Hirschman Wires Field in ROC at Thompson’s Mod Mania II; Rain Postpones Whelen Mod Tour & True Value Event
Thompson, CT — A dominating win by Matt Hirschman highlighted a soggy Sunoco Modified Mania II event. Hirschman led every lap of the Race of Champions main event before the rains came in forcing the postponement of the Whelen Modified Tour 150 and the True Value Modified Racing Series. The True Value Modified Racing Series completed only two laps with Andy Suess of Hampstead, NH, holding the point before torrential rains hit the speedway.
The NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour and the True Value Modified Racing Series events will be rescheduled for Saturday evening, September 22, 2007. Official starting times will be announced in the coming days.
Three of the other scheduled events of Modified Mania II were completed before the rains came with Todd Ceravolo of Gales Ferry taking down the Sunoco Modified main event and Leo Oliveira scored the TIS Modifieds victory. Thompson regular Norm Wrenn of Nashua, NH, scored the Pro-Four Victory.
[Photo Gallery] by Adam Fohlin.
Matt Hirschman of Northampton, PA, scored a popular win in the Race of Champions 75-lapper. Hirschman, the current Central Region point leader, led every lap en route to the victory. The second-generation driver jumped from his third-place starting spot to lead the opening lap and would not be headed.
Rick Kluth ran strong in the second spot for much of the race. In the late stages, with Hirschman out front, Kluth turned back advances of a charging Woody Pitkat. The current Northern Region leader, Pete Brittain, who had run a conservative race up to this point, turned it on with only a hand full of laps remaining.
With five laps to go, Hirshman continued to stretch his lead while Pete Brittain caught Kluth. That battle for second heated up over the final laps when Brittain got a run on Kluth in turn one. A single lap later, Brittain was able to make the pass on Kluth to move into the second spot. Time ran out as Brittain could do nothing but chase the potent Hirschman. At the checkers, it was all Hirschman. Brittain finished second over Rick Kluth and Woody Pitkat. Lenny Fisher quietly rounded out to the top five.
Todd Ceravolo of Gales Ferry has uncharacteristically been shutout of Sunoco Modified victory lane this season. The tides finally turned for the former divisional champion as he was able to put his bad luck behind him to score the shortened Sunoco Modified main event. Josh Steeves took advantage of his front row starting spot to lead the opening nine laps of the main event. Danny Cates ran solidly in the second spot while the veteran top guns diced for position inside the top ten. The man on the move was Jimmy Blewett who had worked his way inside the top five. Contact between Blewett and Keith Rocco sent Blewett spinning and Rocco to the tail for his involvement.
On the ensuing attempt at the restart, Cates failed to come up to speed. With cars scattering the yellow flew as cars continued to claw for position on the restart. Point leader Pitkat was stuck behind the faltering Cates. Under the caution period, Pitkat’s car stalled on the backstretch.
Another restart on lap 10 opened the door for a charging Todd Ceravolo. A lap later Ceravolo was the new leader. Tommy Cravenho and Bo Gunning had made their way into the top five. The ensuing laps were plagued with cautions, several eliminated a number of good cards including Bert Marvin and Josh Steeves. An incident on lap 17 found Gunning spinning and Blewett sent to the tail. During the stretch Rocco was making his way back to the front.
The single-file restart on lap 19 found Ceravolo being chased by Cravenho and Rocco. Steeves was still hanging in fourth. When they finally strung a host of laps together, Ceravolo enjoyed a bit of breathing room as Cravenho and Rocco battled for the second spot. Due to the lateness of the hour, a decision was made to shorten the event to 35-laps.
Ceravolo got a good jump on the final restart to run ahead of a torrid battle for the second spot between Cravenho and Rocco. Lap after lap Rocco would look to the low side of Cravenho but could not complete the pass. Rocco had to settle for third behind winner Ceravolo and runner-up Cravenho. Steeves and Kerry Malone completed the top-five.
Norm Wrenn of Nashua, NH ran to a strong Pro-Four Modified victory at his home track on Sunday afternoon to open Modified Mania II. The Pro-Four Modifieds opened the show with a tremendous three-car battle for the lead between Thompson’s own Wrenn and Jeff Zuidema, who compete weekly at the facility, and Frank Hirt for the first half of the event. After relinquishing spots to both Wrenn and Zuidema, Hirt’s good run came to an end when he hit the outside wall. Wrenn immediately took control on the restart and would never be headed as he ran to another victory on the 2007 season.
By virtue of technical inspection, Leo Oliveira of Raynham, MA was declared the winner in the TIS Modified main event. The win was the first of the season for Oliveira, who ran a strong second for the duration of the event. Glenn Boss had run out to a commanding lead in the TIS Modifieds over the first half of the event. He watched his lead disappear when Josh Walmsley spun to bring out the first caution of the event.
Boss was up for the challenge on the restart and immediately began to extend his lead again. Leo Oliveira made himself comfortable in the second spot as Shane Michalski and Roger Larson, Jr. battled. A stretch run to the green did not shuffle the running order as Boss appeared to handily take the win over Oliveira. The entry of Boss was found to be in violation of the rules. Oliveira was the winner over Michalski and Larson. Mike Viens and Kurt Vigeant rounded out the top five.
Sunoco Modified Feature Finish (Top Ten): 1. Todd Ceravolo, Gales Ferry, CT; 2. Tommy Cravenho, Raynham, MA; 3. Keith Rocco, Wallingford, CT; 4. Josh Steeves, Bellingham, MA; 5. Kerry Malone, Needham, MA; 6. Buddy Charette, Woodstock, CT; 7. Tom Connelly, Boston, MA; 8. Brad Vanhouten, Wading River, NY; 9. Jimmy Blewett, Howell, NJ; 10. Dan LaJeunesse, Norwich, CT.
TIS Modified Feature Finish (Top Ten): 1. Leo Oliveira, Raynham, MA; 2. Shane Michalski, Woodstock, CT; 3. Roger Larson, Jr., Milford, MA; 4. Tim Sullivan, S. Windsor, CT; 5. Mike Viens, Seekonk, MA; 6. Kurt Vigeant, Oxford, MA; 7. Richie Ferreira, Raynham, MA; 8. Leo Adams, Putnam, CT; 9. Cam McDermott, Scituate, RI; 10. Josh Walmsley, Scotland, CT.
Sources: Dale Wolbrink/Thompson International Speedway PR