Island Insight
by
Greg
Berkowitz
Friday the 13th was the night before. In
addition, four planets aligned, too. And on the horizon, the
full moon is this Tuesday. Whichever anomaly you dub as the
cause, there's no denying that this Saturday night's events at
Riverhead Raceway were a bit out of this world. The tracks'
second show of the season was a wild one filled with strange
weather, close racing, intense wrecks, and heated tempers.
Drivers raced not only each other but also the weather, as a
large rainstorm closed in on the track. Despite the frigid
temperatures and ominous clouds hanging over the raceway, all
seven races completed the full scheduled distance.
The night started off with a 20-lap Legend
feature, a division which welcomed several changes the raceway
instituted in 2011. One of those was the removal of the
"freshman race," which officials replaced with heat races. Last
year, all rookie Legend drivers were required to run in the
“freshman” race to have a chance at the two or three transfer
spots into the feature. In a division that is dominated by young
up-and-coming drivers, this format prohibited many talented (and
worthy) drivers from ever being able to participate in the
feature. After drivers complained in 2011, they got their wish -
a starting lineup determined by a pair of eight-lap heat races.
Eleven drivers from each race transfer to the main event plus
two provisional spots. The change in format not only provides a
more exciting experience for the fans but also puts all legend
drivers on a more level playing field when it comes to
qualifying for the main event.
The Legends were not the only division
affected by off-season format changes. NASCAR Whelen
All-American Series officials announced that they will penalize
any driver who intentionally stops on the track to bring out a
caution. This has been a problem that has plagued the track in
years past. Drivers who incurred a problem on the track, such as
a flat tire or had spun and stalled, would sit on the on track
without attempting to restart their cars in order to bring out
the yellow and avoid losing valuable track position. Now, any
driver whom the officials believe intentionally brings out the
yellow flag will be penalized a lap, thus negating any advantage
they would stand to gain by bringing out the yellow in the first
place. While this puts more pressure on the drivers, it makes
for a better show for the fans. The effect of this rule was
visible throughout Saturday night’s events, which each saw more
than their fair share of flat tires and spins. Drivers who had
spun made better efforts to restart their cars and resume
movement before the yellow could be waved.
Meanwhile it was a night of feast or famine
for defending 2010 champions. With the exception of the
Modifieds - whose defending champion, Tom Rogers Jr., has moved
up to the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour - the defending champs of
each division are back looking to defend their titles.
Blunderbust champion Tommy Walkowiak started off the season with
two wins in a row. Walkowiak, much like Jimmie Johnson, is
proving that if someone else wants to win the title, they will
have to come through him first. However, the rest of the
champions were not so lucky.
Legends car champion, Kevin Nowak, had his
night end early with engine woes. Roger Turbush, 2010 Super Pro
Truck champ, was the first to take the checkers, but would later
be disqualified for underweight clutch assembly, which in the
rulebook states: "The stock steel type clutch assembly combined
with the flywheel and flywheel bolts must weigh a minimum of 30
pounds." Roger’s brother
Chris, the defending Charger champion, was also running strong
in that feature before becoming the victim in one of many
strange wrecks throughout the night. Figure 8 champion Scott
Pedersen exited early of the Cromarty Cup Figure 8 feature in a
hard crash with rival Kenny Hyde Jr. The hard feelings between
the two competitors would carry over into the pits as members
from both crews showed their displeasure with one another.
Luckily for several of the defending
champs, this is only the beginning of the season and there's
still many races left to catch up.
Source: Greg Berkowitz/LongIslandJam.com
Posted: May
15, 2011
