
dropped back to third. If it wasn’t for Rowan running out of gas or whatever
happened, we would have finished third.”
On a lap 90 restart, the second place car #25 of Rowan Pennink slowed and
stopped on the track. Pennink’s bad luck gave Hirschman the higher finish at
Waterford. “It was probably going to be Coby, Pennink, Me, then McKennedy
finish. We gained a spot with Rowan dropping out. It was a good showing.”
Hirschman has competed with the MRS before and run well and even has a win.
“These guys are a lot of fun to race with. They are real good to get along
with. It is a low buck small operation but every time I run it the car has
been fast and I cannot ask for anything more than that. It is a fast car to
drive and they have always given it to me.”
MRS defending champion, Jon McKennedy won the second heat race and started
the 100 lap race at Waterford on the outside pole. He jumped to the lead and
then
 led
for the next forty-three laps until Doug Coby passed to take the lead.
“Overall it was a good day. We ended up third. We led a lot of the race and
then we were passed and I fell back to second. I went forward and got the
lead back on the restart. I kind of got roughed up and I was sent up into
the marbles. And all of a sudden I fell back to fourth. Then I was not able
to get back by them (lead cars) and get to third. Then it was hard to pass
again.”
As a true champion, McKennedy charged for a win but came up short in the
end. “Overall, I would have liked to have won. We led a lot, but under the
circumstances and what happened, third was not bad. Overall it was a good
weekend.”
The next MRS event is scheduled for Albany Saratoga Speedway in Malta, N.Y.
on April 17-18.
Waterford Speedbowl Race Notes:
The race was definitely a marathon race from lap 50 on.
With a lot of cautions (11) and a red flag were there any concerns about
running out of gas?
Doug Coby
“We ran out of gas at Thompson last year and the rule for this #20 race team
from now on is it is full to the lip every time we go out. So we were not
going to run out of gas for nothing. It was just a great race run. The last
five laps we had our fastest run. Because we were clear of traffic. I saved
the tires and tried to do the best I could. The track crew did a good job
and kept the track with good conditions.”
Matt Hirschman
“No. I had enough and as I said it is a smaller motor so we are probably not
using as much.
I was not worried because I thought that we had enough. It was a lot of
laps.”
Jon McKennedy
“No, I made sure we put enough in because in past history here there are
always cautions, so I made sure we had plenty of fuel.
The race was full of cautions and there were a lot of wrecked cars. That is
always kind of expected here. It is tight racing here and it is really fast.
You make one little mistake and it wipes out quite a few cars at a time.”
 Rowan
Pennink
“Right before we went into three it started sputtering a little bit. I did
not know what it was. As soon as I stood on the gas when the green came out
it (the car) just did not go anywhere. My first thought was that it was out
of gas. And we were. But also it fired back up when we put gas in it. They
had to push start me so the battery was dead too. I do not know what really
happened with that (the battery).”
Will Matt Hirschman participate in any more MRS races?
“I could. I really do not have anything planned.” Matt said as the #50 went
through inspection. “I know that we will be running together at
Albany-Saratoga at the MRS next race. After that and down the road I am sure
we will again. Will it be this year or not until next year I really do not
know. I like it. I enjoy the group and the racing was pretty good,
considering the track conditions (Waterford Speedbowl).” |
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Source: Denise DuPont
/ TheChromeHorn.com
Posted: March
30, 2010 |
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