Bill Park of Manorville used an outside pole starting
position and a first lap caution flag to his advantage Saturday
night at Riverhead Raceway on his way to his first win of 2009
in the 35-lap NASCAR Modified feature. Three of the seven main
events on the program were not determined until the final lap on
a very exciting evening of NASCAR Whelen All-American Series
action.
On the front row for the NASCAR Modified feature Wayne Anderson
and Bill Park, who share nine track crowns between them brought
the field to Mike Boken's green flag. As the duo completed the
first lap Park had a nose up on Anderson and that would indeed
be a key moment as a quick yellow while the field was in the
second lap of the race waved. Park would be the new race leader
and on the ensuing restart Justin Bonsignore was able to slide
under Anderson for second, with Chuck Steuer soon to come to
third.
The top three would remain in that order for the balance of the
race with Bonsignore making some moves when he could on Park,
but all the while Justin had to be mindful of Chuck Steuer right
behind him. On the final lap of the race Bonsignore made his
boldest challenge moving to the outside of Park entering turn
three, but the defending NASCAR Modified champion was equal to
the threat.
At the conclusion of the event it was the Smithtown Nissan Chevy
of Bill Park enjoying his 28th career victory at Riverhead
Raceway to which he noted, "We had a good car tonight, better
than last week for sure". Bill admitted he was not really sure
he edged out Anderson on the first lap of the race, "I guess I
got him ever so slightly on that first lap".
Justin Bonsignore of Holtsville in his second race for new
sponsor, Freightliner of Long Island, was runner-up, while Chuck
Steuer of Bohemia in the Northeastern Office Equipment Chevy
crossed the line third. Wayne Anderson of Yaphank and John
Fortin of Holtsville rounded out the top five.
The 25-lap Late Model feature event was not decided until the
white flag lap when Kevin Metzger of Massapequa made an inside
pass of leader Scott Kulesa to score the thrilling win. After
Chris LaSpisa paced the race for the first three circuits Scott
Kulesa moved out front with an inside pass in turn three. Two
laps later Metzger also used the inside lane to pass LaSpisa for
second in turn two and the chase was on. Just when it appeared
Scott Kulesa would post his second win of the season Kevin
Metzger not only reeled the leader in, but also as they raced
off turn four for the white flag Metzger emerged with the race
lead.
Over the final lap Kevin steering the Axel Anderson Inc. entry
was able to race to his 11th career victory. Scott Kulesa of
Georgetown, Ma was able to hold onto for runner-up money in the
Ranco Sand & Stone Pontiac, with Peter "Buzzy" Eriksen of
Baldwin third in the Aces Landscaping machine.
Ninety-six and counting for Roger Maynor of Bay Shore in Figure
Eight competition where he is now three-for-three on 2009. Early
in the race Ken Hyde Sr. and Mike Mujsce battled for the race
and indeed battled was the operative word. Once again the two,
who have a history, made contact with Hyde spinning and Mujsce
sent to the rear of the field. That moved Arne Pedersen to the
lead on lap 4, but just one lap later Roger Maynor moved by for
the race in the Edward Horton Builders Ford. With many races
still remaining in 2009 the chances of Roger eclipsing the
century mark in wins is starting to look realistic before the
end of the season. Arne Pedersen of Moriches settled for second
in the Ralph's Italian Ices entry, while Ralph Tasso of Bohemia
placed third in the Royal Star Landscaping Chevy.
Defending Charger champion Chris Turbush of Riverhead is
officially on a roll once again with a clean sweep in the 30-lap
Charger contest. In time trials Chris was quickest with a lap of
13.393 and in the redraw would pick the pole. Needless to say at
the throw of the green flag Chris moved right into the lead in
the Carpet Express Pontiac and the story of the race, as the
laps clicked off would be for second place as an intense battle
between Dan Turbush and Chris McGuire developed. For nearly the
entire race McGuire put the pressure on "Dynamite" Dan testing
him high and low lap after lap and finally on lap 26 McGuire
made the pass, but it would be too late and Chris Turbush drove
to his second consecutive win. Chris McGuire of Shirley would
finish second in the Gershow Recycling Ford with Tom Anderson of
Medford making a late race charge for third in the Cliff
Rendezvous Restaurant racer.
Hands down the best last lap of the evening belonged to the
Blunderbust division as the final lap saw three changes for the
lead with Rob Bader of Holtsville coming home the winner in a
thriller. The 20-lap tilt was a non-stop affair with Matt
Pepitone taking the lead from Scott Sepe on the second lap.
Matt, seeking his first career win would surrender the lead to
Tom Pickerell on lap 7 when Tom made an inside pass exiting turn
four. Pickerell looking for his second win of 2009 would then
lead Terry Stiles for eight laps when Terry raced his way to
second on lap 10. As the race hit the two to go mark Stiles
reeled in Pickerell and on the white flag lap snuck by for the
lead in the first and second turn and he appeared on his way to
a career first win. However along came Rob Bader who on the
final lap not only passed Pickerell for second, but racing into
the final corner he got around Stiles with less than a football
field in distance remaining in the race, as the fans roared with
approval. When the dust settled it was Rob Bader in the Pizza
Gone Wildwood Chevy the happy race winner, while Terry Stiles of
Rocky Point in the I Trade Direct racer would have to be content
with runner-up honors. Tom Pickerell of Huntington was third in
the Pickerell Clam Buick.
In a surprise move NASCAR Officials had time trials for the
Super Pro Trucks for their 20-lap feature event and Danny
Grennan of Glen Cove made it a clean sweep by setting fast time
and winning the main event. After touring the quarter mile at
13.693, Grennan drew the pole for the race and quickly took the
lead when the green light came on. Like the Blunderbust race
this too would be a caution free race and that allowed Grennan
and defending champion Lou Maestri of Deer Park to race to the
front and never look back. At the checker flag Danny Grennan for
the 22nd time in his illustrious career sat in victory lane in
the PCHS Race Engines Chevy. Lou Maestri of Deer Park was second
in the Curiously Creative Candles Chevy, while John Denniston of
Westbury notched another top three finish with a third in the
North Fork Sanitation Chevy.
The final race of the night, like the Blunderbust race, would
find last lap drama as Shawn Wanat of Riverhead won the 60-lap,
6-Cylinder Enduro. Wanat roared into the lead from the front row
right from the start and would build a comfortable cushion in
the first half of the race. However long time foe Bob Haeger
starting to chip away at Wanat's lead and with some timely help
from lapped cars was soon right on the leader's rear bumper.
Over the final five laps the tandem swapped the lead and as they
raced off turn four for the checker Haeger was setting-up for a
last minute run on Wanat, however Haeger lost the handle and
spun in that effort. That put Shawn Wanat in the Spits Speed
Shop mount into victory lane. Christian Conklin of Flanders had
a career night with a second place finish, while Bob Haeger of
Hampton Bays gathered himself up to salvage the race in third
place..
06/06/09 - Riverhead Raceway Finishes
NASCAR Modifieds 35-laps: 1. Bill Park 2. Justin Bonsignore 3.
Chuck Steuer 4. Wayne Anderson 5. John Fortin 6. Chris Young 7.
Dave Brigati 8. Timmy Solomito 9. Rusty Turbush 10. David Roys
11. Brad Van Houten 12. Kevin Orlando 13. Mike Power 14. Sean
McDonald 15. Mike Andrews Jr. 16. Tony Anello 17. Amber Fortin
18. Tom Rogers Jr.
Late Models 25-laps: 1. Kevin Metzger 2. Scott Kulesa 3. Peter
Eriksen 4. Tom Rogers Jr. 5. Roger Oxee 6. Mike Coll 7. Chris
LaSpisa 8. Mike Bologna 9. Doug Renalds 10. Artie Pedersen 11.
Chuck Deon 12. Shawn Patrick
Figure Eights 20-laps: 1. Roger Maynor 2. Arne Pedersen 3. Ralph
Tasso 4. Scott Pedersen 5. Michael Rommeney 6. Ken Hyde Jr. 7.
Johnny Vullo 8. Will Farrell 9. Ken Hyde Sr. 10. Mike Mujsce 11.
Rick Swanson 12. Mike Herbst
Chargers 20-laps: 1. Chris Turbush 2. Chris McGuire 3. Tom
Anderson 4. Jerry Solomito 5. Dan Turbush 6. Frank Dumicich Jr.
7. Daryn Miller 8. Kory Comiskey 9. Wes Zaleski 10. Rusty
Turbush 11. Jeremy McDermott 12. John Ellwood 13. Jay Henschel
14. Erin Dumicich 15. Chris Frabizio 16. Frank Scimeca Jr. 17.
Brad Van Houten 18. Garret Frabizio 19. Daryl Baker 20. Peter
Cataldo 21. Brian Doyle
Blunderbusts 20-laps: 1. Rob Bader 2. Terry Stiles 3. Tom
Pickerell 4. Tommy Walkowiak 5. Bill Wegmann Jr. 6. Scott
Maliszewski 7. Jarrod Hayes 8. Ray Shannon 9. Kevin Rommeney 10.
Matt Pepitone 11. Ed Mistretta 12. Paul Parisi 13. Tom Sullivan
14. Tim Mulqueen 15. Randy Johnson 16. Bill Portney Sr. 17.
Scott Sepe 18. Caesar Cunaccia 19. Bill Wegmann Sr.
Super Pro Trucks 20-laps: 1. Danny Grennan 2. Lou Maestri 3.
John Denniston 4. Roger Turbush 5. Frank Dumicich Sr. 6. Mike
Albasini 7. Greg Podlaski 8. Chris Turbush 9. Frank Dumicich Jr.
10. Erin Dumicich 11. Rob McCormick 12. Kathleen Hallock 13.
Shaun Gouldsbury 14. Dave Koenig 15. Anthony Vecchio
6-Cylinder Enduro 60-laps (top five): 1. Shawn Wanat 2.
Christian Conklin 3. Bob Haeger 4. Gene Burbol 5. Jeffery Gregor
Source: Bob Finan /
Riverhead Raceway
Posted: June 6, 2009
