KEVIN HIRTHLER SWEEPS DELAWARE WEEKEND - November 3, 2002
By Charlie Brown, Delmar, DE (11/03/02) – Kevin Hirthler will long remember the 2002 Delaware State Dirt Track Championships as his dream weekend. Hirthler captured the 50-lap Small Block Modified event on Saturday then led wire-to-wire holding off Brett Hearn to win Sunday’s Big Block Modified Championship. He once again had paid the gambler's fee and along with the lap money, earned $7390. His combined total for the two days was $12,450. Hirthler good fortune lasted just long enough as his right rear tire went flat in victory lane.
Before the first lap was in the books, Jamie Mills and Doug Hoffman had tangled to bring out the yellow. On the restart Kevin Hirthler took control with Glenn Reed in second. Brett Hearn dropped Reed to third on the second lap with Garry Gollub and Scott VanGorder running in the top five. Doug Rose brought out yellows on laps five and six. Gollub moved into second and Craig VonDohren climbed into fifth.
As Hirthler set the pace VonDohren progressed to third and Deron Rust entered the top five. By the halfway sign the top five were Hirthler, Hearn, VonDohren, Gollub, and Reed. Mills came to a stop on lap 26 tightening up the field again. The next eight laps were green before Dave Stonebraker slowed with a flat. Gollub's day ended with engine problems as he dropped from the top five on lap 37. Donny Radd was on the move taking fourth from Reed with Kenny Brightbill following into fifth.
Hirthler's Bicknell only got quicker as the race wound to a close turning laps in the 18.8 seconds range and finishing .687 seconds ahead of Hearn at the checkered to sweep the weekend. VonDohren, Radd, and Brightbill rounded out the top five. Sixth through tenth were Jimmy Horton, Tim McCreadie, Wade Hendrickson, Ryan Watt, and Craig Mullins. Adam Jarrell, Gollub, VanGorder, Reed, Hearn, and Hirthler won the heats for the 54 cars. Consolations were won by Brightbill, Richie Pratt, Jr., McCreadie, Rick Laubach, Kyle Strickler, and Ricky Johnson.
50-Lap Big Block Modified Championship – 1. KEVIN HIRTHLER; 2. Brett Hearn; 3. Craig VonDohren; 4. Danny Radd; 5. Kenny Brightbill; 6. Jimmy Horton; 7. Tim McCreadie; 8. Wade Hendrickson; 9. Ryan Watt; 10. Craig Mullins; 11. Jamie Mills; 12. Ricky Johnson; 13. Bud Schweibinz; 14. Kyle Strickler; 15. Rick Laubach; 16. Glenn Reed; 17. Garry Gollub; 18. Dave Stonebraker; 19. Deron Rust; 20. Rick Shaffer; 21. Mark Forte; 22. Doug Hoffman; 23. Richie Pratt, Jr.; 24. Ricky Elliott; 25. Adam Jarrell; 26. Doug Rose; 27. Carmine Infante; 28. Scott VanGorder; 29. Mike Iles; 30. Howard O’Neal. DNQ. Duane Rust; Tim Millman; Benn Hatt; Doug Beach; Ted Taylor; Shawn Reimert; Robert Dutton; Scott Smith; Kenny Roth; Steve Downs; Judd Mills; Ryan Godown; Ray Swinehart; Dave Gerhart; Norman Short; Jim Stong; David Daniels; Mike Gular; Cliff Foskey; Bryant Brown; Dave Simmons; Beau Wilkins; Tom Hager; H.J. Bunting; Danny Johnson; Art Adams; Hal Browning; Bobby Watkins; Bill Devine; Phil McCloughan; Larry Crouse; Rich Scagliotta; and Jimmy Chester.