07/13/2002

CHRIS YOUNG RACES TO THIRD RIVERHEAD RACEWAY WIN OF 2002
By Bob Finan

    Chris Young of Calverton will tell you he races every Saturday night at Riverhead Raceway to win feature events and not for points and that strategy is working just fine for the veteran NASCAR Modified pilot who won his third main event of 2002 this past Saturday night. The Craftsman Tools/Gatorade night triumph was worth $1,460 to Young, who is also the current point leader.

    After Tom White paced Ron Hlatky for the first two laps of the 35-lap Eagle Chevrolet/VocieStream Wireless night feature a quick yellow bunched up the field. On the ensuing restart Ed Densieski, who had been third, made a bold move to pass Hlatky for second, and sneak under White for the lead.  White chased Densieski until the 7th lap when J.R. Bertuccio raced by for the position on lap 17.  J.R., a four time feature event winner, spent the next lap tailing Ed for the lead, but disaster struck him on an 18th lap caution when his crew discovered a left rear flat.

    Chris Young, who raced his way from 12th starting position to third, now moved to second. When the race went back to green flag conditions, Young, an old school type of racer, on lap 23 worked his machine to the outside off turn four to take over the lead. Once in command of the race Young built enough of a cushion in the Riverhead Building Supply Monte Carlo to enjoy until the checker flag waved. As for Densieski, his fine ride up front, ended when he spun off turn two on the 29th cycle, allowing Wayne Anderson to race by for second.

    "I have to thank Bill Mitchell Hard Core Race Engines" Chris commented afterwards. "Ed gave me the outside line, but without the power under the hood you just can't make the pass like I did". Young also pointed to his team as a reason he visited victory lane for the third time this season, "these guys bust their backs for me and I can't tell them enough how much I appreciate them and of course my wife, Ann, who is my inspiration.

    For the second week in a row Wayne Anderson of Yaphank was runner-up in the Insula-Dome Skylights Chevy, with Tom Rogers Jr, of Patchogue posting a fine third place tally in the Steve Ralston C&S Car Care machine. Ron Hlatky of Selden wound up a fine fourth, with Lenny Fischer of Medford fifth.

    Glenn Tyler of Hampton Bays was in the right place at the right time in the 25-lap Late Model feature as the second-generation driver won his second main event of the year. After rookie sensation Bill Eastman Jr. led the first lap, Anthony DeMonte took over the top spot on lap 2, with Eastman trailing him until the third lap. On lap four Glenn Tyler worked his way by Eastman for second, but the top three cars would race in close quarters for the next dozen laps. On lap 16 Eastman dove under Tyler for second and tried to carry his momentum under race leader DeMonte, however slight contact between Bill's right front tire and the left rear of DeMonte saw the latter spin and the former stop in turn one with a flat. Sitting in the catbird seat for all of this was Glenn Tyler, who narrowly missed the contact among the leaders to drive by for the lead. Peter "Buzzy" Eriksen raced his way to second, but that would be as close as the defending champion would get.

    At the conclusion it would be Glenn Tyler in the Spring & Summer Activities Pontiac sitting in the winners circle, while Peter Eriksen of Baldwin settled for runner-up money in the Harley Davidson of Nassau County entry. Roger Oxee of Peconic was third in his Katey's Deli Pontiac.

    Tom Kraft of Mastic Beach broke a three-year dry spell when the former track champion triumphed in the 20 lap Figure Eight feature event. "Slim" Jim Donaldson set the tone for the first two circuits of the contest before "TK" Tom Kraft took command on lap three. Once in the lead Kraft built himself an insurmountable lead, with his only concern coming from within his own machine. During a 13th lap yellow flag period Kraft thought he heard strange noises coming from his car and he was very worried it would not last the final seven laps. With second place Ed Mistretta now racing in close quarters, Kraft was quick on the throttle on the single file restart and just as he crossed the finish line, the transmission in the Syndicate Motorsports Chevy blew. That prompted Tom to tell his car owner Robert Nunziata in victory lane, "I have some good news and some bad news for you". Following Kraft would be "Krazy" Ed Mistretta of New Hyde Park in the Islip Transmissions racer, with Ken Hyde of Medford third in the Olsen's Discount Nurseries Beretta.

    The Golden Auto Body night Blunderbust feature event had hands down the wildest finish of the night, with Ron Langdon of Freeport scoring his first win of 2002 after starting deep in the field. Position changes among the top three spots were plentiful for the first 14 laps of the tilt, with Paul Parisi, Gary Caldwell and George "Rocket" Crocket all taking turns at leading the race. On lap 14 Crocket and challenger Bobby Gardner came together off turn four right in front of the entire field, with Jack Handley and Gary Caldwell among those getting caught up in the melee. This put Russell Broy, out front with Sean Byrne racing his way to second on lap 15. Racing in tight confines during the white flag lap Broy and Byrne came together off the fourth corner allowing Ron Langdon to post the win in the Stock and Carr Attorneys at Law entry. "Sometimes it's as important to be both good and lucky" Ron quipped afterward. Sean Byrne of Brentwood would keep his foot in the throttle to claim second in the Countywide Collision Thunderbird, while point leader Eugene Malverty of Lindenhurst was third in the Allstock Auto Parts Buick.

    Larry "King" Costa of College Point won his second straight Super Pro Truck feature event in a 30-lap affair. Dan Grennan set a new track record for Super Pro Trucks in time trials with a 13.607 clocking, but in the redraw among the top six, Dan would draw 6th while Larry and Lenny Costa drew the front row. Just as he did in his prior victory, Larry Costa wasted no time in jumping out front at the drop of the green flag. "Dangerous" Dave Koenig, making his first start of 2002, chased Larry for the first 18 laps of the contest, but an 18th lap yellow for Dan Grennan, who slowed with an oil line fire in turn four, would be Koenig's demise. On the ensuing restart "Turbo" Tom Fleming raced his way by Dave for second, but Larry Costa in the New York Metro Peterbilt Dodge raced to his third win of the 2002 campaign. Tom Fleming of Aquebogue took runner-up money in the Hometown Insurance truck, with Lenny Costa of College Point scoring a solid third place tally in the New York Life Insurance entry.

    In the NY Team Federal Credit Union Train Race Peter Bertuccio of Bohemia and Scott Schelin of Southold notched their second consecutive win in the North Fork Sanitation train. Stan Wangenstein of Holtsville and Kevin Clarke of Rocky Point finished second in the Stan's Towing cars.

    The first ever School Bus Figure Eight race saw 9 buses go to the grid for the 15 lap event with Blunderbust driver Tom Slee of Smithtown looking right at home in taking the win. Slee in the Lost Boys Racing bus took the lead from Joe Tuffarelli just before the halfway mark and the two time 2002 Blunderbust winner never looked back.  Joe Tuffarelli of Valley Stream was second and Mark Eddy of the East Hampton Fire Department was a fine third in his first ever race of any kind.

Sources:  Riverhead Raceway PR/Bob Finan
Posted:  July 13, 2002