Exciting Things Ahead As Riverhead Takes New Ownership
Barbara and Jim Cromarty have owned and operated Riverhead Raceway since 1985 and since have dealt with multiple offers to turn the historic racetrack into a shopping center, hockey rink, etc. On August 14th a deal was finally reached between Barbra and Jim Cromarty and Ed and Connie Partridge along with their nephew Tom Gatz to sell Riverhead Raceway.
“It’s bittersweet, we wanted it to remain a racetrack,” Barbara Cromarty said, “That was the main thing and we accomplished that, we’re just happy it worked out the way it did. Of course we would like to be 20 years younger but, it doesn’t work like that. We’re going to enjoy our retirement and we’re looking forward to that.”
Talks between the Cromarty’s and the Partridge’s have been going on for a few years and both parties say it was just perfect timing.
“We were waiting on selling a piece of property,” Partridge said, “It was taking longer than we thought to come about and finally it did a couple months ago. We’ve been talking to Barbara and Jim for awhile about this and it all came together kind of fast.”
The Partridge’s own Hoosier Tire of Calverton which supplies tires at Riverhead Raceway along with the fuel and TS Haulers Racing which fields a NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour car for driver Ryan Preece and say their up for the challenge of owning a racetrack.
“This is all new to us. Like the Cromarty’s they didn’t know anything about racing and all of a sudden they owned a racetrack,” Ed Partridge said, “We know about racing, we’re just going to come in here, clean the place up, try to make it more friendly to the families and the kids and go about it that way.”
The Partridge’s nephew Tom Gatz and current track GM John Ellwood are also looking forward to 2016 and the future of Riverhead Raceway.
“We’re very excited, I’m excited to be working with John [Ellwood] as well and excited about what the future is going to be here at the raceway and we’re really looking forward to it” Gatz said.
“I think there’s exciting news for fans coming in 2016, I really want to see it fan friendly and I think we’re going to organize the shows to run faster, more efficient and it’s all about the fans,” Ellwood said. “After October 1st we’ll have those stages, we’ll be talking about what we’re gonna do and how we’re going to implement the shows and facilities. Right now we’re still in the planning stages and there’s still news to come but I guarantee it will be good news. I’m excited.”
Even though the Cromarty’s have sold the track; they said they will still be coming back to Riverhead Raceway in 2016.
Source: Brenden Madonia/LongIslandJam.com