Throughout the 2016 season, Matt Hirschman lived up to his nickname “Big Money Matt” by winning many of the high-paying races he entered.
The Northampton, Pennsylvania, resident did it again on Nov. 26 at Wall Stadium Speedway by winning both the Tour Type Modified and Wall Modified feature races during Turkey Derby XLIII. These two wins are added to the “Woody’s 105” race victory that he enjoyed in the summer at Wall.
Hirschman collected a combined $9,000 by sweeping the 150-lap Tour Type feature and the 100-lap SK Modified feature.
“It’s a career day. That’s the only way to put it. I’ve been doing it for probably five or six years,” Hirschman said. “I’ve won each race on different years but never in the same day. It’s incredible. It’s something I’ve always wanted to do. I know Jimmy [Blewett] has done it before; I don’t know if anybody else has.
“I’m not the first to do it, but it’s something I’ve wanted.”
Things seemed to be going Hirschman’s way early in the Tour Type Modified race when he was promoted to the inside of row one as a result of pole sitter Steven Reed failing to make the grid with a broken transmission. Hirschman dominated the majority of the event but nearly got tripped up late when former Turkey Derby winner Eric Mauriello of Howell jumped to the lead. Hirschman returned the favor on the following restart, jumping to the front and never again being headed.
Mauriello, Blewett, Brick’s Ron Frees, who had converted his Wall Modified to a Tour Type car, and Earl Paules of Palmerton, Pennsylvania, completed the top five in the 26-car field.
Things were not as easy for Hirschman during the Wall Modified feature. After losing a lap in time trials for being light at the scales in tech, Hirschman started in 13th. With a pack of cars around him, Hirschman made what would turn into a race-winning move near lap 25.
“We didn’t start up where I would’ve liked to and we were in a position that I didn’t like,” he said. “I thought something was going to happen. I thought it might not be the winning strategy, but let’s bail out of here, put our tires on and hope it cycles through.
“The very next restart is when they all wrecked in three and four, so I went from last to eighth. It worked out — definitely the right thing to do. I don’t know why I felt like doing it, but it was a good feeling. From there I ran the car hard, and it stayed with me.”
With Hirschman closing on the leader Blewett, Blewett made what could’ve been a race-winning move when he went down pit road with just over 11 laps to go for new tires. Restarting around 10th, Blewett charged through the pack to second before running out of time to challenge for the win.
Blewett, Matawan’s Anthony Sesely, Danny Bohn, and Holmdel’s Andrew Krause were second through fifth.
Blewett did enjoy a Modified win, taking top honors in the Dirt Modified 50-lap feature race. Krause came on to challenge later in the test before finishing second. Jim Brit, Mickey Kessler and Joey Payne wrapped up the top five.
Joe Ryan Osborn was a happy winner in the 30-lapper for the Legend Cars over Mike Alcaro. Richie Davidowitz, Kyle Ellwood and Joe Graf completed the top five. In the Legend Cars 40-lapper Nov. 27, Alcaro took the win as Davidowitz, Noah Korner, Brandon Martinez and Kevin Nowak completed the top five.
Matt Roselli won the TQ Midget 30-lapper Nov. 26.
On Nov. 25 — day one of Turkey Derby — Blewett was a winner in a wreck-filled 50-lapper for the Sportsman cars, holding off Mayetta’s Tyler Truex and Brick’s Dom Fattaruso. Andrew Bohn and Matt Langbein were fourth and fifth.
Shanon Mongeau of Manchester won theLimited Late Model 45-lapper over Wayne Coury. Chris Turbish, John Vullo and Marc Rogers were third through fifth.
Brick’s Joe Mongeau won the 40-lapper for the Factory Stocks over a challenging Rob McCormick. Richie Byrne, Scott Riggleman and Ron Booth were third through fifth. The 50-lapper Nov. 27 saw Union’s Joey Helberg take the victory with Shanon Mongeau, Tom Rajkowski, Tim O’Shea and Scott Riggleman completing the top five
On Nov. 25, Beachwood’s Todd Pilla won the 4-Cylinder Stock main event. Darren Burdge chased him across the line for second, while Christian LaCicero, Jason Lane and Jeff Loesch posted top-five finishes. Shanon Mongeau returned to win the 75-lap main event for the 4-Cylinder Stocks Nov. 27. Robert Sutphin, Dan Birdsall, Lee Allen and Jay Conrad wrapped up the top five.
The Dirt Sportsman cars saw action Nov. 27, with Joey Payne taking the win over Rich Coons, Dakota Kessler and Chuck Stone. The Dirt Outlaw Stocks were also on the card with Frees taking the win with Brian Ludwig, Jon Meyer, Billy Wroble and Michael Creamer filling out the top five.
Jeff Henry won the demolition derby — the final event of the season.
With the Turkey Derby now compete, the 2016 season at Wall Stadium is in the record books. All attention is now turning to the 2017 season, with the first preseason testing session set for April 15.
Wall Stadium is located on Route 34 in Wall Township, just 1 mile north of Garden State Parkway exit 98 and Interstate 195 exit 35B. The speedway hotline number is 732-681-6400, the website is wallspeedwayracing.com and email address is CKMotorsports@aol.com.
