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By Dino Oberto
(Butler Township, Pa. 6-28-26) Who says the number 13 isn’t lucky, just ask Micah Adams. The racer from Lake Ariel won the Crate 602 Modified feature Sunday afternoon at Evergreen Raceway driving the No. 13 and he took the lead on lap 13 in doing so.
The race saw Marty Noll take to the early lead ahead of Jacob Kerstetter. Noll was doing just fine too in holding on to the top spot even though Kerstetter was trying several ways to get by. Meanwhile sixth starting Adams was running fourth behind Brian Sones.
On lap seven Kerstetter had just begun to run alongside Noll when the caution waved for a Jayden Harman spin to bring out the caution.
On the ensuing restart, Kerstetter used the outside groove to overtake Noll for the lead. One lap later, Adams moved into second, began pressuring Kerstetter, and completed what proved to be the race-winning pass at the start of lap 13.
Despite the fact that Adams was now leading, he wasn’t home free by any means as Sones worked his way into second after a feisty duel with Kerstetter and then zeroed in on the leader soon afterwards.
Time and again Sones either pulled right behind Adams and a few times as well it was side-by-side in his valid attempt to surpass the No. 13. But nearing the closing laps Adams was able to shake free from the clutches of Sones and motor on to his second straight win.
“There was really no denying us today, we did our best to climb through the field both heat and feature and it all stems from the work we put in at the shop, and it all paid off,” said Adams who earned his 15th overall career Evergreen win.
“We had some very good rubber down today especially on the outside lane and that was thanks to the cones put out there during warm-ups, it made a difference for us. This win also keeps us in the points lead and I am very grateful to my whole team for the great effort they put into this car and how they support me.”
For the third straight time Sones would settle for second. Steve Shultz battled back from and early race spin and took third. Likewise with Harman who notched fourth and rounding out the top five with a respectable run was Avery Arthofer.
The Late Model main was an absolute barnburner between winner Nick Ross of White Haven and Mike Sweeny from Nesquehoning who put on a dazzling side-by-side duel that brought fans to the edge of their seats.
Lap after lap the two icons of eastern Pennsylvania short track asphalt racing ran in unison with Sweeney just barely ahead. Ross was hooked up on the outside line as they negotiated each lap under very close quarters.
Ross’s persistence finally paid off with six laps remaining, when he edged ahead at the start/finish line to take over the lead. Sweeney’s bid to answer back ended shortly afterward, as he spun entering Turn 2 after losing the top spot.
“I don’t think I ever drove that hard and there was a couple times we got really close to one another, but I just kept telling myself not to give up. Mike is a great competitor, and he makes you work for it and he raced me clean that whole time,” said Ross.
“The outside groove was so good today and I love racing there. I’m sure this was a great race for the fans because from where I sat it was amazing.”
Ross cruised ahead of Evan Berretta en route to his second win this season. Marc Aigeldinger was third while Sweeney rebounded to fourth and Roger Maynor completed the top five.
In the Harry’s U-Pull-It Street Stocks reigning division champion Gordie Buchman of Drums withstood the non-stop pressure from Mike Pollack and Scott Adams and in doing so secured his second win of the season.
The trio raced nose-to-tail virtually the entire 25-lap distance although there were several times that Pollack did his best to try and squeeze inside for a shot at the lead but on those occasions he was turned away each time thanks to the solid defensive line held by Buchman.
For Buchman, who led every lap, it was his second time in five races to date that he parked his No. 55B in Victory Lane. Pollack, who remains the point leader, raced to his fourth consecutive runner-up.
Corey Edelman of Northampton jumped into the Scott Adams owned Four Cylinder and proceeded to hold back TJ Kapish on his way to picking up the Himmer Graphics Four Cylinder division victory.
In typical fashion by this class the action was close and hard fought from start to finish. Robert McNulty led through the first 13 laps but relinquished the lead to Edelman following a restart on that same circuit.
Once Kapish moved into second, he gave everything he had in pursuit of Edelman, but each challenge was turned away. The two raced nose-to-tail all the way to the finish, with Edelman holding on to eke out the victory.
In the McNulty Funeral Homes Novice feature a first-time winner arrived for the third time in as many races this season as Lehighton’s Justin Merkel Jr., led from start to finish and staked claim to his first Evergreen victory.
Keeping close was runner-up and point leader Shane Elliott who remained on Merkel’s tail the entire run.
Riely O’Keefe of Manorville, NY has made Evergreen his personal playground. O’Keefe took the lead away from Chris Sinatro on lap six and went uncontested the rest of the way in nailing down his third straight win here and fifth consecutive dating back to last year’s King of the Green,
Sinatro was running steadily in second until something on his front suspension broke and he took a hard hit into the front straight Armco. Although shaken, thankfully he was able to walk away from the accident. Philip Alaimo was second and Jeffery Farruggia third.
602 Crate Modified finish (30 laps): 1. Micah Adams, 2. Brian Sones, 3. Steve Shultz, 4. Jayden Harman, 5. Avery Arthofer, 6. Jacob Kerstetter, 7. Peyton Arthfer, 8. Mike Albasini, 9. Marty Noll, 10. Bobby Jones
Late Model finish (30 laps): 1. Nick Ross, 2. Evan Berretta, 3. Marc Aigledinger, 4. Mike Sweeney, 5. Roger Maynor, 6. Brett Peters, 7. Joe Galada, 8. Michael Kotz DNS: Steve Adams
Four Cylinder Finish (25 Laps): 1. Corey Edelman, 2. TJ Kapish, 3. Tyler Skordensky, 4. Jay Kanor, 5. Robert McNulty, 6. Jared Frye, 7. Tony Hilliard, 8. Brookly Peters, 9. Caitlyn Makarewicz, 10. BJ Wambold, 11. Gavin Higgins, 12. David Carney, 13. Lauren Skupski, 14. Jeff Engler, 15. Maggie Wambold, 16. Harry O’Neill
Novice finish (15 laps): 1. Justin Merkel Jr., 2. Shane Elliott, 3. Sabrina Bogert, 4. AJ Frantz DNS: Jacob Bartuski
Legends finish (20 laps): 1. Riely O’Keefe, 2. Philip Alaimo, 3. Jeffery Farrugia, 4. Nick Hdge, 5. Patrick Moore, 6. Michael Barry, 7. Terry Stiles, 8. Tyler Pappas, 9. AJ Wright, 10. Philip Alaimo IV, 11. Chris Sinatro, 12. Chris Piasecki, 13. Charlie Hodge, 14. Mark Tischler
COMING EVENTS:
Sat. July 11 Noon – 3:00 pm Circle Track Driving Experience (by appointment only)
Sat. July 11 @ 6:00 pm 602 Crate Modifieds, Late Models, Street Stocks, Four Cylinders, Rotten-and-Forgotten + ATQMRA
Sun. July 12 @1:00 pm Little Evergreen Raceway
Sat./Sun. July 18-19 Evergreen Drift Presented by Sinister Drift
Sat. July 25 @6:00 pm 602 Crate Modifieds, Late Models, Rookie 602 Crate Modifieds, Street Stocks, Four Cylinders, Novice + JuiceBox Division
