By JAY SHIMEL – EVANS MILLS, NY – Evans Mills Raceway Park welcomed Active Duty and Retired members of all 6 branches of the military as their guests on Armed Forces Day. It proved to be a night of firsts for a pair of Caskinette Ford Modified drivers.
The night started out with a make up feature for the Caskinette Ford Modifieds from the previous week. Joel Hargrave, who is in his first year driving a modified, started on the pole and started to set sail. The only caution flew on lap 11 for a spin in turn 1 from Terry Gardner. On the restart, Hargrave and fellow rookie Dylan Bancroft woud battle side by side for 3 laps. Hargrave would finally pull away on the low lane and Taylor Caprara would follow behind him, moving up to second. Hargrave would pull away from Caprara and lead every lap to pick up his first career win in the Caskinette Ford Modified division. Caprara would finish second and Bancroft settled for third.
The Sport Compacts and Next Level Excavation Thunderstocks took the track next as Daivd Liscum and Tim Greenfield led the field to green. Liscum would lead the first 3 laps before relinquishing the lead to Joe Orvis. On the next lap, hard charging Mike Durham would take the lead from his 10th place starting position. Chuck Powelczyk would follow Durham up through the field to pressure for first. Powelczyk would start to have motor troubles in the closing laps allowing Durham to pull away and take his first feature win of the season. Powelczyk would nurse his car to a second place finish and Billy Matteson would round out the top 3. Joe Orvis would be the first Next Level Excavation Thunderstock across the line, winning his 3rd feature in as many tries this season.
The race of the evening was in the Excess Storage Pro Late Models. This feature would run event free without a caution as Sid Harmer Jr would start from the pole. Harmer would put distance between himself and the second place car. Rylee Gill would soon change that. Gill worked back up through the field after falling back on the start. As the laps counted off Gill would make the majority of his passes on the outside of the track. By lap 10, Harmer and Gill would run side by side exchanging leads. Coming to the white flag, Gill pulled away as Harmer would get loose coming out of turn 4. Gill led the final laps to win his first feature of the year. Harmer finished second and Cole Perry wound up 3rd.
The Caskinette Ford Modifieds were back out for their second feature of the night. As soon as the green flag dropped, the caution was quickly displayed for spinning Anthony Pettinelli. On the restart, John Ramsey would spin in turn 3 bringing out the second caution. When the green was dropped again, rookie Dylan Bancroft inherited the lead. As the laps ticked off, Kreig Heroth and Bryan Sherwood were making their way up through the field from their respective 7th and 8th place starting positions. By lap 12, the top 3 consisted of Bancroft, Heroth and Sherwood. Bancroft would have a straightaway lead as the final caution flew on lap 25. Bancroft would be able to hold on to his lead and win his first career feature in the Caskinette Ford Modifieds. Heroth and Sherwood would round out the top 3.
The final feature of the evening was the Christman Fuel Service INEX Legends. Kyle Hart would lead the first laps, before he would spin on the exit of turn 2. This would allow Chris Malbeuf to take the lead. Two more cautions would slow the field allowing Malbeuf’s son, Brayton to move into second. Brayton and Hart would battle in the final laps for second as Chris Malbeuf led the final lap, taking the checkered flag. Hart would get around Brayton Malbeuf for second and Brayton finished third.
Next weekend, Evans Mills Raceway Park celebrates Memorial Day. The Caskinette Ford Modifieds, Excess Storage Pro Late Models, Christman Fuel Service INEX Legends, Sport Compact/Next Level Excavation Thunderstocks will all be back in action. In addition to the great racing, during intermission, Nashville Recording artists, Juna N Joey will perform as part of the Froggy 97 Showcase Concert Series. The evening concludes with a $1000 to win skid place race. Pit gates open at 3pm, General Admission at 5pm and racing starts at 6:30. Pit pass $35, Adults $15, Military $13, Children 10-17 $10 and under 9 free with paid Adult!