ACCARDI
SCORES FIRST CAREER MODIFIED WIN
Fulfilling a promise he made to his father when their team decided to go NASCAR Modified racing at Riverhead Raceway in 2004, Sal Accardi Jr. of Deer Park returned his father to victory lane. Saturday night's 35 lap victory came 18 years after Sal Sr.'s only triumph. The Buzz Chew Chevrolet-Oldsmobile & Cadillac night score was worth $1,460 to Accardi Jr. in a show run between raindrops all night long.
For the first seventeen laps of the contest Sal Accardi Jr. and fellow freshman driver Dave Sapienza ran one-two after starting on the front row of the 20-car field. On lap 18 Dan Jivanelli, who had been pressuring Sapienza for second made his way by and then tried to reel in the race leader Accardi. While Accardi did not want to see a caution, Jivanelli was praying for one, which came one lap after Dan moved to second.
For the final 15 circuits of the contest Jivanelli rode the back bumper of Accardi occasionally giving him a tap to let the rookie talent know he was there, with Accardi withstanding the pressure like a veteran. In the meantime Dave Sapienza was enjoying his finest night riding third just a bit off the leader, but ready to move in if they got together.
When the checker flag waved Sal Accardi Jr. in the Aable Auto Salvage Chevy returned his father Sal Accardi Sr. to Riverhead Raceway victory lane for the first time since September 6th, 1986. Accardi recalled his promise, "I told my father when we bought this car from Howie Brode that I'd do my very best to get him back to the winner's circle. More than anything else that means the world to me". As for the race with Jivanelli Sal recounted, "he gave me some shots, but never did he try and turn me and I want to thank him for treating me fair".
Dan Jivanelli in the Dave Bofill Marine Chevy was a close runner-up, while Dave Sapienza of Riverhead enjoyed his finest night with a third in the Delta Ready Mix entry. John Fortin of Holtsville and point leader Tom Rogers Jr. of Patchogue were fourth and fifth. With four races left in 2004 Rogers leads Fortin by 42 points for the title, 674 to 632 with Mike Andrews Jr. dropping to third with 630.
Dave Brigati of Calverton notched his second Late Model victory of the season when he won the 25-lap feature event. Sophomore drivers Keith Rotzi and Sean Patterson paced the field for the first three laps before both Patterson and Mike Mortimer slipped under leader Rotzi on the front stretch. Mortimer chased Patterson for the ensuing 7 laps before he was over taken by Dave Brigati with an inside pass in turn four on the 12th lap. Dave then spent the next five circuits tracking down leader Patterson and on lap 17 the veteran used his experience while lapping a slower car to get under Sean for the lead racing to turn three. Once in front Dave Brigati steering the Formula 113 Car Wax entry never looked back to take the win. "Mighty" Mike Mortimer of Mastic Beach was a solid second in the Davis Fuel Pontiac, while Scott Kulesa of Calverton had another good run for third in the Ranco Sand & Stone mount.
Going into this week's 50-lap double point race Glenn Tyler leads both Jarrod Hayes and Roger Oxee, who are tied for second, by 80-points for the championship, 640 to 560.
George Sprague of N. Patchogue keeps on rolling in Figure Eight competition as he collected his fourth straight win in a 25-lap double point tilt. After Will Farrell set the pace for the first lap, Mike Mujsce moved out front on lap 2 and led up until he suffered a flat during a restart on lap 4. On lap 5 Roger Maynor broke into the lead with Bill Steen second, but just one lap later George Sprague got by Steen and it was once again a race between the top drivers in both wins and point for the season. On the 14th lap both Sprague and Steen got by Maynor who had to brake ever so slightly at the intersection and that would prove to be the winning move of the race. At the finish it was the NASCAR Collectibles ESP Racing Chevy of George Sprague continuing his hot streak, with Bill Steen of Oakdale second in the Duffy's Deli Dodge. Roger Maynor of Bay Shore was third in the Deer Park Bowl Ford. With the win Sprague now trails Maynor by 16 markers, 720 to 704 for the 2004 crown.
In MortgageOne night Charger action it would be a clean sweep for Robin Vollmoeller of Riverhead who set both fast time and then proceeded to lead all 20 laps of the double point main event. In the pre-race time trials Vollmoeller nearly broke the track record with a lap of 13.321 on his first of two laps. Later in the redraw Robin pulled the outside pole. Right from the drop of the green flag Vollmoeller showed he was the man to beat in this contest as he raced to the lead with Eric Lutz in tow. On the third lap point leader "Dynamite" Dan Turbush who was looking to sew-up the 2004 title in this race worked his way under Lutz for second. Although he stayed with Vollmoeller for every twist and turn for the remaining 17 laps, there was no stopping Robin Vollmoeller in the Solar Salon Tanning Pontiac. Dan Turbush of Riverhead was a close runner-up in the Ideal Cesspools Pontiac, while brother Rusty Turbush of Manorville was third in the Debtcoach.com racer. With just two-point races remaining Dan Turbush has all but clinched his second consecutive title with an 84-point lead over Eric Lutz, 714 to 626.
Troy Ferdinando of Huntington made his first visit of 2004 to victory lane when he topped the Auto Tech Diagnostic night Super Pro Truck main event in a 20-lap affair. "Handsome" Hank Hallock for the second straight week jumped to the early advantage over Frank Dumicich Sr. On lap 3 Troy Ferdinando made an outside pass on Dumicich taking second and quickly drew a beat on leader Hallock. Just past the halfway signal Ferdinando in his Troystar Motorsports owned Chevy made an inside bid racing to turn one on Hallock. Once out front Troy Ferdinando stayed in command of the race until the checker flag waved. Hank Hallock of Riverhead had a solid outing with a runner-up in the Reeves Creek Dock Builders truck, while third fell to Mike Albasini of Bayside in the Steinway Automotive group entry. With just two point races remaining for the class Lou Maestri has a comfortable 30-point margin over Dave Brigati 558 to 528 for the 2004 SPT title.
Second generation driver Anthony "Jagzz" Jager of Oceanside scored his first career Demolition Derby victory when he won a 4-Cylinder event. With a 20-car field set to rumble, the battle for the win came down to Jager, Bob "Whiplash" Genovese and "Irish" Mike O'Keefe. In order for Jager, the son of Ed "Speedo" Jager to score his first win, he'd have to outlast two of the very best in the game. Survive he did as in the end the 21-year old in the Scibelli Brothers entry eliminated Mike O'Keefe of Manorville. O'Keefe was named Judge's Choice, with Bob Genovese of S. Farmingdale voted Fan's Choice.
