Evans Mills, NY-Year after year, fans flock to the Evans Mills Raceway Park on Father’s Day weekend for the annual Kevin Ward Jr. Memorial Asphalt Spectacular with the Empire Super Sprints. This year was no exception as a packed house saw history being made all while honoring the life and legacy of Kevin Ward Jr.
Before the heat races began, the Evans Mills Raceway Park presented the Kevin Ward Jr. Legacy award to South Lewis High School Senior and Howard G. Sackett Technical Center student, Levi Hudson.
The Excess Storage Pro Late Models started the night’s feature with Jeff Kirkby and Tyler Papin leading the class to the green flag. Papin would get the early jump and build a commanding lead. As Papin continued to control the race, Rylee Gill would be marching his way to the front. By the closing laps, Gill had caught Papin and would work the outside lane to get by the leader. Gill tried multiple times, but Papin would hold off last week’s feature winner. On the final lap, Gill had his best run coming off the exit of turn 2. Papin and Gill would enter turn 3 side by side. Papin looked to take away the high line, Gill will cross him over coming out of turn 4. A drag race to the finish line ensued and it was Papin beating Gill to the line by 0.001 seconds, the closest in EMRP’s history. Pro Late Model Results:1)Tyler Papin, 2)Rylee Gill, 3)Chuck Meyer, 4)Terry Gardner, 5)Matt Larrivee, 6)Jeff Kirkby, 7)Frank Brown
12 Christman Fuel Service INEX Legends took the green flag for their 20-lap feature. Landen Herring and Aaron Wilmot made up the front row. Herring would lead the first two laps, but by lap 3, Joel Hall passed the leader on the outside of the track. A midrace caution would slow the field, but Hall would maintain his lead on the restart. Matt Haufe had worked his way up to the second position and would pressure Hall for the remaining 10 laps. Hall held off Haufe until the final lap. Haufe would get Hall loose coming off turn 4 and inherit the leadoff the final turn on the final lap, winning his first feature of the season at EMRP.
INEX Legends Results:1)Matt Haufe, 2)Joel Hall, 3)Brayton Malbeuf, 4)Breanne Gilligan, 5)Devin Thornton, 6)Landen Herring, 7)Quillon Dann, 8)Aaron Wilmot, 9)Jayden Hall, 10)Carrie Carr, 11)Fred Siebert, 12)Damon Bush
The Empire Super Sprints were up next as Logan Crisafulli and Danny Varin started on the front row for the 5th Annual 25-Lap Kevin Ward Jr. Memorial Asphalt Spectacular. Varin would get the early lead but would have company rather quickly. Dalton Romobough quickly turned up the wick and found himself riding in the second position on lap 2. Romobough would power by Varin on the outside as they exited turn 2. Romobough would quickly race out to a straightaway lead and by the closing laps was half a lap ahead of his closest competitor. Romobough would go on to lead the final 22 laps and become the first repeat winner of the memorial race taking home yet another $4000 winning purse.
Empire Super Sprints Results:1)Dalton Rombough, 2)Kelly Hebing, 3)Danny Varin, 4)Tyler Cartier, 5)Chase Moran, 6)Matt Tanner, 7)Mike Stelter, 8)Evan Reynolds, 9)Logan Crisafulli, 10)Geroge Sanford
Tony Pettinelli and Matt Sharkey led the field of 21 Kinney Drugs Sportsman Modified to the green flag. Pettinelli grabbed the early lead, but would lose control on the entrance to turn 3 on the second lap bringing out the only caution of the race. Jeff Pringle would claim the lead on the restart with Andre Roggie being his closest competitor. Roggie would work the high side of the track lap after lap but could not make a strong enough run. Pringle would keep his car a half lane off the bottom making it difficult for Roggie to pass. By midrace, Joe Papin started his march to the front from his 7th place starting position. Roggie would concede his second place position to Papin with 5 laps to go. Papin got within striking distance of Pringle, but would run out of laps. Pringle would go on to win his first even feature in a Sportsman Modified and his first win at EMRP.
Sportsman Modified Results:1)Jeff Pringle, 2) Joe Papin, 3)Andre Roggie, 4)Taylor Caprara, 5)Dylan Bancroft, 6)Kreig Heroth, 7)Joel Hargrave, 8)Brian Rygielski, 9)Kaden Rogers, 10)Randy Brunelle, 11)Matt Sharkey, 12)Kyle Hart, 13)Tony Pettinelli, 14)Joey Clark, 15)Corey Trombley, 16)Rick Brunelle, 17)Madison Knapp, 18)Jason Rarick, 19)Geoff Sharkey, 20)Mark Green, 21)John Ramsey
The final feature of the evening was the Stewart Shops Sport Compact and the Fenix U-Pull U-Save Thunderstocks. Bridget DeMarse led the opening lap, but it was Kevin Greenfield taking over the top spot by lap 2. Chuck Powelczyk worked his way to second and used multiple lanes to try to get by Greenfield. Each attempt Greenfield had the answer and went on to win his 4th feature in a row. Some of the best racing of the evening was in the Thunderstocks as Colby Goodale control most of the race. Jared Gilson, who was involved in a lap 8 caution, worked his way back to the front of the Thunderstock class. Goodale would have company on the final lap. Gilson make a hard charge on the outside coming of the final corner on the final lap and beat Goodale to the finish line, earning his second feature win of the season.
Sport Compacts Results:1)Kevin Greenfield, 2)Chuck Powelczyk, 3)Bridget DeMarse, 4)Angela Pettinelli, 5)Sam Curcie
Thunderstocks Results:1)Jared Gilson, 2)Colby Goodale, 3)David Liscum, 4)David Paige, 5)Mike Marcinko, 6)Justin Burns
Next weekend EMRP hosts the annual Nicole Berry Garnsey Health and Wellness night. The Kinney Drugs Sportsman Modifieds, Excess Storage Pro Late Models, Christman Fuel Service INEX Legends, Stewart’s Shops Sport Compacts and Fenix U-Pull U-Save Syracuse Thunderstocks will all be in action. Pit gates open at 3pm, General Admission at 5pm and racing starts at 6:00pm. Pit pass $35, Adults $15, Military $13, Children 10-17 $10 and under 9 free with paid Adult