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07/03/2012 |
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MATT HIRSCHMAN WINS RACE OF CHAMPIONS MODIFIED TOUR
HOLLAND 100 |
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roar of the Race of Champions Modified Tour was heard throughout the
Holland hills this past Saturday night as the best open-wheel
drivers on the planet took on their toughest test so far this season
in the running of the Holland 100.
Second generation driver Matt Hirschman from Northampton,
Pennsylvania used a late race pass to claim his first tour win of
2012. In other action at the Holland Motorsports Complex, Tom
Northem from Alden, NY won his first feature of the season in the
feature event for Bank of Holland Chargers. Kenmore, NY driver Mike
Ticco won the feature for the McClurg Auto Group Late Models and
Buffalo, NY resident Jeff Szafraniec won his third consecutive 4
Cylinder Hornet victory.
Andy Walko and Chuck Hossfeld led the stout field of Race of
Champions Modifieds to the green flag from RoC Starter John Nelson
and it was Hossfeld getting out to the early race advantage from his
outside pole position. Kyle Ebersole went around Walko for second on
lap three while TJ Potrzebowski moved into the top five on the fifth
circuit after passing Doug Reaume.
Potrzebowski had problems just three laps later as his car pulled to
the infield after the lap nine restart. Hossfeld continued to show
the way over Kyle Ebersole, Walko, Matt Hirschman and Erick Rudolph.
A fifth of the way through the Holland 100 and Ransomville, NY pilot
Chuck Hossfeld was leading the field around the Holland highbanks
with Kyle Ebersole, Andy Walko, Matt Hirschman and Erick Rudolph in
the top five and they were tightly followed to the line by Jimmy
Zacharias, JR Kent, Doug Reaume and Billy Putney in the top ten.
Orchard Park, NY driver and former Holland winner Patrick Emerling
moved up through the field as he started 17th in the grid and by lap
35, Emerling was running seventh as he passed JR Kent in his
Emerling Chevrolet, Leaty Autosport number 07. Up in front of
Emerling, Jimmy Zacharias passed Erick Rudolph to take over fifth
place and Emerling followed suit to take over sixth place on lap 40.
Halfway through the Holland 100 and as it was on lap one, Chuck
Hossfeld was showing the way over Kyle Ebersole, pole sitter Andy
Walko, Matt Hirschman and Jimmy Zacharias in the top five with
Emerling, JR Kent, Rudolph, Daren Scherer and Doug Reaume in the top
ten.
East Aurora competitor Billy Putney raced his way into the top ten
as he passed Reaume for the position and Reaume got lapped by race
leader Hossfeld.
Patrick Emerling, Jimmy Zacharias, Daren Scherer, Sege Fidanza,
Billy Putney and Erick Rudolph all came in under the caution to make
adjustments on their machines after TJ Zacharias came to a stop in
turn three to bring out the second caution on lap 64. Cheektowaga
competitor Karl Hehr also came on pit road but he did not return as
he suffered problems in his Mighty Taco Modified. The restart saw
Hossfeld pulled away from Ebersole as Hirschman passed Andy Walko to
take over third.
“The Hotshoe” continued to show the way on lap 75 as Ebersole,
Hirschman, Patrick Emerling and Erick Rudolph were in the top five.
One lap later, Hirschman passed Ebersole for second and began to
chase down Hossfeld. Hirschman began his assault on Hossfeld on lap
76 as the old rivals put on a battle of the ages on the Holland
Highbanks. Hirschman passed Hossfeld for the lead on lap 83 as the
second generation driver from Northampton, Pennsylvania was the new
race leader.
The yellow lights would turn back on for the third time as Andy
Walko and lap car Bob Reis made contact on the backstretch. Under
the caution, Walko and Kyle Ebersole went pit side. Ebersole was
running in third at the time of the caution. The third caution set
up a 15 lap Saturday night shootout.
The restart saw Hirschman lead Hossfeld, Zacharias, Erick Rudolph
and Patrick Emerling showing the way around the speedway as Rudolph
went underneath Zacharias for third on lap 86 but Zacharias, a third
generation driver from Candor, NY was able to hold off the third
generation driver from Ransomville, NY.
Rudolph and Zacharias continued to battle for third with Emerling
running right behind the battle for the third podium finish as Jimmy
Zacharias put the pressure on second place Chuck Hossfeld.
Matt Hirschman would go on and join his father Tony in victory lane
as Hirschman won the Holland 100. Chuck Hossfeld finish second and
he was followed to the line by Jimmy Zacharias, Erick Rudolph and
Patrick Emerling, completed the top five.
“I thought I messed up when the cars ahead of us went to the pits
but it worked in our favor and the car was fast” said Hirschman, who
was joined in victory lane by his father, former Holland Modified
Tour winner and multi-time RoC 200 Winner Tony Hirschman.
“My Dad coached me on how to driver this place and probably the only
one person that could beat me would have been Dad” Hirschman
continued in victory lane. Chuck Hossfeld came home in second place
and said that it was his second time competing at Holland. “It was a
tight racetrack and I haven’t raced here in a long time” stated
Hossfeld. Current Holland Getzoni Nationwide Insurance NASCAR Pro
Modified point’s leader Andy Jankowiak from Tonawanda was awarded
the Gater News bonus for being the top two-barrel carburetor
modified.
The Race of Champions Modified Tour will return to action in three
weeks at the Oswego Speedway for the 62nd running of the Race of
Champions 200. More information can be found online at
raceofchampions.net or
oswegospeedway.com.
HOLLAND NOTES: Matt Hirschman, Jimmy Zacharias and Erick
Rudolph each won $200 from Emerling Chevrolet in Boston, NY for
winning the qualifying events for the Race of Champions Modified
Tour. Current Getzoni Nationwide Insurance Pro Modified points
leader Andy Jankowiak was involved in an incident in his qualifying
event as the second generation driver raced in his first Race of
Champions Modified Tour event of 2012.
OFFICIAL RESULTS 6-30-12
RACE OF CHAMPIONS MODIFIED TOUR 100: MATT HIRSCHMAN (Started
9), Chuck Hossfeld (2), Jimmy Zacharias (8), Erick Rudolph (11),
Patrick Emerling (15), Kyle Ebersole (4), Billy Putney (16), Daren
Scherer (12), JR Kent (19), Andy Walko (1), Sege Fidanza (14), Andy
Jankowiak (17), Doug Reaume (6), TJ Zacharias (13), Bob Reis (5),
Karl Hehr (7), Randall Richard (20), Tommy Cloce (3), TJ
Potrzebowski (10), Mike Odwazny (18) and Jake Wylie (21)
EMERLING CHEVROLET ($200 to winner) Qualifying Winners: Matt
Hirschman, Jimmy Zacharias, Erick Rudolph
AMERICAN RACER TIRE HARD CHARGER AWARD: Billy Putney (Started
16th)
AMERICAN RACER TIRE HARD LUCK AWARD: Tommy Cloce (Started
3rd)
GATER RACING NEWS $500 BONUS HIGHEST B MODIFIED FINISHER:
Andy Jankowiak . |
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Source: Holland Motorsports Complex
Posted: July
3, 2012 |
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