Joe Papin Finds His Way To Victory Lane On Agriculture Appreciation Night At Evans Mills

Story By: EVANS MILLS RACEWAY PARK – EVANS MILLS, NY – The Evans Mills Raceway Park returned to racing form Saturday evening for the Champlain Valley Equipment Agriculture Appreciation Night on June 28th.

The midway was filled with shiny new tractors and service trucks from Champlain Valley Equipment including a Kubota tractor with a bucket, and two New Holland tractors for kids to explore and fans to learn about.

Local farms and other agricultural based businesses from the North Country graciously donated prizes that were raffled off to lucky winners throughout the night. Some of the prizes included cold-hardy berry plants, wine tastings, honey products, gift cards for produce, ground beef, merchandise, and more!

The night saw many Champlain Valley Equipment customers, and employees find their way to victory lane including a farmer making for a fitting conclusion to the night. Students and families from the Belleville-Henderson and Hammond School District also joined the show to celebrate on graduation weekend and kick off their summer.

Champlain Valley Equipment is a new name to the Watertown area but filled with familiar friendly people, and service teams. Located in Murrock circle, Champlain Valley Equipment is a trusted source for all things agriculture, construction, recreational, and more. They are an authorized Kubota, New Holland, Bobcat, and CASE Construction dealer. They also offer many other brands to help you complete projects and further your business. They also boast a very versatile, knowledgeable, and available service team to ensure your equipment work how you need. The Vermont-based company has 11 locations in the northeast including six New York locations in Watertown, Canton, Cortland, Waterloo, Batavia, and Atlanta.

The night began with a beautiful performance of the Star-Spangled Banner from Mark Adams and Brianna Wurth, a father and daughter duo of United States Military veterans. Adams, a highly decorated veteran and Wurth a current member of the United States Air Force.

Young fans would compete in the American Racer tire-roll relay race with autographed race used tires. The competitors would all take home the tires and the next set of contestants would line up to deliver their best cow moo impression and pig calls.

Spectator Drag Races kicked off with Brendon Fone and Tim Keyes competing in a best two out of three competition. Keyes in his 2006 Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT8 took the first one, while Fone in his 2023 Green Dodge Charger took the second race. They were both on the loud pedals and breaking loose in the turns. Keyes would hold on to win the third race and claim the trophy for the night.

Spectator Drag Race Results: 1) Tim Keyes, 2) Brendon FoneTim Keyes – Photo by Turn 4 Photos

The Excess Storage Pro Late Models would be the first weekly division up to race with a new competitor in the field, Jacob Gustafson, a Race of Champion Late Model regular. Tyler Papin would start on the front row with Chuck Meyer and jump out front and lead a clean race bringing the field back to the Thousand Island Bait Store Start Fishin’ Line for his second feature win of the season.

Excess Storage Pro Late Models Feature Results: 1) Tyler Papin, 2) Chuck Meyer, 3) Jacob Gustafson, 4) Dylan Bancroft, 5) Matt Larrivee, 6) Rylee Gill

The Christman Fuel Service INEX Legends would be up next with another stellar field of cars joined by visitors Chris Piasecki from Pennsylvania and Andre Fiorini, a Candian some may remember from years past at the Mills. Joel Hall would take the lead quickly from Devin Thornton and extend his lead to nearly a straight away on second place. A long green flag built anticipation for a green to checkers race a few spins would say otherwise. Brayton Malbeuf charged through the field picking off cars on his way to Hall. A caution involving Hall and others allowed Dalton Rombough to challenge three wide and take the lead on the inside. The caution would end the night for Hall and send Malbeuf to the rear of the field for the restart. Malbeuf would put on a show working his way back up with only a handful of laps left, but it was Dalton Rombough taking command the rest of the way while Breanne Gilligan found her way around Devin Thornton to take second place.

Rombough, an employee at Jim Gilligan’s Dairy farm represented farmers in victory lane on Champlain valley Equipment Agriculture Appreciation Night.

Christman Fuel Service INEX Legends Feature Results: 1) Dalton Rombough, 2) Breanne Gilligan, 3) Devin Thornton, 4) Josh Oomen, 5) Brayton Malbeuf, 6) Jayden Hall, 7) Damian Goodnough, 8) Aaron Wilmot, 9) Chris Piasecki, 10) Ian Siebert, 11) Zach Christman, 12) Damon Bush, 13) Carrie Carr, 14) Andre Fiorini, 15) Brianna Berry, 16) Landen Herring, 17) Joel Hall

The four-cylinder divisions of the Stewart’s Shops Sport Compacts and Thunderstocks would be up next with a full field of cars. Sam Curcie recovering from launching a wheel into the nether realm to never been seen again in the heat race would lead a good bit of the feature looking like he had the car to get it done! Michael Marcinko from Watertown would hold the lead for the Thunderstocks until a caution changed the scenario for both divisions. Joey Pettinelli in the new #28 white Mustang would find his way to the lead while Chargin’ Chuck Powelczyk would work all angles to get around. Marcinko was involved in a spin on the backstretch relinquishing the lead to Colby Goodale to close out the night. Pettinelli would win his first feature race since the 2023 Coca-Cola 4-Banger Nationals. Goodale earned his first feature win of the year working his way back into the Championship race.

Stewart’s Shops Sport Compacts Feature Results: 1) Joey Pettinelli, 2) Chuck Powelczyk, 3) Mike Cole, 5) Sam Curcie, 6) Cory Mayer, 5) Mike Greenfield, 6) Tim Greenfield, 7) Billy Matteson, 8) Amy Seeley

Thunderstocks Feature Results: 1) Colby Goodale, 2) Jared Gilson, 3) Justin Burns, 4) Michael Marcinko, 5) Bill Gardner Jr., 6) Christopher Wilson, 7) Blake Briggs, 8) Levi Goodale

The Kinney Drugs Modifieds would close out the night with rookie Eli Petzoldt and second year runner Joey Clark leading the field to Mike Laclair on the flag stand for their green flag. Eli and Joey would work their hardest to find the lead as Dylan Bancroft would his way to them. Bancroft would assume the lead and look to be in a good spot. Joe Papin and Taylor Caprara would spend their night passing the field from the outside groove on their way to the front. As a caution came out, Joe Papin would use the choose rule to assume the outside front row spot for the re-fire. Papin would spend laps hanging wheel to wheel with Bancroft until finally completing the pass to take P1. Caprara would spend the rest of the way impressing on the outside on his way to second but didn’t have enough laps to challenge for the lead. Papin and Papin racing a familiar customer of Champlain Valley Equipment would claim his fourth win of the year.

Kinney Drugs Modifieds Feature Results: 1) Joe Papin, 2) Taylor Caprara, 3) Dylan Bancroft, 4) Jeff Pringle, 5) Joey Clark, 6) Geoff Sharkey, 7) Tony Pettinelli, 8) Jesse Bearup, 9) Steven Sherwood, 10) Andre Roggie, 11) Kaden Rogers, 12) Jake Brown, 13) Eli Petzoldt, 14) Levi Arthur, 15) Kyle Hart, 16) Terry Gardner

We would like to thank all the agriculture businesses that donated product. Many you can follow on Facebook for their information or find them at the local farmers markets like Wednesday and Saturday Markets in Watertown. Business included Sheepy Hollow Honey and Farm in Rodman, Seaway Cold-Hardy Berries in Evans Mills, Martin’s Country Store in Philadelphia, Stewart’s Shops, Kelsey Angus in Theresa, Cross Island Farms on Wellesley Island, Thousand Island Winey under the TI Bridge, Bush Gardens, St. Lawrence Valley Growers Garlic, and Otter Creek Winery.

Next Week the Race of Champions Asphalt Tour Modified Series returns to compete in the Rocket 76er for a 76 lap battle. The Kinney Drugs Modifieds will be first on the card with a 35 lap feature. The Christman Fuel Service INEX Legends, Stewart’s Shops Sport Compacts, and Thunderstocks will be joining the show. The Excess Storage Pro Late Models will have the night off and return July 12th.