05/13/2004

RIVERHEAD ANNOUNCES $67,803 MILLER LITE 200 PAYDAY FOR JUNE 5TH

    Without question the Miller Lite 200 NASCAR Featherlite Modified Series event set for Barbara & Jim Cromarty's Riverhead Raceway on Saturday June 5th will be the highest paying race per-mile on the circuit. The 50-mile contest will carry a hefty $67,803 purse, which breaks down to $1,356.06 per mile.
    All the cars and stars of the NASCAR Featherlite Modified Series are looking forward to the Miller Lite 200, which kicks off the 20th consecutive year for the series at the demanding quarter mile facility. Aside from the high purse for such a short event, drivers and their teams also like the Riverhead stops because they are one-day shows and there is no overhead for lodging.
    As of Thursday May 13th among the early entries for the race included defending FMS champion Todd Szegedy of Ridgefield, Ct. Others quick to the post office with entries include twins Ted and Mike Christopher of Plainville, Ct., Zach Sylvester of Lebanon, Ct., Mike Stefanik, of Coventry, R.I., Tony Ferrante Jr. of New Hyde Park, L.I., Mike Molleur of Shelton, Ct., Tony Hirschman of Northampton, Pa., Kevin Konopka of Meriden, Ct., Kevin Goodale of Riverhead, L.I., Ed Flemke Jr. of Berlin, Ct., Renee Dupuis of Glastonbury, Ct., Howie Brode of Bay Shore, L.I. and Fred Vordermeier of Bayside, N.Y.
    Two Riverhead Raceway regulars have filed early entries as former five -time track champion and one time FMS champion Wayne Anderson of Yaphank along with J.R. Bertuccio of Centereach plan on competing.
    Twenty-eight cars will go to the grid for the Miller Lite 200 with 23 coming directly from the pre-race time trials, which are slated for around 5:45 pm. Five NASCAR Featherlite Modified Series provisionals will then be awarded to a combination of car owner and driver points, as well a past champions provisional if needed.
    With the June 2003 Miller Lite 200 rained out, Ted Christopher is the most recent winner of the June stop of the NASCAR FMS at Riverhead Raceway, with Donny Lia of Merrick taking the August victory in '03. Lia, the 2003 Rookie of the Year is expected to be among the favorites for the 2004 edition, along with Christopher.
    The schedule of events for June 5th for the visiting FMS troops will see the pit gate opening at 11:00 for haulers.  Practice will run for one consecutive hour from 2:45 pm until 3:45 pm. The Miller Lite 200 will go green around 8:30 pm.
    Joining the card will be the Charger and Blunderbust divisions from Riverhead Raceway. Their practice will run from 1:45 pm until 2:45 pm, with their features set to precede the 200 at 6:30 pm.
    For further information please call the track office at 631-842-RACE or visit our website at www.riverheadraceway.com.

Sources:  Bob Finan/Riverhead Raceway PR
Posted:  May 13, 2004