Paul Hartwig, Jr. Takes Third Evergreen Modified Win
St. Johns, PA (7/10/2016)- With mid -season championships on the line for several divisions Sunday at Evergreen Raceway, Paul Hartwig, Jr. of Freehold, NJ took the lead on lap 14 of the Evergreen Modified event and never looked back to notch his third win of the season. Following a great battle in the Late Model feature, Nick Ross of Mountaintop took the checkers for his second division victory and also from Mountaintop, fifteen-year-old Justin Morgan scored his first career Factory Stock win. After starting tenth, Brayden Spencer of Shickshinny grabbed the lead and went on to earn his second straight victory.
Paul Monkoski started from the pole position in the 30-lap Evergreen Modified even. He led the first lap over Scott Adams, JP Curry, Paul Hartwig, Jr. and Damon Frutchey. With one lap in the books, Hartwig overtook Curry for second. One lap later, Adams took the lead from Monkoski. Adams held the point as the race went on, yet his car began to fade. He did all that he could to hold off Hartwig, but lost the top spot to him on lap 14. Curry got by Adams for second on the following lap and then the pair changed positions again. With puffs of smoke coming from his car in the closing laps, Hartwig went on to take his third win of the season. He was also declared the
With one lap in the books, Hartwig overtook Curry for second. One lap later, Adams took the lead from Monkoski.
Adams held the point as the race went on, yet his car began to fade. He did all that he could to hold off Hartwig, but lost the top spot to him on lap 14. Curry got by Adams for second on the following lap and then the pair changed positions again.
With puffs of smoke coming from his car in the closing laps, Hartwig went on to take his third win of the season. He was also declared the mid season champion. Adams finished in second, followed by Curry, Monkoski and Frutchey.
Mitch Hawk led the Late Model field to the drop of the green flag in the 30-lap feature. He led the opening lap over Steve Shultz, Nick Ross, Chris Burge and Mike Sweeney.
With a lap on the scoreboard, Ross got by Shultz for second. The field of drivers settled in line, single file, and the laps began clicking off with Hawk still showing the way.
Ross challenged Hawk and tried him high and low. Eventually the pass stuck on lap 21 and Hawk settled into second.
The first yellow waved on lap 22 when Shultz had to get on the brakes hard and spun in turn one. Sweeney restarted fourth and overtook Burge for third. The following lap he overtook Hawk for second.
Sweeney had three more restarts to see if he had anything for Ross but he came up short. Ross went on to take the win, which is the second of his rookie season in the division. Sweeney, Shultz, Broc Bown and Hawk completed the top five.
For being the point leader following the feature, Ross was declared the mid season champion.
Hawk and Ross were heat race winners.Frank Katona led the Factory Stock field to the drop of the green flag in the 20-lap feature. He was overtaken by Justin Morgan before a lap was scored. Morgan completed lap one as the leader and Steve Heckman held second with Katona, Moe Hunsinger and Scott Riggleman in tow. Tom Casagrande cracked the top five on lap two and then he eventually got by Hunsinger and then Heckman,
Frank Katona led the Factory Stock field to the drop of the green flag in the 20-lap feature. He was overtaken by Justin Morgan before a lap was scored. Morgan completed lap one as the leader and Steve Heckman held second with Katona, Moe Hunsinger and Scott Riggleman in tow. Tom Casagrande cracked the top five on lap two and then he eventually got by Hunsinger and then Heckman,
Tom Casagrande cracked the top five on lap two and then he eventually got by Hunsinger and then Heckman, whi had lost second to Katona.
Meanwhile, Morgan held his line and remained smooth. Morgan led flag to flag in the caution free event and went on to score his first career victory over Casagrande, Katona, Heckman and Hunsinger.
Riggleman was the highest finishing Enduro car in the event. He received a trophy for his efforts.
Morgan was also the heat race winner.
Kyle Williams sat on the pole position in the 25-lap Four Cylinder feature. Frank Hughes, Jr. overtook him for the lead when the green flag dropped and Williams tucked into second. As they crossed the stripe, Jay Skupski, Ron Heeter and Bob Azarowicz were all in the top five.
Heeter overtook Skupski for second on lap one and just two laps later, Azarowicz and Williams tangled exiting turn four. At this point in the event, tenth place starter, Brayden Spencer, had already climbed to third.
Heeter spun in turn one on the restart, which moved Spencer alongside of Hughes for the restart. When the green flag came back out, Spencer wasted no time and overtook the leader.
Sam Ryan eventually climbed to second and tried to rattle the leaders cage a bit, but Spencer wasn’t phased and drove away with his second straight victory. Ryan, Hughes, Tom Cavagnino and Travis Soloman completed the top five.
JC Duval was the highest finishing Enduro car in the event. He received a trophy for his efforts.
Spencer and Heeter were heat race winners.
For being the point leader following the feature, Hughes was declared the mid season champion.
The next Evergreen Raceway event is slated for Sunday, July 17 and will feature the Tour Type Modifieds, Street Stocks, Four Cylinders, INEX Legends and Bandoleros. Grandstand admission is just $15. Children 10 years of age and younger are admitted for free with a paying adult.
The pit gate will swing open at 10:30 AM and the pit entrance fee is $30 with a pit license or $40 without. Practice will kick off at 12:30 PM and heat races will begin at 2 PM. The grandstand gates will open at noon.
Evergreen Raceway is located minutes from Hazleton, PA, in between routes 93 and 309. For more information regarding Evergreen Raceway, including the entire season schedule, directions and divisional payouts, please visit www.evergreenracewaypark.com and don’t forget to like their Facebook page as well.
Evergreen Raceway is proud to be associated with Harry’s U Pull It, Penn’s Peak Radio, Sour Apple Auto & Customs, CK Auto Service & Race Fab, Himmer Graphics, Valve Tech Sales, Penn’s Peak, Printers Edge, Electric Frog Designs, Cargill of Hazleton, Tito Juice & RockAuto.com.
Evergreen Modifieds (30-laps) 1. PAUL HARTWIG, JR 2. Scott Adams 3. JP Curry 4. Paul Monkoski 5. Damon Frutchey
Late Models (30-laps) 1. NICK ROSS 2. Mike Sweeney 3. Steve Shultz 4. Broc Brown 5. Mitch Hawk 6. Paul Skodacek 7. Jacob Kersetter 8. Geno Steigerwalt 9. Rich Cooper 10. Chris Burge
Factory Stocks (20-laps) 1. JUSTIN MORGAN 2. Tom Casagrande 3. Frank Katona 4. Steve Heckman 5. Moe Hunsinger 6. Scott Riggleman 7. Zach Biros
Four Cylinders (25-laps) 1. BRAYDEN SPENCER 2. Sam Ryan 3. Frank Hughes, Jr 4. Tom Cavagnino 5. Travis Solomon 6. JC Duval 7. Keith St. Clair 8. Bob Azarowicz 9. Kyle Willaims 10. Denise Siegel 11. Ron Heeter 12. Jay Skupki
Upcoming Shows:
Sunday, July 17– Round No. 4 of the Tour-Type Modifieds, Pro Stocks, Street Stocks, Factory Stocks, Four Cylinders, INEX Legends and Bandoleros
Sources: Gene Ostrowski/Evergreen Raceway PR