Day 1: Long Islanders at KOTM
For the third straight time and fourth overall in his career, Northampton’s Matt Hirschman drove to victory lane Saturday evening in the track’s annual prestigious “King of the Mountain” (KOTM) Modified main event. He pocketed the $5,000 prize for his win in the 150-lap main event. After nearly winning the Late Model portion of the event last season, Rob Ormsbee of Wall, NJ came back with a vengeance to win his first KOTM title and Matt Mattern, Jr. of Mountaintop took his first KOTM crown in Factory Stock action. Also of Mountaintop, Ricky Ross, Jr. went to victory lane for the second time in his second start to notch the Dirt Modified feature win.
Twenty-Five Modifieds ran time trials to set the field for the 150-lap main event and Jimmy Zacharias timed quickest. For his efforts, Zacharias was awarded the S&D Bodyline Pole Award. Zacharias redrew the pole for the main event and led the opening circuit over Matt Hirschman, Tony Hanbury, Brandon Oltra and John Markovic.
Zacharias continued to show the way over Hirschman in the first third of the event until the caution flag waved when Earl Paules spun on the front stretch. The lap 86 yellow slowed the pace, allowing many drivers to pit for tires and adjustments. Nearly all of the drivers elected to pit, except for Zacharias and Ken Vogel, Jr. Green flag racing resumed with Hirschman in third, followed by Hanbury and Nick Pecko, who started twenty fifth on the grid.
With 87 laps complete, Vogel grabbed the lead and then two laps later Hirschman overtook him for the spot. Hanbury followed through for second. With ninety laps on the scoreboard, Hirschman continued to show the way over Hanbury, Vogel, Zacharias and Pecko.
Zacharias’ day came to an abrupt end on lap 99 when his car stopped at the end of the front stretch. He was forced to exit the speedway via “the hook”.
With the green flag back out and with 50 laps to go, Hirschman continued to set the pace over Hanbury, Vogel, Brian DeFebo and Pecko.
DeFebo took the third spot from Vogel on lap 104 and then began to pressure Hanbury for second. Meanwhile, Darren Scherer began to climb upward. Scherer ran in fifth on lap 127 and then took fourth from Vogel five laps later. With four laps remaining he got by DeFebo for third.
Even though a yellow flag waved with two laps remaining, Hirschman never skipped a beat and drove away with his third straight KOTM crown. Hanbury crossed the stripe second, followed by Scherer and DeFebo, the 2013 divisional champion. Pecko finished fifth, which earned him the S&D Bodyline “Hard Charger” award.
“It’s great to win another King of the Mountain”, noted Hirschman in victory lane. “I’ve always considered this my home track, since I cut my teeth racing here. John Markovic gave me my first ride here back then and we were able to help him out with qualifying today.”
Hirschman went to victory lane in every race that he started at the speedway this season.
Rob Ormsbee time trialed quickest for the start of the 50-lap Late Model feature, which earned him the S&D Bodyline Pole Award. Jarrod Hayes picked the pole position during the redraw and led the first circuit over Ormsbee, Kyle Harvell, Mark Tyson and Earl Paules.
Following a quick yellow flag on lap three, Paules and Mitch Hawk overtook Tyson, which moved them to fourth and fifth respectively. With 15 laps complete, Hayes continued to show the way over Ormsbee, Harvell, Paules and Hawk.
Hayes began to fight the handling of his car and Ormsbee grabbed the top spot on lap 29. Nine laps later Harvell slipped past Hayes for second and with five laps remaining, Fisher snuck by Hawk for fifth.
Untouched to the finish, Ormsbee picked up his first KOTM victory over Harvell, Paules, Hayes and Fisher.
With his sixth place finish, Hawk secured his first career divisional championship.
Paul Morgan, Jr. led the Factory Stock field to the drop of the green flag in the 40-lap feature. He led the first circuit over Matt Mattern, Jr, Rich Paciotti, Stephen Michel III and Del Morgan.
D. Morgan grabbed fourth from Michel on lap seven and set his sights on Paciotti for third. Meanwhile, P. Morgan had his hands full trying to fend off Mattern, who heavily challenged for the lead.
Mattern rode alongside the leader and both battled hard lap after lap. Mattern led lap 11 by a bumper and eventually cleared P. Morgan.
With nine laps remaining, D. Morgan and Paciotti tangled in turns three and four, which brought out the yellow flag.
Green flag racing resumed and Mattern held a steady line to take his first KOTM checkered over P. Morgan. Rob McCormick, Jimmy White and Paciotti completed the top five. Along with the popular victory, Mattern also clinched the divisional championship.
Heat race victories went to Paul Morgan, Jr. and Matt Mattern, Jr.
Chuck Potts led the Dirt Modifieds to the drop of the green flag in the 30-lap feature, but Rich Koons overtook him before a lap was scored. With one lap in the books, Coons led over Scott Adams, Ricky Yetter, Mark Levy and Potts.
Ricky Ross, Jr. climbed to fifth and with 10 laps complete Yetter snuck by Adams and Coons to take the top spot. Five laps later Adams got by Coons for second and Ross moved to third three laps later.
Adams challenged the leader and led lap 20, but Yetter led the next circuit. Next Ross got by Adams and began to reel in Yetter, who had a sizable lead. The lead shortened and Ross took command on lap 25.
Unfortunately for Yetter, the yellow flag waved a lap later when he suffered a right rear flat.
Green flag racing resumed and Ross took the checkered over Adams, Coons, Levy and Potts.
Heat race victories went to Ricky Ross, Jr. and Chuck Potts.
Mountain Speedway is just minutes from Hazleton, Pa, located on St. John’s Road, between Routes 93 and 309. For more information, including upcoming shows and news, please visit www.mountainspeedway.com.
Modified (150-laps) 1. MATT HIRSCHMAN 2. Tony Hanbury 3. Daren Scherer 4. Brian DeFebo 5. Nick Pecko 6. Ken Vogel Jr 7. John Markovic 8. John Fortin Sr 9. Dave Brigati 10. David Sapienza 11. Earl Paules 12. Brandon Oltra 13. David Roys Jr 14. Lou Strohl 15. Brian Sones 16. Alan Creveling 17.Amber Fortin 18. Todd Baer 19. Randall Richard 20. John Fortin Jr 21. Barry Callavinni 22.Danny Bouc 23. Jimmy Zacharias 24. Jason Hearne 25. Dan Speeney
Late Model (50-laps) 1. ROB ORMSBEE 2. Kyle Harvell 3. Earl Paules 4. Jarrod Hayes 5. Travis Fisher 6. Mitch Hawk 7. Glenn Slocum 8. Mark Tyson 9. Francis Gross 10. Frank Hughes 11. Paul Monkoski 12. Elliot Wohl 13. Tony Hilliard
Factory Stock (40-laps) 1. MATT MATTERN, JR. 2. Paul Morgan Jr 3. Rob McCormick 4. Jimmy White 5. Rich Paciotti 6. Stephen Michel III 7. Eric Wink 8. Kendall Foulk 9. Jerry Koenig 10. Sal Sinato 11. Del Morgan 12. Scott Riggleman 13. Dan Pawlicki 14. Stephanie Moyer 15. Ron Mullen
Dirt Modified (30-laps) 1. Ricky Ross Jr. 2. Scott Adams 3. Rich Coons 4. Mark Levy 5. Chuck Potts 6. Ricky Yetter 7. Frank Parastino 9. Guy Harby DNS John C. Cook
Source: Geno Ostrowski/Mountain Speedway PR