Riverhead Raceway will race into the 2009 season in a big way
on the weekend of May 2nd and 3rd as Barbara and Jim Cromarty
will kick off the 58th season of racing at the quarter mile
facility. Saturday evening May 2nd will feature the NASCAR
Whelen All-American Series stock cars while Sunday May 3rd will
find a matinee program that includes Legend and Enduro racing.
After a long winter of waiting and two pre-season practice days
it will be time to get down to business for real for competitors
in six divisions of the NASCAR Whelen All-American Series. As
has been the case for decades on Long Island the mighty NASCAR
Modifieds will be the premier division weekly and be joined by
the Late Models, Figure Eights, Chargers, Blunderbusts and Super
Pro Trucks on opening night.
It is expected that all the 2008 champions from the six classes
will be in the field for the opener headed-up by four time
defending NASCAR Modified champion Bill Park of Manorville. If
Park can secure his third straight crown he'd equal the amazing
fete of five track titles with three legendary names in Long
Island racing, Charlie Jarzombek, Wayne Anderson and Don Howe.
Tom Rogers Jr. of Patchogue will be on hand to start his Late
Model title defense as will 2008 Figure Eight champion Roger
Maynor of Bay Shore. For Maynor if the cards fall right he could
possibly win his 100th career main event during the 2009
campaign.
Chris Turbush of Riverhead will be ready on May 2nd to start his
Charger championship defense as will 2008 Blunderbust champion
Scott Maliszewski of Deer Park and Lou Maestri also of Deer
Park, the 2008 Super Pro Truck champion.
For the opening day activities only on May 2nd the pit gate will
open at 10:00 am Saturday to assign parking spots with warm-ups
at 2:00 pm, heats races at 4:30 pm and for 2009 all the feature
event racing will commence at 6:00 pm.
Just over 12 hours later Riverhead Raceway will swing back into
action Sunday May 3rd with a 20-lap Legend Race Car feature
joining a full slate of Enduro action. "The Natural" Timmy
Solomito of Islip will begin his title defense with what he
hopes to be an opening day victory.
On the Enduro side of the program once again in 2009 the Grand
Enduro division will take center stage and be joined by the
8-Cylinder, 6-Cylinder, 4/6-Cylinder and 4-Cylinder Enduro
racers, with all classes racing more stand alone events on
Saturday night as well in 2009.
With John Cozza of Medford retiring the 2009 Grand Enduro crown
will be up for grabs but all the other 2008 champs are expected
to return. Dege Russell of Rocky Point (8-Cyl.), Shawn Wanat of
Riverhead (6-Cyl.), Donald "Woot" Lawrence of Hampton Bays
(4/6-Cyl. Trucks) and Bob Haeger of Hampton Bays (4-Cyl.) will
be ready to race for their second straight crown starting Sunday
May 3rd.
Also set to debut on Sunday May 3rd will be the first of many
Car Rollover Contests along with the wildly popular One on One
Spectator Drags.
Sunday May 3rd will find a 10:00 am opening of the pit gates,
with racing to start at 12:30 pm.
If you're seeking affordable and fun family entertainment for
the spring and summer of 2009 look no further than Riverhead
Raceway starting with the 2009 opening weekend Saturday May 2nd
and Sunday May 3rd. To download the exciting 2009 schedule of
events please log onto
www.riverheadraceway.com. To contact the track office
live please dial 631-842-RACE.
Source: Bob Finan /
Riverhead Raceway
Posted:
April 20, 2009
