Brendon Bock & James Charrier Close Out 2014 With Victories

The curtain came down on the 2014 season this past Saturday evening at Barbara & Jim Cromarty’s Riverhead Raceway with Brendon Bock of Franklin Square topping the 40-lap INEX Legend Race Car special while James Charrier of Shirley was declared the winner of the 50-lap Grand Enduro. With that win Charrier successfully defended his 2013 Grand Enduro championship.

In pre-race qualifying for the Legends it was Brendon Bock topping the charts with a lap of 13.576 earning a $98 Fast Time bonus from the NASCAR Modified team of Dave Brigati and his Outlaw Racing group. Bock drew the outside pole while Brad Van Houten who timed 5th picked the pole. At the throw of the green Van Houten got the measure of Bock for the race lead with Artie Pedersen III coming to third behind the leaders. The trio would run in that order until lap 14 when Bock was able to charge out front with Pedersen also finding his way by Van Houten for second on the same lap.

Once out front Brendon Bock the 2013 Legend champion at the track would never look back and drive his Pro System Brakes entry to victory lane. His winning car indeed did boast a Red Roof Inn sticker and that made the triumph worth an extra $190 from Red Roof Inn in a program put together by Jim Schaefer. Richie Davidowitz of East Moriches made a lap 37 pass of Pedersen to claim runner-up money in his Thriftway Auto Body machine. Artie Pedersen III of Center Moriches was third in the Sherwin Williams Paint racer. Kyle Ellwood of Riverhead and 2014 champion Kyle Soper of Manorville completed the top five.

When the checker flag waved on the final Grand Enduro of the year James Charrier crossed the line in the second position which on its own merit was good enough to give him his second straight championship. However Riverhead Raceway officials had a post race tear
down waiting for the top six cars in the race and that would affect four of those top six teams. Race winner Jimmy White Jr. refused the tear down and was disqualified as were David Antos, Brian McCormack and Greg Zaleski who either refused tech or were caught with unapproved engine modifications or parts.

In fact for James Charrier and his JC Performance team this is their third straight Grand Enduro title and fourth overall. Steve Mastro of Port Jefferson was runner-up in the Dave Kunzler Tire Chevy in the 50-lapper with third going to Walter Stroud of Yaphank in the EB Milling & Sweeping racer.

Former 4/6-Cylinder Truck Enduro champion Don Nelson Jr. of Rocky Point won their 50-lap finale while Greg Harris of Riverhead notched the 2014 championship, his second in a row. For Nelson the victory was his second of 2014, a season that found him missing most of the races due to a blown engine back in May. However there was no keeping the Nelson Brothers Farms Chevy team from rebounding with two late season wins. Harris of Riverhead in his Wine Country Caterers S-10 was runner-up to Nelson while Richard Galante of Riverhead was third in just his second ever start

Two 8-Cylinder Enduro events were contested and in both two seasoned veterans would hold the checker flag. In the 75-lap opener Dominic Ranieri of East Northport took the race win in his Mustang Magic Chevy Anthony Pizzo of Lake Ronkonkoma was runner-up in the A. Voight Towing Caprice while Michael Sorrentino of Lindenhurst placed third.

Kris “Kruchy” Dane of Hicksville finished the race in 6th position after starting way back in 23rd and that drive to the front would be good enough to give the Double Dane Towing team their first career track championship in the 8-Cylinder class. Dane has been racing in the class the better part of the last decade.

In the nightcap it was Anthony Pizzo taking the win in the United Exhaust Shop Chevy with Ranieri second this time in his Spare Parts Racing machine. Jimmy White Jr. of Southampton was third in the Busy Bee Pest Control Chevy.

Over the last few 4/6-Cylinder Car Enduro races Mike Mujsce Jr. of Hampton Bays has had the dominant car and that indeed would be the case in the 75-lap finale which he won in convincing fashion in his Nickel & Dime Motorsports entry. 2013 champion Joe Warren Jr. of Ridge was runner-up in his TS Haulers machine with Mike Mujsce Sr. of Quogue third in the Mike’s Auto Repair mount.

Peter Verwys Jr. of East Rockaway crossed the line 6th and with that clinched the 2014 championship a career first for the soft spoken second generation driver. For many years the Verwys name was prominent at the Freeport Stadium.

Legend Race Cars: 1. Brendon Bock 2. Richie Davidowitz 3. Artie Pedersen III 4. Kyle Ellwood 5. Kyle Soper 6. Dylan Slepian 7. Greg Harris 8. Paul Dodorico 9. Allan Pedersen 10. Vinny Delaney 11. Bryan Kelly 12. Brad Van Houten 13. Justin Strumpf 14. John Harley 15. Ed Cheslak 16. Mike Van Houten Jr. 17. Jim Sylvester 18. Kurt Krieger 19. Steve Hersey 20. Wally Davidowitz 21. Kevin Nowak 22. Vinny Colletti 23. George Tomko Jr. 24. Eric Hersey 25. Eric Henschel 26. Steve Bolland DNS-Frank Scimeca Jr.

Grand Enduro (top five) 1. James Charrier 2. Steve Mastro 3. Walter Stroud Jr. 4. Jeff Otto Jr. 5. Cody Triola

Truck Enduro (top five) 1. Don Nelson Jr. 2. Greg Harris 3. Richard Galante 4. Gary Voight 5. RJ Gage

1st 8-Cylinder Enduro (top five) 1. Dominic Ranieri 2. Anthony Pizzo 3. Michael Sorrentino 4. Tom Talbot Sr. 5. Dennis Kurras

2nd 8 Cylinder Enduro (top five): 1. Anthony Pizzo 2. Dominic Ranieri 3. Jimmy White Jr. 4. Bryan Kelly 5. Jim Laird Jr.

4/6 Cylinder Car Enduro (top five) 1. Mike Mujsce Jr. 2. Joe Warren Jr. 3. Mike Mujsce Sr. 4. Peter Verwys Sr. 5. George Davis