BUTLER TOWNSHIP, Pa. — For 25 years Matt Hirschman has been a driving force at Evergreen Raceway. It’s where he began his career and where he still comes whenever his schedule allows.
In that span he’s recorded a record six Tour Type Modified championships, a record 13 King of the Green events and between him and his father, Tony Hirschman, they are the winningest family at the track.
On Father’s Day Sunday Hirschman added another feather in his Evergreen cap, winning his 60th overall feature behind the wheel of his signature No. 60.
The 50-lap feature was a cone race and on the first caution that occurred on lap eight when Ricky Collins spun, Hirschmann was sitting sixth. When it came time to choose the inside or outside for the restart, the first five cars all opted for the bottom lane. When it was Hirschman’s time to pick he wasted no time in going to the top and was then lined up alongside leader Jayden Harman.
Two laps following the restart using that same lane he passed Harman and remained there to the finish.
“That restart early in the race I kind of got a Father’s Day present there by getting the cone to advance all those spots,” said Hirschman. “I think I had a good car today, but I know the fans would have gotten a little better show because I still would have had some cars to pass. That just made it easier.”
Once Hirschman took the lead, he maintained a two-car-length advantage over his challengers.
Christman used a lap 27 restart to progress up to second but gave it up to Coss after a restart with 10 laps to go, however, it only took one lap for him to regain the spot.
Also coming on strong at this point was Brian DeFebo who sat fourth and with eight laps to go motored into third. And from there to the checkers, he and Christman put on a sizzling battle while staying within close reach of Hirschman.
DeFebo would take control of second and in the final few circuits fans were being treated to a pair of iconic drivers who together are the top two winningest Tour Type Modified stars at the track.
Hirschman was able to uphold his lead to the checkers while DeFebo still had to fend off Christman in garnering the runner-up posting. Coss and Hartwig rounded out the top five.
Scott Adams won the street stock feature and T.J. Kapish topped the four-cylinder main event.
