Preece Wins John Blewett Memorial At New Smyrna

Column By: NICHOLAS FILLMAN / RPW – NEW SMYRNA, FL – The third night of Tour Modified racing at the New Smyrna Speedway would feature the postponed John Blewett Memorial…a race originally scheduled for Wednesday evening. Former NASCAR XFINITY Series competitor Ryan Preece was able to hold off a hard-charging Matt Hirschman to collect his first victory during the 2017 World Series.

Being the top point earner, and with an inversion of six, Ryan started the feature event in the sixth position and methodically worked his way into second. He ended up taking the lead from early race leader Ronnie Silk on lap 60.

Hirschman would throw everything he had left in his machine over the final 16 laps at Preece, even putting the “chrome horn” to the his back bumper. He drew even with the TS Haulers #6 machine in the final set of turns, but came up short at the checkered flag.

After having an up and down feature event, which saw him as low as eighth during the feature event, Matt was able to apply applying pressure on the eventual winner in the final segment of the race before settling for the runner-up spot. He explained after the event that he had used up his right front tire trying to pass Preece and felt he did not quite have the car he needed to steal the victory.

Veteran Whelen Modified series driver Ronnie Silk had yet another strong run aboard the DWR Motorsports 82 entry. Silk took the lead after a lap 25 restart and fended of challenges from Hirschman and Preece during a majority of the feature. He relinquished the lead to Preece with just a handful of laps remaining.

Justin Bonsignore has had mechanical issues on his family-owned 51 machine during the first two events of the World Series week which buried him in the points. That left him with a deep starting position on Thursday night. After starting 19th, the young driver worked his way up as high as third before ultimately finishing in the fourth position.

Jimmy Blewett started the feature event, which honored his late brother, up front after the points invert. He led the first 25 laps of the feature event before loosing the lead to Silk.

Blewett made a late pit stop aboard the Catalano Motorsports 45 machine, but battled hard through the pack to end up with a solid top five position.

Tuesday night’s feature winner Tyler Rypkema suffered a fuel cell leak, which led to a red flag and a lengthy stay on pit road. He returned, many laps down to run the remainder of the feature, and with some attrition, ended the night in 14th.

Jimmy Zacharias appeared to be headed for yet another solid top ten finish, but unfortunately for him, an engine failure in the closing laps ended that and put the remainder of his World Series weekend in jeopardy.

John Blewett lll Memorial 76 results: (Results Unofficial)
6 Ryan Preece
60 Matt Hirschman
82 Ronnie Silk
51 Justin Bonsignore
45 Jimmy Blewett
16 Timmy Solomito
17 Richie Pallai jr
22 Chuck Hossfeld
2 JR Bertuccio
40 Calvin Carroll
64 Amy Catalano
70 Jermey Gerstner
29 Jon McKennedy
32 Tyler Rypkema
70 Shawn Balluzzo
71 Jimmy Zacharias
71m Matt Montoneri
63 Austin Pickens
73 Paul Hartwig jr
33 Ricky Moxley
82x Spencer Davis
54 Tommy Catalano
39 DJ Wagner
2x Al Emmarino
6x Matt Gallo
23 Joe DeGracia