08/23/2003
JOE HARTMANN TOPS RIVERHEAD RACEWAY
NASCAR MODIFIED TROOPS
A large turnout
gathered Saturday night at Riverhead Raceway for I Love
America night and they witnessed Joe Hartmann of Riverhead
score his first NASCAR Modified victory. The 22-lap
feature event was shortened by the time limit expiring but the
Briarcliffe College victory on USG night was still worth a
handsome $1,500 to Hartmann.
The race was a caution-marred contest
with many cars ending up on the hook and headed for the pits
for repairs or done for the night. At the outset Joe Hartmann
quickly bolted into the lead, which, considering what was
about, to happen behind him, was indeed a good move on two
fronts. Frank Vigliarolo Jr. made a thread the needle; three
wide move to force his way into second on the initial start. A
double file restart on lap 10 found Chuck Steuer, who was
third, racing under Vigliarolo for second but only one green
flag lap would be completed. On the ensuing restart Frank took
second back from Chuck.
When the race did have green flag
racing Hartmann was able to open a gap on Vigliarolo who was
fighting for second with Steuer and others. The complexion of
the race would change for good once J.R. Bertuccio came to
third and set his sights on Vigliarolo. On lap 21 Bertuccio
gave Vigliarolo a bump and run maneuver going into turn three.
Going into the first corner on lap 22 Frank repaid the favor
and neither he nor J.R. would lift and they got into a
spectacular crash off turn two. It was at this point track
officials deemed the race official with the time limit
expiring.
At the conclusion it was Joe Hartmann
in the WMS Construction Chevy scoring his first win of 2003
and he was very relieved he was ahead of all the carnage.
"I'm just glad we were out front and ahead of all the
wild things behind us," Joe related after pulling into
the winners circle. "We've had a rough year and my
sponsors, my crews and Merkel race Engines have all stayed
with me. I would have liked the race to go the whole way, but
with the year we've had we'll take it"
Point leader John Fortin of Holtsville
further increased his lead with a runner-up in The Bike Shop
Chevy, while Tom Rogers Jr. of Patchogue was third in the
Sharkey's Auto Repair machine. Bill Park of Manorville and
Mike Andrews Jr. of Quogue completed the top five.
Late Model driver Jarrod Hayes of Calverton
is having a breakout season in 2003. He won his second
feature of the year in the Wizard Building & Construction
25 main event. After Sean Patterson and Dave Brigati raced for
the lead for the first three laps, another race that saw
multiple caution flags, Jarrod Hayes and Roger Oxee entered
the frey on lap four. That's when the tandem moved to second
and third behind leader Brigati. Hayes made a bid for
the lead on lap 6 work out for him, as he became the new race
leader. Two laps later Brigati would be overtaken by Oxee who
used an inside pass in turn one to take the spot and set sail
for leader Hayes. The remainder of the race saw Roger put the
heat on Jarrod for sixteen straight laps with Oxee looking
high and low for an opening.
Jarrod Hayes did not wilt under the
heat and when the checker flag waved the PS Paul Signs entry
took the popular victory. Roger Oxee of Peconic threw all he
could at Hayes, racing him clean the entire time but he had to
settle for runner-up money in the Helman Group Pontiac. Third
went to a fast closing Peter Eriksen of Baldwin, who raced his
way from deep in the field in the Rose Fence Pontiac after an
early race tangle.
Eric Lutz of Miller Place scored his
first win of the campaign when he won the 20-lap Charger main
event. John Ellwood set the pace for the first six laps with
Chris Turbush in tow but a 6th lap restart changed how the top
two appeared moments later. Exiting turn two after the green
reappeared Ellwood lost the handle off turn two slowing
Turbush as well. This allowed Scott Lehmann to race
under both for the lead with Eric Lutz also going by the early
race leaders for second. The top two raced in that order until
lap 11 when a single file restart was in order. After taking
the green flag Lutz exiting turn four did a classic short
track bump and run on Lehmann to slip underneath for the lead,
with Lehmann now sitting second. The latter stages of the race
saw Eric Lutz in the Marjam Supply mount pull away and drive
to victory as Lehmann became caught-up in a battle for second
with Chris Beutler. At the checker Scott Lehmann of Shirley
was runner-up in the Mortgage One Chevy, while Chris Beutler
of Medford was third in the NDA Construction Pontiac.
The Blunderbust division turned in
another stellar non-stop performance. They clicked off
their 20-lap feature without a caution with "Flying"
Bryan Sescila of Baldwin scoring his first career victory.
Sescila took full advantage of a front row starting berth to
jump to the early lead with Russell Broy and former champion
Chris Chirico in tow. The top three remained in that order
until lap 12 when Chirico was able to wrestle second away from
Broy. Chris then got out his fishing rod and reeled leader
Sescila in as the latter had built a nice cushion. Chirico
erased that lead and soon caught Sescila and it was on! Chris
looked inside and outside for an alley by Bryan but the hungry
driver was not going to be denied. At the finish it was The
Victory Fleet Maintenance backed racer of Bryan Sescila taking
a long anticipated win, with Chris Chirico of Huntington a
close runner-up in the J. Russo Contracting Chevy.
"Slippery" Tom Slee of Smithtown was third in the
Dantona Industries machine and Tom was closing in on the top
two when the checker waved.
In a 6-Cylinder Demolition Derby Ken
Brinson of Massapequa Park scored his first career win in the
Roberts Autoworks entry. Brinson out smashed veteran Ed
Fontana of Wading River to lay claim to the victory. Fontana
earned Judge's Choice, while Shawn Murphy of Lindenhurst won
Fan's Choice.
In the 4-Cylinder Demolition Derby
"Irish" Mike O'Keefe of Islip and Michael Rommeney
of Maspeth got into an old fashioned war to decide the winner
with O'Keefe in the Celtic Paving entry coming out on top.
Rommeney earned Judge's Choice. Bob "Whiplash"
Genovese of South Farmingdale was in the mix as well and won
Fan's choice.
Sources: Bob
Finan/Riverhead Raceway PR
Posted: August 23, 2003
