Matt Hirschman does not believe a late race tire change made the difference in Saturday afternoon’s 125 lap Tour Modified race at Myrtle Beach Speedway, but the second and third place finishers disagreed.
Hirschman spun with 30 laps to go and had to pit to change a flat right rear tire. He charged back through the field and closed in on a battle between Jimmy Zacharias and Daren Scherer with two laps to go. Hirschman went three wide and passed them both and checked out en route to victory.
After the race, Hirschman said the tire change made no difference.
“The right rear had nothing to do with it,” Hirschman said. “I just got my fresh right rear and immediately started getting a flat so, believe it or not, I’m sure most people are going to think that was the difference, but it wasn’t at all. It was purely just playing the game right and moving at the right time. I didn’t need that tire. I just put a new one on.”
“Unfortunately, we didn’t get our money’s worth out of that one but this spare was good enough,” Hirschman continued. “I just had to wait it out, hope for a caution, didn’t look like we were getting one, so made a run for it. Regardless of what everybody’s going to say, I know it made it interesting. That’s what putting on a show is all about.”
Scherer held off Zacharias for a runner-up finish, a finish he took in stride after issues in previous Myrtle Beach races.
“We’ve been here a few times,” Scherer said. “This was the first time the car held. We were behind Hirschman. I thought he was saving. I didn’t know he had a flat tire. Here we are saving. I lost a bunch of spots. 35 to go, they told me to go. This is one of the first times it stayed underneath the car.
“I just wish I could have got by Jimmy a little faster and held off Hirschman with the new tire but I think we finished okay.”
While Scherer was satisfied with second, it was Zacharias’ opinion that Scherer won the race.
“I know Matty said the right rear didn’t help him but we can all look at the right rear tires,” Zacharias said. “We know how this place is. A flat tire, purposely flat tire, either way, Daren Scherer is the winner in my books.”
Zacharias had dominated in the closing stages of the race after having to start at the rear of the field. He had a seemingly insurmountable lead with 30 laps to go when the caution came out one final time in the race.
“I wanted to set a steady pace after that caution with 30 to go,” Zacharias explained. “I wanted to get myself distance enough that I could ride and, when they decided to go, they had to work to get to me and work to get around me. It worked out good. Daren got up to me and we raced side-by-side for six laps.
“It would have come down to us for the win but that fresh tire passed us both at once and ruined a good finish between me and the 3 for the win.”
Jon Kay finished fourth while Burt Myers finished fifth.
Unofficial Results
- Matt Hirschman
- Daren Scherer
- Jimmy Zacharias
- Jon Kay
- Burt Myers
- Bobby Measmer
- Jason Myers
- Chris Pasteryak
- Andy Seuss
- Zach Brewer
- Gary Putnam
- Jimmy Wallace
- Daniel Yates
- Buddy Ellis
- Mike Norman
- Junior Miller
- Justin Hicks
- Jason Tutterow
