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08/06/2011

Justin Bonsignore Continues Riverhead Raceway Hot Streak

Justin Bonsignore of Holtsville continued his Riverhead Raceway hot streak Saturday evening when he backed up his NASCAR WMT victory of a week ago with a win in the 35-lap Best Buy/Miller Lite night NASCAR Modified feature. The victory, Justin's third of 2011 at the quarter mile also moved him into a comfortable lead in the Whelen All-American Series points race as Bonsignore now enjoys a 30-point margin over John Fortin with five scheduled races remaining.

Rookie driver Jason Agugliaro stepped into the early race lead at the drop of the green with Robin Vollmoeller in hot pursuit for the first two laps. Eddie Brunnhoelzl III made some noise on lap three passing Vollmoeller for second and once there the third generation driver quickly pounced on Agugliaro for the lead on lap four. A lap six restart would jumble the front of the 21-car field once again as Robin Vollmoeller made a bold move to race out front on the sixth lap, a lead he'd hold until a double file restart was needed on lap ten. When the green light came back on Eddie Brunnhoelzl III rode the outside line past leader Robin Vollmoeller to reclaim the lead with Vollmoeller now second, while Justin Bonsignore who started the race 8th was now sitting third.

Working the inside lane Bonsignore wasted little time in making his way out front passing first Vollmoeller and on lap 20 he dove under Brunnhoelzl for the lead racing into the third corner. Over the final 15-laps of the contest Bonsignore and Brunnhoelzl, who raced together for many a win in the East End Kart Racing club at Riverhead, once again found themselves as friendly foes, this time in 600 horsepower NASCAR Modifieds. Fresh off his $10,000 plus win one week ago in the Lighthouse Mission 200 by Baldwin Automotive Justin Bonsignore continued to ride the wave of momentum; however Eddie Brunnhoelzl III seeking his first win since 2008 had other ideas pressuring the leader. It wasn't until the final few laps that Bonsignore was able to pull away slightly to drive to his 6th career victory.

As sweet as the victory for the M3 Technologies Team was and the 30-point lead they now enjoy at their home track, it also comes with some scheduling conflicts for Justin Bonsignore and his car owner Ken Massa. This Saturday the NASCAR WMT is at New Hampshire Speedway as part of an IZOD Indy Car weekend and the WMT race won't start until late afternoon. When asked about the conflict Bonsignore revealed, "like the last time we ran at New Hampshire I'll have a plane waiting to take me back to Long Island, but it's going to be really tight getting back here in time to run the feature, we might not make it"

Eddie Brunnhoelzl III of Levittown crossed the line second in the Senix Creek Inn Chevy with veteran Robin Vollmoeller of Riverhead turning in a great performance for third in the Blackhawk Fabricating Chevy. It was a season best for both drivers. Bill Park of Manorville and Chris Young of Calverton completed the top five.

It was on this date 17-years ago that Shawn Patrick of Brightwaters claimed his first career Late Model win and what better way to mark the occasion than with a Miller Lite night win in the 25-lap feature which is exactly what the veteran driver did. Rob McCormick and Dennis Krupski tussled for the lead for the first two laps before Shawn Patrick worked his way by Krupski for second on lap three. A 4th lap caution flag would set-up a double file restart between McCormick and Patrick and when the green flag waved it was Patrick riding the outside to the race lead while McCormick was racing for second with Kevin Metzger with Kevin taking the position on lap 5. With Patrick and Metzger running one-two Jarrod Hayes wanted in on the fun and on lap 10 he got by Metzger for second and quickly closed in on leader Patrick. On lap 15 right under the starters stand Hayes closed in on Patrick rapidly and in fact his left front wheel caught the right rear bumper of the leader causing Hayes to come to a stop with damage. When the race resumed Shawn Patrick saw Kevin Metzger in his rear view mirror, while Scott Kulesa now sat third. Over the final green flag run there was no stopping the Steve Mehner Race Engines Dodge of Shawn Patrick as he drove to his second win of 2011 and 5th overall in his career. Kevin Metzger of Massapequa was runner-up in the Long Island Fuel Accessories Chevy and Scott Kulesa of Georgetown, Ma. would finish third in the Ranco Sand & Stone Pontiac.

Besieged by mechanical gremlins over the past few Super Pro Truck races, defending champion Roger Turbush of Riverhead overcame all the bad luck Saturday night leading wire to wire to win the Miller Lite 20 for his second win of the year. With all the rotten luck as of late Roger Turbush enjoyed a pole starting berth which he quickly took advantage of roaring into the race lead with Lou Maestri giving chase. Maestri soon found himself racing for that second spot with "Dangerous" Dave Koenig who indeed was able to slip by Lou for position on the fourth lap. For the remainder of the race which was slowed by just one caution flag, Roger Turbush would lead the way, but nobody could blame him if he was hearing noises or waiting for something to go wrong given his recent run of luck. However all would be okay with the Allied Air Conditioning Chevy as Roger Turbush drove to his 7th career SPT win and afterwards indeed was one very relieved driver. Dave Koenig of Freeport would settle for runner-up money in the Nelson's Auto Salvage Chevy, while Lou Maestri of Deer Park was third in the Gershow Recycling Chevy.

Defending Legend Race Car champion Kevin Nowak of Medford made a bold pass on two cars at once that would pay off for his second win of the 2011 campaign in the Miller Lite 20. Young lions Vinny Delaney and Dylan Slepian broke out front on lap one and for the second lap swapped positions with Slepian leading that lap. However on the third lap racing into the first corner Kevin Nowak, a tested tough Legend veteran of over 120 starts dove to the inside of Delaney for second going into the first turn and then in the same motion passed Slepian for the race lead. Slepian chased Nowak for five laps before Delaney got by on lap 11, but just after working his way to second Delaney quickly found himself third after Chris Young worked his way by. It would be Young, the current championship leader who would provide Nowak with his most serious challenge over the final eight laps of the contest staying with the race leader lap after lap. However in the end it would be the Racing Creation sedan of Kevin Nowak posting the win, while Chris Young of Calverton was second in the Ray The Plumber entry. Justin Strumpf of Selden, Young's nearest rival in the title fight was third in his Monster's Recycling machine and now trails Chris by 10-points.

Dennis Nelson of Coram notched the 4-Cylinder Enduro win when he topped the field in the Miller Lite 50. Eric Kandler set the pace over the first ten laps of the tilt before Dennis Nelson moved his Repo Joe machine out front on lap 11, a lead he'd never surrender for the remainder of the race. Eric Kandler of Coram would finish second in his Family Auto entry, while Christian Conklin of Flanders was third in the Let it Shine Detailing mount.

Dennis "The Mennace" Scott of Riverhead won the Full Size School Bus Demolition Derby and in order to claim his first career win would have to outlast two familiar foes. His future son-in-law Michael "Cheesebox" Rommeney and NASCAR Modified driver Ken Darch, all of whom are part of Darch's D&K Motorsports team, were the final three drivers standing before Dennis Scott won in the South Bay Beverage bus.

Best Buy/Miller Lite NASCAR Modifieds 35-laps: 1. Justin Bonsignore 2. Eddie Brunnhoelzl III 3. Robin Vollmoeller 4. Bill Park 5. Chris Young 6. Shawn Solomito 7. Timmy Solomito 8. Jason Agugliaro 9. Kyle Ellwood 10. John Beatty Jr. 11. Wayne Anderson 12. Frank Saladino 13. Kevin Nowak 14. John Fortin Jr. 15. Ken Darch 16. Sean McDonald 17. John Fortin Sr. 18. Don Howe 19. Tom Rogers Jr. 20. Jerry Solomito 21. Amber Fortin

Miller Lite Late Models 25-laps: 1. Shawn Patrick 2. Kevin Metzger 3. Scott Kulesa 4. Peter Eriksen 5. Mike Bologna 6. Dennis Krupski 7. Chris LaSpisa 8. Artie Pedersen Jr. 9. Ken Alfano 10. Arne Pedersen 11. Jarrod Hayes 12. Roger Oxee 13. Rob McCormick 14. Dan Turbush 15. Justin Strumpf

Miller Lite Super Pro Trucks 20-laps: 1. Roger Turbush 2. Dave Koenig 3. Lou Maestri 4. Chris Turbush 5. Frank Dumicich Jr. 6. Mike Albasini 7. Chris McGuire 8. Erin Dumicich 9. Frank Dumicich Sr. 10. Peter Rotzi 11. Kevin Scharfenberg 12. Kathleen Hallock 13. Keith Rotzi 14. Brian McElearney

Miller Lite Legend Race Cars 20-laps: 1. Kevin Nowak 2. Chris Young 3. Justin Strumpf 4. Vinny Delaney 5. Dylan Slepian 6. Jason Sendlewski 7. Mike Malone 8. Jeffrey Goodale 9. Jim Sylvester 10. John Harley 11. Kyle Ellwood 12. Tom Marsh 13. Kyle Soper 14. Tony Naglieri 15. Cody Triola 16. Vincent Biondolillo 17. Artie Pedersen III 18. Keith Goodale 19. Chris Rogers 20. Alex Urbina 21. Michael Rommeney 22. Bryan Kelly 23. Paul Dodorico 24. Jim Byrne

Miller Lite 4-Cylinder Enduro (top five): 1. Dennis Nelson 2. Eric Kandler 3. Christian Conklin 4. Don Nelson Jr. 5. Robert Endlekofer

Miller Lite School Bus Demolition Derby: Winner- Dennis Scott

Source: Bob Finan/Riverhead Raceway PR
Posted: 
August 8, 2011

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