Excitement Builds for WMT Buzz Chew Chevy-Cadillac Night Hoosier Tire 200
It’s now just a matter of days before the cars and stars of the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour roll into Riverhead Raceway for the Hoosier Tire 200 this Saturday on Buzz Chew Chevrolet-Cadillac night. Joining the 200 lap WMT contest will be a $1,000 to win Legend Race Car 30-lap feature, as well as a 30-lap Blunderbust feature which will carry $300 in lap money. Jim Schaefer, better known as the Long Island Mod Maniac, has announced that every car that shows-up for the Hoosier Tire 200 will collect $300 from some $13,000 plus in bonus money the retired school teacher has raised.
Ryan Preece of Berlin, Ct is the most recent WMT race winner at Riverhead Raceway as he won the 200 lap event September 15th of last year in the East-West Marine backed Flamingo Motorsports owned Ford. Preece recently topped the Evans NASCAR Hall of Fame 100 field at Riverhead Raceway back on June 8th and comes to the Hoosier Tire 200 as the WMT point leader. Two Long Island natives who are hoping to slow Preece’s roll this week are former two-time WMT champion Donny Lia of Jericho and Justin Bonsignore of Holtsville both of whom know their way to Riverhead’s victory lane very well.
Buzz Chew Chevy-Cadillac has provided Riverhead Raceway with pace cars since 1985 and what better place for Bryon Chew of Mattituck to score his first career WMT in front of family and friends. Eric Goodale of Riverhead has those very same thoughts and he nearly turned the trick last September as he and Preece went toe-to-toe early in the race for the lead. “Showtime” Jimmy Blewett of Howell, NJ actually crossed the line first last September but was deemed to have jumped the final restart and he will come to Riverhead Saturday night loaded for bear.
Other drivers to watch out for are Ted Christopher of Plainville, CT, Mike Stefanik of Coventry, RI, defending WMT champion Doug Coby of Milford, Ct., Rowan Pennink of Huntingdon Valley, Pa, Ron Silk of Norwalk, Ct and of course Todd Szegedy of Ridgefield, Ct.
The Riverhead raceway regulars are ready to take on the challenge of the WMT troops in the Hoosier Tire 200 with Timmy Solomito of Islip, Howie Brode of E. Islip, John Beatty Jr. of Merrick, Frank Vigliarolo Jr. of Mount Sinai and defending NASCAR Modified Riverhead Raceway champion Shawn Solomito of Islip all hoping to take home the victory.
With a handsome $1,000 to win on the line for the Legend Race Cars the pits will be a buzz with excitement and plenty of Legend Race Cars on hand with defending track champion Kyle Ellwood of Riverhead leading the charge. Drivers like Brad Van Houten of Jamesport, Brendon Bock of Franklin Square, Kyle Soper of Manorville, Frank Scimeca of Bay Shore, Johnnie Gloor IV of Flanders, Christian Conklin of Flanders, Justin Strumpf of Selden, Timmy Solomito of Islip, Dylan Slepian of Dix Hills, Greg Harris of Riverhead, Paul Dodorico of Miller Place and Kevin Nowak of Medford. It is also quite possible with the big payday and INEX sanction at Riverhead that many out of state invaders might make the tow to Long Island.
Over in the Blunderbust paddock area the driver hoping to score the win will be Tom Pickerell of Huntington, Jimmy White Jr. of Southampton, Tommy Walkowiak of Ridge, Scott Maliszewski of Deer Park, Jack Handley Jr. of Medford, Tim Mulqueen of Levittown, Bill Wegmann Sr. of N. Bellmore, Bill Wegmann Jr. of Patchogue, Ed Mistretta of New Hyde Park and Brian Brown of Baiting Hollow.
Saturday night is shaping up to be among the biggest ever in the rich 63-year history of Riverhead Raceway featuring the Hoosier Tire 200 on Buzz Chew Chevrolet-Cadillac night for the WMT and two great Saturday night short track divisions with the Blunderbusts and Legend Race Cars going 30-laps each with plenty of extra money on the line. Feature event racing will start at 6:00 pm.
For further information please call 631-842-RACE or visit www.riverheadraceway.com
Source: Bob Finan/Riverhead Raceway PR