Mike Andrews Jr. of Ridge got his 2009 NASCAR Modified season
back on track Saturday evening at Riverhead Raceway when he
topped the 35-lap feature event. The first two races of the new
season found Andrews plagued with mechanical woes, but this past
week everything fell into place for Mike to earn his 9th career
victory.
Quickly form the pole Andrews raced out front with Bill Park,
and Justin Bonsignore to settle into second and third. With a
spell of green flag racing Andrews built a cushion up front,
while Park and Bonsignore raced in close quarters. Then came a
couple of quick cautions for minor spins that set-up two double
file restarts and on both occasions Bonsignore tried to sneak
under second place Park by riding the rear spoiler of Andrews
but both times Park was able to thwart the effort.
On lap 23 the fight for second got too close in turn two s while
lapping a slower car Park and Bonsignore had contact with Bill
spinning and Justin sent to the rear for aggressive driving.
That moved Chris Young from fourth to second and when the green
waved once again he mirrored leader Andrews for the remaining
but close would be as good as it would get.
At the finish it was Mike Andrews Jr. going wire to wire for the
win steering the Jessup Landscaping Chevy. "We had a rough first
two races mechanically," offered a relived Andrews, "I can't
thank Joey & Debbie Ambrose and this team for never quitting,
even in the worst of circumstances"
Chris Young of Calverton was second in the Riverhead Building
Supply Chevy, while John Fortin of Holtsville was third in the
SGS Stone Works Chevy. Chuck Steuer of Bohemia and Rusty Turbush
of Manorville completed the top five.
Peter "Buzzy" Eriksen of Baldwin erased a five-year dry spell
when he won the 25-lap Late Model main event for his 42nd career
win and first since August 28th of 2004. Shawn Patrick set the
early pace of the race with Chris LaSpisa in tow for the first
circuit until Eriksen moved by on lap two. "Buzzy" wasted very
few laps before making his presence known to leader Patrick as
he made an inside bid for the top spot payoff exiting turn two
on the 6th lap. Once in command Eriksen was able to stretch out
his lead in the race, which went green to checker with no
yellows, while LaSpisa chased Patrick for second, before Kevin
Metzger pressured LaSpisa for third. At the checker it was the
Harley Davidson of Nassau County entry of Peter Eriksen crossing
the stripe first and when reminded in victory lane of how long
it's been "Buzzy" joked, "don't remind me" Shawn Patrick of
Brightwaters drove home second in the Meade's Welding backed
entry, while Kevin Metzger of Massapequa placed third in the V&J
Auto Body Chevy after passing LaSpisa late in the going.
Chris McGuire of Shirley was tops in the 20-lap Charger feature
event contest notching his 8th career trip to victory lane.
Frank Scimeca Jr. broke out front at the throw of the green
chased at first by Tom Anderson for two laps before McGuire
overtook him for second on lap 3. For five laps Chris would work
on taking the lead away from Frank which he did with an inside
pass racing down the backstretch entering turn three, with
Scimeca now settling into second. Once in the lead Chris McGuire
was able to open up some breathing room in his Long Island Fiber
Exchange Ford, while defending champion Chris Turbush was
roaring through the field after pitting for two front flat tires
after an early race skirmish. Turbush passed Scimeca for second
at the two to go signal but there would be no catching Chris
McGuire with just a half a mile remaining in the tilt. Following
Chris McGuire at the finish would be Chris Turbush in the
Melville Snow Contracting Pontiac, while Frank Scimeca Jr. of
Bay Shore had a solid race with a third in the Milburn Flooring
machine.
Defending Super Pro Truck champion Lou Maestri of Deer Park
scored his first win of the '09 campaign as he bested the 20-lap
main event. Shaun Gouldsbury raced into the race lead early on
chased by the daughter and father tandem of Erin & Frank
Dumicich Sr. for the first quarter of the race before Lou
Maestri raced to second on lap 6. Once to second Lou made his
move on Gouldsbury quickly passing Shaun on lap 8 for the lead,
with Roger Turbush and Danny Grennan in hot pursuit as well.
Turbush was riding the tailgate of Maestri and appeared ready to
make a bid for the lead, but Grennan started to pressure Turbush
for second and that allowed Lou some breathing room, not much
but some. The second half of the race indeed was intense as a
blanket could have covered all three trucks but in the end it
was Lou Maestri driving the 5-Star Kennels Chevy to his 19th
career triumph. Roger Turbush of Riverhead was runner-up in the
Marcello Masonry GMC, while Danny Grennan of Glen Cove was third
in the PCHS Engines Silverado.
In the 12-lap School Bus Figure Eight race Michael "Cheesebox"
Rommeney of Maspeth topped the field by breaking away from the
field early on. Only problem in School Bus Figure Eight racing
is when you build such a commanding lead you'll then have to
deal with criss-crossing traffic at the "X" and there was plenty
of that in this contest. However the driver of the C&A Auto
Parts bus would skillfully negotiate the intersection and drive
to victory.
Ever Garcia of Levittown got his sophomore season of Demolition
Derby competition off to a great start as he won the 4-Cylinder
Demolition Derby. Garcia in the Timmy's Towing mount outlasted
Jimmy "The Kid" White Jr. of Southampton for the win. White was
named Judge's Choice. George Astacio of Shirley took home Fan's
Choice honors.
NASCAR Modifieds 35-laps: 1, Mike Andrews Jr. 2. Chris Young 3.
John Fortin 4. Chuck Steuer 5. Rusty Turbush 6. J.R. Bertuccio
7. Wayne Anderson 8. Bill Park 9. Dave Brigati 10. Justin
Bonsignore 11. Marisa Neiderauer 12. Tom Rogers Jr. 13. Timmy
Solomito 14. Tony Anello 15. Amber Fortin 16. John Beatty
Late Models 25-laps: 1. Peter Eriksen 2. Shawn Patrick 3. Kevin
Metzger 4. Chris LaSpisa 5. Mike Bologna 6. Roger Oxee 7. Scott
Kulesa 8. Tom Rogers Jr. 9. Mike Coll 10. Doug Renalds 11. Artie
Pedersen
Chargers 20-laps: 1. Chris McGuire 2. Chris Turbush 3. Frank
Scimeca Jr. 4. Tom Anderson 5. Jerry Solomito 6. Jeremy
McDermott 7. Daryn Miller 8. Frank Dumicich Jr. 9. Jay Henschel
10. Peter Cataldo 11. Daryl Baker 12. Dan Turbush 13. Allen
Reeves 14. Kory Comiskey 15. Erin Dumicich 16. Chris Frabizio
17. Garrett Frabizio
Super Pro Trucks 20-laps: 1. Lou Maestri 2. Roger Turbush 3.
Danny Grennan 4. Rob McCormick 5. Frank Dumicich Sr. 6. Frank
Dumicich Jr. 7. Greg Podlaski 8. Kathleen Hallock 9. Mike
Albasini 10. Bryan Quilliam 11. Chris Turbush 12. Anthony
Vecchio 13. John Denniston 14. Erin Dumicich 15. Shaun
Gouldsbury 16. Dave Koenig 17. Anthony Daleo
School Bus Figure Eights 12-laps: Winner- Michael Rommeney
4-Cylinder Demolition Derby: Winner- Ever Garcia Judge's Choice-
Jimmy White Jr. Fan's Choice- George Astacio
Source: Bob Finan /
Riverhead Raceway
Posted: May
23, 2009
