Five-Time Modified Champion Hirschman to be Honored at
Thompson
As part of the season-long celebration of 60 years of
Modified champions, five-time NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour
titlist Tony Hirschman will be honored at the New England Dodge
Dealers 150 presented by Budweiser on Thursday, Aug. 14 at
Thompson (Conn.) International Speedway.
Hirschman, of Northampton, Pa., captured five NASCAR Whelen
Modified Tour titles during a stellar 11-year span from
1995-2005. His five championships are second-most in tour
history.
“The first time I ever saw Modifieds was in the early days
when they came to Pocono on the three-quarter mile track back in
the late 1960s,” Hirschman said. “Just sitting in the stands and
watching, I never would have thought that one day I would have a
chance to race cars like that, let alone win a race or a
championship. One thing led to the next, and as years go by,
here we are with five championships.”
In the smallest championship margin of victory in NASCAR
Whelen Modified Tour history, Hirschman edged Steve Park by
three points for his first title in 1995. The 1996 season would
see Hirschman again finish ahead of Park in another championship
chase that went down to the wire, this time by 12 points.
After two narrow championship victories in 1995 and 1996,
Hirschman was able to put together a dominant 1999 campaign for
his third series title. With six wins, 14 top fives and 19 top
10s, he finished 403 points ahead of Mike Ewanitsko for the
championship, the second-largest margin of victory in series
history.
For the second time in his career, Hirschman was able to put
together back-to-back championship seasons in 2004 and 2005.
Hirschman used four wins to finish 104 points ahead of Ed Flemke
Jr. for the 2004 title and he had five victories during his
fifth championship season when he tallied 18 more points than
Ted Christopher in the final standings.
Hirschman, who last raced in 2007, recorded 35 wins, 41
poles, 134 top fives and 199 top 10s in 319 career NASCAR Whelen
Modified Tour starts. His win total ranks third in series
history while his pole award tally is an all-time record.
Hirschman’s five NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour championships are
second only to Stefanik’s seven titles since the tour was formed
in 1985.
Thompson International Speedway, where the ceremony will take
place, was a very successful venue for Hirschman. Of his 35
career wins, eight came at Thompson. Hirschman’s first win at
the track was the 1989 World Series and his most-recent triumph
came in the August 2005 New England Dodge Dealers 150.
“Thompson always was a good race track for me,” Hirschman
said. “Four of the five championships came down to the last
race, and we won them there. Thompson has always been special to
me.”
In addition to his successful NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour
career, Hirschman also competed in the NASCAR Camping World
Series East for a couple years. He finished seventh in the
season standings in 1991 to earn Sunoco Rookie of the Year
honors and placed eighth in the 1992 points chase.
Following this week’s race at Stafford (Conn.) Motor Speedway
on Friday, Aug. 8, the New England Dodge Dealers 150 at Thompson
on Thursday, Aug. 14 will be the ninth race of the NASCAR Whelen
Modified Tour 2008 schedule. Hirschman will be honored by NASCAR
prior to the start of racing action that evening. For ticket
information, please visit Thompson’s official Web site (thompsonspeedway.com).
Source: Jason
Cunningham/NASCAR WMT PR
Posted:
August 6, 2008
