Evergreen Raceway 2-Seater Ride-along debuts this Saturday; Opening Night races take place on Friday
(5-7-24): What race fan wouldn’t want the chance to get the feel of what it’s really like to be in a stock car and make competitive laps against other cars? At Evergreen Raceway, that will now become a reality.
This coming Saturday, May 11, Evergreen Raceway will be debuting their newest program to the 1/3-mile paved oval with the introduction of the Evergreen 2-Seater Ride-along.
For a nominal fee of just $50 fans will be given the thrill to get strapped into authentic Late Model stock cars and take part in a competitive 12-lap run against other cars.
Each car is equipped with full safety gear and will be piloted by experienced race drivers who are regulars at the track. The 12-lap runs will mimic a “heat” style race. Four cars at a time will go head to head.
“We’re really excited to finally launch the 2-Seater program here. We’ve been busy over the offseason building a small fleet of cars and I’m certain that once fans get the taste of going around the track under real race conditions they’ll get a whole new perspective as to what a race driver has to deal with,” offered Evergreen owner/promoter Jason Makarewicz.
“We even have handicap accessible cars to accommodate those individuals too.”
Makarewicz also feels that the $50 price to take a ride is very reasonable when comparing to other such programs offered elsewhere.
“Our goal is to make this an affordable and fun experience for fans. The intent is for most anyone who would like to get out of the grandstand and into a real race car and know the thrill and feeling of side-by-side racing.”
Saturday will be the first of several special reserved days for the 2-Seater Ride-along.
Makarewicz is also in the process of putting together Modified stock cars that will be driven by would be fans themselves.
“We have one car ready now and hope to have a second Modified up and running very soon,” he noted.
“I know the Late Model cars will be really cool for fans and the Modifieds will be even more of a motorsports buzz because you get to wheel those cars yourself.”
The Evergreen 2-Seater Ride-along will start at noon and continue until 4:00 pm. For additional information please contact Makarewicz at 570-956-6347 or email Evergreenraceway@gmail.com
On Friday evening prior, May 10, it will be the start of the 2024 season of weekly action at Evergreen Raceway. It was originally slated for last Sunday, May 5, but was rained out, thus moving the opener to this Friday.
Friday racing will consist of the DW Machine & Fabricating Co., Late Models, Harry’s U-Pull-It Auto Parts Street Stocks, Himmer Graphics Four Cylinders and the McNulty Funeral Home Novices. Race time is 7:00 pm.
For anyone interested there will be an early paid practice. Gates will open at 1:00 pm with early practice from 2:00 to 5:00 and $25 per car.
On Saturday, May 25, the 602 Crate Modifieds will be in action along with the Harry’s U-Pull-It Auto Parts Street Stocks, Himmer Graphics Four Cylinders and the McNulty Funeral Home Novices plus the introduction of the Bangers division, a stock, front wheel drive 4-Cylinder car. The JuiceBox Division will be running also plus it will also be Camera and Autograph Night and Hazleton Area School District Employees Night.
Fairway Motors signs on as official Victory Lane sponsor at Evergreen Raceway
(Butler Township, PA 3-2-24) Evergreen is happy to welcome onboard Fairway Motors Inc., as the official Victory Lane sponsor.
Fairway Chevrolet and Fairway Subaru is located at 1101 N. Church St. (RT 309 North) in Hazle Township and has been serving the Hazleton and surrounding areas since 1960.
Their affiliation with Evergreen Raceway runs deep too, working with the 1/3-mile paved oval as a marketing partner dating back to 1988. And, not only has Fairway Motors been behind the speedway as proud sponsor but over the years many of the Company’s associates have competed here as well.
“It’s absolutely great to have Fairway joining us again in 2024 and as our Victory Lane sponsor,” stated track owner/promoter Jason Makarewicz.
“Jim Corazza (Fairway owner) and his whole staff have been so supportive of Evergreen for so many years now and we’ve enjoyed an amazing alliance that has grown well beyond a business relationship and we are so proud to show them off each time a driver wins a feature.”
Founded in 1960, Fairway Motors opened as Chevrolet dealership in Freeland. With the growth of selling over 500 vehicles within two years’ time, they realized a bigger facility was needed and moved to their present location just outside of Hazleton. In 1984 they added Subaru to their lineup and are now one of the region’s top dealerships.
The National Auto Dealership Association certified Fairway Chevrolet in recognition of their ethical and fair treatment of their customers. Fairway Chevrolet was also presented with Chevrolet’s “Genuine Leader” award for exceeding Chevy’s standards for sales and customer service.
Along with Evergreen Raceway, Fairway Subaru is also a key sponsor of the Weatherly Hillclimb.
Evergreen Raceway has already begun racing this year with the recently held Enduro on February 24. Coming up Saturday afternoon, March 16, at 1:00 pm, will be another ‘Gut-N-Go’ Enduro, a 150-lap/$1000-to-win feature for 4/6-cylinder cars presented by The Wire Guys of Hazle Township, plus the popular JuiceBox Division. An 8-cylinder Outlaw Enduro will be held provided 10 or more cars are preregistered by Wednesday, March 13. Grandstand admission is only $5.
More Enduro action follows on Saturday, April 27. Prior to the Enduro an open practice will take place for all weekly and traveling classes. Sunday, April 28 a second open practice will be held in preparation for the Sunday, May 5, Opening Day.
Tour Type Modifieds, Street Stocks, Four Cylinder Stocks, Rotter-and-Forgotten, Juice Box Division and the touring East Coast TQ Midgets are on the Opening Day docket with race time beginning at 2:00 pm.
Information about Fairway Motors can be found at https://www.fairwaymotors.com
For complete up to date news and information please log onto the official Evergreen Raceway website at https://www.evergreenracewaypark.com/ or on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/groups/evergreenraceway
Jerry Hildebrand earns second Evergreen Mod title at season finale on Sunday
By DINO OBERTO
(Butler Township, Pa. 11-5-23) Evergreen Raceway put the punctuation mark on the 2023 season with day #3 of the 22nd Annual King of the Green held Sunday afternoon and the highlight was a pair of twin-30 lap features for the Evergreen Mods that would determine this year’s champion.
Coming into the day four drivers, Jerry Hildebrand, Paulie Hartwig III, Steve Shultz and Jayden Harman all had a shot at the title. But with Hartwig not present it would come down to the other three to fight it out and indeed they did as it turned into a nail bitter in deciding the championship outcome.
In the opening feature Shultz out ran pole sitter Micah Adams at the initial start and then kept Harman at bay the rest of the way as the pair ran closely together.
Only two laps into the race Hildebrand gave everyone a scare when he almost spun and narrowly escaped being clipped by oncoming traffic. The problem turned out to be a flat tire which he was able to replace and return to the action.
However, with Shultz and Harman still running one-two it left Hildebrand hustling to gain spots and more importantly points.
Leading to the finish Shultz would earn his first victory with a Modified and more so head into the second main just one point behind Hildebrand who notched fourth. Harman’s runner-up had him still very much in the hunt at just 10 points out of first.
“It feels great to win with a Modified and it was just a matter of getting more time under my belt. We don’t have it dialed in just yet but we’ll keep on trying things and make the best of it,” said Shultz after achieving his 36th career win.
“It was definetley hooked up on that (initial) start and from there we just continued to hit the marks and it worked out. We’ll have to come out and just find a good balance with the car and try to stay consistent in the next one. The end of that feature is what’s going to win the championship.”
Shultz couldn’t have been more right about that last statement. Picking the five pill as the invert, it would see Adams and Hildebrand on the front row for the finale. And, as soon as the green flag dropped Hildebrand blasted to the lead with Mike Pollack settling into second.
Thanks to a nonstop race Hildebrand was able set a good pace, keep just enough ahead of Pollack and steadily cruise his way to the win and ultimately the championship.
“How about that, I get to come out and put a crown on my head for King of the Green and get the championship to boot, that’s pretty cool,” Hildebrand said.
“The track has changed a lot over the last couple weeks and I felt it would have been good on the high side because the Tour Modifieds where here yesterday and put down a lot of laps but that just wasn’t the case so it was big for us to start up front, it definitely helped.”
As Hildebrand was focusing on leading and Pollack holding down second, there was a very torrid battle for third between Adams, Harman, Shultz and Lou Strohl. The group ran under a blanket for most of the distance until late in the going when Harman got by and went on the take third at the checkers followed by Strohl and Shultz.
“I kept praying that it would stay green because my car was great on the long stints. We got to halfway and I thought good there are no cautions yet and let’s keep it going this way,” indicated Hildebrand.
“We did and it was a great race, a great day and I can’t thank the Ross gang enough for all they do for me. If it wasn’t for them I would be here.”
For Hildebrand, who has been racing at Evergreen since 1988, it was his second title in the last three years and also a repeat with a King of the Green win.
The Factory Stock cars where part of the action, running a 30-lap main which would also see a champion crowned.
For the race Jarrod Hayes made his first Evergreen start of the year and it would be well worth the trip from his Long Island home as he took the lead at the outset and never looked back. Hayes, a former track Late Model champ, was just too strong for anyone to keep pace with him as he cruised easily the whole way en route to his first Factory Stock win and third King of the Green verdict, the latter two with the Late Models.
Broc Brown was second while the third place finish by Brandon Cook gave him his record third consecutive class title.
The 4-Cylinder Stocks competed in a 2023 non-winners 25-lap feature and what a thriller it turned out to be.
After winning his very first heat race, Robert McNulty would then start the race from the pole and wasted little time in taking the early lead but not by much as Maggie Yeakel and Johnny Bennett ran side-by-side directly behind him.
Lap after lap the trio would stay that way with McNulty having to run just high and low enough in order to protect his lead as time and again Yeakel and Bennett each tried to work by him.
With less than a lap and half to go McNulty led the charge down the back straight and as they began entry into turn three Yeakel nipped his left rear that almost sent him spinning. He instead made an amazing save while Bennett, who was safely on the outside of both, shot into the lead and would go on the take the checkers.
McNulty held on for a career best second with Dave Imler Jr., third, Harry O’Neill fourth and Yeakel fifth.
The Rotten and Forgotten were part of the well-rounded program and as has been the case all season long the unique group of racers put on a great show.
Despite leading all 35 laps, winner Dan Jensen would have to fend off champion Noah Jensen over most of the waning laps. It would be D. Jensen’s second win of the season and solidify him as runner-up in the final standings behind champ N. Jensen.
1st Evergreen Mod feature (30 laps): 1. Steve Shultz, 2. Jayden Harman, 3. Micah Adams, 4. Jerry Hildebrand, 5. Mike Pollack, 6. Lou Strohl, 7. Justin Teresak, 8. MacKenzie Adams, 9. Brian Rygielski, 10. Gunner Zeiner DNS: Evan Rygielski
2st Evergreen Mod feature (30 laps): 1. Hildebrand, 2. Pollack, 3. Harman, 4. Strohl, 5. Shultz, 6. Micah Adams, 7. Tersak, 8. MacKenzie Adams, 9. Gunnar Zeiner, 10. Brian Rygielski DNS: Evan Rygielski
4-Cylinder Stock feature (25 laps): 1. Johnny Bennett, 2. Robert McNulty, 3. Dave Imler Jr., 4. Harry O’Neill, 5. Maggie Yeakel, 6. Michael Wambold, 7. Jarred Frye, 8. Payton Arthofer
Factory Stock feature finish (30 laps): 1. Jarrod Hayes, 2. Broc Brown, 3. Brandon Cook, 4. Blaine Barry, 5. Ryan Casagrande, 6. Scott Sipe DNS: Richard Carman
Rotten and Forgotten feature finish (35 laps): 1. Dan Jensen, 2, Noah Jensen, 3. Sam Jensen, 4. Tom Jensen, 5. Hunter Sterner, 6. Jon Jensen DNS: Tyler Huntsberger
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