RGeeProductions
06-07-2014, 01:21 AM
The average cost of gasoline was $1.06 the last time that Jerry Hildebrand of Wapwallopen drove away with a Modified main event victory at Evergreen Raceway Park. Now over three times that price and a mere sixteen years later, Hildebrand finally made his return to victory Friday night at the 1/3-mile asphalt oval, beating out Dave Brigati of Long Island, NY for the win. However, Brigati wasn’t fond of finishing in second and he also completed in the Sport Modified event and took the win for that division. Steve Shultz of Drums notched his first career Late Model victory over Mitch Hawk of Saylorsburg and Randy Schlenker of Whitehall claimed an impressive fifth straight win in the Street Stock class. Tom Cassagrande of Drums ran away with his third Pure Stock win of the year and John Banashefski of Wilkes-Barre notched his fourth Four Cylinder victory of the season.
Paul Frantz started on the pole in the 35-lap Modified main event and before a lap was scored Hildebrand grabbed the lead. Frantz settled into second with Todd Baer, Brigati and Eric Banashefski in tow.
With Hildebrand still setting the pace, the yellow flag waved on lap four when Frantz spun after racing hard to fight off Baer for second. Green flag racing resumed and Hildebrand continued out front, followed by Baer and Brigati.
As the laps clicked off, Brigati got just a little closer and closer to the leader but ran out of time. The pair crossed the strip nose-to-tail with Hildebrand getting the edge and his first Modified victory since July of 1998. Brigati ended up second, followed by Baer and Frantz.
The Sport Modifieds hit the speedway and before the drop of the green, Banashefski’s rear locked on his car. Unfortunately, he hit the pits and did not return for action.
Brigati started from the pole and led flag to flag to claim the victory over Hildebrand.
Mitch Hawk led the Late Models to the drop of the green flag in the 30-lap Late Model feature. Steve Shultz stayed glued to the leaders bumper and the pair ran side by side for the majority of the event, showing that both drivers were equally matched in both talent and horsepower.
After racing hard into turn one and then bringing out the yellow flag with one lap remaining, Shultz took the lead and led the final and most important lap to score his first win in the division.
Robert Fink started from the pole but lost the lead to Bernie Uphold before a lap was scored in the 30-lap Street Stock feature. Randy Schlenker ran in second, followed by Fink, Rich Emel and Aaron Higgins.
With two laps complete, Schlenker led over Uphold by a bumper and then gave up the lead and settled back into second. Uphold stayed smooth and consistent and appeared that he might hold off Schlenker, as the two battled side-by-side lap after lap.
With 20 laps complete and following a caution for oil on the track from Joe Stavoy, Schlenker edged out Uphold for the lead, in which he never surrendered to score his fifth straight victory over Uphold, Fink, Emel and Gordy Buchman, Jr.
Following his heat race victory, Tom Cassagrande started from the pole position and led the opening circuit in the 20-lap Pure Stock feature. He went on to take his third win of the season over Matt Mattern, Jr, Scott Sipe, Stephanie Moyer and Frank Katona.
Heather Fennel led the Four Cylinder field to the drop of the green flag in the 20-lap feature. She led the opening lap over Harry Sager, Cody Geist, John Banashefski and Anthony Pugliese. With two laps in the books, Geist made a move and it worked, as he grabbed the lead. Meanwhile, Banashefski battled hard with H. Fennell to take second.
Banashefski worked on the leader and while coming out of turn two on lap seven, Geist, Banashefski, H. Fennell and Pugliese all somehow tangle up. With the exception of Geist who continued with the lead, everyone else involved headed to the pits for repair or rejoined the tail of the field. The change of events moved Sager to second, followed by Richie Pugliese and Harry O’Neill.
A long green flag run followed and Banashefski didn’t waste any time moving forward. With four laps to go he climbed back to second and then got by Geist for the lead. He took the checkers to score his fourth victory of the season over Ray Fennell III, Geist, Luke Colleran and Sager.
John Banashefski and Heather Fennell scored heat race wins.
The next event at Evergreen Raceway Park is slated for Friday, June 13. The Modifieds, Late Models, Street Stocks, Four Cylinders and Dirt Modifieds are on the card. The pit gates will open at 6 PM and practice is slated to begin at 7:15. Heat races will kick off at 8 PM.
Pit Admission at the track is $25 (With Pit License) and $35 without. It is NOT required to purchase a season pit license to compete. As always, grandstand Admission is $10 for adults and children 12 & under are admitted for free.
Evergreen Raceway Park is just minutes from Hazleton, Pa, located on St. John’s Road, between Routes 93 and 309. For more information, including upcoming shows, rules, payouts and news, please visit brand www.evergreenracewaypark.com.
Modified: 1. JERRY HILDEBRAND 2. Dave Brigati 3. Todd Baer 4. Paul Frantz 5. Jim Bojohnny 6. Eric Banashefski
Sport Modified: 1. DAVE BRIGATI 2. Jerry Hildebrand DNS: Eric Banashefski
Late Model: 1. STEVE SHULTZ 2. Mitch Hawk
Street Stock: 1. RANDY SCHLENKER 2. Bernie Uphold 3. Robert Fink 4. Rich Emel 5. Gordy Buchman 6. Aaron Higgins 7. Joe Stavoy 8. Larry Spencer III
Pure Stock: 1. TOM CASSAGRANDE 2. Matt Mattern, Jr. 3. Scott Sipe 4. Stephanie Moyer 5. Frank Katona 6. Tony Hilliard
Gene Ostrowski
Paul Frantz started on the pole in the 35-lap Modified main event and before a lap was scored Hildebrand grabbed the lead. Frantz settled into second with Todd Baer, Brigati and Eric Banashefski in tow.
With Hildebrand still setting the pace, the yellow flag waved on lap four when Frantz spun after racing hard to fight off Baer for second. Green flag racing resumed and Hildebrand continued out front, followed by Baer and Brigati.
As the laps clicked off, Brigati got just a little closer and closer to the leader but ran out of time. The pair crossed the strip nose-to-tail with Hildebrand getting the edge and his first Modified victory since July of 1998. Brigati ended up second, followed by Baer and Frantz.
The Sport Modifieds hit the speedway and before the drop of the green, Banashefski’s rear locked on his car. Unfortunately, he hit the pits and did not return for action.
Brigati started from the pole and led flag to flag to claim the victory over Hildebrand.
Mitch Hawk led the Late Models to the drop of the green flag in the 30-lap Late Model feature. Steve Shultz stayed glued to the leaders bumper and the pair ran side by side for the majority of the event, showing that both drivers were equally matched in both talent and horsepower.
After racing hard into turn one and then bringing out the yellow flag with one lap remaining, Shultz took the lead and led the final and most important lap to score his first win in the division.
Robert Fink started from the pole but lost the lead to Bernie Uphold before a lap was scored in the 30-lap Street Stock feature. Randy Schlenker ran in second, followed by Fink, Rich Emel and Aaron Higgins.
With two laps complete, Schlenker led over Uphold by a bumper and then gave up the lead and settled back into second. Uphold stayed smooth and consistent and appeared that he might hold off Schlenker, as the two battled side-by-side lap after lap.
With 20 laps complete and following a caution for oil on the track from Joe Stavoy, Schlenker edged out Uphold for the lead, in which he never surrendered to score his fifth straight victory over Uphold, Fink, Emel and Gordy Buchman, Jr.
Following his heat race victory, Tom Cassagrande started from the pole position and led the opening circuit in the 20-lap Pure Stock feature. He went on to take his third win of the season over Matt Mattern, Jr, Scott Sipe, Stephanie Moyer and Frank Katona.
Heather Fennel led the Four Cylinder field to the drop of the green flag in the 20-lap feature. She led the opening lap over Harry Sager, Cody Geist, John Banashefski and Anthony Pugliese. With two laps in the books, Geist made a move and it worked, as he grabbed the lead. Meanwhile, Banashefski battled hard with H. Fennell to take second.
Banashefski worked on the leader and while coming out of turn two on lap seven, Geist, Banashefski, H. Fennell and Pugliese all somehow tangle up. With the exception of Geist who continued with the lead, everyone else involved headed to the pits for repair or rejoined the tail of the field. The change of events moved Sager to second, followed by Richie Pugliese and Harry O’Neill.
A long green flag run followed and Banashefski didn’t waste any time moving forward. With four laps to go he climbed back to second and then got by Geist for the lead. He took the checkers to score his fourth victory of the season over Ray Fennell III, Geist, Luke Colleran and Sager.
John Banashefski and Heather Fennell scored heat race wins.
The next event at Evergreen Raceway Park is slated for Friday, June 13. The Modifieds, Late Models, Street Stocks, Four Cylinders and Dirt Modifieds are on the card. The pit gates will open at 6 PM and practice is slated to begin at 7:15. Heat races will kick off at 8 PM.
Pit Admission at the track is $25 (With Pit License) and $35 without. It is NOT required to purchase a season pit license to compete. As always, grandstand Admission is $10 for adults and children 12 & under are admitted for free.
Evergreen Raceway Park is just minutes from Hazleton, Pa, located on St. John’s Road, between Routes 93 and 309. For more information, including upcoming shows, rules, payouts and news, please visit brand www.evergreenracewaypark.com.
Modified: 1. JERRY HILDEBRAND 2. Dave Brigati 3. Todd Baer 4. Paul Frantz 5. Jim Bojohnny 6. Eric Banashefski
Sport Modified: 1. DAVE BRIGATI 2. Jerry Hildebrand DNS: Eric Banashefski
Late Model: 1. STEVE SHULTZ 2. Mitch Hawk
Street Stock: 1. RANDY SCHLENKER 2. Bernie Uphold 3. Robert Fink 4. Rich Emel 5. Gordy Buchman 6. Aaron Higgins 7. Joe Stavoy 8. Larry Spencer III
Pure Stock: 1. TOM CASSAGRANDE 2. Matt Mattern, Jr. 3. Scott Sipe 4. Stephanie Moyer 5. Frank Katona 6. Tony Hilliard
Gene Ostrowski