Anthony DeMonte went back to his roots recently as he
entered his #45 Stalco Construction/Weil-McClain Ford Mustang into the SCCA
Speed World Challenge race, a part of the 12 hours of Sebring weekend.
DeMonte would experience motor problems from the get go
which hindered their efforts during the weekend. Amazingly he would
still make the field. Anthony DeMonte's mechanical woes would
unfortunately continue during the race and DeMonte's weekend would come to
an end with a 16th place finish. However the weekend wasn't a total
loss as the obstacles Anthony DeMonte and the DeMonte Motorsports team faced
provided a good test for the team, as many are new to crew for 2002.
As the team continues to gel, expect Anthony DeMonte and the #45 team to
continue to improve.
LONG ISLANDERS ABROAD
Long
Islander and former LIKA racer, Guy Cosmo, asserted his strength as one of
the nation's hottest open-wheel drivers when he navigated the #45 Racers
Edge Motorsports Formula Mazda to a third place finish at Sebring, Saturday,
March 15. Cosmo had qualified on the second row earlier that day and
was able to place the car up top in spite of poor track conditions and
dismal handling characteristics.
"This
whole week at Sebring has been so much fun," Cosmo said. "I
was invited back to this event to show everyone that Racers Edge Motorsports
is a first-class operation that can run right up front. I may
not contest the whole championship, but for now, I'm here to do well for the
wonderful people who make up this team and to enjoy this great series.
I think we've accomplished what we needed to and proved our point."
"It
was like Romper Room out there," continued the 24-year-old driver.
"A lot of drivers were dropping wheels off the curbs and dragging sand
onto the track. Cars were spun out all over the place and the track felt
like a kid's sand-box. It was pretty wild. I wish we could have raced
earlier in the week, as our past experience here placed me as the man to
beat all week. Unfortunately for me, this series gives drivers so much track
time that all the rookies were able to catch up by qualifying and race time.
Even so, it was an entertaining drive compared to last year when my glasses
broke in a chase for 2nd. The Sebring bumps are still there, but the
new specs held up to the task."
The
eventful race will first air on Speed Channel April 6 at 8:30 EST.
ENDUROS
Quick
note to Enduro racers. LongIslandJam.com has been getting quite a bit
of e-mail in regard to the practice sessions. Chief Steward Joe Larsen
has announced that the NASCAR stock cars will have the track until
approximately 4:30 pm and once they have completed their practice it will be
time for the Enduro competitors to work out the off season kinks.
RIVERHEAD RACEWAY
Riverhead
Raceway has announced some of the divisional sponsors for 2002.
When the first Blunderbust feature event of 2002 hits
the Riverhead Raceway asphalt on Saturday night April 27th they will once
again be sponsored by Golden Auto Body of College Point, Queens as they were
in 2001. The Blunderbust class will be just one of six racing classes in
action at Barbara and Jim Cromarty's quarter mile oval on opening night for
the 2002 NASCAR Weekly Racing Series presented by Dodge.
Golden Auto Body is a full service auto body repair
facility and is officially authorized by Geico Auto Insurance, as well as
Metropolitan Auto and Home Insurance. Owner Larry Costa, who along with his
son Lenny, races in the Super Pro Truck division at Riverhead are happy to
once again serve as a seasonal sponsor for the Blunderbust owners and
drivers. "Week in and week out the Blunderbust racing keeps not just
the fans, but all of us in the pit stands on the edge of our seats"
Costa boasted, "All of us at Golden Auto Body are proud to be
associated with this great division". Golden Auto Body is located at
131-09 14th Avenue in College Point; just a stone's throw away from Shea
Stadium home of the New York Mets.
Riverhead Raceway officials announced that Doug Wholey
Excavating has signed on as a seasonal sponsor of the Late Model division of
the NASCAR Weekly Racing Series presented by Dodge. The 2002 season will
open up at Barbara and Jim Cromarty's quarter mile oval on Saturday evening
April 27th with a six-division card of stock car racing on tap.
Doug Wholey backed the division as a seasonal sponsor
through his former company Ideal Cesspools. At the conclusion of the 2001
race season Wholey sold off his highly successful Ideal Cesspool firm to a
conglomerate from Massachusetts, but his loyalty to the class he races in
has not waned.
Rich and Dawn Spera of BDR Enterprises announced that
they will return through their Formula 113 One Step Car Wax brand to the
Riverhead Raceway as a seasonal sponsor of NASCAR's Charger division. The
Charger class will be just one of six racing divisions that will take part
in the opening night of racing action at Barbara and Jim Cromarty's quarter
mile facility Saturday evening April 27th.
The 2002 campaign will mark the third year that the
Charger class will shine under the Formula 113 One Step Car Wax banner. The
Medford, Long Island based concern will add purse money each and every week
to this very competitive division. Formula 113 One Step Car Wax will once
again also sponsor 2000 Charger champion Dave Brigati. Brigati will also
dabble in the six race Snap-On Tools Late Model series in 2002, as will
"Flying" Brian Schwarz who is Brigati's teammate in the Outlaw
Fabricating stable. Formula 113 One Step Car Wax will also back several
other yet to be announced race teams at Riverhead in 2002.
ELSEWHERE -- MOUNTAIN SPEEDWAY, PA
Vandals tried to delay the start of the 2002 racing season at Mountain
Speedway. But, a lot of hard work from many individuals made it
possible to have the first of two practice sessions at the 1/3 mile track in
northeast Pennsylvania.
A little over a week ago, Mountain Speedway promoter, Joe Callavini
arrived at the track with the hopes on continuing the work of getting the
buildings and grounds ready for the upcoming season. What greeted him
though was beyond description or comprehension.
Almost every building had been broken into and vandalized. The main
concession stand, restrooms, pit shack, and track office all received
significant damage. "We won't let this tragic event keep us from
looking forward to our best season yet", says the speedway chief,
Callavini, who is offering a $500 reward to anyone who can provide the name
or names of those involved in this act.
