SEEKONK, Mass. – Chase Dowling started at the front and never relinquished the top spot in a victorious afternoon at Seekonk Speedway on Saturday.
Dowling bested the field in the Tri Track Open Modified Series Haunted Hundred – outlasting 26 of the top modified drivers in New England to score a $6,000 check in the season finale.
While Dowling held the checkered flag, Matt Hirschman’s fourth-place finish was enough for him to hoist his sixth Tri Track championship. Hirschman entered the day needing to finish 17th or better to win the crown, but the Pennsylvania veteran did much better than that – charging through the field in the late laps to get to the top-five, where he settled to win the crown. It’s the sixth time in eight years that Hirschman is the series champion.
“We had a great year, won the two biggest races and the championship, which is the cherry on top,” Hirschman said. “To get the championship at the end of the year, it’s a nice accomplishment for the team. We were good at all three tracks and that’s what you need to be able to do this.”
Dowling was originally slated to start fourth in the feature, but a spin of a wheel determined there would be a four-car invert, placing Dowling on the pole, and in control, for the 100-lap feature. He was also honored on Saturday for being the winner of the inaugural Call 811 Before You Dig Modified Challenge, worth $8,111, prior to the race.
Dowling was one of few front-running cars that didn’t pit for a fresh tire during the race, while Ron Silk, who charged to finish second, pitted and raced through the field. Jake Johnson, in his debut in a Tour Modified, fought to third, while Hirschman and Ronnie Williams finished the top-five.
Tommy Catalano charged from the back of the field to a sixth-place finish, securing the Green Construction Management LLC Hard Charger award, worth $500. Max Zachem finished seventh, followed by Richard Savary, Matt Swanson and Dylan Izzo.
Earlier in the day, Doug Coby, Dana DiMatteo, Silk and Dowling won $300 each in heat races as winners of the Pepsi Challenge. Anthony Sesely and Catalano joined them as Pepsi Challenge winners, after scoring the top spot in consi races. Hirschman won $300 in the Jerico Performance Products fast time award – posting the fastest lap in the scuff/qualifying session.
The finish:
Chase Dowling, Ron Silk, Jake Johnson, Matt Hirschman, Ronnie Williams, Tommy Catalano, Max Zachem, Richard Savary, Matt Swanson, Dylan Izzo, Matt Galko, Chris Pasteryak, Kyle Bonsignore, Justin Bonsignore, Dana DiMatteo, Angelo Belsito, Buddy Charette, Brian Robie, Sam Rameau, Anthony Sesely, Doug Coby, Anthony Nocella, Les Hinckley, Tommy Barrett, Carl Medeiros Jr., Joey Cipriano, Woody Pitkat.