Hirschman Captures Second Straight Turkey Derby Victory
In front of a capacity crowd at Wall Stadium Speedway “Big Money” Matt Hirschman wanted to go back-to-back in the tour-type modified 150-lap Turkey Derby event. He won in 2012, and now in 2013 he was starting on the outside of the front row. Though Hirschman put down the fastest lap in time-trials, he didn’t go to the lead immediately like many people expected.
Instead it was Freehold, N.J.’s own Danny Bohn who started on the pole after the redraw and took the lead immediately. Bohn never surrendered the lead until lap 120 when he pitted for tires.
Hirschman hung around the front of the field for the first half of the race. But his day got difficult when he pitted for tires on lap 81 and was penalized by race officials for speeding in the pit area. Hirschman was told he was speeding on the access road to the pits going up the hill.
“Maybe I was there,” said Hirschman. “But I thought the pit road speed started at the pit fence. The whole field followed me in so if I was speeding everybody was. On exit I could have been more aggressive up by the gate and tried jamming my way through when other cars pulled out and I didn’t. I used patience and let Jimmy Blewett get out in front of me there. I was surprised. I think they used me to make an example and fortunately for us we overcame it.”
Hirschman lined up in 22nd for the restart and didn’t exactly fly through the field. Instead he actually started to lose distance to the back of the field and came within half a straightaway of going a lap down to Bohn. A few cautions later he finally did start to make his way back to the front, but then he was caught up in even more trouble.
On lap 109 Jimmy Zacharias got tangled near the front of the field in turn two on a restart. That jammed up the whole field behind him. Hirschman, Ryan Preece, and more all got collected in the incident. Hirschman did a full spin, but was able to drive away without any damage and was allowed to keep his position from before the incident.
Hirschman restarted in ninth and then he made his charge back to the front. He made moves anywhere he could. Turn one, turn four, inside or outside. It didn’t matter. Six laps later and he was in third. But it was still looking like nobody had anything for Bohn up front.
But then Bohn pit. Which handed the lead over to Rowan Pennink, the 2009 winner of this race. Hirschman line up to Pennink’s outside for the restart with 30 laps remaining.
At Wall Stadium Speedway the inside line is the preferred line on restarts and Pennink had that line. But Hirschman proceeded to drive right by him on the restart and leave him the dust.
Hirschman just drove off into the setting New Jersey sun to claim his second straight Turkey Derby victory. A hard-charging Doug Coby (who spun twice) made his way by Pennink to finish second. Preece and Mike Bohn rounded out the top five.
“I’ve done this enough times to know that at the end of the race you’ve just got to be there,” said Hirschman. Last year was a big relief after about 10 years of trying. This is nice just to back it up.”
Top Five Finishers
1. (2) Matt Hirschman
2. Doug Coby
3. (14) Rowan Pennink
4. (4) Ryan Preece
5. (9) Mike Bohn
Sesely Holds Off Hirschman
Matt Hirschman tried to sweep both modified races, but in the SK/Wall Modified 100-lap feature he had an uphill battle. After losing a motor in practice Hirschman had to start from the rear of the 27-car field. But thanks to a massive crash on lap 37 that saw Andrew Krause’s car ride the backstretch guardrail, Hirschman was quickly up to eighth and charging to the front.
Anthony Sesely started from the pole and stayed in the top five all race long. By halfway it was obvious that Sesely’s No. 16 was going to be the car to beat, but Steven Reed, Jimmy Blewett, and Hirschman all had cars that could keep up.
With 12 laps to go Blewett was leading Seseley, Reed, and Hirschman. The top three went into turn one with Sesely to Blewett’s outside and Reed gave Blewett a shove coming out of turn two. Blewett saved it, but he went into turn three a lane higher with Sesely still to his outside. Reed once again gave Blewett a shove in turn four, but this time Blewett didn’t save it. Blewett went around, Reed piled in, as did Hirschman. Seseley got by on the outside, but everybody behind Hirschman piled in to the crash in turn four. Sesely was the only driver to initially escape the crash. Some of the backmarkers drove away without much damage and found themselves in the top five. Hirschman was able to drive off and restart fifth.
As Blewett’s car was being towed through the infield to head back to the pits he unbuckled himself and got out of his No. 86. He then took off across the infield to the backstretch where Sesely and the rest of the cars were parked. Blewett charged right to Sesely’s right-side window and started screaming and pointing. Sesely started to drive off and Blewett grabbed on and went for a ride for close to ten feet.
“The three of us put it all out there every time,” said Sesely of the incident. “We all refuse to lose, but only one of us can win. We were beating and banging the whole time. It was hard racing.”
With seven laps to go Hirschman restarted in third. He quickly took second from Chris Lane and set his sights on Sesely. He started to close in, but he just couldn’t get close enough to make anything happen.
Anthony Sesely was able to hold off Hirschman to score his first SK/Wall modified Turkey Derby victory. Hirschman, Zach Alspach, Lane, and Michael Gervais completed the top five.
“My guys worked hard for this,” said Sesely in victory lane. “This is the one I’ve wanted all along. I’ve always wanted a Turkey Derby win and I never had one before.”
Top Five Finishers
1. (1) Anthony Sesely
2. (27) Matt Hirschman
3. (10) Zach Alspach
4. (9) Chris Lane
5. (2) Michael Gervais
Matlach Goes Back-To-Back in Bizarre Limited Late Model Feature
It’s a bizarre race when the winner spins out not once, but twice. But that’s not even the half of it.
The 50-lap event was under caution with 13 laps remaining when the lights went out around the racetrack. It brought back memories of Daytona testing a couple years ago when the lights went out around the track. Fortunately this time the cars were already at a slow pace, whereas in Daytona the track was under green conditions.
The only lights that remained on were the turns two and three, and backstretch lights. Everywhere else was dark. But after five minutes the backstretch lights went dark. And then the pit area lights went dark. After ten minutes the only lights that remained lit were in the track’s offices and the scoring pylon.
After a 15-minute delay to reset the system and get the lights back working, the race went back to green with Wayne Coury leading over Riverhead Raceway regular Chris Turbush.
Turbush appeared to be the faster car on the longer run, but a long run is something he never got. On a restart with ten laps remaining, Ken Matlach took second place from Turbush going into turn three. Matlach had already spun out twice in this race, but that was long forgotten as he went after Coury.
Matlach made his move on Coury and cleared him coming out of turn two with five laps to go. Matlach started to pull away and was able to win his second straight Turkey Derby limited late model feature. Coury, Turbush, Anthony Crimaldi, and Dan Turbush rounded out the top five.
“The car was real good. I just had some bad luck,” said Matlach in victory lane. ” I got a right front flat, then a got a left front flat. I have no idea how I’m here right now.”
When asked about the lights going out Matlach said, “I said thank you, because I needed it in the pits.”
Top Five finishers
1. (8) Ken Matlach
2. (5) Wayne Coury
3. (1) Chris Turbush
4. (3) Anthony Crimaldi
5. (9) Dan Turbush
Photos available at: http://www.racerhub.com/photos/showgallery.php?cat=2219
Source: Rob Blount/LongIslandJam