Emerling & Hirschman Win RoC Events At Spencer & Holland

Story By: RACE OF CHAMPIONS – ELMA, NY – Patrick Emerling of Orchard Park, N.Y., who is the defending Race of Champions Asphalt Modified Series fueled by Sunoco champion and Matt Hirschman of Northampton, Pa., earned victories during a weekend of racing for the Race of Champions Asphalt Modified Series at Spencer Speedway in Williamson, N.Y. and the Holland (N.Y.) International Speedway.

Emerling worked his way to the front at Spencer Speedway on Friday night in the Patsy and Joe Catalano Tribute 75 and passed Mike Leaty of Williamson, N.Y., which put him in victory lane for the second time this season giving him the Spencer Speedway sweep.

“We had a great car tonight,” stated Emerling in victory lane. “We had to work for it and Mike (Leaty) is always strong here. It was a good race for us and we are happy with the result. It was a great way to kick off two nights of racing.”

Emerling was followed to the stripe by Leaty. Tommy Catalano finished third while Chuck Hossfeld of Ransomville, N.Y. and Andy Jankowiak of Buffalo, N.Y., rounded out the top-five.

The Catalano family rewarded racers with several special awards including $5,454.54 in lap money. Bryan Sherwood of Binghamton, N.Y., and Karl Hehr of Cheektowaga, N.Y., were the big earners in the lap money department, while Hossfeld picked up the hard charger award.

Mike Leaty posted the fastest lap and earned the bonus points during the green-white-checker time trials. Leaty, Tyler Rypkema of Owego, N.Y., and Emerling won the qualifying races.

On Saturday night in the Thunder in the Hills 100 presented by Upstate Auto Group at Holland International Speedway Hirschman made a late race pass of Austin Kochensash from Danielsville, Pa., and went to earn the 40th Series win of his career, which is the most on the all-time win list.

“Things just went our way tonight,” beamed Hirschman from victory lane. “We had a good spot and just had to bide our time. Austin (Kochenash) ran well tonight and we had to work hard to get around him. I didn’t want to make contact with him, we did in the heat, and I didn’t want to do that again. I love Holland and coming here. This is a great track and a very good win for us.”

“This is another great win for us,” smiled Hirschman from victory lane surrounded by his family. “This is a family effort for us and today we had a great car. Once we got to the lead, I knew Patrick (Emerling) was coming but I had enough to hold on get us here. This streak we are on right now is a personal best in my career and something I am extremely proud of. We will definitely take it.”

Emerling finished second, which extended his lead in the series championship standings. Kochenash hung on for third, while Scott Wylie of Blasdell, N.Y., worked his back through the field after an early race incident to claim 4th. Hossfeld rounded out the top-five.

Hossfeld, Emerling and Daryl Lewis, Jr., of Ontario, N.Y., won the qualifying races while Hossfeld earned the fastest time during group qualifying.

Feature Finish

Tribute to Patsy & Joe Catalano ’75’

Spencer Speedway, Williamson, NY.

Finishing Position, Car Number, Driver, Laps Completed, Reason Out (If Any)

 

Pos No. Name Laps

1 07 Patrick Emerling 75

2 25 Mike Leaty 75

3 54 Tommy Catalano 75

4 22 Chuck Hossfled 75

5 12x Andy Jankowiak 75

6 51 TJ Potrzebowski 75

7 32 Tyler Rypkema 75

8 65 George Skora III 74

9 3 Daren Scherer 74

10 64 Amy Catalano 74

11 95 Bryan Sherwood 74

12 1 Mike Barnes 74

13 2t Austin Kochenash 74

14 40r Tommy Rought 72

15 40b Alan Bookmiller 68

16 59 Karl Hehr 61

17 45 Timmy Catalano 27

18 10 Daryl Lewis Jr. 0

 

Time of Race: 29 minutes 46 seconds Average Speed 77.017 mph

Margin of victory: 1.179 seconds Fast Qualifying Lap: Mike Leaty / 18.955 seconds

Lead Changes: 2 among 3 drivers

 

Qualifying Race Results:

Qualifying Race 1

Pos No. Name

1 25 Mike Leaty

2 22 Chuck Hossfled

3 64 Amy Catalano

4 51 TJ Potrzebowski

5 3 Daren Scherer

6 40r Tommy Rought

 

Qualifying Race 2

Pos No. Name

1 32 Tyler Rypkema

2 12x Andy Jankowiak

3 2t Austin Kochenash

4 95 Bryan Sherwood

5 1 Mike Barnes

6 45 Timmy Catalano

 

Qualifying Race 3

Pos No. Name

1 07 Patrick Emerling

2 54 Tommy Catalano

3 65 George Skora III

4 59 Karl Hehr

5 40b Alan Bookmiller

6 10 Daryl Lewis

Feature Finish

Thunder in the Hills 100 presented by Upstate Auto Group

Holland International Speedway, Holland, NY.

Finishing Position, Car Number, Driver, Laps Completed, Reason Out (If Any)

 

Pos No. Name Laps

1 60 Matt Hirschman 100

2 07 Patrick Emerling 100

3 2t Austin Kochenash 100

4 22w Scott Wylie 100

5 22h Chuck Hossfeld 100

6 01 Cam Barber 100

7 25 Mike Leaty 100

8 54 Tommy Catalano 100

9 10l Daryl Lewis, Jr. 100

10 95 Bryan Sherwood 100

11 12x Tom McGrath 100

12 59 Karl Hehr 99

13 17 Danny Knoll, Jr. 99

14 32 Tyler Rypkema 99

15 24 David Rigan 99

16 40r Tommy Rought 96

17 10f Mike Fiebelkorn 79

18 76 Randall Richards 71

19 64 Amy Catalano 70

20 99 Bill Mislin 62

21 10b Alan Bookmiller 62

22 3 Daren Scherer 48

23 65 George Skora III 10

24 73x Andy Jankowiak 10

 

Time of Race: 29 minutes 46 seconds Average Speed 64.354 mph

Margin of victory: .812 seconds Fast Qualifying Lap: Chuck Hossfeld / 13.902 seconds

Lead Changes: 3 among 3 drivers

 

Qualifying Race 1

Pos No. Name

1 22 Chuck Hossfeld

2 65 George Skora, III

3 22w Scott Wylie

4 73x Andy Jankowiak

5 3 Daren Scherer

6 32 Tyler Rypkema

7 10f Mike Fiebelkorn

8 64 Amy Catalano

 

Qualifying Race 2

Pos No. Name

1 07 Patrick Emerling

2 60 Matt Hirschman

3 2t Austin Kochenash

4 76 Randall Richards

5 59 Karl Hehr

6 24 David Rigan

7 40r Tommy Rought

8 12x Tom McGrath

 

Qualifying Race 3

Pos No. Name

1 10l Daryl Lewis, Jr.

2 95 Bryan Sherwood

3 25 Mike Leaty

4 54 Tommy Catalano

5 01 Cam Barber

6 99 Bill Mislin

7 17 Danny Knoll, Jr.

8 10b Alan Bookmiller

 

Point Standings following
Holland International Speedway
07/21/2017:
Pos No. Name Total
1 07 Patrick Emerling 825
2 25 Mike Leaty 777
3 12x Andy Jankowiak 710
4 54 Tommy Catalano 704
5 65 George Skora 681
6 32 Tyler Rypkema 639
7 22 Chuck Hossfeld 568
8 95 Bryan Sherwood 546
9 60 Matt Hirschman 540
10 64 Amy Catalano 527
11 3 Daren Scherer 526
12 66 Austin Kochenash 446
13 10 Daryl Lewis 419
14 59 Karl Hehr 418
15 40 Tommy Rought 377
16 51 TJ Potrzebowski 242
17 22jr Scott Wylie 242
18 40 Alan Bookmiller 240
19 01 Cam Barber 187
20 99 Bill Mislan 163
21 11 Kirk Totten 160
22 76 Zane Zeiner 159
23 1 Chris Ridsdale 108
24 7ny Kevin Miller 107
25 19 Brandon Oltra 106
26 24 David Rigan 106
27 45 Timmy Catalano 101
28 17 Danny Knoll Jr. 101
29 76 Randall Richards 91
30 71 Jimmy Zacharias 72
31 5 Kyle Ebersole 72
32 17 Roger Coss 66
33 12x Tom McGrath 58
34 1 Mike Barnes 56
35 01x John Barber 48
36 4 Kreig Heroth 48
37 72 David French Jr. 48
38 10f Mike Fiebelkorn 47
39 25r John Ramsay 20