Perfect Night For Racing

    Greeted by sunny and breezy weather, fans were treated to a night of hotly contested races, but Mother Nature played a cruel trick by providing almost Autumn-like conditions with a stiff, constant wind blowing across the area, forcing many to resort to jackets and blankets they’d normally only use at an October race. As one fan behind me noted, “Could someone please turn down the fan!”

     The evenings events began with the Super Pro Trucks taking to the track for their 20 lap contest. Starting from the pole in his Cystinosis Research Network #11x, Dave Xavier, with Frank Dumicich Jr, in his AutoZone #42 on the outside, Xavier grabbed the early lead. Frank Dumicich Sr., in the Wesemann’s Sand & mason Supply #5, spun after contact with Mike Albasini’s #66 M&M Motorsports truck, and they collected Matt Odwazny’s Bethpage Auto Body #32, and Dan Turbush’s Dantona Industries #8, bringing out the first caution. On the restart, Xavier and Dumicich Jr ran side by side, but Dumicich Jr soon took over the lead as Xavier faded, as Albasini moved up to 2^nd and Danny Grennan’s Sponsors Wanted #38 moved up to 3^rd. 2 laps later, Lou Maestri’s Schwing Electrical Supply #1 moved into 4^th, as Albasini and Grennan battled side by side for 2^nd. Maestri, seeing an opening in the 2^nd place battle, slipped under both Albasini and Grennan in one slick move to take 2^nd, with Bobby Gardner’s Auction Depot.org #45 also coming through to take over 3^rd as Albasini and Grennan came together and Grennan spun in the backstretch on lap 10, bringing out a caution. On the restart, Dumicich Jr. held his slim lead over Maestri and Gardner, as Albasini was now being challenged by Dave Brigati’s Victory Fleet Maintenance #34 and Dave Koenig’s Nelson’s Auto Salvage #97, with Albasini holding on to 4^th. Up front, Dumicich Jr. had his hands full with Maestri, but held on over the final laps to record his 1^st Victory of 2006, with Maestri, Gardner and Albasini rounding out the top 4.

    Next up was the Charger Cornwell Tools 20. Jimmy Donnelly’s Sponsors Needed #27 sat on the pole, and Bryan Doyle’s Cornwell Tools/National Pest Control #73 was outside. Donnelly got the lead from the drop of the green, but a debris caution came out after 1 lap was completed. On the next restart, Donnelly had Charlie Rittenhouse’s King Bear-Brentwood to his outside, but at the drop of the green, Mike Schwarz’s B.Sexton Site Development #14 got along side Rittenhouse to battle him for 2^nd, with Schwarz taking it as Rittenhouse went high out of turn 4, and John Wick’s SPC Landscaping #55 slipped up into 3^rd. Yellow came out next as Doyle and Ralph Beaver’s Cavalier Modular Homes #47 collided and spun in turn 4. On the restart, Schwarz took the lead from Donnelly as they exited turn 2, as Chris Beutler’s Spabco Racing #21 moved up into 3^rd spot, and then up to 2^nd, as Donnelly, now caught in the high groove, continued to slip back. Chris Turbush’s LePage Millworks #81 now came up to 3^rd, with Henry Cataldo’s Irish Coffee Pub #44 taking 4^th spot. Sean Byrne’s Sponsors Wanted #65 spun in turn 2 on lap 13, bringing out yellow. On the restart, Schwarz took off, with Beutler challenging him looking inside, but Schwarz pulled away down the backstretch, as Beutler and Turbush now battled side by side for 2^nd. On lap 17, yellow flew once more as Chris McGuire’s Gershow Recycling 89x spun in turn 1. On the restart, Beutler tried the low move once again, but Schwarz held him off, and Turbush got around Beutler to takeover 2^nd, as a battle raged behind them as Schwarz took the checkered flag for the victory, with Turbush, Beutler, and Kevin Orlando, Schwarz’s teammate, rounded out the top 4.

    In an earlier than usual start, the Figure 8’s took to the track next. Mike Brigandi’s Sponsors Wanted #78 sat on the pole, with Slim Jim Donaldson’s Slim’s Body Piercing #47 to his outside. Brigandi took the early lead, as Donaldson had to immediately battle Carl Baxter in his Blast-It Sandblasting #74 for 2^nd. On lap 2, a 3 car tangle in turn 3 brought out the first yellow. Brigandi lead again on the restart, but was black flagged a lap later for leaking fluid, handing the lead to Donaldson, with Kenny Hyde’s Maple Bar #58 assuming 2^nd, and George Sprague’s Pavco Industries #10 running in 3^rd. Sprague got around Hyde for 2^nd as Hyde now had his hands full holding off Tom Kraft’s Sponsors Wanted #8 and Roger Maynor’s Barrasso & Sons Mason Supply #28. Sprague now concentrated on getting by Donaldson, and on lap 10, passed him going through the X, as the 3 way battle for 3^rd continued behind them. On lap 13, Maynor got drilled from behind by Mike Mujsce’s Pro-Tech Automotive #13, and yellow was out. Track officials called Mujsce for rough riding and placed him at the rear, and on the restart, Sprague pulled out away from Donaldson, as Kraft got by Hyde for 3^rd, and Sprague is running a race of his own. On lap 15, Donaldson spins from contention, and Kraft gets up to 2^nd, while Hyde and Roger Maynor put on a heated battle for 3^rd. Maynor starts to get loose in the turns and Hyde gets into a solid 3^rd spot, as up front, George Sprague holds a nice lead over the field to take the win, with Kraft, Hyde, and Maynor rounding out the top 4.

    It is now time for the Late Model’s 50 lap, double point race. While Dan Turbush’s Ideal Cesspool #98 set fast time (13.069) a redraw sees Mike Mortimer’s Sponsors Wanted #14 on the pole, with Shawn Patrick’s Sponsors Wanted #88 outside. Mortimer took advantage of his pole position and took off, but a caution flew on lap 3 for a stalled car in turn 4 and debris in turn 2. On the restart, Mortimer held a slight lead over Patrick, but Roger Oxee’s Helman Group #39 slipped under Patrick to take over 2^nd as Scott Kulesa’s Ranco Sand & Stone #10 ran 4^th, and Buzzy Eriksen’s Nassau Harley-Davidson #68 ran 5^th. Mortimer and Oxee started to pull away from the rest, as Eriksen worked his way by Kulesa and then Patrick to takeover 3^rd. Mortimer now had a 6 car length lead over Oxee, and on lap 18, Patrick spun, bringing out a caution. When racing resumed, Mortimer and Oxee rand side by side, but Mortimer pulled slowly ahead of Oxee after a few laps, as Eriksen watched from 3^rd, while Greg Kleila’s J&R Steakhouse #74 moved passed Scott Kulesa to take over 4^th. Mortimer was now stretching out his lead even further, despite encountering lapped traffic. By lap 40, Mortimer had built a solid lead over Oxee, who now had Eriksen closing in to within 2 car lengths. On lap 43, Oxee bobbled a bit off turn 4, and Eriksen took advantage of it an got by to takeover 2^nd, but Mortimer was a full 1/3 lap ahead of all by this point, and just cruised to victory, with Eriksen, Oxee, Kleila, and a late surging Jeremy McDermott rounding out the top 5.

    It was now Modified time. Bill Park’s Smithtown Nissan #20 set fast time in time trials (11.883), and on the redraw, he picked outside pole, putting him next to Sal Accardi’s Aable Auto Salvage #93 for the start. At the drop of the green, Accardi held a slight edge over Park, while Howie Brode’s LI Freightliner #96 hung back in 3^rd. Yellow flew on lap 4 as Dave Roys’ Mike’s Place #79 spun in turn 3. On the restart, Accardi again held Park off, as the duo ran cleanly, side by side, with Park getting his bumper ahead at one point, but Accardi battled back and finally was able to pull in front of Park, while Wayne Anderson’s Insula Dome Skylight #15 ran 3^rd, and Chris Young’s Riverhead Building Supply #49 was 4^th. Accardi set a nice even pace as the field now ran single file behind him, pulling away at times by 3 car lengths over Park. On lap 19, John Dennison's Trailer Transport #0 spun in turn 4, getting hit by the line of cars behind him, bringing out a caution. On the restart, Accardi took command immediately over Park, as Anderson, Donny Lia’s Huntington Honda #18, Young and Chuck Steuer’s Savin #11x followed. Yellow flew again as Denniston and Rusty Turbush’s S.N. Blydenburgh Custom Interiors #17x collided on lap 23. On the restart, yellow flew immediately as Tom Roger’s Riverhead Auto Mall #6 stopped in turn 2 with a flat after contact with another car. With green out once more, Accardi was right back in front of Park, but on lap 25, Steuer, Mike Andrews, Dave Sapienza and Justin Bonsignore were involved in a crash off turn 4, and yellow was out again. Now at the halfway mark, Accardi led a single file restart, but yellow was out on lap 27 as Denniston spun yet again. Accardi set a good pace after green flew once more, and now Wayne Anderson is looking seriously for a way to pass Park. Chuck Steuer, who put on 4 brand new tires after the lap 25 incident, by lap 37 has worked his way up to 10^th spot, just as Anderson sees and opening and passes Park for 2^nd. 2 laps later, Chris Young spins in turn 1, and 3 other cars pile in, bringing out the yellow, and erasing a 12 car length lead built by Accardi. On what would turn out to be the final restart, Accardi took off with Anderson right on his bumper. Anderson was looking high and low for a way to pass, but Accardi held his line, and had just enough power and tires left to hold off Anderson’s bid for the win, giving Accardi his second career victory and first extra distance win.

News and Notes: As stated earlier, it was very chilly, getting even worse after sundown, but the show once again finished on the early side, and warmth awaited all in different places…Only 20 Mods on hand, thanks to addition of Donnie Lia, Dave Roys, and Mike Andrews making appearances for the time trial race…No consi races needed in any divisions, sadly a “first time in a long time thing” for my memory…a lot of wrecked equipment in Mods, not a good thing. Dave Sapienza suffered worst, but still his crew got him back out to finish the 50 lapper, cheers to those hard workers…It was Jimmy Anderson’s last night on the back gate at Riverhead, as he’s heading for retirement down South, and we, along with many others, wish him well…Noticed Jeff Bressler’s got a new hair style, though he may have secretly enlisted in the Marines, who knows?…Good Night for Mike Schwarz #14 Charger, after being severely damaged only a few weeks ago, and putting on a really strong performance in tonight’s win, you know that team did some serious hard work to get that car right this soon afterwards…Very quiet Turn 1 Cowboys tonight, guess they aren’t as animated in the cold...anyone else notice the new “off turn 4” crew tonight?…That’s about it for this week, don’t forget next weekend’s two days of racing, regular divisions on Saturday night and Enduro-mania on Sunday…until then, live well, and be safe.