Emerling wins tour-type modified race at new smyrna

Photo: RaceDayCT/Jim DuPont

A Story By RaceDayCT.com

It’s been a rough week for Patrick Emerling at the World Series of Asphalt Stock Car Racing at New Smyrna (Fla.) Speedway. He blew a motor in his primary car. He got taken out while running in the top-five late in the first feature of the week. He even had issues in the pits with the lift gate on his trailer going bad. 

Tuesday night the Orchard Park, N.Y. driver got lifted up finally in New Smyrna, and in the process got to exact a bit of revenge.  Emerling held off Eric Goodale on a pair of late restarts to win the caution-marred 35-lap Tour Type Modified division feature Tuesday at the World Series of Asphalt Stock Car Racing at New Smyrna Speedway. 

“So far there’s just been a lot of things go wrong,” Emerling said. “It’s good to have one thing go right for once.” 

Goodale, of Riverhead, N.Y., was second and Matt Hirschman of Northampton, Pa. third.  Ryan Preece of Berlin and Craig Lutz of Miller Place, N.Y. rounded out the top-five respectively. 

It was the second of five consecutive nights of Tour Type Modified features at the World Series. Lutz won the 50-lap opening feature on Monday. 

Emerling got by Goodale for the lead on a lap 23 restart then never trailed again. It was fitting payback. Goodale spun Emerling out of fourth place with two laps remaining in Monday’s feature. 

“Last night was pretty unfortunate to us,” Emerling said. “We were decent. We were good enough to stay in the top-five and lead some laps last night. But we got taken out, so this definitely makes up for it.” 

Emerling was able to easily pace away from Goodale over the two late restarts Tuesday. 

“I was just trying too hard,” Goodale said of the final restart. “I spun the tires a little bit there. I still had a chance at him in [turns] one and two but [Emerling] was just a little bit better late in the race. He just had a little bit better drive on exits. This one slipped away. Me and Patrick got into yesterday so I’m glad for him to come back and get the win. It just sucks.” 

The “Big One” for the 36-car field came on lap 23 with some battling going on at the back end of the top-10 going bad.