The Modified Spring Zing “Tom Wanick Memorial 150” paid big dividends for Northampton’s Matt Hirschman after a track record payout last Saturday.

Hirschman, who scored his 11th win of 2022, won $7,000 for the win and - with additional bonuses - finished with just over $10,000 in cash and awards.

Hirschman started 10th and on lap 63 moved to the front with an inside pass on Blake Barney. He then withstood numerous challenges from Barney, Bobby Jones and Chuck Hossfeld.

With 50 laps to go, he made a pit stop under a caution and changed his right side tires. When he returned, he was ninth. Over the next 17 laps, he put on a driving clinic as he passed one car after another until regaining the top spot.

The rest of the way he drove in a consistent smooth fashion and took the checkers over Barney.

“It was a long race and glad to finish it up at the top. This is the highest paying race we ever had here and you don’t know when or if that will ever happen again, and I appreciate doing this in honor of Tom Wanick Jr. and for what his family and the speedway did for all of us,” said Hirschman. “This is a special win for sure with Tommy (Wanick III) wanting to do this race for his dad.”

The race got off to a great start with Don Wagner leading the first few laps before Barney took charge. Tagging in behind him was Rod Snyder Jr. and TJ Potrzebowski. They ran in that order until lap 40 when Hossfeld stepped up to third. Four laps later, he got by Snyder when the first caution waved.

That would trigger a string of yellow flags which made the going exasperating, plus there was a slow-up when a brief shower crossed over the track.

“I had no problem navigating the traffic; there was just way too many caution laps and I was kind of losing my mind because we kept stopping and I just wanted to get a rhythm going with some green flag laps,” said Hirschman.

After giving up the lead, Barney and Jones put on a battle for second. Hossfeld also came back onto the scene and used the inside lane to take over second.

When Hirschman pitted under a lap-100 caution, it allowed Hossfeld to assume the lead. Earl Paules was now second after Barney and Jones pitted a few laps prior to the century mark.

With Hirschman out of the picture for the time being, Hossfeld set a good pace while fending off Paules. But after reentering, Hirschman put on a rapid charge. His race-winning pass came with an inside move off Turn 4 over Hossfeld.

“Matt (Hirschman) is a great guy and I call him almost daily. His dad, Tony, was my dad’s favorite driver and Matt is a great racer,” said Tom Wanick Jr. from Victory Lane.

It was his 29th Mahoning win and ninth consecutive in as many starts here.

Barney, the runner-up, had his best finish at MVS.

“I really enjoy this place and I had a really good race car and was fortunate enough to have a good starting spot in second. I took the lead early and tried to do what he (Hirschman) does and pace the race,” said Barney.

In the Street Stock main, Cody Geist parlayed his pole-starting spot into his first win of the season.

Geist had a fierce battle with Tucker Muffley, who pressed hard to try and get by him. Geist may have led all the way, but he fought hard each lap.

Corey Edelman won his second straight Hobby Stock feature and had to fend off Shayne Geist.

Edelman and Geist traded paint while battling for the lead. Geist was just about in a position to snag back the lead while setting up Edelman behind oncoming tail end cars. But just as it appeared the move would take place, the caution waved.

That was the saving grace for Edelman. On the single file restart, he held on for his 24th class win.

Modified Feature finish (150 laps)

: 1. Matt Hirschman, 2. Blake Barney, 3. Earl Paules, 4. Chuck Hossfeld, 5. Brian DeFebo, 6. Anthony Bello, 7. Josh Scherer, 8. Bobby Jones, 9. Chris Ammon, 10. Rod Snyder Jr., 11. Tom Wanick III, 12. Jaden Brown, 13. Brandon Oltra, 14. Sean Verwys, 15. Anthony Sesely, 16. Austin Kochenash, 17. Paulie Hartwig III, 18. Kyle Strohl, 19. Roger Coss, 20. TJ Potrzebowski, 21. Cody Kohler, 22. Ron Silk, 23. Zane Zeiner, 24. Nick Baer, 25. Don Wagner, 26. Mike Hosier, 27. Geary Rinehimer Jr., 28. Lou Strohl DNQ: Terry Markovic, Carl Altemose, Johnny Bennett, Chris Risdale, Jacob Kerstetter

Street Stock feature finish (30 laps)

: 1. Cody Geist, 2. Tucker Muffley, 3. Todd Ahner, 4. TJ Gursky, 5. Thomas Flanagan, 6. Mark Deysher, 7. Jillian Snyder, 8. Tommy Flanagan, 9. Jamie Smith, 10. Stacey Brown, 11. Randy Green, 12. Bobby Kibler Jr., 13. Randy Ahner Jr., 14. Brandon Christman, 15. Logan Boyer, 16. Jacob Boehm

Hobby Stock feature finish (25 laps)

: 1. Corey Edelman, 2. Shayne Geist, 3. Travis Solomon, 4. BJ Wambold, 5. Ryan Berger, 6. Trisha Connolly, 7. Lyndsay Buss, 8. Nick Schaffer, 9. Tad Snyder, 10. Don Bauder, 11. Nick Kerstetter, 12. Makayla Kohler, 13. Ralph Borger Jr., 14. Dave Kerr, 15. Cody Boehm, 16. Maggie Yeakel, 16. James Tout, 18. Jared Frye, 19. Justin Merkel, 20. Mallory Kutz, 21. Jacob Boehm DNS: Ed Herman