Chuck Steuer
Scores Riverhead Opening Night Laurels
The NASCAR Modifieds were in
mid-season form Saturday evening at Riverhead Raceway providing
the fans with some great side-by-side racing.
In the end when the checker flag waved Chuck Steuer of Bohemia
scored his 18th career victory in the NASCAR Whelen All-American
Series opener. Jerry Cook ,a former 6-time NASCAR National
Modified champion greeted Steuer in victory lane to present him
with his Racecrafts trophy.
Early on the race took a few laps to get going as Eddie
Brunnhoelzl III and Chris Young broke out front on the initial
start. However as the tandem started lap two contact was made in
turn one with both drivers going into a slow spin. That sequence
of events found Chuck Steuer the new race leader for the double
file restart, with Dave Brigati and John Fortin breathing down
his neck. Brigati and Fortin raced for second for two laps
before Fortin, the 2009 NASCAR Modified champion assumed the
spot on lap four. Then several cautions prior to the halfway
point of the race set-up numerous double file restarts which
proved to be very exciting as Fortin would try to rally on the
outside groove in an attempt to wrestle the lead away from
Steuer. However Steuer was able to thwart Fortin's advances on
each retstart.
If fans were not watching the race for the lead, they were then
entertained by some intense battles through the field. Bill Park
had two
great battles, one with Mike Andrews Jr. and another with Wayne
Anderson and Eddie Brunnhoelzl III who also put on a driving
display as he roared back from his early race spin to enter the
top ten and eventually place 6th. In the end though, it was
Chuck Steuer wheeling the Northeastern Office Equipment
Chevrolet driving to victory lane and which moved him to sole
possession of 17th on the all-time Riverhead Raceway win list.
The soft spoken Steuer pointed to his car owner and crew when it
was time to distribute the credit, "I have a great car owner in
Grant Williams, we've been together for a lot of years, I can't
even remember how many and he provides us what we need. Then
there is my team, the guys are in the shop working their hardest
night after night and I can't thank them and Big Sal's Racing
Engines enough.
John Fortin of Holtsville was runner-up in the SGS Stone Works
Chevy with Bill Park of Manorville third in the Smithtown Nissan
Chevy. Bill's brother, Bob, a former NASCAR Modified pilot
himself was up from North Caroline for the night watching his
run. Mike Andrews Jr. of Ridge and Wayne Anderson of Yaphank
completed the top five.
Peter "Buzzy" Eriksen of Baldwin was in the right spot at the
right time to collect his 43rd career Late Model victory topping
the field in a 25-lap main event. Shawn Patrick and Chris
LaSpisa, in two unsponsored machines jumped out front and for
the first 21-laps of the race looked as though they'd decide who
would win opening night. Racing into the first turn on lap 22
LaSpisa tried to shoot under Patrick in a bid for the lead, but
contact was made with Patrick spinning and LaSpisa coming to a
halt to draw a late race yellow. That moved Eriksen in the
Harley Davidson of Nassau County entry into the lead, with Roger
Oxee in tow for a four lap dash for the cash. Over those final
four laps Peter Eriksen indeed would hold onto the lead and
afterwards told the fans, "I knew I just had to be patient
tonight and it all worked out in the end".
Roger Oxee of Peconic in the Sonic Media Print Pontiac was
second, with Mike Bologna of Huntington third in the Schlaugies
Fuel Oil Chevy.
Chris McGuire of Shirley gave his crew chief Warren Collins a
big 40th birthday present, an opening night win in the 20-lap
Charger feature event. Erin Dumicich jumped from the pole
position to the early race lead with Allen Reeves running second
for the first lap before McGuire passed him for position. Once
to second McGuire put some heavy pressure on Dumicich for the
lead and contact was made racing into turn one that got Erin out
of shape on lap three, allowing Chris to move out front.
"Dynamite" Dan Turbush chased McGuire from lap 3 until the 11th
circuit when son Chris passed him for position, with Kevin
Orlando waiting in the wings in third. The last lap was a barn
burner, as McGuire had both Chris Turbush and Orlando on his
rear spoiler as the checkers waved as the duo fought for
runner-up money, while still trying to pass the race leader.
Chris McGuire would hold on in his M3 Technologies Ford for the
victory, with Kevin Orlando of Calverton making a great last lap
move for second in the RP Landscaping entry. Chris Turbush of
Riverhead crossed the line third in the East-West Marine
Pontiac.
Defending Blunderbust champion Tommy "The Wildchild" Walkowiak
of Ridge kicked off his title defense in grand fashion by
setting fast time and then winning the 30-lap, double point
feature event for the class.
Walkowiak wheeling the Blaze Fuel Oil Chevy turned a lap of
15.087 but in the redraw picked sixth to start the race. The
first half of the event saw Paul Parisi and Rob Bader stage a
classic and intense side-by-side fight for the lead, racing side
by side all the way while never making contact with each other,
with Tom Pickerell right on their collective rear bumpers. Off
turn four Parisi got loose and spun, drawing a yellow and double
file restart. On that restart Bader took the race lead with
Tommy Walkowiak slipping under Pickerell for second and just
three laps later utilizing his signature move, Tommy dove under
Rob racing into the first corner for the lead on lap 18. Once
out front Walkowiak eventually built a comfortable lead, one
he'd take to victory lane for his 39th career Blunderbust
triumph. Rob Bader of Holtsville crossed the line second in the
Robert's Express Oil racer, while Tom Pickerell in the Pickerell
Clam Buick was in the hunt all night and would place third.
In a non-stop 20-lap Super Pro Truck contest, Frank Dumicich Jr.
of Quogue notched his 9th career feature event win. Right from
the throw of the green Frank made it known this was his race to
win as he quickly stepped out front in the Gregg's Lanscaping
Chevy. Lou Maestri made a move to second when the race started
and that would be as close as he would get to the eventual race
winner. Maestri would finish second in the end in his Gallett AC
Chevy. Perhaps the best battle of the race was for third as
"Dangerous' Dave Koenig of Freeport and Roger Turbush of
Riverhead tested each other, with Koenig in the Nelson's Auto
Salvage Chevy prevailing.
Tom Sherman of Farmingdale made a late race charge to the lead
to score the victory in the 20-lap Legend Race Car main event.
After Jim Pape Jr.
led the first two circuits of the race "Wild" Bill Hiscock moved
out front on lap 3 with Kevin Nowak and JD Abrahams both taking
turns at testing Hiscock for the lead early on. However the race
boiled down to a late race shootout with Hiscock now finding
himself with both Tom Sherman and Timmy Solomito all over his
rear bumper setting-up a three car photo finish for the win.
Sherman in the Oval Speed machine ducked low under Hiscock in
what would turn out to be the winning move, with Solomito
following Sherman to try and grab second position after starting
deep in the field. Hiscock of Bridgehampton would hold on for
second in the Bridgehampton Tank racer, while Solomito of Islip
placed third in the Riverhead Building Supply entry.
John March won the 10-lap Freshman Legend Race Car race which
would have advanced him to the 20-lap Legend feature, but he
declined allowing Justin Strumpf to advance to the race where he
finished 11th.
Source:
Bob Finan/Riverhead Raceway PR
Updated: May
3, 2010
