08/10/2009
Timmy Solomito & Donny
Oliver Share Riverhead Sunday Spotlight
by Bob Finan
Sunday afternoon racing resumed this past week at Riverhead
Raceway and when the dust settled Timmy Solomito of Islip had
his second Legend Race Car feature event win of 2009, while
Donny "Boom Boom" Oliver of Riverhead scored his first Grand
Enduro victory of the season.
In the Legend Race Car main event 15-year old JD Abrahams of
Howell, N.J. made a triumphant return from a nasty flip a few
weeks back to take the lead when the green flag waved. Silas
Hiscock Jr. pressured Abrahams for the first 9 laps before he
was overtaken by Kevin Nowak on lap 10. Nowak, like Abrahams was
racing at Riverhead for the first time since his nasty flip in
the same race in which JD rolled over.
This is where things got wild in a hurry. While leading on lap
14 Abrahams hit oil in turn three and four and spun his car,
collecting third place Silas Hiscock Jr. in the process. That
made Nowak the new race leader and the race had hit its time
limit during this caution and the race was checkered with Nowak
declared the race winner. However after the race Kevin refused a
post race inspection and was disqualified from the race.
That turn of events saw Timmy Solomito in the Albin Avenue Auto
Salvage entry named the race winner, with Silas Hiscock Sr. of
Bridgehampton runner-up in the Bridgehampton Tank Cleaning
Sedan. Paul Dodorico of Miller Place was third in the RPM Dyno
racer.
Going into the 50-lap Grand Enduro Ray Fitzgerald of Manorville
was undefeated in 2009, but entering the pits he drew 21st out
of 21-cars and the rest of the field-sensed blood. Donny Oliver,
wheeling the Flanders Automotive Camaro knew what he to do and
he executed his plan to perfection. Once the green waved Oliver
roared into the lead and then proceeded to open as big a lead as
he possibly could and that strategy worked to perfection as
Donny won by a half a lap when the race concluded.
Bob Engelfried of Stony Brook did a great job to hold off Ray
Fitzgerald for runner-up money in his Clear Draft Beer.com
Chevy, while Fitzgerald in the Oakfield Leasing had to settle
for season worst third place finish.
In the 4/6-Cylinder Truck Enduro John Cozza of Medford took a
page from Oliver's notebook and ran away from the field in a
50-lap race. Cozza in the Blue Point Auto Body Chevy took the
lead early and never looked back. Russ Jansen of Medford stayed
with Cozza early but had to settle for runner-up money in the
NAPA Auto Parts 4X4, with Ben Gregor of Bridgehampton third in
the Gregor Well Drilling racer.
Two 8-Cylinder Enduro events were run and in the first Robin
Schewire of East Quogue won the first race a 75-lap tilt in his
Westhampton Auto Salvage Chevy. In the 50-lap nightcap Anthony
Pizzo of Lake Ronkonkoma won that 50-lap contest in his STS Tire
Works entry.
Shawn Wanat of Riverhead just hours after making his NASCAR
Modified debut won the 6-Cylinder Enduro in a 50-lap race
steering his Solar Salon Tanning machine. Matt Brown of
Ronkonkoma continued his winning ways in the 4-Cylinder Enduro
taking a convincing victory in his Stan's Towing racer.
For the second race in a row Marty Johnson of Mastic Beach won
the One On One Spectator Drags beating Pete Sherman Jr. of Port
Jefferson in the two lap final.
08/09/09 Riverhead Raceway Finishes
Legend Race Car feature 14-laps (time limit): 1. Timmy
Solomito 2. Silas Hiscock Sr. 3. Paul Dodorico 4. Chris Young 5.
Tony Naglieri 6. Glenn Maningo 7. Dan Pace 8. Chris Rogers 9.
Jim Pape Jr. 10. Johnny Brand 11. Matt Maring 12. Jeffrey
Goodale 13. Bill Hiscock 14. JD Abrahams 15. Silas Hiscock Jr.
16. Johnny Gloor IV 17. Steven Booker 18. Frank Dumicich Jr. 19.
Tom Barton 20. Jim Sylvester 21. Tom Sherman 22. Jim Byrne DQ-Kevin
Nowak
Grand Enduro 50-laps (top five): 1. Donny Oliver 2. Bob
Engelfried 3. Ray Fitzgerald 4. Walter Stroud 5. Jimmy Denis
4/6-Cylinder Truck Enduro 50-laps (top five) 1. John
Cozza 2. Russ Jansen 3. Ben Gregor 4. Bryan Kelly 5. Rich
Onorato
Source: Bob Finan / Riverhead
Raceway
Posted: August 10, 2009
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