BUTLER TOWNSHIP, Pa. — The race distance may have changed but the results stayed the same as Northampton’s Matt Hirschman scored his third consecutive Tour Type Modified victory at Evergreen Raceway on Sunday afternoon.
The first two events held this year were run as 50-lappers, which Hirschman both won over Roger Coss.
Sunday, it was a 35-lap contest but even before half the race was completed, he was in command and would go on to make it three conquests in a row at the paved third-mile oval.
“It’s a shorter race and some of the other guys were going to be a little more impatient, a little more aggressive and that may have resulted in a few more cautions then our previous two races here,” said Hirschman.
“The first race we had the lead by lap 35 and the last one we got there by lap 12 so I knew 35 (laps) was still enough time. It may change the mindset of some of the racers that think they have a little less time, and they become impatient, but I felt it was a good clean race and it’s always good to get a win close to home.”
After a redraw to set the starting grid, Hirschman began the feature in fifth. At the front Ricky Ross Jr., who started from the pole, set the early pace over Brian DeFebo.
As for Hirschman, he was fourth following a lap two restart, then began to put the power down by picking his way to third by lap 10 and advanced another two spots forward by the 14th go-around.
When Thomas Flanagan spun on the same lap, Hirschman then used that restart to overhaul Ross for the lead which he would not surrender the rest of the way.
And, as Hirschman was making his way to the front, virtually at the same time Austin Beers was following his path and on an ensuing lap-17 restart, passed Ross for second and then settled there until the finish.
“I was able to make good passes. I had four cars to pass and then I was able to keep the 71 (Beers) behind who also rose to the top and he passed four cars to get to second and it was definitely a good day,” relayed Hirschman.
After giving up first and second, Ross remained third. Jayden Harman scored a solid fourth while DeFebo rounded out the top five.
Coupled with three Sport Mod wins, Hirschman moved into a tie with Brian DeFebo as the all-time wins’ leaders in Modifieds at Evergreen with 58.
“This track this year, it kind of reminds me of the Evergreen I grew up racing on. To me it’s a little bit different than it was in recent years and I feel that it’s played right into my hand,” he said.
Mike Pollack won the street stock feature and Jay Kanor topped the four-cylinder run.
