The 2005 Riverhead Raceway annual swap meet for 2005 had an ambience of a pleasant easy going northeast fall day with a brisk chill in the air and sun shining most of the afternoon.
On hand there were most of the weekly NASCAR officials, as well as a good handful of talented weekly drivers and pit crewmembers from Riverhead Raceway. Upon entering the pit gate there was Mike Smokey Boken without flags in his hand and without a headset on his head, today he was the wristband issuer for all the attendants. Directly inside the gate was Bill Denniston with a carefree smile upon him, promoting the upcoming pit crew challenge at the Nassau Veterans Coliseum. Bill took the time to discuss the recent changes in NASCAR with Busch and Wallace. Even though the official weekly racing has been over for a few weeks, there was still the occasional roar of a modified firing up such as Tom Rodgers Jr. #6 and the constant roar of the days events with go karts racing and warming up in the pits.
On hand and some of the sitting were Eddie Brunnhoelzl Jr. with his cube van with a for sale sign it as well as Eddie the 3rd standing by Eddie Seniors yellow 1967 firebird 400 that has been in storage for the past 20 years now with a for sale sign on it. Next to that pit box was Slim Jim with some odds and ends and Anthony Aiello as a sales man for him and Bob Finan as a diet and beverage consultant. The end of the pits was a large selection of this year’s victim to the school bus races, cars from monster truck crushing and cars that were losers in the demolition derby, among the mounds of worn out tires that once reached 150 degrees plus during the summer racing season. Coming down the pits toward the pit entrance there was Modified veteran of years gone by named Sal Accardi Sr. who was selling miscellaneous parts and a collectors item go kart fiberglass body corvette with Castrol engine oil decal on the side of the car .Sal told of a story of days gone by which included when he needed rear weight in his modified so he placed a heavy steel manhole cover in the trunk of his modified, he said it worked! Next to Sal Sr. was Rob Tribuzio with his #01 car; he was speaking with BB driver Wayne Okula and Jr. Bertuccio the Dad and Modified Driver who had his son in arms. Across from them I started talking with a guy who had his arm in a sling such as myself for shoulder surgery, after talking a while we introduced ourselves not realizing that we spoke last year when he inquired about buying my charger car, he was the past and present well know driver named Carl Baxter, he was next to a SK modified for sale. Coming closer to the pits entrance was a few more miscellaneous vendors in cluding BB driver Dog Watson and his wife Kim with exhaust headers, heads, intake manifolds, starters etc. The next pit box was filled with the biggest display of model car kits I have ever seen ranging from a 1937 coupe to a 2005 Corvette, I would approximate that there was about 600+ car model kits there along with a huge box on the floor that was filled with hundreds of old toy cars, trucks and planes of different style and makes, sort of like a junkyard for car toys. There was the #10 super pro truck there and next to it was Chris Turbush the infamous funniest home video winner who is up for the Grand prize playoff in December for $100k . Chris explained that his Dad Dynamite Dan Turbush might be driving that #10 SPT next year. Then of course there was the Bonsignore Kart ensemble with new and used cars, parts and anything to do with the karts. Across from that was the Sunday normal food truck selling sizzling sausage and onion heroes as well as the accessories and fixings such as fries, hot dogs etc. There was a full size mint condition Midget black in color that seemed to pretty to even think of putting on a racetrack. Across from that was 5 or 6 quads regular size to mini quads for sale. Just before leaving I spoke with “Wild Child” Tom Walkowiak, Sal Accardi Jr. and Racin' Rich Johnson.
In conclusion for the hour or so spent there it was a great day for the Riverhead Raceway Swap Meet attendees, vendors and visitors to get a last taste of the racing phenomenon known as stock car racing here on Long Island. Have a safe off-season and see ya all in the spring. By the way, The LONGISLANDJAM.COM website is open 24hrs a day, 365 days a year, don’t be a stranger stop past the forum anytime.