On a day where the forecast had fans and racers alike looking
up at the sky hoping the 30% chance of rain would hold off long
enough to get the racing in, what a good night of racing it was.
On schedule for a week-delayed opening night were a 30 lap
double point time trialed Charger race, a double point Super Pro
Truck race, Legends, Blunderbusts, Modifieds, Grand Enduros, and
the World Famous Figure-8’s.
The Chargers were the first cars to roll out onto the track for
their time trials. The Carpet Express #8 of Dan Turbush would
set fast time, followed by the defending Charger champion in the
Bill Lyons Equipment #81 of Chris Turbush. The Gershow Recycling
#89x of Chris McGuire would follow him and place third, Jeremy
McDermott brought the Sandy Shore Building #5 into fourth.
Rounding out the top 5 was yet another Turbush family member in
the Chargers, Rusty Turbush in the Lolly’s Hut #17x.
After the Chargers time trials, the Legends took to the track
for 2 heat races. In the first heat “Wild Bill” Hiscock would
start on the pole along side the Titan Global Security #43 of
Joe Sedotto. At the drop of the green Wild Bill would take the
lead followed quickly by Silas Hiscock Sr. in the #7 as he
passed Sedotto for second on lap 1. By lap three, Hiscock Sr.
caught and passed Wild Bill Hiscock for first. A lap after that,
the Eveready Motorsports #94 of Tony Naglieri would pass the #8
of John Gloor IV for third, and following him was the Nowak
Racing #53 of Kevin Nowak who would pass Gloor for fourth. Wild
Bill Hiscock would get a little off pace and would fall back to
sixth putting Naglieri to second, Nowak to third and Gloor to
fourth. That’s how they finished with Silas Hiscock Sr. taking
first, Naglieri second, Nowak third, and Gloor fourth. The
second Legend heat would have the Cacioppo Racing #44 of Anthony
Cacioppo on the pole with the Extreme Design & Graphic
Enterprises #92 of Bryan Johnson on the outside. At the drop of
the green, the Oval Speed Unlimited #27 of Tom Sherman would
jump to second. Cacioppo would spin in turn four on lap three,
allowing Sherman to grab the lead. Sherman would hold on to take
the win followed by the Plycon Van Lines/Plycar of James Pape
Jr. in the #18 and Bryan Johnson in the #92.
The Legend feature was next up with 22 cars on the track to take
the green. “Wild Bill” Hiscock would start on the pole with
Bryan Johnson in the Extreme Design & Graphic Enterprises #92 on
the outside. At the drop of the green, Wild Bill shot out to the
lead followed by Silas Hiscock Sr. who made a move on Bryan
Johnson for second on lap 2. The first caution of the season
would come out on lap 3 when the Titan Global Security #43 of
Joe Sedotto spun on the frontstretch. The restart would have
Wild Bill grabbing the early lead with the Eveready Motorsports
#94 of Tony Naglieri passing Hiscock Sr. for second. On the
following lap, Naglieri would take the lead, diving to the
inside on lap four off turn two. The Oval Speed Unlimited #27 of
Tom Sherman would take the second spot from Wild Bill on lap
five. The second caution would come on lap six closing the gap
between Naglieri and Sherman. Naglieri and Sherman would battle
for the lead while passing going on behind them would bring the
#53 of Kevin Nowak to third on lap 9 and the Snap-On defending
champion #15 of Timmy Solomito to fourth. Silas Hiscock Jr.
would bring out the last caution of the race as he spun in turn
four on lap 13. Off the restart Sherman was all over the rear
bumper of Naglieri. With the laps quickly going by, Sherman
looked to make a move on the last lap diving low to the inside
coming off turn four, and the two ran side by side off the
fourth turn. Naglieri would take down the close win, followed by
Sherman, Nowak, Tom Rogers Jr., and the Automatic Printing &
Mailing Services #88 of John Beatty.
The Super Pro Trucks had 17 trucks ready to kick off the 2009
season with a double point feature event. The Joseph Daleo
Contracting #28 of Anthony Daleo would start on the pole with
Anthony Vecchio on the outside. At the drop of the green, the
JYD Enterprises #2x of John Denniston would take over the lead
going into turn 3. Following him was the Wesemann's Sand And
Mason Supply #5 of Frank Dumicich passing Daleo for second on
lap 2. The first caution of the race would come out as Vecchio
would spin coming off turn two. There was no caution for the
initial spin, but as Vecchio went to turn around the Teddy Bear
Graphics T-Shirts & Novelties #42 of fourth place Frank Dumicich
Jr. went low to avoid him and Vecchio made heavy contact with
the right front side of Dumicich’s truck. Dumicich Jr. would pit
and make it back out before the restart. Denniston would jump
out to the lead on the restart with two Dumicich’s behind him,
Dumicich Sr. and Erin Dumicich in her Tonino's Pizza #95. On lap
12, the Hollis Court Collision #66 of Mike Albasini made a move
coming off turn four to get by the Nelson's Auto Salvage #97 of
“Dangerous” Dave Koenig for third. The Marcello Masonry #88 of
Dan Turbush would follow Albasini a little later, passing Koenig
for fourth on lap 17. After contact with Albasini the third
place truck of Erin Dumicich would go spinning in turn four on
lap 18, brining out the caution. The restart would be a
green-white-checker and the man who led all the laps would take
the emotional win., followed by Frank Dumicich Sr. in second,
Mike Albasini in third, Dan Turbush in fourth, and Dave Koenig
rounding out the top five.
The Blunderbusts were next to hit the track 18 cars strong to
kick off the ‘09 season. The #77 of Timmy Mulqueen was on the
pole with the freshly painted blue #6 of Scott Sepe on the
outside. After a bad start, the Centereach Transmissions #64 of
Ray Shannon and the Crackerjack Auto Supply #79 ended up in the
turn four wall. Both would remain on the track with minimal
damage to their cars. The green waved again, followed quickly
with the yellow flag. With no laps in the books, officials were
not pleased with the restart. Timmy Mulqueen would be black
flagged and sent to the rear for two jumped starts. That would
bring Sepe to the pole and the Roberts Express Racing #19 of Rob
Bader Jr. to the outside. At the drop of the green Bader and
Sepe were side by side up Bader secured the first spot off turn
two. The Cheesebox Racing #11x of Kevin Rommeney would follow
Bader and pass Sepe on the outside. The defending champion #22
of Scott Maliszewski would take third followed by the Unique
Golf Shop #00 of Tommy Walkowiak. Walkowiak would go to the
inside and pass Maliszewski on lap 6 off turn two. Walkowiak
would get to second passing Rommeney on lap 10 coming off turn
four. Maliszewski would follow Walkowiak passing Rommeney on lap
11. On lap 14, leader Bader Jr., who had a bumper hanging low
for most the race, made contact with the ASI Racewear #04 of
Randy Johnson and his bumper would fall off in turn four.
Walkowiak in second with nowhere to go would run over the bumper
and flatten both left side tires, sending him to the pits. The
green flag would wave followed by a quick yellow for debris in
turn four, which allowed Walkowiak to get back onto to the
track, and after some discussion with an official, to the back
of the field. The restart would see Bader grabbing the lead with
Maliszewski all over his rear bumper. The BAM's Auto Body #32 of
Eddie Mistretta would come to third passing the Lakewood Used
Auto Parts #7 of Tom Sullivan on the inside on lap 19. Bader
would hold on and take his 2nd career win. Second would go to
Maliszewski, third to Eddie Mistretta, Sullivan would finish
fourth, and Rommeney would round out the top five.
The Chargers would be next, set to go thirty laps in their
double point feature race to kick off their 2009 season. The top
6 from time trials had to pick for their starting spots and
after they did the race began with the pole going to the Bill
Lyons Equipment defending champion #81 of Chris Turbush. On the
outside was the Environmental Management Consultants #30 of
Daryn Miller. The green flag would wave followed shortly on lap
2 by a caution for the Teddy Bear Graphics T-Shirts & Novelties
#42 of Frank Dumicich Jr. as he would spin in turn two. The race
would restart and be yellowed flag once again, this time for the
another Dumicich as Erin Dumicich in her Charger debut spun on
the backstretch on lap 6. The race would restart and Chris
Turbush would shoot out to the lead followed by the Carpet
Express #8 of Dan Turbush who would pass Daryn Miller on lap 6
for second. The third yellow flag would come out on lap 6 as the
#6 of Wes Zaleski would spin in turn two. The restart would be
cautioned after being jumped by Dan Turbush. The ensuing restart
would see Dan Turbush come to the lead. With Dan in the lead,
son Chris Turbush would try for a pass on the outside and side
by side they would race. With great clean side by side racing
going on between the top two cars, the Gershow Recycling #89x of
Chris McGuire would come to third passing Miller on lap 11. The
caution would come out on lap 13 as Rusty Turbush spun in turn
two. When the green dropped Dan and Chris Turbush went back at
it and were side by side. Chris McGuire had caught up to them
and on lap 24 was all over the bumpers over both Turbush’s.
Finally, after 13 laps of father and son side by side racing,
Chris Turbush pulled out ahead with Dan Turbush following in
second. That’s how they would finish with Chris Turbush taking
the win followed by Dan Turbush in second. McGuire would finish
third, McDermott had a strong and finish fourth as did Darren
Miller would rounded out the top five.
The Modifieds were ready to take to the track for their 35 lap
feature event, 15 cars were on hand to take the green. On the
pole would be former 2-time champion at Riverhead Raceway in the
SGS Stoneworks #84 for John Fortin, on the outside would be the
Brunnhoelzl Motorsports #8x for Eddie Brunnhoelzl III. The green
flag would wave followed immediately by a yellow as the
Freightliner Trucks #96 of Howie Brode got into the wall in turn
one. The race would restart and after a lap of side by side
racing, Fortin would grab the lead. On lap 3, the Riverhead
Building Supply #49 of Chris Young would make a move and take
the second spot coming off turn four. Following him was the
Savin #11 of Chuck Steuer moving into third. The #3 of Mike
Andrews Jr. would bring out the yellow flag on lap 7 as he went
for a spin in turn four. The race would restart with Fortin
leading, Young in second, Steuer in third, the Smithtown Nissan
#20 of Bill Park in fourth, and the WPW Growers #98x of Dave
Brigati in fifth. Fortin grabbed the lead and had a big lead up
until another caution on lap 31 for the Lakeland Landscaping
Supply #26 of Gary McDonald, as he stalled in between turns 1
and 2. The restart would be how they finished with Fortin
grabbing his 18th career win. Second belonged to Chris Young,
third was Chuck Steuer, fourth belonged to Bill Park and
rounding out the top five was Dave Brigati.
The Grand Enduro were next on the track, one of the many
Saturday shows for the Enduros this season. With 23 Grands on
hand taking the green, on the pole was the CJ Motorsports #92 of
Jimmy Dennis on the outside of him was the #10 of Tom Slee. At
the drop of the green Slee would grab the lead around Dennis off
turn 4. Mike Retus in the #51 would follow Slee and get around
Dennis. The #12 of Greg Zaleski would pass Dennis on lap 10 and
on lap 11, after Retus got off the pace Zaleski would move into
second. The #16 of Ray Fitzgerald would come into the second
spot after passing Zaleski on the outside on lap 14. Zaleski and
the #32 would get together and make contact with the turn one
wall causing the #32 to lose a tire that would slowly roll to
infield. Slee and Fitzgerald approached heavy lapped traffic and
Fitzgerald made a move on the inside on lap 22 off turn four as
Slee got caught behind a slower car. That’s how they’d finish
with Fitzgerald getting his 50th win, Slee holding on for
second, and Jimmy White finishing 3rd.
The Figure 8’s were last out onto the track with 13 cars set to
go 20 laps. Starting on the pole the Mike's Auto Service #13 for
Mike Mujsce Sr. Alongside him on the outside was the Anthony's
Custom Carpets #16 of Will Farrell. At the drop of the green
Mujsce would grab the lead up until the first caution which came
on lap 1 for the #66 rookie driver John Vullo Jr. Vullo had a
very hard hit into the wall in turn one after a brake failure.
He climbed out of the car and appeared to be alright. After the
clean up of that accident the green flag waved once again and
once again Mujsce jumped out to the lead followed by Farrell and
Arne Pederson in the #34. The Barrasso & Sons Mason Supply #28
of Roger Maynor would go around Pederson on lap 6 and then
around Farrell two laps later on lap 8. After an apparent minor
collision in the X on lap 15 the Cheesebox Racing #11 of Mike
Rommeney went spinning bringing out the yellow. The restart
would have Mujsce trying to hold off Maynor who was going for
his 94th career win. Maynor got to the inside and made his move
on lap 18 in turn one passing Mujsce and taking down the win.
Mujsce finished second, Pederson placed third, Slim Jim
Donaldson took fourth and rounding out the top five was Kenny
Hyde.
EXTRA:
Buzzy Eriksen in the #68 and Mike Coll in the sponsor wanted #61
were out for practice in their Late Models in preparation for
the 50 lap double point time trial show next week.
Chris Young, the 15-year-old history-making Legend driver had a
good race and finished thirteenth in his first race at Riverhead
Raceway.
Amber Fortin took her first laps in a Modified feature and
finished 12th. Another young driver, 2008 Legend champion Timmy
Solomito drove Dave Brigati’s backup Modified and finished 10th.
Source: Ryan McGrellis/LongIslandJam.com
Posted: May
9, 2009
