John Fortin Wins Second Straight Modified Feature
John Fortin of Holtsville notched his
second straight NASCAR Modified feature win Saturday at
Riverhead Raceway and in doing so trimmed Justin Bonsignore's
lead in the 2011 championship chase to 16 with one race
remaining this coming Saturday September 10th. The victory was
Fortin's 3rd of the season and 26th career visit to victory
lane.
Ken Darch jumped to the early lead when
the green light came on and was chased for the first five
circuits by former five-time track champion Don Howe. On lap 5
the yellow light winked on setting-up the first of two early
race double file restarts with Darch retaining the lead on the
first attempt at getting the race resumed with John Fortin
moving under Don Howe for second. With just one full green flag
lap completed the yellow waved again setting-up another restart
and this time John Fortin rode the outside lane to the race lead
on lap 7, with Eddie Brunnhoelzl III also riding the high side
to come from 4th to 2nd behind the new race leader.
Over the remainder of the race
Brunnhoelzl would mirror Fortin off every corner keeping the
former three-time track champion on his toes. Further back
defending NASCAR Modified champion Tom Rogers Jr. was busy
racing his way to third after starting the race 8th, while point
leader Justin Bonsignore rallied to fourth after having to pit
for a flat tire suffered during a 6th lap pile-up in turn four.
These two had their own fight for position in the shadows of the
Fortin-Brunnhoelzl tussle for the race win.
At the checker it was the Long Island
Aquarium & Exhibition Center Chevy of John Fortin crossing the
line first and afterwards he noted, "like Justin says, don't pop
the champagne corks just yet". In post race tech the Fortin team
filed a protest on Bonsignore's fourth place M3 Technologies
Chevy claiming the point leader might be using traction control,
however Justin's car after a rigid inspection came up legal.
With just one 35-lap feature left in 2011 Fortin sits 16-points
back of Bonsignore, 552 to 536, which means he'd have to be 9
spots better than Justin in the finale to wrestle the title
away.
Eddie Brunnhoelzl III of Levittown was
runner-up in the Senix Creek Inn Chevy, while Tom Rogers Jr. of
Patchogue drove his Jessup Landscaping Chevy to a third place
tally. Justin Bonsignore and Amber Fortin, both from Holtsville
completed the top five.
"Radiant" Ray Minieri of Bay Shore
pocketed his 2nd win of the 2011 Charger campaign when he topped
their 20-lap main event for his 14th career triumph. After
totaling his primary car two weeks ago Jeremy McDermott showed
the way for the first three laps of the race in his step-father
Allen Reeves' car before an early race yellow set-up a double
file restart. On that restart Ray Minieri rode the outside
groove to the race lead with McDermott tucking into second and
for the 17-laps that were left that is how the top two ran while
just behind them Chris Turbush and Chris McGuire slugged it out
for third. Not only were the tandem racing for position during
the race, but also the 2011 title and in the final laps McGuire
threw all he could at Turbush trying to gain valuable points. At
the finish it was the Mr. Beery's Pub Pontiac of Ray Minieri
over the line first, while Jeremy McDermott of E. Stroudsburg,
Pa. placed second sending the duo into a tie for third in the
point standings. Chris Turbush of Riverhead was third in his Let
It Shine Detailing entry and with two races left has a slim
six-point lead on Chris McGuire of Shirley, 580 to 574. McGuire
was 4th in the race in his Gershow recycling Ford.
15-year old Jack Handley Jr. of Medford
will return to the Patchogue-Medford high school this Wednesday
and he'll do so with his first career Blunderbust victory under
his belt as the second generation driver won their 20-lap
feature event. Tim Mulqueen set the pace of the race over the
first five laps before "The Pistol" Paul Parisi overtook him to
the outside on a 5th lap restart. Just one lap later Jack
Handley Jr. moved to second behind Parisi and after hounding the
race leader for four laps, the teenage driver worked his way
into the lead for good on lap 11, while Parisi and Rob Bader
fought for second with Bader taking the spot on lap 15. Over the
final five laps Bader threw all he could at Handley trying to
score his second win of 2011 but in the end it was a popular win
for Jack Handley Jr. in his Relle Electric Chevy as he was able
to thwart all challenges thrown at him. Rob Bader of Holtsville
was runner-up in the MoMo's Sports Bar Chevy, while Scott
Maliszewski of Deer Park placed third in his Rush Hour Towing
Chevy.
After having previously come so very
close to her first career feature event win, Erin Dumicich of E.
Quogue sealed the deal Saturday night as she won a non-stop
20-lap Super Pro Truck feature event. Erin out gunned Keith
Rotzi for the early race lead to take control of the race at the
drop of the green flag and once out front not only would Erin
stay there, she would also build up what turned out to be an
insurmountable advantage. Lost in the history making win for
Dumicich was the career best run for Keith Rotzi who ran albeit
a distant second to the eventual race winner, second none the
less. With the Labor Day weekend crowd sensing a history making
win as the laps wound down, Erin Dumicich in her Sea Level
Construction Dodge did not disappoint as she became the first
female driver to win a feature since 1998 when Laurie Harlin won
a Blunderbust feature event. Keith Rotzi of Bay Shore had his
best ever finish with a second place showing in the Aces
Landscaping entry, while Frank Dumicich Jr. of E. Quogue was
third in the Teddy Bear Graphics Chevy.
Jason Savoy of Lake Panamoka served
notice he is ready for the $1,500 to win National Demolition
Derby championship at Riverhead Raceway as he won the 8-Cylinder
Demolition Derby. Savoy in his Monster's Recycling entry had to
outlast "The Maniac" Matt Mulqueen of Levittown in his Timmy's
Towing Lincoln before laying claim to the win. Mulqueen earned
Judge's Choice, while point leader James Kilkenny of Howard
Beach was named Fan's Choice and with just one event left this
year James leads Savoy 490 to 460 in the title chase.
NASCAR Modifieds 35-laps: 1. John Fortin
2. Eddie Brunnhoelzl III 3. Tom Rogers Jr. 4. Justin Bonsignore
5. Amber Fortin 6. Bill Park 7. Dave Sapienza 8. Brad Van Houten
9. Wayne Anderson 10. Don Howe 11. David Schneider 12. Kyle
Ellwood 13. John Fortin Jr. 14. Frank Saladino 15. Kevin Nowak
16. Ken Darch 17. John Beatty Jr. 18. Jason Agugliaro 19. Chris
Young 20 Greg Harris
Chargers 20-laps: 1. Ray Minieri 2.
Jeremy McDermott 3. Chris Turbush 4. Chris McGuire 5. CJ Lehmann
6. Brian Brown 7. Frank Dumicich Jr. 8. John Baker 9. Dan
Turbush
Blunderbusts 20-laps: 1. Jack Handley
Jr. 2. Rob Bader 3. Scott Maliszewski 4. Paul Parisi 5. Tommy
Walkowiak 6. Tom Sullivan 7. Ed Mistretta 8. Bill Wegmann Jr. 9.
Thomas Puccia Jr. 10. Tim Mulqueen 11. Jimmy White Jr. 12.
Brandon Hubbard 13. Tom Pickerell 14. Bill Portney Sr. 15. Scott
Sepe 16. Bryan Quilliam 17. Bob Muller 18. Robert Duffus Jr. 19.
Gary Caldwell 20. Kerri Herbst 21. Bill Wegmann Sr. 22. Jesscia
Cohan DNS-Joe Seeger
8-Cylinder Demolition Derby: Winner-
Jason Savoy
Source:
Bob Finan/Riverhead Raceway PR
Posted: September 6, 2011
