07/11/06

Hirschman Hopes To Add To His New Hampshire NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour Success This Weekend

    The NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour will make its first appearance of the 2006 season at New Hampshire International Speedway on July 15. Tony Hirschman of Northampton, Pa., the Tour’s all-time win leader at the “Magic Mile”, is hoping to improve on last years finish in the New England 100 by one position.
    “We lost the race by about three feet,” said Hirschman referring to the dramatic finish with race winner Ted Christopher. “We usually run well at New Hampshire and hopefully we’ll get back to victory lane.”
    The races at New Hampshire International Speedway are always one of the highlights of the season for the drivers of the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour.
    “Since this track opened it has been a special place,” said Hirschman. “The racing is always close and every driver wants to win at New Hampshire.”
    With seven wins Hirschman is the all time winner on the series and is also a former NHIS Lincoln Electric/Merriam-Graves Track Champion.
    “I really enjoy racing here,” said Hirschman. “This is the only track we race at which has the draft and the constant dicing for position makes it exciting for the fans and the drivers.”
    Hirschman, who drives the Kamco Supply Chevrolet owned by Bob and Tom Kehley, is the defending champion of the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour and currently sits second in the series standings. He is trying to win his sixth series title which would tie him with Mike Stefanik. Stefanik currently leads the standings by 11 points.
    “We’ve run well this year although we haven’t won,” said Hirschman. “This Tour continues to get stronger and stronger. There are so many drivers and teams who can win a race you have to at your very best at every race.”
    The New England 100 will precede the New England 200 for the NASCAR Busch Series on July 15. The 100 lap event is scheduled to start at 1:10 p.m.

NEW ENGLAND 100 NOTES:

* Qualifying for the New England 100 is scheduled for 2:50 p.m. on Thursday, July 13. The fastest 37 cars will earn starting positions. Five provisional positions (two based on 2006 NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour owners points, two based on drivers points and one past champion) will bring the starting field to a maximum of 42 cars.
* The New England 100 is scheduled to begin at 1:10 p.m. on Saturday, July 15.
* Posted awards are $160,193.
* This is the first of two NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour races scheduled for NHIS in 2006.
* Ted Christopher is the defending champion. He has won the last four consecutive races at NHIS and can tie the mark of five in a row set by Reggie Ruggiero.
* The qualifying record at NHIS is 132.743 mph (28.693 seconds) set by Mike Ewanitsko in 2001.
* NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series drivers Tony Stewart and Carl Edwards have filed entries for the New England 100. With a victory in the New England 100, either driver would join Steve Park and Jimmy Spencer as the only drivers to win a race in the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series, NASCAR Busch Series, NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series and NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour.
* As of July 5: 44 teams have filed entries for the New England 100.

Source: Mark Mockovack/NASCAR WMT PR
Posted:  July 11, 2006