Steve Shultz and Francis Gross III Take Late Model Laurels at Evergreen Raceway
St. Johns, PA (9/24/2017)- Midsummer temperatures set the stage for Sunday’s “Slam the Stands” event at Evergreen Raceway. Plenty of action was on the card for the afternoon, including the Himmer Graphics Late Model makeup feature that was rained out last weekend. Steve Shultz of Drums took that victory early in the afternoon. With a makeup feature also on the line for the Evan’s Roadhouse Four Cylinder division, Shane Troutman of Andreas took the race lead on lap two and never looked back en route to his first career victory. After many years of coming close, Francis Gross III of New Tripoli held off Shultz for his first career Late Model victory and Randy Schlenker of Whitehall all but sealed the Barbush Automotive Street Stock championship with a feature event win. TJ Kapish of Mountaintop took top honors in the Strictly Stock division, as did Mountaintop youngster Caden Ayre in the Wheels Bar and Grill Junior Four Cylinder class. Also from Mountaintop, Harry O’Neill bested the Four Cylinder field for the regular scheduled Four Cylinder event.
Gross started from the pole and led the Late Model field to the drop of the green flag in the regular 30-lap feature. He led the opening lap over Lorin Arthofer, Shultz, Danny Cascioli and Geno Steigerwalt.
Shultz climbed to second and then took the lead following a lap 11 restart. However, Gross fought back to regain the point on the following circuit.
Following several laps of hard racing, Gross held off the former champion to take his first career victory over Shultz, Steigerwalt, Arthofer and Cascioli.
Brian Halecki led the Street Stock field to the drop of the green flag in the 25-lap feature. However, Dan Pawlicki crossed the stripe first to lead lap one. Halecki fought back to regain the top spot until the caution flag waved three laps into the show.
Todd Ahner took his turn at t leading following the restart until lap 10 when he was overtaken by Rich Paciotti. In the mist of several yellows, Randy Schlenker climbed to second. Just after a lap 18 restart, Paciotti suffered a flat right front and Schlenker took command.
He led the rest of the way and crossed the stripe for the win over Eric Kocher, Scott Adams, Mike Pollack, and Pawlicki. Pollack was later disqualified in post-race tech, which moved Randy Ahner, Jr. to fifth.
Shawn Kistler started from the pole and led the opening circuit of the 20-lap Four Cylinder field over Ryan Berger, Harry O’Neill, Shane Troutman and TJ Kapish.
O’Neill quickly climbed into second and then took the race lead on the second circuit.
The event went green until lap 14 when three yellow flag periods slowed the competition and when it was all said and done, O’Neill cruised to take the checkers over Joe Barbush III, Jimmy Ayre, Kapish and Jeff Biegley. Kapish was later disqualified in post-race tech, which Moved Brian Sones into fifth.
Mitch Sponenberg led the Wheels Bar and Grill Strictly Stocks to the drop of the green flag and was overtaken on the opening circuit by Kapish and O’Neill. Kapish went on to take the win in the caution free event.
Presented by Sponenberg’s Exhaust, Evergreen’s “Fall Classic” Enduros are next on the schedule of events at the speedway. Featuring Four Cylinder, 6/8-Cylinder and “Soccer Mom” Mini Van Enduro, the event is the second to last regular season Enduro points paying shows on the card for the year. The Bob’s Subs and Pizza Outlaw Stocks are also on the docket and the Outlaw Stock portion of the event is sponsored by Lehigh Sheet Metal.
The pit gates will swing open for all of the event at 10:30 AM. The drivers meeting will take place at 12 PM and the Outlaw Stocks will have practice at12:30 PM. Racing will kick off at 1:00 PM. The grandstands will open at noon.
Grandstand admission for the event is just $5. Pit admission is $25 and the transponder rental fee is $10.
The rules, payout and pre-registration list are listed at EvergreenRacewayPark.com. The deadline for pre-registration is Friday, September 29.
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 visitwww.evergreenracewaypark.com and don’t forget to like their Facebook page as well.
Evergreen Raceway is proud to be associated with Fairway Motors, Harry’s U Pull It, Penn’s Peak Radio, Sponenberg’s Exhaust, Wheel’s Bar & Grill, CK Auto Service & Race Fab, Himmer Graphics, Evan’s Roadhouse, Bob’s Subs and Pizza, American Rental Equipment, Barbush Automotive, Valve Tech Sales, Penn’s Peak, Printers Edge, Lehigh Sheet Metal & RockAuto.com.
Late Models (30-laps) 1. FRANCIS GROSS III 2. Steve Shultz 3. Geno Steigerwalt 4. Lorin Arthofer 5. Danny Cascioli 6. Jacob Kersetter 7. Brian Romig, Jr.
Street Stocks (25-laps) 1. RANDY SCHLENKER 2. Eric Kocher 3. Scott Adams 4. Dan Pawlicki 5. Randy Ahner Jr 6. Todd Ahner 7. Rich Paciotti 8. Brian Halecki 9. Bobby Hunsicker 10. Cory Swartz 11. Mark Deysher 12. Anthony Tombasco 13. Frank Petroski Jr 14. Bobby Kibler Jr DQ: Mike Pollack
Four Cylinders (20-laps) 1. HARRY O’NEILL 2. Joe Barbush III 3. Jimmy Ayre 4. Jeff Biegley 5. Brian Sones 6. Rebecca Barbush 7. Jay Kanor 8. Shawn Kistler 9. Ryan Berger 10. Mike Snyder 11. Jesse Ehert 12. Rich Emel 13. Shane Troutman 14. Jon Ayre DQ: TJ Kapish DQ: Devin Schmidt
Strictly Stocks (15-laps) 1. TJ KAPISH 2. Harry O’Neill 3. Mitch Sponenberg 4. Chris Angstad
Jr. Four Cylinders (12-laps) 1. CAYDEN AYRE 2. Kassidy Altemose 3. Brian Burkett
Late Model makeup from 9/17 (30-laps) 1. STEVE SHULTZ 2. Geno Steigerwalt 3. Francis Gross III 4. Lorin Arthofer 5. Danny Cascioli 6. Brian Romig, Jr.
Four Cylinder makeup from 9/17 (20-laps) 1. SHANE TROUTMAN 2. Rebecca Barbush 3. Ryan Berger 4. Rich Emel DNS: Bob Azarowicz
Promoters: Jason Makarewicz & Gene Ostrowski
Competition Director: Jeff Owler
Upcoming Shows:
Sunday, October 1- “Fall Classis Enduros”, $5 Admission for 4-Cylind
Sources: Gene Ostrowski/Evergreen Raceway Park PR