HIRSCHMAN SCORES SMART MODIFIED SEASON OPENER AT FLORENCE
Timmonsville, SC (March 6, 2023) - Matt Hirschman’s hot streak to start 2023 continues. The veteran driver from Northampton, PA won Saturday's (March 4) SMART Modified Tour powered by Pace-O-Matic season opener, the Low Country 99, at Florence Motor Speedway in Timmonsville, SC.
Hirschman took the checkers in four-straight Tour-Type Modified races during Florida Speedweeks in February at New Smyrna Speedway. With Saturday’s victory, it marks five-consecutive victories to begin the year. The triumph did not become a reality until a late-race caution with eight laps to go in the 99-lap event. Caleb Heady led all lead lap cars down pitroad for what resulted in a right-rear tire change for all teams. Matt Hirschman was the first car off of pitroad to assume the lead entering the Pace-O-Matic Restart Zone. He led the final 8 laps of the race to score his seventh victory in his last nine SMART starts.
‘It was really timely and it worked out for us,” said Matt Hirschman after the Low Country 99. “We needed that to give us a chance; we weren’t the car to beat today. I didn’t have anything for the top two (Caleb Heady and Burt Myers); they had me covered. They had such a gap (on us) and we were looking at a third place finish. “They guys killed it on the pit stop and I owe this to them,” admitted Hirschman, who drives the Boykin Spaniel Rescue, Colyer Trucking, FL Racing Connection, LI Mod Maniac number-60. “We were not the car to beat today, but sometimes you just find a way and we did today. That's the racing game.” Caleb Heady (7ny), the defending SMART Modified Tour powered by Pace-O-Matic champion, finished second after leading 32 laps. Two-time SMART Tour champion Burt Myers (1nc) was third , with Brandon Ward (2) and Jonathan Brown (24) rounding out the top-five finishers.
“I like racing with the SMART Modified group and I appreciate all that Pace-O-Matic does for them,” stated Hirschman while his car was being inspected post-race. “March is all about racing with this series. I don’t mind the miles on the highway to come and race with them and be with our team (PeeDee Motorsports).” Hirschman also grabbed the MJ Printing & Graphics Fastest Lap of the Race with a time of 17.729 on lap 94. Caleb Heady won the Pace-O-Matic Pole Award when he beat 23 other competitors in qualifying with a time of 17.152 seconds. Burt Myers picked up the Josten Lap Leader Award for being on point for 45 circuits. He also won the Bell Helmets Stage 1 of the Race and was the Bankers Life Halfway Leader. A couple of other special awards went to Ryan Newman (39), for being the Pace-O-Matic Hard Charger by moving up 10-positions from 16th to sixth, and Gary Young Jr. (45), who is the Carolina Drilling Blast to the Front Winner for being the top driver at the finish (10th) that has not won a Tour-Type Modified series event.
Next up for the SMART Modified Tour powered by Pace-O-Matic will be the Warrior 100 this Sunday, May 12 at Caraway Speedway in Sophia, NC. For the full SMART Modified Tour powered by Pace-O-Matic schedule, plus driver profiles and other information, please visit the series website at www.smartmodtour.com, and be sure to follow the series on social media (Facebook: SMART Modified Tour| Twitter: @SMARTMods_ | IG: @smartmods_). Low Country 99
UNOFFICIAL Results 1. 60 Matt Hirschman 2. 7ny Caleb Heady 3. 1 Burt Myers 4. 2 Brandon Ward 5. 24 Jonathan Brown 6. 39 Ryan Newman 7. 77 Gary Putnam 8. 4 Jason Myers 9. 18va Bobby Labonte 10. 45 Gary Young Jr. 11. 23 Carson Loftin 12. 25 Tim Brown 13. 14 Bobby Measmer Jr. 14. 02 Joey Coulter 15. 07va Dennis Holdren 16. 79 Zach Brewer 17. 55 Jeremy Gerstner 18. 11 Michael Ritch 19. 15 Brian Loftin 20. 22 Jason Tutterow 21. 21NC Dwight Sauls 22. 01 Brian Weber 23. 07N Riley Neal 24. 21 Jimmy Wallace
Fast Qualifier: Caleb Heady - 17.152 seconds (83.956 mph) Fastest Lap: Matt Hirschman - 17.729 (Lap 94 at 81.223 mph) Time of Race: 1h:16:32 Cautions: 5 for 22 Laps - Lap 30 (Stage Break), Lap 43 (55 spins), Lap 91 (79 spins), Lap 92 (14 spins), Lap 95 (22 spins) Lead Changes: 4 among 4 Drivers - 1-15 Labonte, B. Myers 16-60, Heady 61-92, Hirschman 93-99 Lap Leaders: B. Myers 45, Heady 32, Labonte 15, Hirschman 7
Hirschman took the checkers in four-straight Tour-Type Modified races during Florida Speedweeks in February at New Smyrna Speedway. With Saturday’s victory, it marks five-consecutive victories to begin the year. The triumph did not become a reality until a late-race caution with eight laps to go in the 99-lap event. Caleb Heady led all lead lap cars down pitroad for what resulted in a right-rear tire change for all teams. Matt Hirschman was the first car off of pitroad to assume the lead entering the Pace-O-Matic Restart Zone. He led the final 8 laps of the race to score his seventh victory in his last nine SMART starts.
‘It was really timely and it worked out for us,” said Matt Hirschman after the Low Country 99. “We needed that to give us a chance; we weren’t the car to beat today. I didn’t have anything for the top two (Caleb Heady and Burt Myers); they had me covered. They had such a gap (on us) and we were looking at a third place finish. “They guys killed it on the pit stop and I owe this to them,” admitted Hirschman, who drives the Boykin Spaniel Rescue, Colyer Trucking, FL Racing Connection, LI Mod Maniac number-60. “We were not the car to beat today, but sometimes you just find a way and we did today. That's the racing game.” Caleb Heady (7ny), the defending SMART Modified Tour powered by Pace-O-Matic champion, finished second after leading 32 laps. Two-time SMART Tour champion Burt Myers (1nc) was third , with Brandon Ward (2) and Jonathan Brown (24) rounding out the top-five finishers.
“I like racing with the SMART Modified group and I appreciate all that Pace-O-Matic does for them,” stated Hirschman while his car was being inspected post-race. “March is all about racing with this series. I don’t mind the miles on the highway to come and race with them and be with our team (PeeDee Motorsports).” Hirschman also grabbed the MJ Printing & Graphics Fastest Lap of the Race with a time of 17.729 on lap 94. Caleb Heady won the Pace-O-Matic Pole Award when he beat 23 other competitors in qualifying with a time of 17.152 seconds. Burt Myers picked up the Josten Lap Leader Award for being on point for 45 circuits. He also won the Bell Helmets Stage 1 of the Race and was the Bankers Life Halfway Leader. A couple of other special awards went to Ryan Newman (39), for being the Pace-O-Matic Hard Charger by moving up 10-positions from 16th to sixth, and Gary Young Jr. (45), who is the Carolina Drilling Blast to the Front Winner for being the top driver at the finish (10th) that has not won a Tour-Type Modified series event.
Next up for the SMART Modified Tour powered by Pace-O-Matic will be the Warrior 100 this Sunday, May 12 at Caraway Speedway in Sophia, NC. For the full SMART Modified Tour powered by Pace-O-Matic schedule, plus driver profiles and other information, please visit the series website at www.smartmodtour.com, and be sure to follow the series on social media (Facebook: SMART Modified Tour| Twitter: @SMARTMods_ | IG: @smartmods_). Low Country 99
UNOFFICIAL Results 1. 60 Matt Hirschman 2. 7ny Caleb Heady 3. 1 Burt Myers 4. 2 Brandon Ward 5. 24 Jonathan Brown 6. 39 Ryan Newman 7. 77 Gary Putnam 8. 4 Jason Myers 9. 18va Bobby Labonte 10. 45 Gary Young Jr. 11. 23 Carson Loftin 12. 25 Tim Brown 13. 14 Bobby Measmer Jr. 14. 02 Joey Coulter 15. 07va Dennis Holdren 16. 79 Zach Brewer 17. 55 Jeremy Gerstner 18. 11 Michael Ritch 19. 15 Brian Loftin 20. 22 Jason Tutterow 21. 21NC Dwight Sauls 22. 01 Brian Weber 23. 07N Riley Neal 24. 21 Jimmy Wallace
Fast Qualifier: Caleb Heady - 17.152 seconds (83.956 mph) Fastest Lap: Matt Hirschman - 17.729 (Lap 94 at 81.223 mph) Time of Race: 1h:16:32 Cautions: 5 for 22 Laps - Lap 30 (Stage Break), Lap 43 (55 spins), Lap 91 (79 spins), Lap 92 (14 spins), Lap 95 (22 spins) Lead Changes: 4 among 4 Drivers - 1-15 Labonte, B. Myers 16-60, Heady 61-92, Hirschman 93-99 Lap Leaders: B. Myers 45, Heady 32, Labonte 15, Hirschman 7
