0
0
By DINO OBERTO
edge of Traction Photo
(Butler Township, Pa. 7-13-23) Race #4 of the Evergreen Raceway/Mahoning Valley Speedway 602 Crate Modified Duel Track Series (DTS) presented by Future Homes of Kunkletown was quite the wild affair held Sunday afternoon at Evergreen Raceway.
Winner Nick Baer knows a thing or two about that too as he’s been in position to score a victory in past DTS races but was a victim of circumstances. Admittedly, Baer wasn’t the fastest car on this day but was in the right place at the right time.
Jayden Harman and Neil Rutt III had a torrid race long battle – that was until two laps to go. Harman had been the leader from the outset but on a lap 13 restart – which was after a multi-car hard crash on the front straight – Rutt was lined up alongside Harman and from there was glued solid to the rear bumper of the leader.
Lap after lap he tailed Harman while looking several times to move inside and make a pass. However each time Harman was quick to shun his efforts. Despite that Rutt remained strong-minded and would not let up.
Finally with two laps to go he was able to get a run inside of Harman off turn four and move to the front. That, however, was short lived as Harman then tried to return the favor between turns 1 and 2 but wound up pressing Rutt and sending him spinning. Both drivers would then have to restart from the rear.
For the final two laps Mike Pollack was now at the point with Baer second. The first attempt at the restart was negated when Baer jumped too soon but on the second try he blasted ahead for the lead and stayed there to the checkers.
Pollack tried to hold second but at the line he was nipped by Brian Osborn. Rutt rebounded to come home fourth with Jaden Brown fifth.
“We didn’t really have the best race car by far but we were there at the end and it seemed that’s always the most important thing with these 602 races,” Baer said.
“On the first one (restart) I went a little bit early and they called it back and I thought if I don’t get him (Pollack) on the outside I’m not going to get him at all. My spotter then said clear on the inside and it was history from there.”
Baer, who had made an early stop to correct and overheating issue, had avoided the lap 13 melee and rejoined the race fifth after that. He then settled in behind third running Pollack. He was content at that point too seeing that the leaders were half a straight away up on him and Pollack keeping him in check.
“I could see how close they were and I also knew we didn’t have a car that could get up close enough to compete with them. Whatever happened was a shame for them but we certainly capitalized on it,” acknowledged Baer.
“The competition in this Series and with these cars is so close so it always comes down to who can be around at the end.”
The win also capped off a solid two days of racing as less than 20 hours prior he was vying for a conquest against Brian DeFebo at Mahoning Valley Speedway where he finished second.
“This was great weekend and it really helps boost the moral. I need to thank Paul French for the opportunity to drive his car, my dad (Todd Baer) and the crew and our sponsors,” said Baer.
Jayden Harman may have lost his bid for a win but his dad, Jason, did not. The senior Harman picked up the win in the Street Stock feature, leading all 30 laps, albeit against the hard pressuring effort of Dan Pawlicki and then fast moving Bobby Kibler Jr.
For 28 of the 30 circuits Pawlicki was doing everything he could to get around Harman and then on a restart with two laps to go it was Kibler who shot into second and chased Harman across the line.
The ATQMRA was making their first visit to Evergreen this season and for Kyle Taraska his win meant he could finally check one off his bucket list. All of his previous triumphs had all been at New Jersey’s Wall Stadium Speedway and Taraska wanted nothing more than to get a victory at a track elsewhere.
Mission accomplished.
Taraska hunted down then passed early leader Joey Bailey on lap 13 and once in front was able to distance himself from the rest en route to the popular verdict. Taraska drove a car owned by Russ Bailey, whose son Joey settled for second.
Micah Adams remains the hottest driver at Evergreen right now as he scored his third straight 4-Cylinder Stock win and fourth in six races to date. He also has a second and a fifth.
Adams started ninth and gradually picked off cars in his campaign to the front. Taking advantage of a restart on lap eight, he was then able to out-run Jay Kanor for the lead and eventually the win. Kanor never let Adams too far out of his sights as he was just a car length behind at the finish while just slightly further back was point leader Jimmy Ayre.
In the Rotten and Forgotten feature Noah Jensen took over the lead on lap two from Anthony Napilotano and from there was the class of the field as he easily cruised to his third win of the season over Tommy Dawson.
Tyler Skordensky not only padded his point lead in the Novice class with his third win but in the process became the leading feature winner with the division. Skordensky passed Ella Sones on a lap four restart and then let the rest for the pack battle for second.
Sarabeth Mesko got by Sones late in the going to get a career best runner-up spot.
602 Crate Modified feature finish (40 laps): 1. Nick Baer, 2. Brian Osborn, 3. Mike Pollack, 4. Neil Rutt III, 5. Jaden Brown, 6. Jayden Harman, 7. Mackenzie Adams, 8. Brody George, 9. Brian Rygielski, 10. Evan Rygielski, 11. Steve Shultz
Street Stock feature finish (30 laps): 1. Jason Harman, 2. Bobby Kibler Jr., 3. Dan Pawlicki, 4. Mike Pollack, 5. Mitch Hawk, 6. Brandon Christman, 7. Tucker Muffley, 8. Gordie Buchman, 9. Blaine Barry, 10. Thomas Flanagan, 11. Amber Knecht, 12. Tommy Flanagan
ATQMRA feature finish (25 laps): 1. Kyle Taraska, 2. Joey Bailey, 3. Tyler Wagner, 4. Steve Craig, 5. Buddy Sload, 6. Chris Coleman, 7. Tyler Ferris, 8. Tanner VanDoren, 9. Matt Janisch, 10. Mark Yoder, 11. Kyle Herve, 12. Brianna Page, 13. Craig Pellegrini
4 Cylinder Stock feature finish (25 laps): 1. Micah Adams, 2. Jay Kanor, 3. Jimmy Ayre, 4. Brian Romig Jr., 5. Maggie Yeakel, 6. Larry Spencer III, 7. BJ Wambold, 8. Adam Heckman, 9. Robert McNulty, 10. Tom Cavagnino, 11. Brooklyn Peters, 12. Mallory Kutz, 13. Jacob Knittle, 14. Dave Imler Jr., 15. Ralph Borger Jr.
Rotten and Forgotten feature finish (25 laps): 1. Noah Jensen, 2. Tommy Dawson, 3. Sam Jensen, 4. Jon Jensen, 5. Paige Hunsinger, 6. Anthony Napilotano
Novice feature finish (12 laps): 1. Tyler Skordensky, 2. Sarabeth Mesko, 3. Ella Sones, 4. Savannah Kutz, 5. Abby McNulty, 6. Lexus Kutz, 7. Connor Shotwell
