BUTLER TOWNSHIP, Pa. — Evergreen Raceway kicked off the first of back-to-back weekends of the 23rd Annual King of the Green with the checkers going to a pair of racers scoring their third class wins while it was a second KoG for another and two more came across the finish line for the first time in the marquee event.
Nick Ross and Eric Kocher can now boast as the three-time King of Green winners in the Late Models and Street Stocks, respectively. Meanwhile Paulie Hartwig III topped the field in the 602 Crate Modifieds for a second time winning the KoG and Abby McNulty cruised to the checkers in the Novice division with Josh Patterson taking top honors with the East Coast TQ Midgets.
The DW Machine & Fabricating Late Models lined for a 55-lap feature run that also saw its biggest field of the year as 17 cars checked in to do battle.
After a redraw of the top eight from time trials it was Jared Barclay and Brain Sones who shared the front row and once the action got underway it would Barclay who jumped out front followed by Eldon King, Sones, Brandon Turbush and Ross.
By the third lap King was showing the way but it would be under tight quarters as Sones raced right alongside him. They continued to run neck and neck until lap 10 when Sones got into the right side of King and caused him to spin and bring out the cuation. For his part officials put Sones to the rear with King.
When the race got back underway Barclay was at the helm with Turbush, Ross, Mike Sweeney and Jimmy Rennick Jr., in the top five. That group would then stay in that order until a lap 13 restart which then saw Ross and Sweeney move to second and third.
The top three of Barclay, Ross and Sweeney all ran in close proximity of each other and then following a lap 29 restart, Barclay and Ross began a two-wide duel and when the lap was completed so too was the lead as Ross hustled to the outside in gaining the front spot.
As Ross showed the way King had worked his way back through the pack and zeroed in on Sweeney with 18 laps to go and the next time by had unseated him for second. He then tried as best he could to catch Ross but could never get within a car length. Ross would take the victory, his second straight and third time claiming a KoG win.
“After not having a good season because we had a motor break and then to come out last week and smoke the field and back that up with a King of the Green win makes up for all that lost time we had to endure,” said Ross, who collected $2,000 for his efforts.
“I can’t thank my whole family and everyone on this team enough for all the support and hard work they put into this.”
Second finisher King was indeed one of the fastest cars all day as he had the quickest lap in time trials until Ross bested him as the final car to take time. King, after having to restart from the back after the lap 10 spin, made quick work of all those ahead of him until getting to Ross who was able to hold him off and garner the win.
“I raced a few times against Eldon (King) and he’s always very good. I knew I had to hit my marks each time around because he was fast today and you can never let your guard down against him,” Ross said.
“He was impressive and not only him but to win against such has a great field of cars made this win even more special.”
Sweeney, Barclay and Turbush rounded out the top five.