6/9/2024
Monadnock Speedway
Hirschman Big Money Winner in Winchester Open Modified 100
Monadnock Speedway Saturday, June 8, Winchester Open event story
By Gary Dutton
WINCHESTER, N.H. – Matt Hirschman, known across the northeast as “Big Money Matt, put another notch in his victory belt Saturday at Monadnock Speedway, topping the prestigious purse-rich JDV Open Modified Winchester 100 in front of a huge crowd at the storied high-banked oval.
Dedicated to the memory of late Modified good guy Bruce Bachta, Saturday’s JDV Productions second annual biggie pitted 27 of the top Modified teams in the country wheel-to-wheel in 100 ground-pounding laps of excitement with $55,000 in posted awards on the line.
In a perfectly scripted story, the retiring hero from just down the road – he of numerous track and series championships and countless feature wins – would sail through the field to win the final race of his career. For Kirk Alexander though, that wasn’t the story Saturday. Caught up in someone else’s blunder in both his heat and then the feature, the Swanzey star had gained no less than 17 positions in the main event, when calamity struck again.
Ronnie Williams, on a rail in his qualifying race, led the first 44 laps of the Winchester 100, with Hirschman, a man on a mission, then taking over. And while some in the crowd may have thought it was then all over, last year’s event winner Matt Kimball had other plans.
Backpedaling ever so little early, Kimball, the second generation ace who’d began his racing career here on the high banks, rocketed back into second on lap 53, gunning to repeat his 2023 Winchester Open victory.
With the two Matts soaring around the track at breakneck speed – no fewer than 11 of the 24 starters turned sub-12 second laps, Hirschman prevailed, taking the checkers two lengths ahead of Kimball. Jon McKennedy, from 11th on the starting grid, was strong in third, just ahead of Andy Jankowiak, from row eight on the 24-car grid, and Teddy Hodgdon.
Tim Wenzel took the lead from Erik Smith on lap eight of the Super Street main event, bringing Chris Riendeau with him. Neither planned on finishing second, and the snake rose up and bit them on lap ten, sending Wenzel to the pits and Riendeau to the rear.
Hillary Renaud took full advantage of the new opportunity, taking the lead on the restart and holding last week’s winner JD Stockwell in her shadow to score her first victory of the season. Riendeau, back up to third on lap 19, joined them on the podium.
Chris Davis and Jimmy Zellman battled inches apart through most of Saturday’s Pure Stock feature, with Zellman prevailing to score his third win of the summer. Taking the lead from Davis on lap 20, he never looked back.
William Graham put another strong run together on Winchester Open 100 night, coming home third. Super soph Dominick Stafford was fourth, and two-time winner Andrea St. Amour fifth.
Reigning Mini Stock king Louie Maher had struggled in the early weeks of 2024, but not anymore. Slowed only by two cautions, the Bay State blaster wired Saturday’s feature for his first win of the summer. Kevin Clayton was steady and strong to earn the number two finish, with popular Eric Pomasko scoring his first 2024 top three just behind him.
Mini Stock points leader Erin Aiken, virtually unbeatable over the first month of racing, suffered her first thud of the season, shedding a wheel on lap three to finish behind the wall.
Owen Zilinski took charge on a lap three restart in the Mad Pups feature, bringing red-hot Markus O’Neil to the front with him. O’Neil, bidding for his third win in a row, had to settle for second in this one, as Zilinski won for the second time this season. Hunter Duquette finished third.
With the visiting Pro Truck Series making its first run of the summer on the high banks, it was Todd Taylor scoring the win in the night’s caution-free 55-lapper. Taylor took the lead from Josh Stringer on lap 17 and never looked back. Jason Paquette got up for second, with Stringer holding strong in third.
Six Shooter championship points leader Michael Yeaton topped a thin field of Shooters to stay perfect on the season Saturday. With Yeaton running his undefeated 2024 streak to five, Garrett Barry was second on the night.
Monadnock Speedway will return to action next Saturday, June 15, when JDV Productions presents the inaugural Thunder In The Mountains card of oval racing, with the exciting Little Webb’s 350 Super Modifieds topping a Saturday night event on the high banks that will include the Mad Dog Modifieds, Super Streets, Mini Stocks, Pure Stocks, Six Shooters and Mad Pups. Post time is 6 p.m.
MONADNOCK SPEEDWAY JUNE 10 WINCHESTER OPEN TOP TENS
JDV OPEN MODIFIED 100 Matt Hirschman, Matt Kimball, John McKennedy, Andy Jankowiak, Teddy Hodgdon, Max Zachem, Brian Robie, Nate Wenzel, Ronnie Williams, Jeffrey Battle.
SUPER STREET: Hillary Renaud, JD Stockwell, Chris Riendeau, Erik Smith, Zach Zilinski, Michael Lashua, Wesley Stedt, Leighton Lutz, Tim Wenzel.
MINI STOCK: Louie Maher, Kevin Clayton, Eric Pomasko, Jacob Rheaume, Reagan Buffum, Dick LaMotte, Erin Aiken, Matt Lambert.
PURE STOCK: Jimmy Zellman, Chris Davis, William Graham, Dominick Stafford, Andrea St. Amour, Chris Chambers, Addison Brooks, Teagan Edson, Carlos Grenier, Carter Chamberlin.
MAD PUPS: Owen Zilinski, Markus O’Neil, Hunter Duquette, Conner Charbonneau, Ella Grabowski, Sofia Rego, Carter Conroy.
PRO TRUCK 55: Todd Taylor, Jason Paquette, Josh Stringer, Randy Burr, Nikolas Frechette. Chris Palomar, Roger Hunt, Chris Taylor, Dennis Charette, Sean Caron.
Article Credit: Gary Dutton
Submitted By: Taylor Pelletier