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For
the second consecutive year,
Tony Hirschman, of Northampton,
Pa. has been selected as the
favorite to win the 2006 NASCAR
Whelen Modified Tour
Championship by a preseason poll
of media who cover the series.
He proved the media
prognosticators correct in 2005
as he earned his second
consecutive title and fifth of
his career.
Hirschman, who drives the Tom and Bob Kehley owned Kamco Supply
Chevrolet, collected 156 points
in the poll and five first place
votes.
“Recognition by the media is a
great honor, said Hirschman.
“It’s a reflection on the whole
team. And I’m glad to see the
media is still thinking about
us. Hopefully we’ll repeat
again.”
Mike Stefanik, of Coventry R.I., a six time series champion, earned
123 points in the poll to finish
in second in the balloting.
Stefanik earned 3 first place
votes.
Ted Christopher of Plainville, Conn., runner-up in the 2005
standings, was third in the
balloting with 101 points.
Christopher was picked by four
media members to win the
championship. Eric Beers of
Northampton, Pa. received 100
points to place fourth in the
Poll. He also collected a first
place vote. Jerry Marquis of
Broad Brook, Conn. rounded out
the Top-5 in the preseason poll
with 92 points and two first
place votes.
The third place driver in the 2005 campaign, Chuck Hossfeld, earned
76 points to lead the drivers
who finished 6th-10th in the
poll. Hossfeld was picked to
finish first by one media
member. The 2003 champion, Todd
Szegedy, was the seventh-highest
vote getter with 75 points and a
first place vote. Doug Coby
earned 70 points to finish
eighth. John Blewett III
finished ninth in the final
balloting with 43 points and one
first place vote. Eddie Flemke
rounded out the Top-10 with 31
points.
The NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour Preseason Top 10 was voted upon by
media members who cover the
Whelen Modified Tour including
print, television, radio and
Internet outlets. The voting was
based off a descending point
scale. Drivers received 10
points for a first-place vote,
nine points for a second-place
vote and on down to one point
for 10th place. The Whelen
Modified Tour, NASCAR’s oldest
open wheeled touring series,
will open its 22nd season at
Thompson International Speedway
in Thompson, Conn. on Sunday,
April 9.
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