06/14/2003

CHRIS YOUNG BREAKS INTO RIVERHEAD RACEWAY VICTORY LANE
By Bob Finan

    Chris Young of Riverhead won the 35 lap NASCAR Modified feature on Dodge night at Riverhead Raceway this Saturday evening.  He led all the way in the process. The NASCAR Dodge Weekly Series triumph was worth $1,460 to the local talent.
    "I want to dedicate this win to Erich Bergmann who we lost during the off-season" Young said as he spoke of his long time sponsor from Punkinville USA Farms who lost a valiant battle to cancer. The win also tied Chris with Fred Harbach, Ed Brunnhoelzl Jr. and J.R. Bertuccio for 10th for on the all-time victory list with 21 wins at Riverhead.  This fact brought a smile to Young's face, "anytime you can be associated with Fred Harbach, it's an honor"
    From the pole Chris Young broke into the lead at the drop of the green with fellow veteran driver Dan Jivanelli slipping behind Young for second from his outside pole berth. Jivanelli stayed close to Young for the first 14 circuits of the race and at times was within a car length. However on lap 15 a strong running Ken Heagy worked his way by Jivanelli to the inside going to turn three for second. Like Dan before him, Ken was also able to pull up to the rear spoiler of leader Chris Young, but that was as close as he would get as well.
    Fans needed two sets of eyes for this race.  Aside from the Young-Heagy battle for the lead they were also watching the progress of J.R. Bertuccio who was seeking his fourth win in a row. J.R. started the race 13th and had a tough time working his way towards the front in this quality field of cars. Not even several late race caution flags could aid the current points leader.
    At the checker it was Chris Young in the Riverhead building Supply/Cousin's Paintball Monte Carlo scoring the popular win, with Ken Heagy of Riverhead runner-up in the Aquebogue Mini-Market entry. Wayne Anderson of Yaphank had a solid performance for third in the Eastport Feeds Chevy, with Dan Jivanelli of Hampton Bays and J.R. Bertuccio of Centereach fourth and fifth.
    Peter "Buzzy" Eriksen of Baldwin scored his second
win of 2003 when he won the Doug Wholey Excavating 50 for the Late Models. Scott Kulesa set fast time with a lap of 12.749 but that would be as good as his night got. A first lap incident in the third turn caught up Kulesa and half of the 20 car field in a wild crash that found many cars pitting and coming back many laps down. Others had to call it a night with damage too severe to repair.
    On the restart Peter Eriksen outraced Dave Brigati to the outside to take over the top spot after Dave had led the first lap. Once in front Eriksen put his Harley Davidson of Nassau County machine on cruise control while Brigati gave chase. On a 16th lap restart Glenn Tyler worked his way by Brigati for second and it would be his turn to see if he had anything for Eriksen. However Tyler like Brigati before him would get close to "Buzzy" but that would be as good as it got. At the finish it was Peter Eriksen the winner with Glenn Tyler of Hampton Bays second in the Sprain & Summer Activities Pontiac. Dave Brigati of Baiting Hollow hung around the front all night long to take third place money in the Island Wide Truck Collision Chevy.
    George Sprague of N. Patchogue broke the three race winning streak of Tom Rogers Jr. when he scored the victory in the 25 lap Figure Eight feature. After rookie Dennis Kurras paced the field for the first two laps Bill Batsche raced his way out front. Kurras ran second until lap 12 when he was overtaken by George Sprague for the position. Sprague drew a beat on leader Bill Batsche, as did third place Tom Rogers Jr. The final three laps of the contest were indeed wild with many swaps of position and in the end George Sprague in the NASCAR Collectibles ESP Racing Chevy took the lead and eventual win. George dedicated the win to the late Larry "King" Costa. Tom Rogers Jr. of Patchogue who was on a mission all night long settles for second in the Riverhead Auto Mall Dodge, with Roger Maynor third in the Hummel, Hummel Bakery entry.
    Steve Ratti of Manorville notched his first win of 2003 when he won the 20 lap Charger feature event sending notice that the "Rat Pack" is back! Newcomers Eric Goodale and Sal Accardi Jr. gave a good account of themselves early on with Eric leading the first two laps and Sal the third. However the 4th cycle saw experience win out.  Steve Ratti drove by Accardi for the lead and from that point on the driver of the P.J. Wyer Contracting Chevy never looked back. Accardi held the second spot for the first
half of the race before a battered but still fast Rusty Turbush got by on lap 11. By that time Ratti had enough of a cushion over Rusty, who then turned his attention to brother Dan who was closing in from third. At the finish it was Steve Ratti crossing the line first, with Dan Turbush in the Long Island Ice Cream Chevy making a late race surge for second. Rusty Turbush of Manorville was third in the Savin Copiers Pontiac.
    John Denniston of Westbury broke an early unlucky season of mechanical failures in great style.  He led green to checker and won the 20 lap Super Pro Truck feature event. Denniston took full advantage of his pole starting position and took the lead at the drop of the green flag with "Dangerous" Dave Koenig in tow. Koenig ran second for the first five laps before former champion Frank Dumicich Sr. slipped inside of Dave to take second on lap six. Frank then started his pursuit of the race leader and lap after lap continued cutting into Denniston's lead. However late in the tilt Danny Grennan came along and distracted Dumicich enough that John Denniston was able to drive to victory in the B&G Deli and Caterers Chevy. Danny Grennan of Glen Cove passed Dumicich with two to go and grabbed second place money in the Gulfway Marine Chevy. Frank Dumicich of Mastic was third in the Wesemann's Sand & Mason Supplies Ford.
    The 12 lap Train Race on the Figure Eight course saw Peter Bertuccio of Bohemia and Scott Schelin of Southold steer the North Fork Sanitation train to victory in a very exciting fan pleasing event
    Mike Schlaugies of Huntington won the One-On-One Spectator Drags in his Schlaugies Fuel Oil Pontiac.

Sources:  Bob Finan/Riverhead Raceway PR
Posted:  June 16, 2003