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By DINO OBERTO
(Butler Township, PA 10-6-24) Jayden Harman has been racing since he was four years old, working up the ranks from go-
karts then Micro Sprints on dirt before switching to pavement and Street Stocks and Crate Modifieds. In all those disciplines he succeeded in winning too.
The now 15-year old from Sugarloaf used those aforementioned divisions with the one goal in mind of racing a Tour Type Modified, which he gradually started to do last year then focus on a full-bore effort for 2024 and Sunday afternoon at Evergreen Raceway he reached the high point of his budding career when he drove to a flawless victory in the 50-lap feature.
Harman shared the front row with Allan Pedersen and when the race got started he settled into second spot but not for long as by lap four he took over the lead and from there on he simply showed an uncanny amount of speed and steadiness that enabled him to hold a few car lengths gap no matter who ran second.
Veteran Roger Coss moved into the runnerup spot on lap 21 followed soon after by Paulie Hartwig III but make no mistake Harman never had any worries about them or anyone else as his car was spot on all race long.
“It feels awesome especially after all the time we spent last night getting this car together and I can’t thank my whole family and crew enough for all that they do for me,” Harman said.
The team was forced to burn the midnight oil as the night prior while racing at Mahoning Valley Speedway, Harman slammed the front straight wall. The car suffered heavy damage and when the team returned home they immediately went to work on their secondary mount. Harman then rewarded their efforts the best way he could, with a victory.
“It was super good and I was just riding around before that first caution. It did start to free up a little bit near the end but all-in-all it was a great piece today and it stayed good through the whole race,” said Harman.
There was only one caution that slowed that pace, coming at the halfway mark and with the extended number of green flag laps it only played into Harman’s hands as he gained a safe distance on Coss as the race wore on, although in the closing circuits that interval was diminishing, but not enough to worry about the outcome.
“It was super good and I was just riding around before that first caution. It did start to free up a little bit near the end but as I mentioned it was a great piece and it stayed good through the whole race,” said Harman.
“It’s a testament to my guys and all the work they do and all that they put into the car. It’s also great to win it here at Evergreen, this is home for us. We traveled around a lot all year and we struggled to be honest but this makes up for it all.”
Harman is stoked for his return to Evergreen and the Tour Type Modifieds that will be back for the King of the Green on October 19 for a 75-lap feature.
“I’m super pumped for that weekend. Today I gained a ton of confidence and it was so nice to be able to lead most all the race and still have plenty at the end to drive away from the field.”
For Coss it was his second runner-up in less than 24 hours as he took second the night prior to winner Hartwig at Mahoning Valley. Austin Beers and Brian Sones rounded out the top five.
In the DW Machine & Fabricating Late Models it was Nick Ross of White Haven taking his first win of the season while Nesquehoning’s Mike Sweeney’s third place tally earned him his second straight and fifth overall Evergreen class championship.
Ross had missed out the past few races dues to an engine gone sour. However, with all back in place it was smooth sailing all day long as he led every lap of his heat and then went on to do the same in the 50-lap feature.
Ross showed all kinds of strength and power and only dealt with the competition when he came upon lapped traffic.
“The car felt really good and in the end there I was little nervous going to the outside when I had to pass the lapped cars and I was also hoping for no cautions and thankfully that all worked out for us,” said Ross, who collected his 15th Late Model win at Evergreen and 35th overall.
“This year did not go well for us at all so we definitley needed this. I really never had a car that ran this good here and I can’t thank my whole family and crew enough for sticking behind me,” said Ross.
As Ross was running away with the show second place was a close battle between Brian Sones and Sweeney. They came into the day 1-2 in the standings with Sweeney on top. Sones worked feverously to keep Sweeney at bay, which he did, but that wasn’t enough to gain any points and a shot at the title. It not only was Sweeney’s fifth crown at Evergreen but seventh overall.
The Himmer Graphics Four Cylinders was a typical barn burner as Lehighton’s Jonny Bennett had his hands full all race long having to fend off Jay Kanor and Robert McNulty for most of the distance. Late in the going BJ Wambold and TJ Kapish stepped into the fray but Bennett held his ground and notched his third win of the season.
For Wambold, his ninth straight top five, including two wins, earned the 32-year old his first ever driving championship.
Abby McNulty of Freeland is now a winner. The second year racer in the McNulty Funeral Homes Novice division has been working hard to fulfill her aspiration of reaching Victory Lane and on Sunday she put together a perfect performance.
Taking the lead from Gavin Higgins on lap seven she then proceeded to turn unflawed laps en route to her memory making moment.
The day also started with a very close point battle among the top four in points and when all was said and done Sarabeth Mesko’s fourth place finish was enough for the Allentown area native to jump from second to first and claim the championship.
Chris Sinatro of West Hempstead, NY never turned a wheel wrong all day, cruising to a heat and then feature win with the INEX Legends.
Sinatro led every lap in both those runs and was never really challenged in either. Devon Thornton and Jeffery Farrugia showcased a great duel for second with Thornton winning out in that close battle.
Tour Type Modified feature finish (50 laps): 1. Jayden Harman, 2. Roger Coss, 3. Paulie Hartwig III, 4. Austin Beers, 5. Brian Sones, 6. Matt Swanson, 7. Brian DeFebo, 8. Matt Hirschman, 9. Nick Baer, 10. Allan Pederson, 11. Daren Scherer, 12. Wayne Szerencsits, 13. Brian Romig Jr., 14. Evan Rygielski, 15. Jacob Kerstetter
Late Model feature finish (40 laps): 1. Nick Ross, 2. Brian Sones, 3. Mike Sweeney, 4. Roger Maynor, 5. Jared Barclay, 6. Dennis Wenner, 7. Brandon Cook, 8. Brian Romig Jr., 9. Marc Aigeldinger
Four Cylinder feature finish (25 laps): 1. Johnny Bennett, 2. Jay Kanor, 3. TJ Kapish, 4. BJ Wambold, 5. Robert McNulty, 6. Brandon Oltra, 7. Ryan Petro, 8. Brooklyn Peters, 9. Tyler Skordensky, 10. Don Bauder, 11. Lyndsay Buss, 12. Lauren Skupski, 13. Steve Tito, 14. Maggie Wambold, 15. Mallory Kutz, 16. Micah Adams
Novice feature finish (12 laps): 1. Abby McNulty, 2. Gavin Higgins, 3. David Carney, 4. Sarabeth Mesko, 5. Savannah Romig, 6. Lexi Kutz, 7. Connor Shotwell, 8. Caitlyn Makarewicz
INEX Legends feature finish (25 laps): 1. Chris Sinatro, 2. Devin Thornton, 3. Jeffery Farrugia, 5. Jayden Glennerster, 6. Chis Piasecki, 6. Kevon Ohrnberger
