Myers Goes Back-to-Back in North South Shootout; Hirschman Makes History with SK Win & Fultz Scores Emotional Late Model Victory
Concord, NC — The South rose again at the 7th Annual John Blewett III Memorial North-South Shootout on Saturday night as Burt Myers of Walnut Cove, NC, successfully defended his North-South Shootout championship. It was the second straight victory for Myers in Shootout Modified competition at the annual event. By virtue of his victory Myers earned $13,080 in prize money and contingencies.
Matt Hirschman of Northampton, PA, made history with his victory in the SK-Type Modified event on Saturday. Hirschman, a previous Tour Modified victor, became the first driver to win in both the Tour-Type and SK-Type Modifieds. Just days after losing his son in a tragic accident, Jeff Fultz of Troutman, NC, bested a talent-laden field of Super Late Models to score the WearCrete North-South Shootout victory. Dave Steele of Tampa, FL was victorious in the Tampa Bay Area Racing Association (TBARA) Sprint car debut at the Shootout. A pair of NJ natives combined to take the Vintage action at the Shootout. Pete Brittain of Oakhurst, NJ, and Anthony Colosimo of Red Bank, NJ were winners in Vintage Modified and Vintage Sportsman divisions respectively.
With his victory on Saturday night, Burt Myers became the second driver to score back-to-back Shootout Tour-Type Modified victories. He now joins the late John Blewett III and Matt Hirschman as two-time winners of the event. Myers took the lead from Matt Hirschman on lap eight and would never be headed. Quick work by his pit crew during a mandatory pit stop at lap 70 had Myers in position to win the event. Myers dominated the competition by leading 118 of the 125 lap race.
An incident on lap four that began with contact between the leaders, pole sitter Chuck Hossfeld and Matt Hirschman, caused a chain reaction that collected a number of cars including contenders Hossfeld and Les Hinckley. George Brunnhoelzl III, Eric Beers, Bobby Grigas, and Ted Christopher were among others involved. On the restart Myers sat second. It only took a handful of laps before taking the lead.
Over the later portion of the event Myers was chased by Rowan Pennink but never really challenged. Newly crowned Whelen Southern Modified Tour champion Brunnhoelzl was on the move; looking to be a serious contender for the win. His progress was halted when a flat tire sent him to pit road. Brunnhoelzl put on a show working his way back toward the front. Doug Coby recovered from an early race incident to run inside the top three.
Myers went on to score a popular win in front of a solid and clearly Southern skewed crowd. Pennink continued his strong 2009 season with a runner-up finish. The hard-charging Coby earned a podium finish in third. Matt Hirschman and Jamie Tomaino completed the top five.
A total of 44 Modifieds attempted to qualify for the John Blewett III Memorial North-South Shootout.
Matt Hirschman of Northampton, PA, a two-time Shootout Modified winner, jumped aboard the Bob Horn #58 SK-Modified to make history. Hirschman came out on top of a highly competitive main event to win the SK-Type Modified 50-lapper; becoming the first driver to double up in Shootout competition.
In the SK-Type Modifieds it was a duel of the double-duty drivers. Pole sitter Ryan Preece, driving the #99 usually piloted by Woody Pitkat, and Hirschman duked it out for the lead for much of the race with Ronnie Silk in tow. The two went wheel-to-wheel lap after lap as first Silk and then Coby lurked. A classic dual for the win was thwarted when Preece went spinning on lap 42. The spin left Hirschman on his own as he went on to score the victory. The strong Shootout performance by Doug Coby started with a runner-up finish in the SK-Type Modified main event.
Ted Christopher had problems with his #00 early in the race forcing him down pit road. After restarting deep in the pack, Christopher methodically picked his way through the field and to a third-place finish. Steven Reed, who was presented with the Racing Electronics SK Bonus as the highest finishing SK only driver, came home in fourth. Silk faded in the closing laps to finish in the fifth position.
The Super Late Models are not a rare sight at Concord Speedway but the 7th Annual North-South Shootout provided some variety to the full-fendered division. The WearCrete Diamond Concrete Polishing 125 saw some new faces as the CRA Super Series hosted race teams from as far away as Canada, California, Michigan and Tennessee and from as close by as Charlotte, NC, to take part in the event. Local and sentimental favorite Jeff Fultz of Troutman, NC, proved to be the class of the field as he took the lead on lap 53 and never looked back.
A crowd of crew members, fans, and well-wishers greeted Fultz at the start finished line after he took down the victory. The well-deserved and much need victory was capped off by a series of impressive burnouts. Fultz was racing with a heavy heart after an automobile accident claimed the life of his son only days prior.
John VanDoorn chased Fultz to the checkers. Early leader and Fultz teammate Cassius Clark also posted a podium finish. Hometown driver Preston Peltier of Concord, NC, finished fourth. Showing a talent beyond his years, 13-year old Chase Elliott used poise and patience to complete the top-five . Brian Ickler, driving for Kyle Busch Motorsports had a disappointing performance to finish 19.
7th Annual John Blewett III Memorial Town & Country Ford North-South Shootout ™ presented by Cabarrus County Visitors Bureau & Capital Bank MODIFIED FEATURE FINISH: 1. #1 Burt Myers, Walnut Cove, NC; 2. #93 Rowan Pennink, Huntingdon Station, PA; 3. #19 Doug Coby, Milford, CT; 4. #60 Matt Hirschman, Northampton, PA; 5. #99 Jamie Tomaino, Howell, NJ; 6. #28 George Brunnhoelzl III, Mooresville, NC; 7. #58 Eric Goodale, Riverhead, NY; 8. #36 Jimmy Zacharias, Candor, NY; 9. #66 Pete Brittain, Oakhurst, NJ; 10. #11 Anthony Sesely, Matawan, NJ; 11. #25 Zane Zeiner, Bath, PA; 12. #12 Keith Rocco, Wallingford, CT; 13. #88 Woody Pitkat, Stafford Springs, CT; 14. #3s Daren Scherer, Binghamton, NY; 15. #659 Danny Bohn, Huntersville, NC; 16. #42 Dave Pecko, Vandling, PA; 17. #31 Gene Pack, Myrtle Beach, SC; 18. #21K George Kent, Elmira, NY; 19. #44K Rick Kluth, Brockport, NY; 20. #40P Ryan Preece, Kensington, CT; 21. #45B Eric Beers, N. Hampton, PA; 22. #3M Jeff Malave, S. Windsor, CT; 23. #4 Jason Myers, Walnut Cove, NC; 24. #6 Josh Nichols, Cleveland, NC; 25. #00 Ted Christopher, Plainville, CT; 26. #47 Andy Seuss, Hampstead, NH; 27. #2 JR Bertuccio, Statesville, NC; 28. #40F Frank Fleming, Mount Airy, NC; 29. #8 Earl Paules, Palmerton, PA; 30. #22 Chuck Hossfeld, Lockport, NY; 31. #06 Les Hinckley, Windsor Locks, CT; 32. #09 Bobby Grigas III, Marshfield, MA; 33. #79 James Civali, Meriden, CT
Super Late Model North-South Shootout 125 presented by WearCrete Diamond Concrete Polishing Feature Finish (125-laps): 1. Jeff Fultz, Troutman, NC; 2. John VanDoorn, Coopersville, MI; 3. Cassius Clark, Farmington, ME; 4. Preston Peltier, Concord, NC; 5. Chase Elliott, Dawsonville, GA; 6. Ryan Blaney, High Point, NC; 7. Bobby Measmer Jr., Concord, NC; 8. Cooper Fassin, Monroe, NC; 9. Jeff Choquette, Mooresville, NC; 10. Mark Reedy, Kannapolis, NC; 11. James Edwards, Concord, NC; 12. Logan Dernoshek, Charlotte, NC; 13. David Latour Jr., Advance, NC; 14. Max Gresham, Griffin, GA; 15. David Russell, Clarence Center, NY; 16. Terry Horak, Myrtle Beach, SC; 17. Dean Slappey, Concord, NC; 18. Tony Black, Lexington, NC; 19. Brian Ickler, San Diego, CA; 20. John Long, Niles, MI; 21. Dylan Presnell, Sevierville, TN; 22. Johnathan Hicken, Prince Edward Island, CAN; 23. Mason Mingus, Brentwood, TN; 24. Johanna Long, Pensacola, FL; 25. Clay Jones, Goldsboro, NC; 26. Lanny Graham, Salisbury, NC.
7th Annual John Blewett III Memorial Town & Country Ford North-South Shootout ™ presented by Cabarrus County Visitors Bureau & Capital Bank SK-TYPE MODIFIED FEATURE FINISH: 1. #58 Matt Hirschman, Northampton, PA;2. #10 Doug Coby, Milford, CT; 3. #00 Ted Christopher, Plainville, CT; 4. #55 Steven Reed, Freehold, NJ; 5. #12 Ronnie Silk, Norwalk, CT; 6. #93 Rowan Pennink, Huntington Station, PA; 7. #48 Rick Kluth, Brockport, NY; 8. #57 Keith Rocco, Wallingford, CT; 9. #4 Ron Yuhas, Jr., Groton, CT; 10. #91 Shawn Carrig, Little Falls, NJ; 11. #66 Woody Pitkat, Stafford Springs, CT; 12. #9 Eric Beers, Northampton, PA; 13. #99 Ryan Preece, Kensington, CT; 14. #2 Gerry Gradl, Jr., Getzulle, NY; 15. #44 T.J Zacharias, Candor, NY; 16. #03 Patrick Emerling, Orchard Park, NY; 17. #22 Dan Kurzejewski, Mansfield, PA; 18. #45 Gary Young, Jr., Burlington, NC; 19. #79 Kerry Malone, Needham, MA; 20. #98 Craig Dolphin, N. Tonawanda, NY; 21. #16 Anthony Sesely, Matawan, NJ; 22. #87 Mike Speeny, Newtown, PA; 23. #71 Jimmy Zacharias, Candor, NY.
Sources: Dale Wolbrink/North-South Shootout PR