05/22/2010
Tom Rogers Jr.
Continues Riverhead Raceway Hot Streak
Tom Rogers Jr. of Patchogue
continued his recent hot streak at Riverhead Raceway when he won
the 35-lap NASCAR Modified feature in Whelen All-American Series
action. Rogers roared from his 10th starting position to score
the $1,450 victory, his 10th career triumph.
After an ominous start the 35-lap contest which actually would
go green to checker saw Timmy Solomito and John Beatty Jr.
tussle for the lead for the first two laps before Timmy's car
owner Dave Brigati slipped by Beatty for second on the third
lap. The two team cars snake bitten in the first three weeks of
the season with tough luck looked as though they'd right the
ship with a one-two finish. However Tom Rogers Jr. had a
different game plan and on lap 6 worked his way by Brigati for
second and then went to work on Solomito for the lead.
It would be entering turn three on the 10th lap that Rogers
ducked under Solomito in a bid for the race lead, a bid that
would payoff for Tom as they raced off turn four. With the door
open under Solomito, Eddie Brunnhoelzl III also slipped by the
sophomore driver for second after starting the event in the 6th
spot. Eddie was able to keep pace with Tom Rogers Jr. for the
remainder of the race and was hoping to make a late race run on
Rogers but that bid never materialized. At the checker it was
Tom Rogers Jr. wheeling the Frankie's Towing entry across the
line first.
In victory lane Rogers was asked what the secret was to his
recent hot streak, "nothing at all really" Roger pointed out.
"This is the same set-up we had when I won the championship in
2004, I have to give credit to my crew though, they keep after
it and it shows in our performance". Tommy concluded, "I have to
thank Bellecon Acrylic Asphalt Sealing and Frank Vigliarolo of
Frankie's Towing, we're running for the title this year, but
without them we wouldn't be able to race at all".
Eddie Brunnhoelzl III of Levittown was runner-up in the Senix
Creek Inn Chevy, with early race leader Timmy Solomito of Islip
placing third in the WPW Growers Chevy. Dave Brigati of
Calverton and Howie Brode of East Islip completed the top five.
Defending Late Model champion Kevin Metzger of Masapequa scored
a clean sweep in Late Model action as he set fast time before
going out to lead all 50-laps of their double point contest.
Metzger toured the quarter mile in 12.793 to earn the Brigandi
Brothers Automotive fast time award worth $100. In the redraw
Kevin drew the outside pole, while "Mighty" Mike Mortimer picked
the pole. When the green lights came on Kevin Metzger was able
to outgun Mike Mortimer for the lead with a quick yellow flying
on lap 2. On the ensuing double file restart Metzger would
continue out front with Chris LaSpisa working underneath
Mortimer for second and it would be LaSpisa that would chase
Metzger for the lead for until the 21st lap. Once again a double
file restart would create a change for position in second as
Artie Pedersen Jr. got under LaSpisa for position when the green
flag waved. Over the final half of the race Kevin Metzger in the
V&J Auto Body was able to stay out front and earn his 12th
career Late Model title while padding his points lead in the
process. Artie Pedersen of center Moriches had a great run for
runner-up money in the Sherwin Williams Paint Chevy warding off
Peter "Buzzy" Eriksen of Baldwin who would wind-up third in his
Harley Davidson of Nassau County entry.
Arne Pedersen of Mastic Beach topped the 15-lap Figure Eight
feature event to score his first career win. Pedersen served
notice right at the start of the race he was the man to beat
taking the lead over Ken Hyde and Johnny Vullo, both of who
chased Arne for the first two laps. The third circuit found
Roger Maynor coming to second and the all-time leading race
winner at Riverhead Raceway went to work on Pedersen for the
lead. In fact on a 9th lap restart Maynor actually got the jump
on Pedersen for the lead, but when a quick caution a few laps
later waved NASCAR Officials deemed it too good a jump and
swapped Pedersen back out front and Maynor to second. Learning
his lesson to not let Maynor get the drop on him again Arne
Pedersen jumped back into the lead when the race resumed and he
lead the remainder of the way in his Dun-Rite Lawn Sprinkler
Intrepid. Roger Maynor of Bay Shore would have to settle for
second in the Barrasso & Sons Mason Supplies Chevy, while Ralph
Tasso of Bohemia overcame an early race tangle for third in the
Royal Star Landscaping Chevy.
"The Cranberry Kid" Chris Turbush of Riverhead drove to his 21st
career Charger victory, his second of 2010 in a 20-lap affair.
Daryn Miller stepped out lead the race early on with Tom
Anderson and Erin Dumicich testing him over the first four laps.
On lap five Brian Doyle raced his way to second and he was
battling Miller for two laps when a yellow waved on the 7th lap.
During the pace laps under caution Miller's car was leaking
water and the leader was forced to pit with a broken water pump.
Doyle now became the race leader with Chris Turbush in tow and
Brian was hoping to keep Chris at bay for his 2nd career
victory. However on lap 14 Chris Turbush put United Panel
Pontiac out front for good to drive to victory lane adding to
his point lead in the process. Brian Doyle of Ronkonkoma drove
to a second place tally in the Mechanical Systems machine, while
Erin Dumicich of E. Quogue would cross the line third in her
Action Auto Glass Camary in a fine showing.
Mike Albasini of Flushing would go wire to wire in a non-stop
20-lap Super Pro Truck feature event for his first win of 2010.
Albasini, the defending champion in the division leaped into the
lead at the throw of the green from his outside pole position,
with pole sitter Shaun Gouldsbury settling into second and with
no yellow flags it appeared that is how they'd finish. Roger
Turbush would make some noise in the second half of the race as
he and Gouldsbury would battle for second, which was just fine
with race leader Albasini. The final two laps of the race saw
Turbush on lap 19 get by Gouldsbury for second, but in the final
corner Shaun repaid the favor by slipping by Turbush racing
towards the finish. At the checker it was "The King of Queens"
Mike Albasini scoring his 6th career SPT win in the Hollis Court
Collision Chevy and afterwards he dedicated the win to he late
father. Shaun Gouldsbury of Commack was runner-up in the LIRV
Sales Dodge, while Roger Turbush of Riverhead would have to be
content with third place money in the Allied Air Conditioning
Chevy.
The 4-C Supers ran their first official race ever at Riverhead
Raceway in the JoJo Good Energy 15 with Mike Wrenn of Medford
leading all the way in a non-stop contest. Wrenn steering the
JoJo Good Energy 4-C made a bold move for the lead on the first
lap as he threw his car into the third and fourth corner with a
vengeance on the outside groove taking the race lead, a lead he
would never surrender. Donald "Woot" Lawrence of Hampton Bays
would drive his Peconic Auto Repair entry home for runner-up
money, while Ron Merlino of Franklinville, NJ was third in the
Mach-1 Performance racer.
Never say never and that is exactly what Shawn Wanat of
Riverhead did in the 60-lap 4/6-Cylinder Truck Enduro as he won
the race despite spinning out twice during the event. Both times
Shawn spun he kept his foot in the throttle to recover to stay
in contention for the lead which he took for good on lap 52 to
score the win in his Spits Speed Shop truck. Rob "The Racer"
McCormick of Calverton was runner-up in the McCormick
Motorsports Chevy with Jimmy Badalato of Lindenhurst third in
the Cozza Motorsports Chevy.
Another first at Riverhead Raceway Saturday night as a 12-lap
Skid Plate Race took place with Shawn Wanat hot off his Truck
Enduro win breaking out front and leading all the way in his
Solar Salon Tanning machine.
NASCAR Modifieds 35-laps: 1. Tom Rogers Jr. 2. Eddie Brunnhoelzl
III 3. Timmy Solomito 4. Dave Brigati 5. Howie Brode 6. Bill
Park 7. Justin Bonsignore 8. Chuck Steuer 9. John Fortin 10.
Jimmy Blewett 11. Ken Darch 12. Chris Young 13. John Beatty 14.
Amber Fortin 15. Al Ermmarino 16. Frank Saladino 17. Dennis
Krupski 18. Sean McDonald 19. Tommy Sekulski 20. Jerry Solomito
21. Kevin Orlando 22. Steven Booker
Late Models 50-laps: 1. Kevin Metzger 2. Artie Pedersen 3. Peter
Eriksen 4. Shawn Patrick 5. Mike Bologna 6. Ralph Stanzione 7.
Daryn Miller 8. Chris LaSpisa 9. Ken Alfano 10. Mike Mortimer
11. Roger Oxee 12. Jeremy McDermott
Figure Eights 15-laps: 1. Arne Pedersen 2. Roger Maynor 3. Ralph
Tasso 4. Ken Hyde Jr. 5. Ken Hyde Sr. 6. Tom Ferrara 7. George
Brown 8. Dennis Scott 9. Mike Mujsce 10. Scott Pedersen 11. Bob
Dalke DQ-Johnny Vullo
Chargers 20-laps: 1. Chris Turbush 2. Brian Doyle 3. Erin
Dumicich 4. Chris McGuire 5. Jeremy McDermott 6. Kevin Orlando
7. Tom Anderson 8. Frank Dumicich Jr. 9. Dan Turbush 10. Derek
Stochecki 11. Peter Cataldo 12. Jay Henschel 13. Daryn Miller
14. CJ Lehmann
Super Pro Trucks 20-laps: 1. Mike Albasini 2. Shaun Gouldsbury
3. Roger Turbush 4. Lou Maestri 5. Chris Turbush 6. Frank
Dumicich Jr. 7. Dave Koenig 8. Frank Dumicich Sr. 9. Anthony
Vecchio 10. Kevin Scharfenberg 11. Erin Dumicich 12. Kathleen
Hallock 13. Frank Scimeca Jr. 14. Anthony Daleo 15. Keith Rotzi
16. Matt Odwazny 17. Bryan Quilliam 18. Peter Rotzi
JoJo Good Energy 4-C Supers 15-laps: 1. Mike Wrenn 2. Donald
Lawrence 3. Ron Merlino 4. Joe Jackson 5. Bob Wrenn 6. Harry
Weed 7. Anthony Merlino 8. Steve Wrenn 9. Wes Gilbert
4/6-Cylinder Truck Enduro 60-laps (top three): 1. Shawn Wanat 2.
Rob McCormick 3. Jimmy Badalato
Skid Plate Race 12-laps: Winner- Shawn Wanat.
Source:
Bob Finan/Riverhead Raceway PR
Posted: May
23, 2010
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