60 FOR NUMBER 60…MATT HIRSCHMAN TAKES TOUR TYPE MOD CHECKERS FOR 60TH CAREER WIN AT EVERGREEN RACEWAY

By Dino Oberto

(6-21-26) For 25 years Matt Hirschman of Northampton has been a driving force at Evergreen Raceway. It’s where he began his career and where he still comes whenever his schedule allows. In that span he’s recorded a record six Tour Type Modified championships, a record 13 King of the Green events and between him and his father, Tony Hirschman, they are the winningest family at the track.

On Father’s Day Sunday Hirschman added another feather in his Evergreen cap, winning his 60th overall feature behind the wheel of his signature No. 60.

There’s one thing about Hirschman is that in all his success here, rarely has it been by luck but rather having the best car being driven by the best driver. However, there was a little luck this time around that aided him in scoring today’s victory.

The 50-lap feature was a cone race and on the first caution that occurred on lap eight when Ricky Collins spun, Hirschmann was sitting sixth. When it came time to choose the inside or outside for the restart, the first five cars all opted for the bottom lane. When it was Hirschman’s time to pick he wasted no time in going to the top and was then lined up alongside leader Jayden Harman.

Two laps following the restart using that same lane he passed Harman and remained there to the finish.

“That restart early in the race I kind of got a Father’s Day present there by getting the cone to advance all those spots,” said Hirschman.

“I think I had a good car today, but I know the fans would have gotten a little better show because I still would have had some cars to pass. That just made it easier.”

Once Hirschman took the lead, he maintained a two-car-length advantage over his challengers.

Christman used a lap 27 restart to progress up to second but gave it up to Coss after a restart with 10 laps to go, however, it only took one lap for him to regain the spot.

Also coming on strong at this point was Brian DeFebo who sat fourth and with eight laps to go motored into third. And from there to the checkers, he and Christman put on a sizzling battle while staying within close reach of Hirschman.

DeFebo would take control of second and in the final few circuits fans were being treated to a pair of iconic drivers who together are the top two winningest Tour Type Modified stars at the track.

Hirschman was able to uphold his lead to the checkers while DeFebo still had to fend off Christman in garnering the runner-up posting. Coss and Hartwig rounded out the top five.

“I understand that they ended right behind me side-by-side from second to fifth,” said Hirschman. “I think this was one of the best Tour Tye Mod races we’ve had here in a while and one of the best race tracks we’ve had here in a while too. They had put cones out for practice today to get some rubber on the outside and I feel it made a huge difference.”

In the Harry’s U-Pull-It Street Stocks Lake Ariel’s Scott Adams picked up his second win of the season.

Adams started on the outside of the front row and once the race commenced he fell to third behind leader Paul Frantz and Gordie Buchman with Mike Pollack right behind in fourth.

The close-quarters battle proved costly for Buchman. Entering Turn 4, he dipped slightly too low, rode over the track-edge rumble strips, and spun, bringing out the caution.

When the action resumed so to did the intense racing at the front. Frantz had to keep his guard up having to fend off Adams and Pollack. As the trio raced under a blanket there left little margin for error.

Things got very dicey on lap nine when they decided to go three-wide for the lead. With Adams on the inside and all of them exiting the fourth corner, he was able to hustle the top spot from Frantz.

From there on there was no stopping Adams as he smoothly drove to his second win of the season and 42nd overall at Evergreen. Pollack would also get by Frantz and notched his third straight second place finish with Buchman rebounding nicely to take third.

It was an emotionally charged moment when Sarabeth Mesko of Allentown took her Tom Vitale owned No. 87 first to the checkers in the Rookie 602 Crate Modified feature.

Earlier in the week her mom, Amanda Mesko, passed away after a valiant fight with cancer. For Sarabeth, her dad Steve and sisters, they all felt that mom would have wanted them to race and that they did.

And even though it was a two car field, every lap was run in close formation. Mesko would lead all the way but on her heels the entire time was Caitlyn Makarewicz. But, make no bones about it, Mesko was on a mission, and it was mission fulfilled.

TJ Kapish of Mountain Top continued to build on his winning ways with the Himmer Graphics Four Cylinders, picking up his record-extending 25th victory with the division. But this could go down as one of his toughest wins yet.

Getting to the lead was one thing for Kapish but trying to keep it was a whole different matter. He took the lead away from Tony Hilliard on lap 10 but was never able to breathe easy. Hilliard was relentless in trying to regain the spot and stayed glued to Kapish lap-after-lap.

And not only was Hilliard applying immense pressure but likewise Jay Kanor had his hat in the ring and kept the battle for the lead intense right down to the wire.

The Rotten-and-Forgotten have raced four times this season and in each of those features it has been a Young in the Winner’s Circle.

Jordan Young of Berwick who won the season opener on May 3 took his second victory of the season on Sunday.

Young held off his father, Josh Young, who had won the previous two races, until the elder Young was black-flagged for leaking fluid. Dan Jensen then moved into second, but there was no denying the strong-running No. 77J, as Young outclassed the field on this day.

AJ Frantz of Scheidy won the McNulty Funeral Homes Novice race and in doing so carried on a family legacy at Evergreen, becoming a third generation of Frantz’s to win here.

Frantz led all 15 laps perfectly as he held off Justin Merkel Jr., and in gaining the memorable victory he joins his champion grandfather, Russ and champion father, Paul and not to mention his mom, Heather, as a family of winners.

Tour Type Modified finish (50 laps): 1. Matt Hirschman, 2. Brian DeFebo, 3. Jake Christman, 4. Roger Coss, 5. Paulie Hartwig III, 6. Steve Shultz, 7. Evan Rygielski, 8. Jayden Harman, 9. Jaden Brown, 10. Ricky Ross Jr., 11. Ricky Collins, 12. Brian Rygielski Jr., 13. Brian Romig Jr., 14. Brian Romig Sr. DNS: Steve Wojick

Street Stock finish (25 laps): 1. Scott Adams, 2. Mike Pollck, 3. Gordie Buchman, 4. Paul Frantz, 5. Tommy Flanagan, 6. Brian Wozniak, 7. Branon Oltra, 8. Peyton Arthofer, 9. Mallory Kutz, 10. Dennis Buss, 11. Geary Rinehimer Jr.

Rookie 602 Crate Modified finish (12 laps:) 1. Sarabeth Mesko, 2. Caitlyn Makarewicz DNS: Kami Whyeeler

Four Cylinder finish (25 laps): 1. TJ Kapish, 2. Tony Hillirad, 3. Corey Edelman, 4. Jay Kanor, 5. Gavin Higgins, 6. Tyler Skordensky, 7. Robert McNulty, 8. Jared Frye, 9. BJ Wambold, 10. Caitlyn Makarewicz, 11. Maggie Wambold, 12. Justin Merkel Sr., 13. David Carney, 14. Lauren Skupski, 15. Sabrina Bogert, 16. Michael Wambold

Rotten-and-Forgotten finish (25 laps): 1. Jordon Young, 2. Dan Jensen, 3. Vince Corter, 4. John Cool, 5. Brice Jensen, 6. Josh Young, 7. Sam Jensen, 8. Daniel Jensen

Novice finish (15 laps): 1. AJ Frantz, 2. Justin Merkel Jr., 3. Shane Elliot, 4. TJ Rex, 5. Jacob Bartuski, 6. Joel Kutz