A Very Full
Program Delights a Large Sunday Crowd
by Walter Johnston
A very full program of racing events took place at Riverhead Raceway
as the Sunday Show concluded a weekend double-header of racing at the ¼ mile
track. It was a great day for some drivers, and as you would expect, not so
great for others. It was run off with as much efficiency as possible and
under warm sunny skies in front of one of the biggest crowds I’ve seen at a
Sunday race event in some time.
The Super Pro Trucks started the program off, with Matt Odwazny’s
Sponsors Wanted #32 on the pole, and Lightnin’ Lou Maestri’s Schwing
Electrical Supply #1 to his outside. Maestri jumped right into the lead at
the start, as Frank Dumicich Sr’s Wesemann’s Sand & Mason Supply #5 and
Danny Grennan’s PCHS Race Engines/Sponsors NEEDED #38 came to second and
third. Odwazny spun coming off turn 2, causing the yellow to fly on lap 2.
On the restart, Maestri got out in front of Dumicich Sr, as Grennan passed
him to takeover second spot, while Mike Albasini’s NY Metro Peterbilt #66
ran fourth, and Dave Koenig’s Nelson’s Auto Salvage #97 was fifth. Anthony
Daleo’s Joseph Daleo Contracting #31 spun onto the apron in turn 4, and
yellow was out again. On the restart, Maestri and Grennan ran side by side,
as Albasini came up to third, but Kathleen Hallock’s SPONSORS WANTED #94
spun in turn 4, and Daleo hit the wall, breaking his right front suspension,
and yellow was out once more. Grennan was paced on the pole for the restart,
and Maestri outside, but as the green came out, Grennan took off, with
Albasini getting along side Maestri to try and take second, but Maestri
fought off the challenge, as Wayne Meyer’s VanBrunt Plumbing & Heating #41
moved up into third, as Koenig took over fourth. Grennan now was comfortably
out front, with Maestri in pursuit, and Meyer right on Maestri’s tailgate.
Meyer found a way around Maestri on lap 15, moving up to second, but Grennan
had a 5 trunk length lead at this point, and no one was going to catch him,
as the top 3 left all others behind, and Grennan went on to victory. He
explained in Victory Lane that his team really needs a sponsor, specifically
for tires, if they are going to be able to continue to run the rest of the
season. If you’re interested helping out, get in contact with them at the
track.
Next up was the Spectator Drags, which after a ten car elimination
competition, left Don Caracitti and Marty Johnson to duke it out for the
trophy and bragging rights. In a hotly contested two lap duel, Caracitti
held off Johnson to take the victory.
Now it was time for the Grand Enduros to have their fun. 19 cars
entered to run the 50 lap feature, with Charlie Lutz on the pole, and Bob
Baker to his outside. At the drop of the green, Baker jumped into the lead,
as Greg Zaleski quickly moved into second, and James Charrier moved into
third. Zaleski wasted no time in his march tro the front, taking the lead
from Baker on lap 3, while Ray Fitzgerald was moving up to takeover fourth
spot on lap 6. Fitzgerald, with some masterful driving, worked his way to
second by lap 8, but Zaleski had a 12 car length lead at that point, and
Fitzgerald had his work cut out for him. In 2 laps, because Zaleski was
mired in lapped traffic, Fitzgerald caught right up to him, but couldn’t
find a way by. At lap 15, Fitzgerald found a way under Zaleski and passed
him coming off turn 2 to takeover the lead. Meanwhile, Bobby Pease and John
Cozza were battling for fourth spot when they came together and spun going
into turn 1. Cozza recovered and continued quickly, but Pease didn’t get
going again until he was a lap down. By this point, lap 25, Fitzgerald has
built a tremendous lead over Zaleski, while Cozza has come to third and is
closing in to battle for second. Fitzgerald gets mired in lapped traffic,
but works his way through nicely as Zaleski and Cozza, who caught up to
Zaleski’s rear bumper by lap 28, are now locked in a battle for second.
Zaleski holds Cozza off until lap 41, when Cozza gets by to take second, but
Fitzgerald is totally dominating the race at this point. Disaster strikes
Cozza at the 2 to go signal, as a tire goes flat on his #59, and Zaleski
takes second back just before the checkers wave over Fitzgerald, who
collected his second win of the season in the event.
In the 4/6-cylinder Truck race, James Badalato held off the competition
in a hard fought victory after battling his way past early leader Anthony
Vecchio, and holding off challenges from Woot Lawrence to take the hard
earned victory. Jeff Gregor, Russ Jansen, and Andy “Daddy Cool” Owen rounded
out the top 5 finishers.
In the first 8-Cylinder Enduro, 56 cars battled for 75 Laps, with Ed
Brown Jr. emerging victorious after passing early leader Robin Schewire, who
finished second. Dege Russell, Dominic Ranieri Jr. and Walter B. Stroud
rounded out the top 5 in this hard fought contest.
In the Blindfold Taxi Race, the team of Tom Ketcham Sr. & Jr. outlasted
the other three teams to (almost) see their way to Victory Lane.
In the 6-Cylinder Enduro, Jason Boeklen took the lead at the start,
never to look back as he held off 2nd place finisher Gene Burbol, as Jared
Morrison, Jamie Curtis and Phillip Cornell rounded out the top 5 finishers.
In the 4-Cylinder event, Woot Lawrence worked his way to the front
quickly, and held off the advances of Shawn Wanat, who got the lead on lap
39, but Lawrence wouldn’t give up, and passed Wanat going into turn 3 of the
final lap to take the victory, as Mike Mortimer, Rob McCormick and Kyle
Wright rounded out the top 5 in this very exciting race.
Last on the card for the day, the non-points second 8-Cylinder race. 26
cars entered this 50 lapper where Robin Schewire took the early lead.
Schewire was about to dominate the race when contact in the event bent his
hood and pushed in his right front fender, causing it to rub on his tire,
which slowed him enough that Ed Brown Jr., winner of the first 8-Cylinder
Enduro, was able to catch and pass Schewire for the lead on lap 36, going
onto Brown’s second victory of the day, while Schewire would settle for his
second second place finish, as Dominic Ranieri Jr. (fourth place in the
first 8-cylinder race), Anthony Pizzo and James White rounded out the top 5
finishers just a little past 5 PM.
News and Notes: Bob Haeger, whose hood popped open during his
4-Cylinder run, told me later he looked through a small hole in the hood
until he was able to get another driver to pin the hood back down during a
quick infield pause…A good overall turnout of competitors for this second
Sunday event of the season, no doubt tied to the nice weather… also a decent
crowd in the stands, again due to the nice day… cars were teched for
anti-freeze content before the races, forcing some to drain the cooling
system and go through tech again, but at least no ‘slippery track ‘ problems
developed later when cars lost water for various reasons… track officials
stretched a bit thin, as some were off for the holiday weekend to other
endeavors, but those remaining did an excellent job of moving the events
along smoothly…a big thanks to Christine Healey for providing LI Jam (Me)
with all the info so we can at least try to get the story out to you, the
fans. Without Christine’s ‘scorecard’ of names, I wouldn’t be able to
identify half the cars in most enduros. She is invaluable to our effort,
each and every event. I just thought you should all know. Until next weeks
report, live well, be safe, and thank any and all Veterans you see this
week.
Source: Walter
Johnston/LongIslandJam.com
Posted:
May 27, 2007
