Story By: CAROL HOUSSOCK / EVERGREEN RACEWAY – BUTLER TOWNSHIP, PA – Brian Rygielski Jr., from Wilkes-Barre, PA not only parked his sharp #72 in Fairway Chevrolet Victory Lane Friday night at Evergreen Raceway following his 602 Modified feature win, but that victory also earned him a guaranteed starting spot for the DCR Performance XMR Sportsman Modified race during Classic Weekend at Oswego (NY) Speedway (August 30th – September 1st).
Outside pole-sitter Rick Smith, who started second, used momentum to work around Kenzie Adams on the opening lap of the 30-lap feature. He held that lead while Rygielski also passed Adams and was right behind leader Smith. On the eighth lap Rygielski found what he needed and took over the top spot.
The first of two cautions came when Smith spun coming off turn four and tagged the wall. The front end damage ended his night.
As the field came around to the choose cone, Adams opted to start on the inside of row two. Her brother, Micah, wasted no time jumping to the outside of the front row. When racing resumed, Deegen Underwood spun working turns three and four, setting up a Rygielski, M. Adams, K. Adams, Bobby Jones restart. Nothing much changed over the remaining laps, except that Jones got around K. Adams and was up to third.
On this night, Rygielski was able to maintain his lead over M. Adams and went on to score his second win of the year.
“The car was great tonight and it’s always good running right there with the Adams family,” he said from victory lane.
“I do plan on running Oswego during Classic Weekend, so I’m very happy to have this guaranteed starting spot in that big race.”
He went on to thank his family, crew and sponsors.
M. Adams finished second, followed to the line by Jones, heat winner K. Adams and Jacob Kerstetter.
Mike Pollack of Freeland, came in as the Harry’s U-Pull-It Street Stock point leader. His Friday night sweep not only padded that lead, but he also left with a special bonus. His second straight 2024 feature win earned him a guaranteed starting spot in the prestigious Midstate Basement Authorities Dave London Memorial XVI Super Stock race at Oswego (NY) Speedway on Classic Weekend. The event draws a tough field of 40+ teams going for 30 spots, so Pollack will go there as one of the 30.
Starting outside pole for the 30-lap Street Stock feature suited Gordie Buchman, Jr. just fine, as he got around Mark Spencer and led the way. Spencer quickly found himself protecting second from Eric Kocher, who got around by the fifth lap. He, then, waged an exciting battle with Buchman for the top spot.
Pollack, meanwhile was on the move and by lap 10 he had passed both Kocher and Buchman for the lead. Buchman’s good run came to an end a lap shy of the halfway point when smoke developed in his engine compartment and dropped oil on much of the track.
Following a lengthy clean-up, heat winners Pollack and Kocher approached the green from the front row with Pollack holding on to his lead. Their battle was a great one, but eyes were also on Johnny Bennett and Geary Rinehimer, Jr., both going for third. When it was over Pollack came away with his second ’24 win, over Kocher, Rinehimer, Ken Erney and Bennett.
A 21-car field signed in for the Himmer Graphics Four Cylinder division. The point battle was intense coming in, with Maggie Wambold leading Rebecca Barbush by three points and Johnny Bennett by four.
A good night was a must, but things soured quickly for Wambold. On the opening lap of her heat race she got caught up in a wreck and was towed off the track for repairs. It turned out to be a good night for Bennett.
Brooklynn Peters and Ralph Boger, Jr. had front row starting spots for the 25-lap feature. At the drop of the green Robert McNulty tried to go three-wide, but was successful in his next attempt and led lap two. Bennett, however, took the next on the next lap.
The caution waved four laps in, during which Micah Adams and Boger pitted with flat tires. For the restart Bennett chose the inside, with McNulty outside. TJ Kapish was right there with them and had the lead on lap six.
From there on out it was Kapish and Bennett pulling away, and stating to work lap traffic at the halfway point. Jared Frye and BJ Wambold were also moving toward the front, trying to close the gap between themselves and the lead duo.
When lap 25 click off Kapish, who hails from Mountain Top, had picked up his second win of the year, this time ahead of Bennett, Frye, BJ Wambold and McNulty. He is now two-for two in as many starts this season and the win elevated him to number two all-time with the class at 17, one shy behind all-time leader Scott Adams.
Special thanks goes out to a longtime Evergreen supporter, The Wire Guys of Hazle Township, a division of Arc Electric, who sponsored Driver Appreciation Night. They generously paid the entry fees for the first 50 drivers who signed in. They also rewarded the fans when their employees tossed dozens of t-shirts into the stands during intermission. Employees also served as honorary starters, displaying the white and green flags during the events.
The Wire Guys Driver Appreciation Results 7/12/24:
602 Modifieds (30 Laps): 1. BRIAN RYGIELSKI, 2. Micah Adams, 3. Bobby Jones, 4. Kenzie Adams, 5. Jacob Kerstetter, 5. Steve Shultz, 6. Jayden Harman, 7. Deegen Underwood, 8. Rick Smith
Heats: K. Adams Harman
Harry’s U-Pull-It Street Stocks (30 Laps): 1. MIKE POLLACK, 2. Eric Kocher, 3. Geary Rinehimer, Jr., 4. Ken Erney, 5. Johnny Bennett, 6. Mark Spencer, 7. Bob Hunsicker, Jr., 8. Charlie Castiglione, 9. Tommy Flanagan, 10. Gordie Buchman Jr., 11. Amber Knecht
Heats: Pollack, Kocher
Himmer Graphics 4 Cylinders (25 Laps): 1. TJ KAPISH, 2. Johnny Bennett, 3. Jared Frye, 4. BJ Wambold, 5. Robert McNulty, 6. Jimmy Ayre, 7. Micah Adams, 8. Tyler Skordensky, 9. Maggie Wambold, 10. Jacob Knittle, 11. Ryan Petro, 12. Steve Tito, 13. Ralph Boger, Jr., 14. Caitlyn Makarewicz, 15. Riley Titus, 16. Brooklynn Peters, 17. Rebecca Barbush, 18. Lauren Skupski
Heats: Barbush, Ayre, McNulty