07/13/2009
Qualifying Procedure
Announced For Riverhead August 1st WMT Event
Jimmy Blewett Files First Entry
The NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour will roll into Riverhead
Raceway Saturday evening August 1st for the Riverhead 175 and
recently officials of the WMT announced procedure for
qualifying. Defending race winner Jimmy "Showtime" Blewett of
Howell, N.J. was the first entry blank to hit the mailbox at the
Riverhead Raceway office.
Time trial qualifying will determine the first 16-cars of the
28-car field, with a 25-lap qualifying race then taking the top
seven cars to fill positions 17 through 23. Five provisional
starting berths will then be assigned to the first two car
owners among the top 30 of the current WMT standings, two
starting positions then would go to two drivers in the top 30
and position 28 for a past WMT champion. If a past champion does
not need the provisional, then it would revert back to the
current driver standings.
After all the qualifying has been completed then it will be time
to get down to business for the 48th NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour
event at Riverhead Raceway with a posted purse of $54,035 on the
line. The first NASCAR WMT race back in 1985 was won by "Mr.
Excitement" Jimmy Spencer formerly of Berwick, Pa., his first of
two wins at Riverhead that season. Richie Evans of Rome N.Y. won
the other race that season just one month before his untimely
passing.
The 2008 race saw Jimmy Blewett continue his hot mid-summer
streak at Riverhead Raceway, just two weeks after winning a
thrilling Baldwin, Evans & Jarzombek Memorial in a 77-lap
contest.
Defending 2008 NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour champion Ted
Christopher of Plainville, Ct. is custom made for the tight
confines of Riverhead Raceway and is also among the early
entrants. The most successful driver in recent years at
Riverhead is 2007 WMT champion Donny Lia of Jericho, who'll
return in the Garbarino #4.
Other early entries include Bobby Grigas III, Todd Szegedy, Jake
Maroz, Eddie Flemke Jr., Mike Stefanik, Doug Colby, Bill Park,
Gary McDonald, Woody Pitkat, Wade Cole, Kevin & Eric Goodale,
Erick Rudolph, Chris Pasteryak, Ronnie Silk, Rowan Pennink and
Jamie Tomaino.
Joining the Riverhead 175 NASCAR WMT stop are the Charger and
Blunderbust division who'll race in 30-lap, double point races
with time trial qualifying.
The pit area will open at 10:30 am on August 1st for the WMT
teams, who'll practice from 2:00 pm until 3:00 pm. Time trials
for the WMT are set for 4:30 pm, with the 25-lap qualifying race
going green at 6:00 pm.
For additional information please call Riverhead Raceway at
631-842-RACE or visit www.riverheadraceway.com.
Source: Bob Finan / Riverhead
Raceway
Posted: July 13, 2009
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