With opening weekend literally right on top
of us, many teams are busy preparing cars, firming up
sponsorship deals, and finalizing plans for the season. This
will be the final installment of Offseason News & Notes, as it
is expected that news of importance will be included in each
week’s report throughout the course of the season. Anyone who
has news that they would like to share is encouraged to send it
to me at
tchirico@longislandjam.com.
Clarifying Rules and Procedures
For those who are not aware, a few changes have been
announced for the 2008 season. One includes the implementation
of a new tire testing procedure aimed at leveling the playing
field by policing the illegal chemical treatment of tires.
Another is the announcement that metric chassis front clips and
parts will be permitted in the Charger and Super Pro Truck
classes, with limited use of parts in the Blunderbusts. O-K
Chassis, a joint effort between Wayne Okula and Greg Kleila,
will be the official distributor. Full details on both of these
issues can be found on the front page of LongIslandJam.com.
Also, co-chief stewards Mike Cappiello and
Jim Maggio informed me that for the Grand Enduros ONLY, one-way
scanners used for receiver purposes will be allowed in 2008.
They need to be capable of receiving the track frequency at
461.200.
Busy Bader
The 2007 Blunderbust Rookie of the Year runner-up was
frustrated, to say the least, when he suffered engine issues
that threatened to take him out of competition for the season
during the first week of preseason practice. But Rob Bader has
earned himself the reputation of being a “Comeback Kid” of
sorts, and he refused to let the problem ruin his season. Over
the course of the week, Bader purchased the #72 of Tom Stock
and—with help from Tommy Walkowiak and others—was able to get
the motor into his own #19, with time to spare before the second
practice day. Bader let Walkowiak take the car out in one round
of practice, and both Walkowiak and Bader turned out pretty
impressive runs. The remains of Stock’s car (everything minus
the motor) are for sale; anyone who is interested can see Rob at
the track or contact him through the RacerHub forums (RacinRob).
Bader has also informed LongIslandJam.com
that he will be promoting his “Pit Stop Cancer” program with
decals. The decals will be available at Bader’s pit stall. By
making a $10 donation, you can get a decal and be part of this
effort.
Legends Here, Legends There
The Legends Cars division had a very impressive turnout at
both practice days—reminiscent of the division’s previous stint
at Riverhead. There was quite the mix of old names and new ones,
and it will undoubtedly be interesting to see what happens when
they mix on the track for their first feature back “home” this
Sunday afternoon.
Some Legends drivers couldn’t wait until
opening day to get some competition laps under their belts.
Kevin Nowak, driver of the #53 Legends car, has made two trips
to Waterford Speedbowl with his “temporary” crew chief,
“DownTown” Brian Brown. Nowak collected an 18th place finish at
Waterford’s opener, and a 14th place finish on April 26th. He,
along with many other Legends drivers, are looking forward to
the start of the season back on the Island.
A Few Final Photos
It was recently announced that LongIslandJam.com
photographer Mike Mercurio has decided to make a major move, and
he will be heading down to North Carolina. Mike’s last day with
us will be May 10th. While we will all miss Mike and the
wonderful photographs he has provided us with week after week,
we wish him the best of luck and much future success.
Want to “Jam” With Us?
With the 2008 season starting, the staff here at
LongIslandJam.com is looking forward to once again providing
some exciting coverage of the season at Riverhead Raceway. In
order to bring the best possible coverage, we are reaching out
to the racing community for some volunteers to help bring the
news to you in both written words and pictures. We are currently
seeking both photographers and reporters for Saturday nights, as
well as Sundays. If you love racing, have a desire to write or
take pictures, and are in good standing in the racing community,
we’d love to talk to you! Anyone who is interested in these
exciting opportunities to promote Long Island racing can contact
jackley@longislandjam.com.
In addition, LongIslandJam.com is seeking
some volunteers to assist with the weekly Top Five contests for
all divisions. The popularity of these contests is evident, and
LongIslandJam.com would like to keep all of the fans happy with
timely results. This year, those people who volunteer their time
and efforts will still be eligible to receive prizes for their
efforts. Anyone who is interested should contact
jackley@longislandjam.com.
A NEET Idea
It has been posted on the forums that the Northeast Enduro
Touring Series (NEETS) has plans in the works for a 2008 season
at White Lake. In addition, promoters Joe Cutri and Erin Bartley
have announced that they are in discussions for a NEETS race to
be held at Grandview Speedway, with a date to be announced. Keep
your eyes on the forums for further details.
Another Trip Over to the Mountain
Just a reminder, the next race for the Mountain Madness
Enduro Series will be held on May 18th. There will be a
4-cylinder race, a 6/8-cylinder race and a Trophy Truck event.
There are currently two Long Island drivers in the top 10 in
points in the 6/8-cylinder division, and four in the top 10 in
the 4-cylinder class. The last two Trophy Truck races have drawn
a number of competitors from Riverhead as well, though points
are not tallied for the class.
On May 18th, Mountain will also present an
all-female Enduro, open to any female who has not raced in any
points race at Mountain Speedway in 2008. Yours truly is still
considering coming out of retirement for the race, and rumor has
it that a few other Long Islanders may do the same!
With that, it’s time to put the offseason to bed and focus on
what looks to be an exciting, jam-packed season at Riverhead. We
look forward to seeing you at the races!Source:
Tracy Chirico/LongIslandJam.com
Posted:
May 2, 2008
