Two of the first three high-paying open Modified races in New England this season have been won by a familiar name — Matt Hirschman.
Six days after capturing the 50th Spring Sizzler at Stafford (Conn.) Motor Speedway, which paid $15,000 to win (plus bonuses), Hirschman headed north to open the Monaco Modified Tri-Track Series season last Saturday at Monadnock Speedway.
Despite coming from the 18th starting spot, Hirschman held off several challengers to claim the $10,000 victory at the Winchester, N.H., quarter-mile bullring. Sammy Rameau of Westminster was second, with Monadnock regular Brian Robie of Sunapee, N.H., coming in third.
“You can win many different ways here,” Hirschman told RaceDayCT.com. “I’ve seen it done. This place has been a bit of an Achilles’ heel for me recently. … In recent years we haven’t found Victory Lane. We’ve been close, but not as good as we are in a lot of places. So it’s good to get a win here tonight.”
Hirschman took the lead from Matt Kimball on lap 84 and pulled away for his 15th win in the Tri-Track Series. However, it was only his first at Monadnock since 2015.
Rameau started on the pole and led the first 48 laps. After pitting, he had to come back through the field. Robie used a slew of late cautions to earn valuable track position to earn the podium finish. Kimball finished fourth and front-row starter Chase Dowling was fifth.
In other Saturday night action in the Spring Dash, Belchertown’s Chris Buffone captured the checkers in the Street Stock feature and Greg Millette notched the Mini Stock win.
Kyle Robinson-Newell dominated the heat race and the feature to pick up the win in the Pure Stocks, with defending champion Chris Davis and Turners Falls teen J.D. Stockwell rounding out the podium. James Zellmann of Greenfield placed fourth and Phillipston’s Ron Burgess Jr. was sixth.
Stockwell picked up his second win in as many tries this season the previous night at Claremont (N.H.) Motorsports Park.
Another fast teen, Devin Deshaies won the NELCAR Legends feature.
Spring Dash Sunday
Monadnock’s season-opening festivities continued Sunday, capped by the 125-lap Whitcomb Classic featuring the NHSTRA Modifieds.
Veteran shoe Todd Patnode of Swanzey, N.H., dominated the 22-car field and took home the $5,000 check. Patnode rebounded from a seventh-place finish in the previous night’s Tri-Track race to ace the field at Monadnock like he has many times in the past.
The runner-up and third-place finishers were the same as Saturday, with Rameau and Robie joining Patnode on the podium. Rameau set the fastest lap in qualifying. Deerfield’s Ben Byrne finished fourth, while Tyler Leary of Hatfield and Nathan Wenzel of Granby were sixth and seventh, respectively. Orange’s Tyler Jarvenpaa was 18th.
In other Sunday driving, Zach Zilinski of Gill won both the heat and the feature to ace a large field in the Young Guns division. His brother Owen Zilinski was fourth and Domenick Stafford of Millers Falls was 10th.
Ryan Currier took down the win in the Late Model Sportsman feature, with Justin Littlewood of Orange taking fourth and his brother Cole Littlewood finishing 10th.
Rounding out the night, Matt Gauffin triumphed in the King of the Hill 50-lap Enduro race and George Helliwell prevailed in the New England Dwarf Car Series event.
The NASCAR Advance Auto Weekly Racing Series is back in action Saturday on the high banks of Monadnock.
Jason Remillard is a copy editor and page designer at the Recorder. He can be reached at jremillard@recorder.com and followed on Twitter @racinwithjason.