Riverhead Raceway promoters Barbara and Jim Cromarty will
make history this Sunday when they allow Calverton, New York’s
Chris Young to compete in the legends car class at their Long
Island speedway, the only running track on Long Island. Young is
a 15-year-old legends car racer who began in the class at the
end of the 2008, competing in the Winter Heat Series at Lowe’s
Motor Speedway in North Carolina.
For years Riverhead’s policy has been that no racer under the
age of 16 would be allowed to compete. Upon review of Young’s
success racing legends cars over the winter, the Cromartys
revised the policy so that Young and other legends car racers
could compete at Riverhead at the age of 15 as long as they have
an INEX driver’s license. INEX is the primary sanctioning body
of legends car racing throughout the country.
The rule revision will give Young and other 15-year-old racers
the opportunity to race against the Northeast region’s best
legends car racers at the Long Island speedway this season.
“This is awesome, I am so excited this door has been opened,”
says Chris, who already has one 2009 legends car win to his
credit at Orlando Speedworld. “I grew up at this race track and
now I have been given the opportunity to be the first driver
younger than 16 to compete here. I am so proud and humbled to
make history with Barbara and Jim Cromarty.
“In appreciation for this honor I have set some goals. First and
foremost I want to get as many of my friends and peers to be a
part of history by coming to Riverhead Raceway to cheer me on as
I attempt to qualify for the feature. Second is to qualify, and
third is to finish the race. I have to thank Mr. and Mrs.
Cromarty again for this awesome opportunity.”
Young, the son of Riverhead asphalt modified standout Chris
Young, had no racing experience prior to his legends car start
in December 2008 in a Kyle Beattie Racing No. 49 at Lowe’s Motor
Speedway’s one-fifth-mile oval. While under the guidance and
leadership of the Team Full Throttle Driver Development Program
– which, ironically, is co-owned by former Riverhead announcer
Mike Calinoff – Chris made strides throughout the winter at
Lowe’s. Young went to Florida in February for the Legends Car
Winternationals at Orlando and put together a terrific week of
racing, capped by an exciting feature win over late model
stock-car veteran and former NASCAR Camping World Truck Series
starter Chrissy Wallace.
Young’s progress over the winter while racing in the South
certainly played a role in Riverhead allowing him to compete at
their speedway this season. He’ll be out to prove to the
Cromartys that they made the right decision when he takes to the
Riverhead track for the first time this Sunday.
Chris Young is a 15-year-old legends car racer. He’s been around
racing his entire life watching his father, Chris, compete and
win races at Riverhead. Chris recently began driving himself. He
hopes to gain experience in the legends cars before making a
move up the racing ladder.
Chris is a member of the Team Full Throttle NASCAR Driver
Development Program and is represented by Driver Development
Services, Inc., Charlotte, N.C.
Team Full Throttle is a Mooresville, N.C., based driver
development program that specializes in all areas of personal
and professional development, including leadership, teamwork,
and communications as well as marketing, promotion, and on-track
driving skills. TFT currently comprises over 30 racers who
reside and race in all regions of the country.
For more information on Chris Young or Team Full Throttle, visit
www.goteamfullthrottle.com or contact 704-664-1755.
Source: Keith
Shampine / Team Full Throttle
Posted:
April 27, 2009
