09/03/2000
RAIN STOPS RIVERHEAD MODIFIED FEATURE SETTING UP BUSY
FINAL NIGHT SATURDAY
Weather continued to play havoc with the NASCAR
Weekly Racing Series schedule this past Saturday night at Riverhead Raceway.
Rain hit the track for the fourth time of the night just as the 22 car
NASCAR Modified feature was getting ready for their 35 lap feature. The
field, which was already set by points due to rain delays, will now compete
in the 35 lap main event at 4:00 pm this Saturday, September 9th, prior to
the final NASCAR Weekly Racing Series program of 2000.
The first rain delay of the day hit during the afternoon practice
sessions setting the schedule back nearly two hours. Round two of the rain
hit during the third Charger heat and that lasted over an hour, with a short
delay also taking place prior to the first NASCAR Modified heat but that was
a brief delay. With the NASCAR Modifieds hitting the track after the Monster
Trucks performance, at 10:00 pm when the rain hit officials waited until
10:30 and with no sign of the rain letting up, the event was pushed back to
this Saturday.
The Modifieds will run their make up 35 lap feature at 4:00 pm and
following that race will be Blunderbust and Charger heat races and
consolation races for the regularly scheduled Sept. 9th show. Then the
Modifieds will take time for their final feature of 2000 and once that is
completed the six feature events scheduled for the night will be presented.
All race teams in all divisions should arrive at the track extra early this
week as practice could very well be moved up to accommodate this very busy
final night of racing.
In racing action that was completed, defending Charger champion
“Radiant” Ray Minieri of Bay Shore won his second feature event of the
season. While in the race within a race a huge shuffle took place in
the points race. Andy Lokkberg raced out front at the drop of the green
being chased first by impressive newcomer Chris Turbush before he gave way
to Dennis Krupski on the second lap. Krupski pursued Lokkberg up until the
5th circuit when he was over taken for the position by Ray Minieri and Ray
then set sail for leader Lokkberg. Andy had a solid run going on this night
and the likeable driver led up to the halfway point of the race when Minieri
was able to race under Lokkberg going into turn one for the lead. Quickly
racing into the opening that Ray opened up, Brian Schwarz moved by Lokkberg
as well for second and Brian spent the final half of the race trying to find
a way past Minieri. There would be no stopping the ALP Computer Dynamics
Pontiac on this night and Ray Minieri took the victory. Brian Schwarz of
Riverhead settled for runner-up money in the Not Just Ice Cream Chevrolet,
while Rusty Turbush of Manorville made his presence known late in the
contest scoring a third place tally in the Northeastern Office Equipment
Pontiac.
On the strength of his fifth place finish Dave Brigati of Calverton
became the new point leader, with Robin Vollmoeller of Riverhead now second
just 18 point back of Brigati. Vollmoeller was 7th in the feature. Tied for
third just 20 markers back of Brigati are Richie Carman of Port Jefferson
and Barry Stanchio of Roslyn Heights and the final 20 lap feature this
Saturday should be a barn burner.
Once again with threatening weather all around the
Blunderbust class came through with yet another non stop 20 lap feature
event and when the checker flag waved “Jumpin” Jack Handley of
Lindenhurst sat in victory lane for the first time this season. Handley went
right into the lead when the green light winked on. He was followed by Brian
Sescila for the first 7 laps of the contest. On lap 8 entering the first
corner Sescila was passed by John Clancy for the second position, but by the
time Clancy got to second, Handley was long gone with nearly a full straight
away advantage. Clancy was able to chip away at Handley’s lead, but with
no cautions to aid him, his efforts would indeed be fruitless. At the finish
it was Jack Handley in the Lands End Abstract mount taking home the triumph,
while John Clancy of Shirley had to be content with second in the Lighthouse
Insurance Agency Chevrolet. Tom Alt of Miller Place made a late race charge
pay off with a solid third in the Finelli Industries machine.
In the battle for the 2000 championship Bobby Gardner of Westbury
shaved 14 points off Henry Cataldo’s point lead with an 8th place finish
to Henry’s 14th. Cataldo of Massapequa will carry a 22 point edge over
Gardner into this week’s final point race.
The night came to a smashing conclusion with a Demolition Derby that
found Tim Smith of Port Jefferson and Mike O’Keefe of Islip declared
co-winners.
The second half of the Labor Day weekend schedule at Riverhead
Raceway was also effected by rain but all the racing action was completed.
In the 20 lap Super Pro truck feature, Ron Humes of East Rockaway drove down
from his upstate New York vacation, a worthwhile trip as he won his third
feature of the season. The father son front row of Larry and Lenny Costa
brought the field to the green flag with Lenny breaking out front. Larry
chased his son for the first lap of the race before he was over taken by
John Denniston on the second lap. While Costa and Denniston ran one-two Ron
Humes was on the move from his 10th starting position and it wasn’t long
before the “hurricane” warnings were posted. On lap 9 “Hurricane”
Humes moved by Denniston for second with an outside pass off turn four and
he then went to work trying to erase a comfortable lead Lenny Costa had
opened up. The one thing Lenny did not want to see was a caution, but indeed
one would wave on lap 10. Worse yet the yellow was for his father Larry who
spun and was collected by Scott Wolf in turns one and two. The yellow wiped
out Lenny’s cushion and when the race went back to green Costa continued
out front but not for long as once again Humes rode the outside line to pass
Costa for the lead on lap 11, again going into turn one. Tom Gallo would
also work his way by Costa on the 11th circuit and he would then spend the
rest of his day trying to track down Humes.
In the end it would be Ron “Hurricane” Humes notching yet another
win using the outside line in the Dealers Marine GMC. Tom Gallo of Riverhead
was runner-up in the Gallo’s Used Auto Parts Chevrolet, while Lou Maestri
of Deer Park raced his way to a third place finish in the Ace Crankshaft
Ford. With the win Humes now enjoys a 24 point advantage over Tom Gallo with
two races left, the first this Saturday and the final on Saturday September
23rd.
In the 1st Enduro which was run in the rain Dominick Ranieri of East
Northport won the 100 lap contest and $1,000 for his efforts. After the
Monster Trucks performed, also in the rain, the 70 lap 4 Cylinder Enduro
went to Jeff Dotzel of Riverhead. In the 4 and 6 Cylinder Pick-up Truck
Enduro Jarred Hayes of Calverton was declared the winner of the 25 lap
event. Rounding out the wet weekend of racing would be the final Enduro of
the day, 80 lap affair that saw Walter Stroud of Medford score his 5th win
of 2000. The rain did let up for both 4 Cylinder races and the final Enduro.
Source: Riverhead Raceway Press Release
Posted: September 5, 2000
