EVANS MILLS, NY – The Evans Mills Raceway Park completed the annual First Responders Night Presented by S & R Automotive in Mannsville and Sandy Creek on Saturday August 24th. This night has been a staple on the racing calendar and was extremely well attended by first responders and their emergency equipment. Over twenty vehicles where displayed in the midway including four ladder trucks, two of which made an arch to display the American Flag. We were also joined by a few vintage fire trucks, the NYS Police, and Jefferson County Sheriff’s Department. Driver of the #8 Kinney Drugs Modifieds, Kevin Warren and member of the Clayton Fire Department has been the catalyst to putting on a great display each year. Warren, with help from Jay Shimel, Harry Faulk Jr., and Hal James created an atmosphere for families to tour the vehicles and take pictures.
After heat racing concluded, box car racing returned where kids and their parents decorate/design a card board box and then wear it on suspenders and race against other kids on foot. This year, the competitors raced around the new painted Evans Mills Kartway surface on the front stretch of the big track. There were three races based on age groups. Competitors had to race three full laps and make two pit stops for refueling (drinking water) and cleaning their windshield (sunglasses). All had a good time and we saw awesome designs including the #01 Thunderstock, #57 Pro Late Model, a dinosaur, #9 NASCAR Cup car and more!
Following box car racing was the First Responders Parade where every vehicle from the midway went onto the track to dazzle the crowd with their lights and sirens. The first lap was completed in silence with vehicles performing a three wide salute. The first two rows of the three wide salute had one spot left open in remembrance of fallen Fire Fighter Peyton Morse and New York State Trooper Joel Davis. After that lap was completed, all systems were go to light the track up red, white, and blue.
Feature racing began with the Excess Storage Pro Late Models taking on 15 laps while welcoming Dylan Bancroft and Joey Kiah into the field this week. It would be Chuck Meyer that jumped to the lead and held that position through the TI Bait Store Start Fishin’ Line. Rylee Gill would be near Meyer’s bumper for the last half of the race but would not push his luck against teammate Meyer. Meyer in the #28 would earn his second win on the season.
Pro Late Models Results) 1 Chuck Meyer, 2 Rylee Gill, 3 Tyler Papin, 4 Dylan Bancroft, 5 Terry Gardner, 6 Matt Larrivee, 7 Joey Kiah, 8 Jeff Kirkby, Eli Petzoldt
The Stewart’s Shops Sport Compacts and FENIX U-Pull U-Save Syracuse Thunderstocks were up next. The battle to watch would be the #28 of Tony Pettinelli and #11A of Kevin Greenfield. Chuck Powelczyk in the #17 Sport Compact would hold the lead for the majority of the race that was delayed due to multiple oil spills and clean up. Thunderstock driver Jared Gilson in the #22J would jump out to a good lead and work his way through some of the Sport Compact field. After a restart Kevin Greenfield found his way in front of the Pettinelli #28. That would set him up with just the #17 in front of him. Greenfield would find a way around Powelczyk and sail to the lead from that point. Greenfield’s teammate Jock Symonds in the #11X would make a strong effort to come from the rear of the field and complete a three-wide pass for second coming to the TI Bait Store Start Fishin’ Line.
Sport Compacts Results) 1 Kevin Greenfield, 2 Jock Symonds, 3 Chuck Powelczyk, 4 Tony Pettinelli, 5 Sam Curcie, 6 Ethan Halsey, 7 Cory Mayer, 8 Bridget Austin, 9 Mike Cole
Gilson would remain the top Thunderstock, but Colby Goodale found his way to second picking up more points in his battle for the track championship against Justin Burns. Gilson continued on to earn his fourth FENIX U-Pull U-Save Syracuse Thunderstocks feature win of the year.
Thunderstocks Results) 1 Jared Gilson, 2 Colby Goodale, 3 David Paige, 4 Mike Marcinko, 5 Mike Greenfield, 6 Justin Burns, 7 David Liscum, 8 Angela Pettinelli, 9 Tim Greenfield
The Christman Fuel Service INEX Legends would roll off with the largest field so far this year. Matt Haufe would find his way to the front early and check out from there as point leaders Joel Hall, Brayton Malbeuf, and Devin Thornton would run in order behind the #7. Dalton Rombough returned with Breanne Gilligan and had a strong showing, however the story of the race could be the return of Coleby Felber in the Malbeuf racing 10C that would finish the night in 6th.
INEX Legends Results) 1 Matt Haufe, 2 Joel Hall, 3 Brayton Malbeuf, 4 Dalton Rombough, 5 Devin Thornton, 6 Coleby Felber, 7 Breanna Gilligan, 8 Landen Herring, 9 Quillon Dann, 10 Jayden Hall, 11 Aaron Wilmot, 12 Trevor Halladay, 13 Damon Bush, 14 Josh Oomen, 15 Carrie Ann Carr
The Kinney Drugs Modifieds finished the night with 35 laps welcoming in newcomer #26 Jake Brown. Andre Roggie started up front and would keep it that way while Dylan Bancroft made a push for second. The front of the field would look similar until Bryan Sherwood’s hard charging in the closing laps bringing him to a second place finish.
Modifieds Results) 1 Andre Roggie, 2 Bryan Sherwood, 3 Dylan Bancroft, 4 Tony Pettinelli, 5 Joe Papin, 6 Taylor Caprara, 7 Bryce Bailey, 8 Jeff Pringle, 9 John Ramsey, 10 Kaden Rogers, 11 Steven Sherwood, 12 Joey Clark, 13 Kyle Hart, 14 Rick Brunelle, 15 Corey Trombley, 16 Joel Hargrave, 17 Joey VanLare, 18 Jake Brown, 19 Kevin Warren
This Saturday August 31st is EMRP Championship Night, the final points races of the season and final spectator drag race night of the year. The points leads are currently held by Joe Papin (Modifieds), Rylee Gill (Pro Late Models), Joel Hall (INEX Legends), Kevin Greenfield (Sport Compacts), and Justin Burns (Thunderstocks).