“Big Money” Hirschman Strikes For Second $10,000 Payday At Wyoming Co. Int’l Speedway

Story By: STEVE PETTY / WYOMING COUNTY INTERNATIONAL SPEEDWAY – PERRY, NY – For the second consecutive year, “Big Money” Matt Hirschman from Northampton, Pennsylvania is now $10,000 richer after earning his first career win at the Perry Bullring in the third running of the American Racer 100 for the Tour-Type Modifieds at Wyoming County International Speedway on Saturday afternoon.

Zach Myers from East Concord, NY led every lap to score the win in the Super Stocks. Bob Rip Ripley from Pine City, NY was victorious in the CAMS Modified exhibition event.

“We rode around for the first half of the race but when the second half of the race rolled around and after the first caution, we decided to come in and get the new tire and the car was fast all day” stated Hirschman in victory lane. “I always love coming here to Perry, the track is racy and we’ve always had good success here” Hirschman added.

Chuck Hossfeld and Austin Kochenash were on the front row for the third running of the American Racer 100 for the Tour-Type Mods with Hossfeld showing the way from the start. Eric Beers took second away from Kochenash on lap three and began to chase down Hossfeld. Throughout the races early stages, the field was single file for the top dozen or so positions. Matt Hirschman would start working his way up through the field from his sixth starting spot as we worked around John Fortin to move into the fourth position on lap 15.

Hossfeld would hit lap traffic by lap 20 as he started to pull away from Eric Beers and Kochenash. While the field was strung around the 1/3rd mile-Bullring, Kochenash would catch Beers and would battle for the second position. TJ Zacharias would slow in turn two to bring out the races first caution on lap 57. As most of the leaders went into the pits, Jimmy Zacharias, Brian DeFebo, and Tony Hanbury stayed on the track to take over the top three spots. On the restart, DeFebo would take the lead away from Zacharias with Hossfeld moving into third. Chris Ridsdale spun in turn three to bring out the races second caution on lap 58. Brian DeFebo’s strong run came to an end on lap 60 after slowing entering turn three, as Daniel Majchrzak and Bill Mislin got together trying to avoid the slowing DeFebo.

The restart with around 40-laps remaining would see Jimmy Zacharias and Chuck Hossfeld on the front row, but it was Eric Beers and Matt Hirschman moving into second and third, behind Zacharias. Austin Kochenash and Mike Leaty got together on the front straightaway to bring out the red flag on lap 63. Both Kochenash and Leaty climbed out of their racecars under their own power. Eric Beers would take the lead on the restart as Matt Hirschman moved into second, shifting Zacharias back to third. Hirschman would look underneath Beers for the lead on lap 66 and would take the lead on lap 67. Andy Jankowiak would move into the top five on lap 70 after passing Barber. Tony Hanbury came to a stop in turn four to bring out the caution on lap 89.

Hirschman would lead the final 11 circuits to grab his second American Racer 100. Eric Beers, also from Northampton, PA finished in second and Jimmy Zacharias, the 2017 New York State NASCAR Champion from Candor, NY finished in third. “We had a good car but Matt was that much better”, commented runner-up finisher Beers.

“If we went into the pits and changed the tire, would we have won? No one can answer that, but it is a win for us finishing in third, with Matt (Hirschman) and Eric (Beers) here, they are always tough wherever they go” stated Zacharias.

Zach Myers and Teej Cochrane brought the WCIS Super Stocks to the green flag for their 50-lap event with Myers in the lead. While fighting for second place, multi-time track champion Dave Krawczyk and Cochrane got together and brought out the caution and with the two spun, the track got blocked as Andy Cryan, Eric Stone, Justin Myers, Mike Chenaille, and Frank Kline. On the restart, Myers would feel the pressure from Daniel Majchrzak. The lead duo would battle for several laps until Majchrzak had issues and lost the right front tire with 12 laps remaining. Myers would lead off the late-race restart and was able to hold off a hard-charging Majchrzak to score the win. Andy Cryan, who was involved in the early race wreck, came back through the field to complete the top three.

Rip Ripley crossed the line first in the CAMS Modified exhibition event over Dan Robertson, a former WCIS competitor in the 80’s and 90’s and Tommy Smith. Terry Wilson led the early stages but it was Ripley, who worked through the eight-car field to get the win.

The Fall Shootout at the Bullring Weekend officially ended the season of asphalt racing in Western New York. Look at the track website and all social media pages for upcoming news on the 2017 Awards Banquet and 2018 registration meeting. Opening Day for 2018 will take place on Saturday, May 19th. For more information about WCIS, log online to www.thebullringwcis.com or call (585) 245-2123 or the speedway office at (585) 237-2580. You can also check out The BullRing on Facebook.

RACE RESULTS – Shootout at the Bullring Day featuring the American Racer 100

American Racer 100: MATT HIRSCHMAN, Eric Beers, Jimmy Zacharias, Chuck Hossfeld, Andy Jankowiak, Camden Barber, Daren Scherer, Jack Ely, JB Fortin, Patrick Emerling, Kirk Totten, Daryl Lewis Jr, Jon Kay, Bryan Sherwood, Chris Ridsdale, Neal Dietz Jr, Billy Mislin, Tony Hanbury, Austin Kochenash, Mike Leaty, Brian DeFebo, Alan Bookmiller, Daniel Majchrzak, TJ Zacharias, and Scott Wylie

Qualifying Winners: Camden Barber, Matt Hirschman, Eric Beers, Andy Jankowiak

Super Stocks: ZACH MYERS, Daniel Majchrzak, Andy Cryan, Rob Miszczak, Tim Garlock, Max Northem, Jim Mallaber, Eric Hastreiter, Mike Chenaille, Frank Kline, Justin Myers, Kyle Skoney, Dave Krawczyk, Eric Stone, Scott Gleed, Ron Underwood, and Teej Cochrane

Qualifying Winners: Rob Miszczak, Zach Myers, Dave Krawczyk