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07/03/2012


MATT HIRSCHMAN WINS RACE OF CHAMPIONS MODIFIED TOUR
HOLLAND 100

The 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 .

  Source: Holland Motorsports Complex
Posted: July 3, 2012

©2012 GeeLaw Motorsports/Wolf Pack Ventures, Inc.