Ronnie Silk Holds Off Late Race Challenge to win the Baldwin,
Evans, & Jarzombek 77 Memorial
Ronnie Silk of Norwalk, Ct had to
withstand a late race challenge from fellow NASCAR Whelen
Modified Tour regular and current point leader Todd Szegedy
Saturday night at Riverhead Raceway before he could lay claim to
the victory in the annual Baldwin, Evans & Jarzombek 77 by Repo
Joe. The $1,600 triumph was especially sweet for Silk's
Calverton, L.I. based car owners Ed & Connie Partridge who were
very close to "Charging" Charlie Jarzomebk throughout his racing
career.
"The Fancy Farmer" Dave Brigati set the
fast time with a lap of 11.754 earning $100 from Brigandi
Brothers Automotive but when Dave was the first to pull from the
hat in the redraw among the top six from time, he drew sixth
while Ronnie Silk and Tom Rogers Jr. drew the front row for the
28-car field. On the initial start Silk powered his TS Haulers
Chevy into the early race lead while Rogers tried to make a run
on the outside for the lead. The duo renewed acquaintances from
their fantastic battle in the 2010 NASCAR HoF 100 at Riverhead
and several early race caution flags set-up double file
restarts. During those restarts Tom would try and power his way
by Ronnie for the lead but would have to tuck in behind the
leader eventually. With 13 laps in the books another restart was
on the horizon and this time Howie Brode, the defending race
winner of the 77, slipped under Rogers for second and he quickly
set his sights on Silk for the lead. An extended green flag run
allowed Silk a chance to pull away slightly over Brode and
Rogers who were both under attack from Todd Szegedy who soon
passed Rogers for third.
On lap 44 disaster struck second place
Howie Brode when he was clipped suddenly by a car he was lapping
sending him into a spin off turn four and drawing a yellow flag
and resetting the top three with Ronnie Silk remaining the race
leader while Todd Szegedy and Tom Rogers ran second and third.
When the race resumed the two WMT regulars would indeed be the
class of the field as they darted away from Rogers and fourth
place Dave Brigati allowing them to settle the race lead and
victory among themselves. Just moments after receiving the two
to go signal, Szegedy who shadowed Silk, once he came to second
made an attempt on the outside of the race leader exiting the
second turn, hoping his move would stick on the outside entering
turn three, but Silk was having none of it and warded off the
challenge.
At the finish it was Ronnie Silk scoring
his second career Riverhead Raceway win backing up his 2010
NASCAR HoF victory and more importantly will go into this
Saturday night's Lighthouse Mission 200 by Baldwin Automotive
200 on a roll. "I have to thank Ed & Connie Partridge for the
opportunity to drive their car, I know this race was a special
one for them being close with Charlie" Silk noted in victory
lane as he was flanked by NASCAR's Jerry Cook and Barbara & Jim
Cromarty. When asked if his team could learn anything for the
200 this week even though the track tire and WMT are different,
Silk admitted, "not too much, but my crew chief Tommy Grasso and
this team I'm sure took some notes that will get us back here in
seven days".
Todd Szegedy of Ridgefield, Ct was
runner-up in his Wisk Laundry Detergent Ford, while Tom Rogers
Jr. of Patchogue rolled across the line third in his Jessup
Landscaping Chevy. Dave Brigati of Calverton placed fourth in
the 77 while the drive of the race could very well have been
Howie Brode of East Islip who in the final 33-laps of the race
charged his way back to a fifth place finish.
Arne Pedersen of Mastic Beach notched
his third Figure Eight win of 2011 when he topped the Repo Joe
20. Roger Maynor took advantage of a rare front row starting
berth to race out to the early race lead with Pedersen making a
bold move to come from third to second. As the field started the
third lap another rare occurrence for Roger Maynor unfolded when
his car lost third gear in the right hand turn forcing him high
for a moment and that was all Arne Pedersen needed to take the
race lead in his Seatuck Fish Dodge. With Pedersen out front,
Roger Maynor was able to make a quick recovery dropping his car
down into second gear chasing the eventual race winner to the
checkered flag. For Arne Pedersen it was his 7th career victory
and for Roger Maynor of Bay Shore in the Barrasso & Sons Mason
Supplies Toyota his runner-up finish means his winless streak
that dates back to August 22nd, 2009 remains intact. Third place
money went to the returning Ken Hyde Jr. of Medford who raced
his way from an 11th place starting spot to finish third in the
Maples Bar of Manorville entry.
20-year old Charger talent CJ Lehmann of
Mastic Beach came into his own in the Repo Joe 20 as he rode the
outside lane to reclaim the lead he had lost to Frank Dumicich
Jr. three laps prior to score his second career win. After Frank
Dumicich Jr. led the first lap CJ Lehmann was able to slip by on
the second circuit to take control of the race which had an
extended green flag run early, allowing Lehmann to pull away
even further. However a 14th lap yellow would bunch the field up
and on the ensuing restart Dumicich raced his way under a
stunned Lehmann entering the first turn to take the race lead.
Lehmann didn't let this get in his way however as he pulled up
his work boots and drove to the outside of Dumicich to reclaim
the race lead as the field got the two to go signal. Over the
final two laps CJ Lehmann in the TJ Halpin's Restaurant Chevy
would drive off to a hard earned victory. Second year driver
Eric Zeh of Selden made a late race move to claim runner-up
money in the ILS Landscaping entry, while "Radiant" Ray Minieri
with some late race moves of his own placed third in the Mr
Beery's Pub Pontiac.
Rob Bader of Holtsville came to the Repo
Joe 20 Blunderbust feature event hoping to end what he claimed
to be an eight race slump he was mired in and when the race
concluded Bader ended the skid with his first victory of 2011.
Brandon Hubbard raced his way into the early race lead and over
the first half of the race it appeared the second generation
driver would make his first career trip to victory lane. Bill
Wegmann Jr. chased Hubbard over the first nine laps of the
contest but as the race hit the halfway mark its complexion
would change in a hurry. Hubbard and Wegmann drove into some
thick lapped traffic down the back stretch and into the third
and fourth corner which was made worse by a car slowing up high
with a flat tire. As he sat third in the running order Rob Bader
in his MoMo's Sports Bar Chevy seized the moment and in one
clean sweeping move raced his way from third to the race lead
passed a surprised Hubbard and Wegmann. Over the final half of
the race Rob Bader raced away to victory, his first since
September 11th of last year and he now hopes to start a winning
streak to replace his self proclaimed slump. Brandon Hubbard of
Mastic was runner-up in the Hubbard's Repair Shop Buick, while
Tom Pickerell of Huntington drove from 11th to finish third in
his Premier Utility Services Chevy.
Chris Turbush of Riverhead made it two
in a row in the Super Pro Trucks when he topped the Repo Joe 20
for his track -leading fourth win of the season. Defending
champion Roger Turbush, who has been snake bitten in his title
defense season of 2011, jumped out front from the pole when the
race took the green flag with Frank Dumicich Sr. giving chase
for the first lap before Dave Koenig made a pass for the
position. Koenig, who came to the race as the point leader was
all over Roger for the race lead and on lap 10 entering the
first turn he dove low but when he did his truck got sideways
and eventually spun drawing a yellow flag. That turn of events
put Chris Turbush, who had just passed Mike Albasini for third,
up to second and it would be the two brothers who slugged it out
for the win. As the duo took the white flag it appeared as
though Roger would end his string of horrid luck but then
suddenly exiting the second turn his truck lost power, brother
Chris with nowhere to go got into the idle machine and drove to
the race lead and eventual win in the Bill Lyons Equipment Sales
Chevy. Mike Albasini of Flushing who was all over the Turbush
brothers in the closing laps was runner-up in the Hollis Court
Collision Chevy, while Frank Dumicich Jr. of E. Quogue drove his
Teddy Bear Graphics Chevy to a third place finish and with that
became the new point leader.
Baldwin, Evans & Jarzombek 77 by Repo
Joe NASCAR Modifieds: 1. Ronnie Silk 2. Todd Szegedy 3. Tom
Rogers Jr. 4. Dave Brigati 5. Howie Brode 6. Bill Park 7. John
Fortin 8. John Beatty Jr. 9. Wayne Anderson 10. Chuck Steuer 11.
Don Howe 12. Shawn Solomito 13. Kyle Ellwood 14. Chris Young 15.
Amber Fortin 16. John Fortin Jr. 17. Gary Putnam 18. Eric
Goodale 19. Ken Darch 20. Ron Yuhas Jr. 21. Eddie Brunnhoelzl
III 22. Jason Agugliaro 23. Brad Van Houten 24. Robin
Vollmoeller 25. Justin Bonsignore 26. Bryon Chew 27. Kevin
Goodale 28. Jerry Solomito Jr. DNQ- Kevin Nowak, Sean McDonald
Rep Joe Figure Eights 20-laps: 1. Arne
Pedersen 2. Roger Maynor 3. Ken Hyde Jr. 4. Mike Mujsce 5. Tom
Ferrara 6. Mike Herbst 7. Steve Stadler 8. Dennis Scott 9. Tim
Mulqueen 10. Peter Bertuccio 11. Gary Fritz Jr. 11. Bryan
Sescila 13. Scott Pedersen
Repo Joe Chargers 20-laps: 1. CJ Lehmann
2. Eric Zeh 3. Ray Minieri 4. Chris Turbush 5. Chris McGuire 6.
Jeremy McDermott 7. Craig Lutz 8. John Baker 9. Erin Dumicich
10. Frank Dumicich Jr. 11. Brad Van Houten 12. Derek Stachecki
13. Brian Doyle
Repo Joe Blunderbusts 20-laps: 1. Rob
Bader 2. Brandon Hubbard 3. Tom Pickerell 4. Bill Wegmann Jr. 5.
Fred Nolan 6. Ed Mistretta 7. Bill Wegmann Sr. 8. Tommy
Walkowiak 9. Gary Caldwell 10. Jack Handley Jr. 11. Paul Parisi
12. Tom Sullivan 13. Scott Sepe 14. Bill Portney Sr. 15. Thomas
Puccia 16. Scott Maliszewski 17. Bob Muller 18. Tim Mulqueen
Repo Joe Super Pro Trucks 20-laps: 1.
Chris Turbush 2. Mike Albasini 3. Frank Dumicich Jr. 4. Erin
Dumicich 5. Frank Dumicich Sr. 6. John Denniston 7. Brian
McElearney 8. Kathleen Hallock 9. Dave Koenig 10. Lou Maestri
11. Roger Turbush 12. Keith Rotzi 13. Peter Rotzi
Source:
Bob Finan/Riverhead Raceway PR
Posted: July 25, 2011
