Chris Young Notches
32nd Career Riverhead Modified Victory
Veteran NASCAR Modified pilot Chris Young of Calverton has
had his share of ups and downs in 2010 at Riverhead Raceway, but
Saturday night everything was looking up for Chris as he roared
to his 32nd career NASCAR Modified victory in a 35-lap affair.
The victory which ties Chris with Bill Park for third on the
all-time win list was also worth a handsome $1,725 that included
a $300 bonus from Sunoco Race Fuels.
The race got off to a staggered start and when it did get
underway Dan Jivanelli making his 4th start of the season led
the first lap before a quick yellow slowed things down and
set-up a double file restart with Chris Young along side of Dan.
When the green flag waved Young made a power move on Jivanelli
as he raced his way to the race lead with Jivanelli tucking into
second. The two veteran drivers were later joined by Wayne
Anderson in a three way fight for the lead among what the track
announcers termed the "Geritol" set. All joking aside the trio
staged a great race for the lead racing in a high speed game of
cat and mouse.
On lap 22 the race was slowed by yet another caution flag
which would lead up to another double file restart that found
Dan Jivanelli missing a shift dropping him from the fight for
the lead and allowing Wayne Anderson to take over second.
Jivanelli's night actually got worse later that lap when he and
Eddie Brunnhoelzl III locked bumpers drawing yet another yellow
and at that moment NASCAR Officials called for single file
restarts. That proved to be a good move, not only for the flow
of the race, but also for leader Chris Young who retained his
lead over Anderson. A sustained green flag run saw Chris Young
in his Riverhead Building Supply Corvette race away from Wayne
Anderson, as Wayne was fighting to hold onto second with the
likes of John Beatty and Chuck Steuer.
In victory lane Young was not only happy with his first win
since June 21st, 2008 but also who he raced with for the
victory, "I'm just happy to be racing with Danny and Wayne after
what they've been through recently".
Chris was eluding to Jivanelli's open heart surgery in the
spring of 2009 and Anderson's medical episode at the track back
on May 15th. "I have to thank Bill Mitchell Hardcore Engines for
the power he provides me with and my family who are all off
racing with my son Chris and his Legends Car upstate".
Wayne Anderson of Yaphank, also seeking his 32nd career
victory was runner-up in the Eastport Feeds Chevy, while Chuck
Steuer of Bohemia was third in the Northeastern Office Equipment
entry. John Beatty Jr. of Valley Stream and Dan Jivanelli of
Hampton Bays completed the top five. With just one race
remaining this Saturday September 11th Tom Rogers Jr. holds a
12-point lead over John Fortin and Chuck Steuer for the 2010
NASCAR Modified championship. Both Rogers and Fortin were way
down in the finishing order after losing multiple laps in the
pits Saturday.
Second generation driver CJ Lehmann of Mastic Beach posted
his first career Charger win when he won their 20-lap feature
event. Daryn Miller paced the race for the first 3 laps with CJ
Lehmann tucking into second, poised to make a move for the race
lead. That opportunity came on lap 3 as Miller left the door
ajar ever so slightly and Lehmann slipped to the inside to take
over the race lead by the time the duo exited the fourth turn.
Just one lap later Kevin Orlando, looking to rebound from two
weeks of hard crashes and long hours in the shop also worked his
way under Miller for second and he then set sail for leader
Lehmann. Both young drivers were hungry for the win for
different reasons as Orlando put heavy pressure on Lehmann over
the entire 15 laps that remained in the race. In the end though
it would be the Mastic Sports Deli Chevy of CJ Lehmann crossing
under the checker flag first for his first ever trip to victory
lane. Kevin Orlando of Calverton in the RP Landscaping Dodge was
second and new point leader Chris Turbush of Riverhead was third
in the Melville Snow Contractors Pontiac.
Turbush with two races to go in 2010 has a slim 4-point lead
over Chris McGuire for the title, with Orlando some 20 points
back in third.
Rob Bader of Holtsville collected his second Blunderbust win
of the year after fighting off a hard pressing Tommy Walkowiak
to do so. Fred Nolan would lead the first lap of the contest
before giving way to Tim Mulqueen on lap 2. Tim would then show
the way until the halfway point of the race when he was
overtaken by both Rob Bader and Tommy Walkowiak both making
their moves to the inside of Mulqueen. This set the stage for a
titanic fight for the lead as Walkowiak literally glued himself
to the rear bumper of Bader.
After making several runs to the inside, Tommy later went
upstairs in an effort to wrestle the lead away from Rob. After
taking the white flag things got even more intense as Walkowiak
got into Bader pretty hard, sending the leader sideways towards
the infield. Tommy actually hit the brakes to allow Rob to
collect his car, which he did after a short trip through the
infield in the third and fourth turn. With the checker flag
waving in the breeze Rob Bader in the Robert's Express Fuel Oil
entry was the race winner after a short discussion among NASCAR
Officials. The win was the 5th of Rob's career. Tommy Walkowiak
of Ridge was runner-up in the Blaze Fuel Oil Chevy, while Kevin
Rommeney of Maspeth was right in the mix late in the race before
finishing third in the Hollis Court Collision racer. With a
64-point lead over Tom Pickerell, Tommy Walkowiak can clinch his
fourth Blunderbust title in five years with a good run this
Saturday September 11th.
It would be a Dumicich family affair in the 20-lap Super Pro
Truck night main event as Frank Dumicich Jr. of E. Quogue scored
his second win of 2010. Early on Frank Dumicich Sr. would
provide the competition for Frank Jr. over the first two laps
but on the third lap Frank Jr. made an outside pass on his
father for the race lead with "Dangerous" Dave Koenig waiting in
the wings running third. On lap 7 Frank Sr. fell to the infield
with mechanical issues moving Koenig to second and Dave wasted
little time in making himself known to Frank Jr. Over the final
half of the non-stop event Koenig looked high and low for a path
by for the race lead and win, but in the end it was Frank
Dumicich Jr. steering the Gregg's Landscaping Chevy to victory.
Complementing his 10th career Super Pro Truck win is the fact
that Frank has also won twice in 2010 in the Charger division.
Dave Koenig of Freeport was runner-up in the Nelson's Auto
Salvage Chevy, while Erin Dumicich of E. Quogue, younger sister
to race winner Frank was third in her Sea Level Construction
Dodge. With two races to go in 2010 Roger Turbush leads Koenig
by 28-points for the championship, 456 to 428, while Frank
Dumicich Jr. is third 30 behind Turbush.
Ben Gregor of Bridgehampton scored his second consecutive
4/6-Cylinder Truck Enduro victory after a late race fight for
the win with Shawn Wanat of Riverhead during their 50-lap main
event. Gregor moved out front at the throw of the green with
Wanat quickly racing to second from his 4th starting spot. For
almost the entire race Wanat shadowed Gregor as they diced their
way through lapped trucks and indeed these two would be the
class of the field as they'd wind-up being the only two to
finish 50-laps.
On lap 44 Wanat was able to catch and pass Gregor in traffic,
but just a few laps later as they received the two to go signal
Gregor was able to return the favor and passed Wanat back.
Running nose to tailgate over the final lap Ben Gregor in the
Gregor Well Drilling Chevy backed up his win in August with
another trip to the winners circle. Shawn Wanat in the
Westhampton Auto Salvage entry was runner-up, while Rob "The
Racer" McCormick of Calverton was third in the McCormick
Motorsports machine.
In the final tune-up before the September 18th National
Demolition Derby Championship at Riverhead Raceway James "The
Killa" Killkenny of Howard Beach won the 8-Cylinder Demolition
Derby. In order to collect the win Killkenny had to outlast his
uncle, former World Champion Bobby Benison of Lindenhurst which
after a torrid and hard hitting battle he was able to do. With
the win Killkenny becomes one of the favorites in his Albin
Avenue Auto Salvage machine to win the $1,500 spectacular in two
weeks. Bobby Benison was named Judge's Choice and points leader
Jason Savoy of Lake Panamoka was voted Fan's Choice.
A great night of auto racing ended with a fantastic show of
Monster Truck competition, headed by BigFoot. This fun-filled
event brought race fans to their feet for a thrilling conclusion
of open competition.
Source: Bob Finan/Riverhead
Raceway PR
Posted: September
6, 2010
