05/27/2005

MILLER LITE 150 SET FOR SAT NIGHT WITH 44 ENTRIES

    As per usual when the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour stops at Barbara and Jim Cromarty's Riverhead Raceway half the battle is just qualifying for the race and this Saturday night's Miller Lite 150 will be no exception. Some 44 pre-registered entries have been received at the track office as of 12 noon May 26th and just 28 of those will make the $71,195 event.
    Some say time trials aren't as exciting as heat race qualifying, but that indeed is not the case at all at Riverhead Raceway. Only the quickest 23 cars from time trials will transfer into the Miller Lite 150 while the remaining 5 positions will come from the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour provisional program. Of the 44 entries, 11 have come from Riverhead Raceway regulars making qualifying through time that much more difficult for WMT teams.
    Jerry Marquis of Broad Brook, Ct. is the defending Miller Lite 150 race winner and he along with defending WMT champion Tony Hirschman of Northampton, Pa will lead the touring series into town. Joining them will be WMT standouts Donny Lia of Jericho, Ted Christopher of Plainville, Ct., Mike Stefanik of Coventry, R.I., Rick Fuller of Auburn, Ma, Chuck Hossfeld of Ransomville, N.Y., Jamie Tomaino of Howell, N.J. and Tony Ferrante Jr. of New Hyde Park and Eric Beers of Northampton, Pa.
    Defending Riverhead Raceway NASCAR Modified champion Tom Rogers Jr. of Patchogue will head-up the roster of Saturday night track regulars into battle. Joining him will be, Joe Hartmann of Riverhead, Mike Andrews Jr. of Quogue, Chuck Steuer of Bohemia, Jimmy Blewett of Howell, N.J., Dan Jivanelli of Hampton Bays, Wayne Anderson of Yaphank, Bill Park of Manorville, Gary McDonald of Ronkonkoma, Chris Young of Riverhead and Larry Altholtz of Manhattan.
    The Riverhead Raceway Charger and Blunderbust divisions, with the latter running a 30-lap, double point main event, will join the Miller Lite 150.
    Pits will open at 11:00 am for WMT haulers, with warm-ups to start at approximately 2:00 pm for the tour. The Charger and Blunderbust warm-ups will precede WMT practice. Heat races for the Riverhead divisions will start at 4:30 pm; while the WMT time trials will go green at 5:45 pm. Feature event action will commence with the Riverhead classes at 6:30 pm and the Miller Lite 150 will follow.
    For further information please contact the Riverhead Raceway office at 631-842 RACE or visit www.riverheadraceway.com.

Source:  Bob Finan/Riverhead Raceway PR
Posted:  May 27, 2005