Clean Sweep: Hirschman Turns In Dominating Day At Chemung
Chemung, NY — Matt Hirschman led start-to-finish Saturday in the Chemung 120 to capture his second NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour win of the season and gained on the championship points lead of Ted Christopher with two races remaining.
Hirschman (No. 59 Ed Bennett Properties Chevrolet) was the car to beat from the time they unloaded at the Chemung Speedrome on Saturday morning. He was fastest in practice, earned his first Coors Light Pole Award of the season, captured the first of two 25-lap heat races, then led wire-to-wire in the 120-lap main.
Hirschman entered the day 89 points behind Christopher in the championship chase. With Christopher’s seventh place finish Saturday, Hirschman narrowed the gap to just 55 points with only the Stafford Fall Final and Thompson World Series weekends remaining.
Todd Szegedy (No. 2 Wisk-Snuggle Ford) challenged Hirschman many times but settled for a runner-up finish and held up his spot in third in the season standings. Mike Stefanik (No. 16 Diversified Metals/Ace Moldings Pontiac) finished third.
Chuck Hossfeld, Ronnie Silk, Erick Rudolph, Christopher, Bobby Grigas III, Rowan Pennink and Woody Pitkat rounded out the top 10 finishers.
Hossfeld won the second of the two heat races prior to the main.
With just two races remaining in the 2008 NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour season, the series will move to Stafford (Conn.) Motor Speedway for the CARQUEST Fall Final on Sunday, Oct. 12.
Sources: Jason Cunningham/NASCAR WMT PR