CHRIS YOUNG GALLOPS TO MODIFIED VICTORY
Like a fine thoroughbred Chris Young of Calverton
broke from the gate early and galloped to victory in the opening night
NASCAR Modified feature event this past Saturday night at Riverhead
Raceway. The 35-lap triumph was worth $1,460 to the veteran driver.
At the outset Dave Sapienza broke from his front row-starting berth
to take the early lead with Chris Young making an early break from his
fourth starting slot to come to second. On lap 3 Young executed a nifty
move off the second corner that found him faking a run to the outside
only to actually make an inside move on Sapienza for the lead as they
roared down the backstretch. With Young steering the Riverhead Building
Supply Chevy now out front Dave Sapienza would not let Chris get out of
his sights as he stayed with him for a good portion of the race.
Bill Park and J.R. Bertuccio played a short track version of cat and
mouse, vying for third spot as they raced hard around the quarter mile
oval. The duo also had to tip toe their way around some late race lapped
traffic as did the race leaders, all did a masterful job on that front.
In the end however Chris Young in the final laps distanced himself
from Dave Sapienza and drove to victory as the checker flag waved. "Boy
this was some hot rod" the happy winner exclaimed. "Bill Mitchell
Hardcore Racing puts awesome power under me year in and year out. I have
to thank him, Riverhead Building Supply, Syosset Trucks and Trux Inc for
all their support".
Impressive sophomore Dave Sapienza of Riverhead drove to a stellar
runner-up finish in the Michael Anthony Auto Sales racer with Bill Park
of Manorville third in the Smithtown Nissan Chevy. J.R. Bertuccio of
Centereach and Joe Hartmann of Riverhead rounded out the top five.
Roger Oxee of Peconic turned in the drive of the night, not only on
the track where he raced from 15th to win the 25-lap Late Model feature,
but off the track as well. Oxee left the track at 2:50 pm for his son's
Confirmation in Westchester, some 75-miles north of the track and had
former Late Model kingpin Paul McElearney qualify his car, which Paul
did
with a 5th in his heat. The driver switch after Roger
raced back to the track found Oxee having to start 15th, last of the
heat race qualified cars for the feature. In the main event Joe
Paschitti drove the race of his young career as he broke form the pole
to lead the first half of the race. As the field was approaching the
crossed flags for halfway both Greg Kleila and Roger Oxee
zeroed in on the race leader and a wild three wide scene on lap 14 would
determine the outcome.
With Kleila and Paschitti side by side, Greg to the inside and Joe
the outside, Roger Oxee already had a head of steam on the outside of
both and he rode the extreme high groove in turn three to take over the
race lead for good. At the finish it was Roger Oxee in the Helman Group
Pontiac one tired, but happy winner. "I'm not sure if I raced harder on
the LIE or here tonight" Oxee quipped. Greg Kleila of Lindenhurst was
runner-up in the J&R'S Steak House Pontiac. Ken Alfano of Southold, who
was in the mix all night long running second to Paschitti, brought the
Habberstad BMW entry home third.
How did Figure Eight veteran Tom Kraft of Medford shake-off the
effects of a hard late season crash in 2004? By promptly going out and
leading all 25-laps to win the Cromarty Cup double point feature event,
that's how. "TK" took full advantage of a front row starting position to
take the lead. For the first nine circuits he felt plenty of heat from
"Slim" Jim Donaldson but a 10th lap restart found Arne Pedersen working
his way by Donaldson for second who set his sights for leader Kraft with
George Sprague and Roger Maynor soon to join the party. All three
pestered each other for second through fourth all the while running on
Kraft's heels. However in the end it would be the 454 Auto Sales &
Service 1957 Chevy of Tom Kraft, on last year's tires taking down the
prestigious Cromarty Cup victory. Arne Pedersen of Mastic Beach in the
Strong Arm Decking Chevy would ward off Roger Maynor of Bay Shore in the
Barrasso & Sons Mason Supplies mount for runner-up money.
Defending Charger champion "Dynamite" Dan Turbush of Riverhead went
wire-to-wire to win the 30-lap double point feature event, but by no
stretch of the imagination was it a walk in the park. Rusty Turbush set
fast time with a lap of 13.460 in time trials but when the top six
redrew he drew 5th, while elder brother Dan picked the pole. Right from
the drop of the green it was a three- car fight for the lead with Dan
Turbush leading, Mike Coll running alongside from his outside pole
starting spot and Eric Lutz who had started 3rd. This battle among
three talented chauffeurs was perhaps the most entertaining of the night
and it went back and forth until there were less than ten laps to go.
With Dan still showing the way, Eric Lutz would be first of the
threesome with a problem as he cut down a tire and dropped from the
event. Then on lap 25 Coll's fine night came to a sudden end when he
slowed to a crawl and that chain of events moved Rusty Turbush up to
second. However the laps were running out and for the 61st time in his
career Dan Turbush in the Carpet Express Pontiac sat in victory lane.
Rusty Turbush of Manorville was runner-up in the Debtcoach.com Pontiac,
while a
stellar performance in his first ever Charger race found Justin
Bonsignore claiming third place behind two champions in his Ratsey
Construction entry turning many heads in the process.
Tommy "Wildchild" Walkowiak of Middle Village scored the opening
night Blunderbust victory that snapped a streak of opening night DNF'S
the popular driver had suffered through the last several seasons.
Sophomore Joe Oliver bolted to the early lead chased first by "Turbo"
Tom Sullivan for the first six laps before Walkowiak burst upon the
leaders on lap 7. After working his way by Sullivan on lap 7 one lap
later Tommy would race by Oliver for the top spot on the outside groove.
Once out front the biggest obstacle for Tommy Walkowiak was heavy lapped
traffic, something the driver of the Unique Golf Shop entry handled
perfectly. Tom Sullivan of N. Massapequa earned second place money in
his Custom Exteriors Lincoln, while Russell Broy of Bethpage survived an
early race scrape to post a third in his Island Trees Automotive Chevy.
Frank Dumicich Jr. of East Quogue earned his first career Super Pro
Truck victory. He picked a fine night to do so as a division record 17
machines started the 20-lap main event. Troy Ferdinando paced the field
for the first four laps of the contest with Frank Dumicich Jr. in hot
pursuit. On lap 5 Frank Jr. put the Gregg's Landscaping Ford out front
as early pace -setter Ferdinando would slow with a flat one lap later.
That propelled Frank Dumicich Sr. to second and for the next 15 laps all
dad could do was watch his son keep a comfortable enough lead that would
carry him to that all important first career visit to the winner's
circle. Even though Father's Day is a month away Frank Dumicich Jr. gave
his dad an early present with the win. Frank Dumicich Sr. of East Quogue
scored perhaps his most satisfying runner-up finish in the Wesemann's
Sand & Mason Supplies F-150. In a strong run "Dangerous" Dave Koenig of
Oceanside tried tracking down the "family feud" but would settle for
third in the Nelson's Auto Salvage machine.
Source: Bob Finan/Riverhead
Raceway PR
Posted: May 19, 2005
