09/09/2000
J.R. BERTUCCIO AND FRANK VIGLIAROLO JR. SPLIT RIVERHEAD
MODIFIED TWIN BILL
On a busy final night of NASCAR Weekly racing Series
competition at Riverhead Raceway, J.R. Bertuccio of Centereach scored his
first NASCAR Modified victory of 2000 in the held over main event from
September 2nd, while the 35 lap night cap saw Frank Vigliarolo Jr. of
Medford post his fifth win of the season. Vigliarolo clinched his second
straight NASCAR Modified title in the first race with a 9th place tally in
what Frank insists was his final night of racing, as he will retire a
champion.
The held over 35 lap feature saw J.R. Bertuccio jump
right out front from his pole position and for the first 11 circuits he was
chased by Peggy Smith who would enjoy her finest hour in NASCAR Modified
racing. On lap 12 Smith’s good off- track friend, Lenny Fischer, was able
to pass her for second, with Bill Park soon coming to third. With the
exception of an early race caution for Mike Curtis and Wally Schweizer in
turn one, the race was incident free and Bertuccio took full advantage,
opening up a handsome lead. The real battle would rage for second as Fischer
and Park ran nose to tail, this also played right into the leader’s hands.
The only real concern Bertuccio would have in the Gershow Recycling Chevy
would be was heavy lapped traffic that he had to pick his way through late
in the contest, that allowed Fischer and Park to get closer but not close
enough.
At the checker J.R. Bertuccio was first across the line in the
Gershow Recycling Chevrolet, while Lenny Fischer of Medford was a well
deserving runner-up in the D&D Automotive Buick. Bill Park of Manorville
was third in the Smithtown Nissan Monte Carlo, while David Roys of Patchogue
was a solid fourth in the KeyTrade Online.com Chevrolet and Peggy Smith of
Jamesport was fifth in the Ideal Cesspools Cavalier. It was Peggy’s best
finish ever in a NASCAR Modified race.
In the second 35 lap main event Frank Vigliarolo Jr. was able to
“relax” in this event and he did so by promptly setting the fast time in
time trials with an 11.595 time. After the redraw among the top six took
place, Howie Brode raced from the pole position into the lead, with Chris
Young second for the first lap before Vigliarolo was able to force his way
by on lap 2. Before too long with Brode now leading Vigliarolo, lapped
traffic would play a major role in the outcome of this contest as Vigliarolo
was able to use a lapped car as a pick and work his way around Brode for the
lead, with Howie now second and Chuck Steuer on the move to third. Despite
several restarts of both double file and single file formation Frank
Vigliarolo Jr. was not going to rest having already clinched the
championship, as he wanted another win for his Northeast region status in
the NASCAR Weekly racing Series.
In the end it would be the KeyTrade Online.com/Thinkersgroup.com
Monte Carlo of Frank Vigliarolo Jr. to celebrate his title on fashion in
victory lane. Howie Brode of Bay Shore was runner-up in the Petro Fuel Oil
Chevrolet, while Chuck Steuer of Bohemia was third in the Panasonic Document
Imaging Dodge. John Fortin of Holtsville made a return visit to Riverhead a
good one with a fourth in the Holbrook MTA entry, while Wayne Anderson of
Yaphank was fifth in the Insula Dome Sky Lights Monte Carlo.
Chris Mangels was the first of three drivers to enjoy
the first career win on the night when he won the 25 lap Late Model feature
event, which also saw Gregg Shivers of Rocky Point clinch his first career
track championship. Chris LaSpisa set the tone for the first three laps of
the contest before he was forced off the track off turn four on lap 4
leaking fluid. This moved Chris Mangels out front and over the next 18 laps
he was challenged by Shawn Patrick, Sean Egan and Gregg Shivers. His
toughest test would come with a lap 22 yellow and ensuing restart with just
three laps left. On the restart Mangels stayed out front, but Shivers was
under heavy pressure from Scott Kulesa, Peter Bertuccio and Roger Oxee all
taking place just inches behind the race leader. In the end however Chris
Mangels in the Apex Technical School mount was equal to all the wild
scrambling going on behind him and he drove to victory lane. Peter Bertuccio
of Bohemia collected second place money in the Gershow Recycling Dodge,
while Roger Oxee of Peconic was third in the The Helman Group Pontiac
Gregg Shivers drove a conservative last three laps to claim fourth in
the Reynolds Insurance Pontiac, good enough to earn him the 2000 Late Model
championship.
Another driver enjoying the thrill of victory for the first time in
his career was Mike Mujsce of Hampton Bays when he won the 20 lap Figure
Eight feature event. Right from the drop of the green flag Mujsce asserted
himself as the man to beat as he led Bill Farrell for the first lap. Farrell
would soon get tagged by another car in turn one on the second lap and that
allowed Keith Terripichio to race from fourth to second behind leader
Mujsce. Keith was able at times to draw a beat on Mujsce but Mike would only
let the second place car get within two car lengths before he open up the
lead again. The biggest concern late in the race that Mujsce would face
would be the crossing traffic at the intersection, but Mike Mujsce was not
going to be denied as he scored the win the Pro tech Automotive Chevy. Keith
Terripichio of Ronkonkoma was a strong runner-up in the Optimum Online
entry, while George Sprague of Patchogue was third in the Golden Auto Body
Chevrolet.
Bill Steen of Oakdale earned his first ever Figure
Eight track title after nearly 30 years of trying when he placed 7th in the
Euro tech Auto Body Dodge. The amazing part of Steen’s journey to the
title is that he drove with a hand clutch apparatus since mid July due to an
Achilles tendon injury in his left leg.
The third generation of the Turbush racing family would visit victory
lane when Chris Turbush of Riverhead scored the Charger victory in a race
that was shortened to 11 laps due to time limit. Chris, subbing for his
famous father “Dynamite” Dan who was suspended for the season in July
zipped right our front at the drop of the green with Richie Hubbard running
second for the first two laps. On lap 3 Brian Schwarz moved to second
for three laps before Rusty Turbush passed him on lap 6 in the backstretch.
With his uncle closing in, Chris knew he was going to earn this win if
indeed he could hold on, while Rusty told his crew on the radio if he caught
Chris he was going to pass him as if he were just another competitor.
However numerous caution flags found the race being called due to the time
limit and when it was during an 11th lap yellow Chris Turbush was the happy
winner in the Ideal Cesspools entry. Rusty Turbush of Manorville was
runner-up in the Northeastern Office Equipment Pontiac, while Brian Schwarz
of Riverhead was third in the Sound Ave Equipment machine.
Dave Brigati of Calverton earned his first career
Charger championship with a 10 place finish in the Exmark Corp/Formula 113
Car Wax entry, Brigati sewed up the title when his nearest rival in the
point race Robin Vollmoeller pitted with an oil leak on the 11th lap caution
flag.
In yet another non-stop performance by the
Blunderbust division, Chris Busick of Lake Ronkonkoma notched his first win
of the season in a 20 lap main event. Scott Maliszewski set the pace for the
first 3 laps of the event before both Russell Broy and Chris Busick over
took him. Once to second Busick wasted little time in making a move on Broy
for the top spot, as he slipped under Russell for the lead on the very next
lap. After Broy chased Busick for a lap Anthony Aiello would race his way to
second on lap 6 and spend the next 14 circuits trying to figure a way out to
first catch Chris and then pass him. Aiello would draw close to Chris
Busick, but in the final rundown it was the Transmission Works machine of
Busick to capture the win. Anthony Aiello of Bayport was second in the
1-877-Drywells entry, while Henry “The Phantom” Cataldo of Massapequa
was third in the Langdon’s Automotive racer.
With that third place tally Cataldo wrapped up the 2000 Blunderbust
championship, a sweet title for Henry after he saw a large point lead erased
in 1999. However Henry was more determined than ever in 2000 to wipe out
that bitter memory and indeed you can now call him “champ”.
“Turbo” Tom Fleming of Aquebogue collected his
first win of the Super Pro truck season when he won a non stop 20 lap main
event. Jumping to the lead right at the start of the race Fleming was first
chased by newcomer Lenny Costa before Lenny surrendered that position to his
father Larry on lap 3. Once to second Larry was able to get close to Fleming
but later admitted that when he got into his son off one of the corners he
might have turned his distributor a tad and his truck would not exit the
corners the way he wanted. That was just fine with Tom Fleming in the Ideal
Cesspools truck, as he was able to set his own comfortable pace, one he
enjoyed right into victory lane. Larry Costa of College Point was runner-up
in the New York Metro Peterbilt Dodge, while Rich Giordano of Lindenhurst
was third in the Millennium Theatre Systems Dodge. Going into the
final SPT point race on September 23rd Ron Humes enjoys a 26 point lead on
Tom Gallo, meaning Humes just needs to start to clinch.
Source: Riverhead Raceway Press Release
Posted: September 12, 2000
