Matt Hirschman Conquers Riverhead Raceway With Convincing Islip 300 Victory
Riverhead, NY Nov.11th — Arguably the most successful Modified drivers to ever strap in, Matt Hirschman heard the whispers, whispers that morphed to louder social media conversation. Why doesn’t Matt come to Riverhead, is he worried he can’t win there? Saturday, with as convincing a performance any driver has ever turned in, Hirschman of Northampton, Pa. won the 7th annual Islip 300 for with Long Island based race team, worth $7,000. End of conversation.
The buzz for the7th annual Islip 300 took flight in qualifying when 12-year-old Paulie Hartwig III of Galloway, NJ was quickest with a lap of 11.445. Hartwig, who only ran 28-laps of practice ranking him ninth must be a quick learned as he nearly eclipsed the track record of 11.272 set in 202 by Tom Rogers Jr. Fellow Keystone State resident Matt Hirschman was second quick in qualifying at 11.594.
The race would play out in three segments for eventual winner Matt Hirschman. When Bruce Noll, longtime starter at Riverhead Raceway threw his final green flag before retirement, Hirschman hustled his machine to the early race lead with authority, knowing Hartwig had never run a competitive lap at the tough bullring. In most instances Matt will sit back early in longer races, however that was not the case Saturday as he seemed to have a different game plan. Hartwig after two laps in second was passed by Timmy Solomito on lap 3 with 2023 Riverhead champion John Beatty Jr. sliding under Hartwig for third before lap 5.
With minimal cautions early, Hirschman would break into a comfortable lead in the event with all the action behind him. Hartwig went back to work, after fading to fourth he started to come back to life as the race moved along and raced back to second after getting by both Beatty and Solomtio with the aid of double file restarts. Hartwig would lead his first lap of the race on lap 170 when he hung tough to the outside of Hirschman on a restart, Matt came back to the inside of Paulie to reclaim the lead on lap 171.
The second segment of Matt Hirschman’s race would start to play out when a multi car jingle in turn three drew a caution on lap 185. When the pits opened Hirschman, Solomito, Justin Bonsignore and Craig Lutz all came for tires while Hartwig, Mark Stewart, Roger Turbush and Andy Jankowiak chose to stay out with a different pit strategy. That strategy found Hartwig the new race leader chased by Stewart, Turbush and Jankowiak. Bonsignore, who won the race off pit road, Solomito, Hirshcman and Lutz started from 8th back went to work on getting back up front.
On lap 210 things went south for Roger Turbush as he spun off turn four while running third due to a soft left rear tire. During this caution Hartwig, Stewart and Jankowiak all came to pit road joining Turbush. When the race went back green Solomito, who just lap prior to the caution got by Bonsignore for second was the leader with Lutz third behind Justin and Hirschman fourth. On the 225th circuit Hirschman started to turn up the wick coming to third, not long after Lutz snuck by Bonsignore for second as business started to pick up.
On lap 230 a debris caution for the muffler off the Walter Sutcliffe machine would stack the lead quartet lined up, side by side with laps starting to wane. When the race resumed Solomito and Lutz raced hard side by side through the first and second turn drifting up the track, opening the inside lane with Matt Hirschman quick to move his car left and under the dueling duo for the race lead. Thus, the third and final segment of Matt’s race began.
Despite a hefty 60-lap in the contest remaining once Hirschman had his machine back out front, he was not going to surrender the top spot. Solomito would be as close as anyone would get to making a bid on Matt for the win, staying close with the leader on a few more restarts. When the green reappeared each time Solomito tried to stay alongside Hirschman for as long as he could, hoping to execute a crossover exiting the corners. However, Matt was able to power off the corner to stay out front.
Soon Solomito’s worries were no longer passing Matt Hirschman, he now had Lutz, Bonsignore, JB Fortin and Mark Stewart within striking distance of him. Of the four Stewart, runner-up in the WMT Eddie Partridge 256 would make the most noise as he had a car that would work best on the bottom. On lap 285 Lou Strohl lost an engine down the backstretch setting up a restart with 15-to go. On that restart while Hirschman held off Solomito, Stewart was able to muscle his way under Bonsignore after the green waved for third. Then on lap 296 another yellow waved for a JR Bertuccio spin, setting up another restart. When the green waved Stewart working the bottom again slid under Fortin for third. Not long after, the former multi-time Super Pro truck champion would again flex his muscles diving under Solomito for second as they raced off turn four to take the white flag.
With all that was going on behind him on the final lap, Matt Hirschman took the checker flag as the winner of the Islip 300. After Connie Partridge, Tom Gatz and John Ellwood bestowed the Islip 300 trophy, the big check and a victory cake on Matt, the articulate driver reviewed, “this thing was just fast out of the box today” While looking at the car in which he injured his arm in back in August Matt furthered, “I have to admit things weren’t going great for us when I got injured. I wasn’t sure if I was right for this Elite Towing team, I am sure they were wondering if I was right for them. But we stuck it out and I can’t thank Alan Dering of Elite Towing the car owner and the Baker Racing group that wrenches on it, I bring some guys, they have guys and it all worked out”. As he concluded his post-race interview, the always stoic driver quipped, “the Hirschman family has been racing here since 1989 I think, a lot of times we left here cursing that Indian at the street. This is one that a lot of people thought I’d never check off the list, I’m really thankful for the opportunity”.
In yet another stellar big race performance Mark Stewart of Riverhead was runner-up leaving the young talent more than pleased, “just another great car from my Uncle Bub, I had to get aggressive late in the race but hey, that’s Modified racing” the driver of the Keith Grimes Excavating/Good JuJu’s BBQ entry boasted.
After exiting his USNE Utility Service machine, third place finisher Timmy Solomito looked back on his race, “we gave it all we had, I fought hard up front all night. Our balance was just a little off at the start”.
Undaunted by his lap 210 flat & spin, Roger Turbush of Riverhead recovered for a solid fourth at the line, while Kyle Ellwood of Riverhead survived early race damage to the right front to salvage a fifth-place finish in the Matlach Motorsports Chevy. That tally was enough for Kyle to sew-up the 2023 Crown Jewel Series championship with the second-generation driver admitting this was a goal of his coming into the season. “This is what I wanted to win this year” Ellwood noted while looking at the TC Cup, my goal was to win this cup named after Teddy. I was worried early but my Matlach Motorsports guys kept working on that right front, can’ thank them enough”.
In the General Welding Supply Corp 50 for the Eagle Chevrolet Crate Modifieds 2023 champion Owen Grennan of Glen Cove prevailed, in the process saving himself some grief from his younger brother Chase. Entering the $2,500 to win event, Chase was up one win on Owen in 2023, 4 to 3, Owen, a schoolteacher, knew he would have to even that score Saturday. Man, there would have been no putting up with Chase all winter if I didn’t even things out today”, Owen joked post-race. Owen took the lead from his sibling on lap 2 of the race with Chase in pursuit. The Grennan family picnic was interrupted on lap 37 when AJ DeSantis moved by Chase for second on lap 37. Eight laps later Chase moved back by DeSantis and set sail for his older brother again. In the end the Dillner Precast Chevy of Owen Grennan prevailed over the Black Forest Auto machine of Chase. AJ DeSantis of Yaphank came home third in the Jaeger Lounge Chevy.
It was a rough and tumble HIGHMARK Building Efficiency 40 for the INEX Legend Race Cars, when the dust settled “Blankets’ Joey Braun of Manorville won his 5th feature of 2023, the 15th of his career. A multi-car wreck and then a flip by Pat Moore, who was shaken but otherwise okay, slowed things early on but when they got to racing for the $2,000 victory, they lead tandem put on a clinic. Riely O’Keefe and Joey Braun, both of whom call Manorville home were left to decide the outcome in the final five laps. O’Keefe had led most the way, Braun, with every corner of his car banged up, made his way back to second late in the tilt. Over the final five laps O’Keefe and Braun played the crossover game through and exiting the corners as the intensity ramped up. As the checker waved Joey Braun in the Miller & Caggiano Attorney at law racer made the last crossover payoff in victory. O’Keefe steering the Get Clear, Crystal Clear Window Cleaning entry had to be content with second after leading the majority of the race. 2023 track champion Richie Davidowitz of East Moriches was third in the Freddie & Megan Kraft backed entry.
Tony Ferrante Jr. of New Hyde Park topped the 15-lap Eddie Partridge Vintage All Stars event. Don Conradis set the pace over the first 10-laps, but he was undone when his car did not fire off during a restart. That allowed Ferrante in the Anthony Ferrante & Co Cavalier, and eventual runner-up Don Howe of Water Mill in the Corwith’s Auto Body Cavalier to sneak by. Mark Miller of Hauppauge was third in the Meade’s Welding & Fabricating Chevy.
Islip 300: 1. Matt Hirschman 2. Mark Stewart 3. Timmy Solomito 4. Riger Turbush 5. Kyle Ellwood 6. Owen Grennan 7. Paulie Hartwig 8. Dylan Slepian 9. Jack Handley Jr. 10. Dave Sapienza 11. Justin Brown 12. Matt Brode 13. JR Bertuccio 14. Justin Bonsignore 15. Craig Lutz 16. Chris Young 17. JB Fortin 18. Chase Grennan 19. John Beatty Jr. 20. Lou Strohl 21. Andy Jankowiak 22. Allan Pedersen 23. Walter Sutcliffe 24. Tom Rogers Jr.
Crate Modifieds: 1. Owen Grennan 2. Chase Grennan 3. AJ DeSantis 4. Michael Rutkoski 5. Joey Braun 6. Max Handley 7. Charles Macwhinnie 8. Chevy Rommeney 9. Terry Stiles 10. Rich Gerbe 11. Vinny Delaney 12. Tom Sekulski 13. Jaden Brown 14. Mike Albasini
Legend Race Cars: 1. Joey Braun 2. Riely O’Keefe 3. Richie Davidowitz 4. George Tomko 5. Jacob Burns 6. Cole Robie 7. Luke Lebrun 8. Ryan Lutz 9. Christopher Coleman 10. Ben Morabito 11. Chris Sinatro 12. Mike Van Houten Jr. 13. Rich Gerbe 14. Donald Duran 15. Kevin Ohrnberger 16. Ed Stadtlander 17. Steve Woytysiak 18. Anthony Marsh 19. Charles Hodge 20. Kevin Nowak 21. Chase Van Houten 22. Nick Morabito 23. Mike Alcaro 24. Pat Moore 25. Jayden Glennerster 26. Ray Stulz
Vintage All-Stars: 1. Tony Ferrante Jr. 2. Don Howe 3. Mark Miller 4. Sal Accardi Jr. 5. Don Conradis 6. Frank Saladino 7. Mike Siraco 8. Bill Auer 9. John Jasinsky 10. Jimmy Reed Jr. 11. Pat Hughes 12. Tim Daly 13. Rob Laskowski 14, Dylan Slepian
Sources: Bob Finan/Riverhead Raceway PR