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By Dino Oberto
(Butler Township, PA 6-11-24): When racers had reached out to Evergreen Raceway owner/promoter Jason Makarewicz about doing some evening racing he responded by adding a few Friday and Saturday night shows, one being an Enduro that took place this Saturday evening, June 15.
And stepping up to entice racers was long time track supporter The Wire Guys by Arc Electric of Hazle Township who added $1000 to win the 100 lap Gut-N-Go Enduro feature.
The Four Cylinder Stocks were also added to the card with a non-point feature, however, due to a light turnout the drivers all agreed to combine the two classes in one race and award a pair of winners, one for each division.
And, when all was said and done it was Larry Spencer III of Berwick taking the overall victory with a Four Cylinder Stock while claiming the $1000 Enduro triumph was Harry O’Neill of Wapwallopen for a record setting 11th class win.
O’Neill, who started second, took the lead at the outset and continued to hold it over the course of the first 67 laps and did so just ahead of Tony Hilliard in a Four Cylinder Stock and Spencer. But negotiating lapped traffic to his advantage Hilliard seized the lead and tagging closing behind was Spencer.
After Hilliard moved to the lead Spencer was then sticking close to his rear bumper and continued to do so as the lap clicked off. The two then began a torrid side-by-side clash with 30 laps remaining. Making use of the inside lane Spencer then made his race winning move with 19 circuits to go.
Once in front he was proving no match either. Hilliard bowed out with 10 laps to go with a bad clutch and that put O’Neill in second but there was no contesting the strong running Spencer who would go on to claim a long overdue win – 11 years matter of fact – in capturing the verdict by nearly one lap over the rest of the pack.
Spencer’s last win at Evergreen and in general came on August 3, 2013, also a Four Cylinder Stock feature.
For O’Neill it would be his record setting 11th Small Car Enduro win and second $1000 score this season as well as his 36th overall track triumph.
Mike Green ran a solid race and placed third, Mark Hammer, who started on the pole, ran in the top five all race long and finished fourth while Ray Kennedy came from the last row and rounded out the top five.
Enduro feature finish (100 laps): 1. Larry Spencer III (4C), 2. Harry O’Neill, 3. Mike Green, 4. Mark Hammer, 5. Ray Kennedy, 6. Tony Hilliard (4C), 7. Adam Kratzer, 8. Jason Koch, 9. Alan Such, 10. Mark Rittenhouse Jr., 11. Ray Kochin (4C), 12. Dan Shrimp, 13. Paul Mercante, 14. Jason Birch, 15. Greg Judd, 16. Steve Tito, 17. Dan Baker, 18. Tony Rispin, 19. Skylar Hunter, 20. Landon Pyle
