GRENNAN SCORES RIVERHEAD
TRUCK CHECKERS,
ALBASINI NOTCHES CHAMPIONSHIP
By Bob Finan
Danny Grennan of Glen Cove drove to his second victory of the
2009 Super Pro truck season at Riverhead Raceway Saturday
evening, but it would be "The King Of Queens" Mike Albasini of
Flushing who would earn his first career championship in the
class. Ray Fitzgerald of Manorville won his 6th Grand Enduro of
the year, while John Cozza of Medford scored his 5th
4/6-Cylinder Truck Enduro triumph of the summer.
After Rob McCormick and Anthony Vecchio raced for the lead on
the first lap, Danny Grennan quickly raced his way from 5th to
second on lap 2 and quickly engaged McCormick in a race for the
lead. Grennan, the all-time leading winner in the division rode
the outside of McCormick for several laps before taking the lead
for good on the 6th circuit. Once out front Danny Grennan in the
PCHS Race Engines Chevy drove to his 23rd career victory with
Rob "The Racer" McCormick of Calverton coming home second in the
Pete's Landscaping Dodge.
After starting 7th and taking a very conservative approach to
the race Mike Albasini rode to a third place tally in the Hollis
Court Collision Chevy good enough for his first championship of
his career. Mike had a 14-lap cushion over Roger Turbush coming
into the race, but Roger got swept-up in an early race tangle
and lost a lap dashing the second year driver's title hopes.
Ray Fitzgerald put the wraps on his 2009 Grand Enduro
championship in fine fashion as he won their 50-lap feature
event. Bobby Pease, a former champion in the class broke out to
an early race lead and drove away from the pack building up a
commanding lead. However as the race hit its second half, lapped
traffic became very thick and Ray Fitzgerald who started deep in
the field came to second on lap 30 and zeroed in on Pease. With
just five laps to go Fitzgerald made an outside pass of Pease on
the homestretch payoff taking the lead and the eventual win in
the Oakfield Leasing Chevy. Bobby Pease of Medford was runner-up
in the BV Sprinklers Chevy, with Walter Stroud in the hunt all
race long placing third in the Gene's 112 Service Center Monte
Carlo.
Locked in a fight with cancer, John Cozza of Medford concluded
his second week of chemotherapy entering the 50-lap 4/6-Cylinder
Truck Enduro. Needing just to start the race to earn the 2009
championship Cozza told those around him he'd take one lap and
pull, but John is a racers racer and he didn't pull in at all.
In fact Cozza passed early race leader Greg Harris on lap 4 of
the race and then proceeded as he has in several victories this
year to pull away for a comfortable win and the 2009
championship in his Blue Point Auto Body Chevy. A very emotional
Cozza thanked a throng of family and friends who joined him in
victory lane. Shawn Wanat of Riverhead was runner-up in the
Solar Salon Tanning racer, while Greg Harris of Ridge had a fine
run for third in the SGS Stone Works entry.
In the first 8-Cylinder Enduro Anthony Pizzo of Lake Ronkonkoma
collected his second points paying race of 2009 in a 75-lap
contest. Pizzo endured an early race tussle with half-brother Ed
Brown Jr. before laying claim to the win in the STS Tire Works
machine. Dege Russell of Rocky Point clinched his second
straight title in the class with a runner-up finish in the Kelly
Russell Realty Monte Carlo, with Robin Schewire of East Quogue
third across the line in the Westhampton Auto Salvage Chevy.
"Mad" Mike Smith of Kings Park took the 75-lap nightcap in a
non-points race, his second consecutive win backing-up his Labor
Day weekend triumph. Donald "Woot" Lawrence of Hampton Bays and
Anthony Pizzo chased Smith to the checkers.
Shawn Wanat took home the victory in the 6-Cylinder Enduro
topping the field in a 50-lap tilt for his 5th win of 2009. For
a few moments after the race it was thought that Wanat with the
win in his Spits Speed Shop mount also won the season long title
over Gene Burbol who crossed the line 7th. However two cars
among the top five-failed post race technical inspection and
Gene Burbol by a mere 10-points won his first career
championship. Crossing the line second in the race was Jeffrey
Gregor of Bridgehampton in the Gregor Well Drilling #3, with
Christian Conklin of Flanders third.
Matt Brown of Ronkonkoma who won the first six 4-Cylinder
Enduros of the year was seeking the clean sweep in their 75-lap
feature and almost didn't complete the sweep. Bryan Gregor gave
everything he had to snap the perfect season of Brown's but in
the end the driver of the Stan's Towing entry would prevail and
not only go seven for seven, but of course earn the 2009
championship. Gregor in the Gregor Well Drilling #1 was second
with Charles Barbeisch Jr. of North Bellmore third.
Joe Marko of Lindenhurst won the Car Rollover Contest and in
doing so won his second consecutive championship. Marko
outscored Dennis Scott 23 to 21 to post the win.
Charles Guardino of Westbury won the One On One Spectator Drags
when he beat out Tommy Walkowiak of Ridge in the two lap final.
RIVERHEAD RACEWAY SEPTEMBER 26TH, 2009
Super Pro trucks 20-laps: 1. Danny Grennan 2. Rob
McCormick 3. Mike Albasini 4. Chris Turbush 5. Anthony Vecchio
6. Anthony Daleo 7. Mike Power 8. Bobby Jones 9. Roger Turbush
10. Lou Maestri 11. John Denniston
Grand Enduro 50-laps (top five) 1. Ray Fitzgerald 2.
Bobby Pease 3. Walter Stroud 4. Joe Parcelluzzi 5. James
Charrier
4/6-Cylinder Truck Enduro 50-laps (top five) 1. John
Cozza 2. Shawn Wanat 3. Greg Harris 4. Don Nelson Jr. 5. Rich
Onorato
1st 8-Cylinder Enduro 75-laps (top five) 1. Anthony Pizzo
2. Dege Russell 3. Robin Schewire 4. Jess Martines 5. Dominic
Ranieri
2nd-8-Cylinder Enduro 75-laps (top five) 1. Mike Smith 2.
Donald Lawrence 3. Anthony Pizzo 4. Dominic Ranieri 5. Donny
Oliver
6-Cylinder Enduro 50-laps: (top five) 1. Shawn Wanat 2.
Jeffrey Gregor 3. Christian Conklin 4. Anthony Ruberto 5. Gene
Burbol
4-Cylinder Enduro 75-laps (top five) 1. Matt Brown 2.
Bryan Gregor 3. Charles Barbeisch Jr. 4. John Esposito 5. Billy
Smith
One On One-Spectator Drags: Winner Charles Guardino
Car Rollover Contest: Winner: Joe Marko
Source: Bob Finan /
Riverhead Raceway
Posted: September
28, 2009
