05/01/2004

MIKE ANDREWS JR CAPTURES THRILLING RIVERHEAD MODIFIED VICTORY

    In what was one of the most competitive and entertaining NASCAR Modified events in memory at Riverhead Raceway youthful Mike Andrews Jr. of Quogue survived a torrid battle with J.R. Bertuccio and Chris Young to win the 50-lap main event Saturday night. The hard earned triumph was worth $1,800, including a $300 Sunoco Race Fuels bonus.
    In pre-race time trials J.R. Bertuccio blazed the track at 11.591, just shy of the 11.546 track record set by Chuck Steuer in June 2000. Steuer timed second quickest at 11.912, nearly 4/10th's off Bertuccio's amazing lap. When the redraw took place Mike Andrews Jr. and Chris Young picked the front row with Bertuccio drawing third and it this trio became the story line for 40 of the 50 laps to come.
    At the drop of the green Andrews took the early lead with Young and Bertuccio in tow and for the next 38 laps the threesome had the crowd on their feet with an awesome driving display. The three swapped the top three spots numerous times in a classic short track Saturday night shootout. All three did lean on each other and make contact from time to time, but never crossed the line to over aggressive driving.
    Lap 38 found Mike Andrews Jr. racing to the inside of Chris Young for the lead, with J.R. Bertuccio soon racing to second. A lap 43 caution flag then set up a 7 lap dash for the cash between these two young lions who were also former foes in go-kart racing with the EKRA. Bertuccio put intense pressure on Andrews over the closing laps, but Mike was able to answer each challenge.
    At the finish the Jazz & Audio Chevy of Mike Andrews Jr. sat in victory lane. "It was pretty intense" Andrews 19 admitted. "I just knew if I took care of my tires we had as good a car as anyone". The happy winner also added, "I just can't thank my father enough, he's behind all of this and it means the world to me".
    J.R. Bertuccio of Centereach was runner-up in the Long Island Truck Parts Chevy, while defending champions John Fortin of Holtsville made a late race surge for third in the MortgageOne entry. Rookie Sal Accardi Jr. of Deer Park impressed with fourth.  Fifth spot went to Joe Hartmann of Riverhead. Chris Young of Calverton, with a worn right rear tire, fell to sixth late in the race.
     Defending Late Model champion Glenn Tyler of Hampton Bays took full advantage of a restart with just three laps remaining in the 25 lap feature to drive to victory. For the second week in a row popular Andy Lokkeberg looked like he was headed for his fist career Late Model win, but a yellow flag on lap 22 threw a wrench into those plans. Lokkeberg, who took the lead on lap 4 from Keith Rotzi, was sailing along with Dennis Krupski and Glenn Tyler in tow when the yellow waved. During the caution period Krupski pulled off the track, smoke billowing from his car which moved Tyler to second. When the green light came on Tyler made an immediate move to the inside of Lokkeberg at the start-finish line and drove under Andy to take the lead. Once out front Glenn Tyler led the final two circuits to score the win in the Sypher Construction Olds, saying afterwards, "this is the best car I've had in over a year." Andy Lokkeberg would again be second for the second week in a row in the Romeo Marine Chevy, while "Mighty" Mike Mortimer of Mastic Beach was in the mix late in the race for third in the Davis Fuel Pontiac.
    Like the Modified feature the Figure Eight feature was a fight to the finish with Roger Maynor of Bay Shore making it two-for-two when he won the 20-lap main event. After the early going found Jim Donaldson, Paul Specht and Mike Mujsce testing each other for the lead, Mujsce grabbed the position on lap3. On the 6th cycle Tom Kraft roared to second and he and Mujsce renewed old acquaintances and were soon to be joined by Roger Maynor. The three tested tough veterans went toe to toe in a hard fought but clean fight for the gold. The race boiled down to Mujsce and Maynor going for broke on the white flag lap off turn four with Maynor in the Barrasso & Sons Mason Supplies Ford crossing the line first. Mike Mujsce of Hampton Bays was runner-up in the Shorty's Auto Repair Dodge, with "TK" Tom Kraft of Medford third in the Dantona Industries machine.
    Chris Turbush of Riverhead lead all but one lap enroute to scoring his second career Charger win in a 20-lap contest. After Dave Xavier led the first lap, Chris Turbush, a third generation chauffeur, moved out front which brought Eric Lutz to second.  The race took two attempts to get under green.  However it then clicked off 20-laps non-stop.  For that entire distance Lutz, like he did one week earlier, spent his race testing the leader, which this week was the youthful Chris Turbush while one week ago it was veteran Steve Ratti.  Turbush took the victory lap in the Spano Floors racer. Eric Lutz of Miller Place was third in the Country Rotisserie Chevy, while proud father "Dynamite" Dan Turbush of Hampton Bays was third in the LISPN Chevy
    Tommy Walkowiak of Middle Village made a late race pass to notch the win in the 20-lap Blunderbust feature event. Artie Pedersen broke to the early lead and would be challenged by no less than four drivers including Paul Parisi, George Crockett and Mike Schwarz, who came to second when Crockett dropped from the event during a 12th lap caution. However after starting 10th in the 25-car field Tommy "Wildchild" Walkowiak raced to the front getting by first Schwarz for second and then setting his sights on leader Pedersen. With just under two laps to go Walkowiak made an inside pass for the lead in turn one and two and he then promptly drove the Hampton Fleet service machine to victory lane. At the checker Artie Pedersen of Center Moriches in the Sherwin Williams Paint mount and Bill Wegmann of North Bellmore in the Premier Staffing Olds bounced off each other in a fight for second. Pedersen got the spot, with Wegmann third.
    Veteran talent Lou Maestri of Deer Park came home first in the 20-lap Super Pro Truck main event. Mike Albasini busted out front early in the tilt, chased by Dave Koenig and Troy Ferdinando who ran in that order until lap 9. It would be a restart on this lap that found second place Koenig and third place Ferdinando going for the same piece of real estate in turn one, ending for the most part their nights. This moved Lou Maestri into second on the 10th lap and just two laps later Maestri in the Schwing Electric truck took the lead with an inside move on Albasini off the fourth corner. Once out front Lou Maestri drove to the winner's circle. Mike Albasini of Bayside in the Steinway Motors entry was runner-up as he held off a hard pressing Danny Grennan of Glen Cove in the Lamac Racing Chevy who placed third.

Sources:  Bob Finan/Riverhead Raceway PR
Posted:  May 3, 2004