It was a beautiful Saturday afternoon and fans were in for
some great racing at Riverhead Raceway. On hand for the evening
were the Super Pro Trucks, Blunderbusts, 30 lap double point
time-trialed Chargers, Late Models, Modifieds, Figure-8s and a 6
cyl. Enduro.
The Chargers were first out to hit the track for their time
trials. The Bill Lyons Equipment #81 of Chris Turbush set fast
time clocking in at 13.393. The Gershow Recycling #89x of Chris
McGuire got second, the Carpet Express #8 of Dan Turbush was
third, the Leading Edge Fabrication #73 of Brian Doyle qualified
a strong fourth and rounding out the time trial top 5 was the
NoRegrets.com #13 of Garret Frabizio. The Super Pro Trucks also
got to time trial with the P.C.H.S. Racing Engines #38 of Dan
Grennan taking the fastest time, with a time of 13.693. Second
fastest qualifier was the Marcello Masonry #88 of Roger Turbush,
third belonged to the Gershow Recycling #1 of Lou Maestri,
fourth place was the Wesemann's Sand And Mason Supply #5 of
Frank Dumicich. Fifth was grabbed by the JYD Enterprises #2x of
John Denniston and rounding out the top six was the Long Island
Fiber Exchange #72 of Greg Podlaski.
The Super Pro Trucks were first out onto the track 15 trucks
strong for their 20 lap feature. The P.C.H.S. Racing Engines #38
of Dan Grennan was on the pole after setting fast time in time
trials with the Gershow Recycling #1 of Lou Maestri on the
outside. At the drop of the green Grennan shot out to the lead
with Maestri settling into second. The JYD Enterprises #2x of
John Denniston would come to fourth on lap 1, getting inside the
Marcello Masonry #88 of Roger Turbush. Denniston would challenge
for the third spot the Long Island Fiber Exchange #72 of Greg
Podlaski and on lap seven after minor contact in turn four
Denniston would take the spot with Podlaski falling back through
the field. Grennan would build a big lead and take the win, with
Maestri finishing in second, Denniston third, Turbush fourth and
rounding out the top five was the Wesemann's Sand And Mason
Supply #5 of Frank Dumicich.
The Blunderbusts were next out on the track in what was the best
and most exciting race of the night. The sponsor-wanted Sepe
Racing #6 of Scott Sepe would start on the pole with the Craig's
Auto Body #17 of Matt Pepitone on the outside. At the drop of
the green Sepe would grab the lead with Pepitone lingering on
the outside. After Sepe got loose for the second time in turn
two, Pepitone would grab the lead. The #38 of Bill Wegmann would
take second getting inside the Portney Racing #43 of Bill
Portney Sr. The Pickerell Clam #4 of Tom Pickerell would take
third on lap 5 with the Roberts Express Racing #19 of Rob Bader
Jr. following coming to fourth. Pickerell would get inside
Wegmann on lap seven for second and set his sights on Pepitone.
After getting around Bader for third the TS Motorsports #41 of
Terry Stiles would come to second getting inside Wegmann.
Pepitone would open the door for Pickerell getting high off turn
four allowing Pickerell to take the lead off turn four on lap
eight. Stiles and Bader would follow Pickerell getting inside
Pepitone on lap nine and lap ten. A lot of contact in the rear
of the field would send the Crackerjack Auto Supply #79 of Bill
Wegmann to the infield with a flat on lap eleven. Pickerell,
Stiles and Bader would be all over each other looking for any
room to get by. On lap 16 the leaders started to go through
heavy lapped traffic and Stiles looked to make his move for the
lead diving to the inside. Contact got both drivers sideways
with Stiles driving away the leader on lap 19 off turn four.
Bader would dive to the inside going into turn 1 and take second
away from Pickerell on the last lap coming off of turn 2. With
Stiles just a left-hand turn away from his first career win
Bader would get to the inside of him for the lead off turn 4,
and after those three last lap lead changes Bader would walk
away the winner in what may have been the best Blunderbust race
in history. The TS Motorsports #41 of Terry Stiles would finish
a strong second, Pickerell in third and the Unique Golf Shop #00
of Tommy Walkowiak finishing fourth.
The double-point time trialed 30 lap Charger race was next out
onto the track. The Bill Lyons Equipment #81 of Chris Turbush
would start on the pole with the NoRegrets.com
#13 of Garret Frabizio on the outside. The Carpet Express #8 of
Dan Turbush would take second from Frabizio on lap 1 off turn
two. The Gershow Recycling #89x of Chris McGuire would take the
fourth position on lap 4 off turn two getting inside the
Anderson 23 Racing
#23 of Tom Anderson. After both Turbush's distanced themselves
from the field the caution would come out as the Teddy Bear
Graphics #42 of Frank Dumicich Jr. would come to a stop before
hitting the wall in turn 3. The restart would see Chris Turbush
taking the lead with Dan Turbush in second and McGuire getting
to third on lap 7. Turbush would pull out to a good sized lead
with McGuire all over the bumper of Dan Turbush for second. The
caution would fly again on lap 11 for Frabizio as he would spin
high in turn 3. The green would wave once again with Chris
Turbush again grabbing the lead with McGuire getting to the
inside of Dan Turbush for second. The caution would come out
once again for Frank Dumicich Jr. as he would suffer a right
front flat. With no lap completed, McGuire would not be able to
stay in the second position. The restart would see Chris Turbush
once again grabbing the lead and McGuire once again diving to
the inside of Dan Turbush. The yellow would once again come out
as the Whitney's Deli #95 of Erin Dumicich and the NoRegrets.com
#44 of Chris Frabizio would get together on the backstretch. The
#28 of Peter Cataldo would also be involved with his car planted
into the backstretch wall. Cataldo would require an ambulance
visit but walk off the track on his own. The restart still from
lap 10 would see Chris Turbush getting the lead with McGuire
still all over Dan Turbush. Anderson and the Environmental Mgmt.
Consultants #30 of Daryn Miller would race side by side for the
fourth spot and after contact Anderson would take the spot. The
caution would come out once again, for the Sandy Shore Building
#5 of Jeremy McDermott as he went spinning after contact with
the LMR #56 of Jay Henschel. Henschel would be sent to the rear
of the field for rough riding after the incident. The restart
would last for two laps before the caution was out as the
NoRegrets.com #44 of Chris Frabizio would spin off turn four.
The subsequent restart would would also last two laps before the
caution would fly yet again as the Perimeters by RBS #09 of Brad
Van Houten would require a tow to the pits after contact with
the turn one wall. The lap 19 restart would be the last and
Chris Turbush would once again grab the lead. McGuire would also
once again be all over Dan Turbush trying the inside and outside
but Turbush was able to hold him off. Dan Turbush would get a
little too high off turn two allowing McGuire to get a run on
him on lap 25 and finally take second. Anderson in the #23 would
follow McGuire under Turbush to take third on lap 28. Chris
Turbush would take the win, his 16th of his career, McGuire
would show great patience and take a hard sought second, Tom
Anderson with a good run finishing third and Dan Turbush would
hold on for fourth.
The Late Models were next out to the track with the
Sherwin-Williams Paints #51 of Artie Pederson Jr. on the pole
and the LaSpisa Racing #7 of Chris LaSpisa on the outside. At
the drop of the green, Pederson would take the lead until a
caution would come out as Pederson spun in turn 2, in front of
the whole field. Luckily most everyone was able to avoid him,
but the P.C.H.S. Racing Engines #00 of Mike Bologna and LaSpisa
would both sustain damage to their cars. LaSpisa and Bologna
would find themselves up front for the restart, and LaSpisa
would take the lead with Bologna and the Ranco Sand and Stone
#10 of Scott Kulesa racing side by side for the second spot.
After contact Kulesa would take the position on lap 3 and then
take the lead getting inside LaSpisa on lap 4. The Metzger
Racing #23 of Kevin Metzger would follow Kulesa coming to
second. With Kulesa and Metzger pulling out ahead of the field,
the fourth thru seventh place cars would have contact between
them, with the Harley Davidson of Nassau Co. #68 of Buzzy
Eriksen emerging fourth and the Unique Golf Shop #4 of Tom
Rogers Jr. taking fifth. Buzzy and Rogers would soon take third
and fourth after getting inside LaSpisa. The caution would come
out on lap 17 as the #35x driven by Chuck Deon went spinning in
turn 4. The restart saw Kulesa grabbing the lead, but two laps
later Metzger would take it coming off of turn four on lap 19.
The AMC Technology #39 of Roger Oxee and the Sponsor Wanted #61
of Mike Coll would take 5th and 6th getting inside LaSpisa on
lap 22. Metzger would win the race with Kulesa taking second,
Buzzy in third and Rogers in fourth.
The Modifieds were next out to the track with the Eastport Feeds
#15 of Wayne Anderson on the pole and the Smithtown Nissan #20
of Bill Park on the outside. The green flag would see Anderson
and Park side by side for the lead before the yellow would come
out as the sponsor wanted #04 of Amber Fortin and the Perimeters
by RBS #09 of Brad Van Houten would get together on the
backstretch after Houten dove to the infield to avoid the #24 of
Tony Anello who got stuck in the wall. The restart would see
Park taking the lead while a bad restart by Anderson found the
WPW Growers #98x of Dave Brigati taking a spin to avoid him. The
ensuing restart would see Park once again taking the lead with
the Double Diamond Realty #51 of Justin Bonsignore taking second
inside Anderson. The Savin #11x of Chuck Steuer followed
Bonsignore and to take third. Park, Bonsignore and Steuer would
pull away from the rest of the field but the caution would come
out on lap 6 as the #11 driven by Mike Andrews Jr. would
apparently have suspension issues with a front tire and require
a tow into the pits. The restart would once again see Park take
the lead with Bonsignore all over his bumper. The SGS Stoneworks
#84 of John Fortin would come to 5th getting inside the
Riverhead Building Supply #49 of Chris Young on lap 9 off turn
two. Steuer would be all over Bonsignore who was all over Park.
Bonsignore would try one last attempt for the lead on the last
lap, trying the outside off turn two and then the inside off
turn four. Park would hold him off each time and walk away the
winner, with Bonsignore in second, Steuer in third, Anderson in
fourth and Fortin rounding out the top 5.
The Figure 8’s were next up in an action packed race. Eleven
cars would start the race after a disappointed #43 of Mike
Herpst would require a push off the track after not being able
to fire his car. The Anthony's Custom Carpets #16 of Will
Farrell would start on the pole with the Long Island DEUTZ #58
of Kenny Hyde Sr. on the outside. Farrell and Hyde would race
side by side until Farrell would go spinning after contact with
the Mike's Auto Service #13 of Mike Mujsce Sr. on lap 2. The
caution would again come out one lap later as Hyde would also
spin after contact with Mujsce. Hyde would hurry through the X
under the yellow in an attempt to converse with Mujsce, but
Mujsce and Hyde would both have conversations with the officials
with Mujsce sent to the rear for rough riding. That would hand
the lead position over to the #34 of Arne Pedersen. The restart
would have Pedersen keeping the lead with the Barrasso & Sons
Mason Supply #28 of Roger Maynor coming to second getting inside
the #27 of Scott Pedersen on lap 4. The caution would come out
on lap 5 as the #66 of John Vullo Jr. would go spinning
after…contact with Mujsce. Mujsce would again be sent to the
rear of the field for rough riding. The restart would see Maynor
grab the lead and Pedersen in second. The #3 of Ralph Tasso and
the #27 of Scott Pedersen would race side by side for the 3rd
position. The caution would come out on lap 6 as the Long Island
DEUTZ #85 of Kenny Hyde Jr. would spin in turn 3. The restart
would once again see Maynor taking the lead and Tasso securing
the third spot behind Arne Pedersen. Maynor would build a big
lead only to have another caution fly as Ferrell would spin
after heavy contact with Vullo in turn 2. The caution was for
debris prior to Ferrell’s spin allowing Ferrell to retain his
position. Mujsce, for the third time, would get sent to the rear
for rough riding. Maynor would grab the lead on the restart but
the yellow would come out once again as Vullo and Farrell would
hit out of turn four forcing Vullo into the side of Mujsce’s
car, ending Mujsce’s evening. Mujsce climbed out of his car and
after an animated conversation with track personnel walked off
the track while his car was towed to the pits. The final restart
on lap 11 would see Maynor again take the lead and the win,
followed by Arne Pedersen in second, Tasso getting his second
consecutive third place finish and Scott Pedersen finish fourth.
The 6 cyl. Enduros were the final event of the night with 32
cars on hand anxious to take the green. Shawn Wanat and his #1
car would pull out to the lead and not until lap 40 of the 60
laps, when the #7 of Bob Haeger would close in on him, was he
challenged for the lead. By this point lapped traffic would be
an issue as Haeger would go inside Wanat for first but Wanat
would utilize lapped traffic and slow Haeger down retaining
first place. Haeger would catch Wanat again and go inside on lap
50. They would race side by side navigating around lapped
traffic for two laps until Wanat would pull out for the lead off
turn four. Haeger would remain right behind Wanat until the last
lap as Haeger would try the outside but get caught up in a
last-lap collision involving the #14 and the #2, and his spin
allowed Wanat to take the win. The #13 finished second, and even
after his last lap spin Bob Haeger finished a respectable third.
Source: Ryan McGrellis/LongIslandJam.com
Posted: June
6, 2009
