Last Lap Pass Gives Baker 2nd Straight Win on Old Timers Day
It was Old Timers Day at Riverhead Raceway on August 15th that saw many cars from past years show off for the fans taking hot laps during a special ceremony to induct 3 drivers onto the Wall of Fame. Mike Ewanitsko, Carl Zeh, and Robin Vollmoeller will have their names added to the newly renamed Barbara and Jim Cromarty Wall of Champions at Riverhead Raceway. Also during the festivities was the announcement of the selling of Riverhead Raceway at the start/finish line to Ed and Connie Partridge along with their nephew Tom Gatz.
All the divisions during the night ran 30 Lap features including the Late Models who were back after a week off. Chris McGuire sat on the pole with Chris LaSpisa starting on his outside. Action picked up quickly as at the drop of the green flag McGuire got sideways stacking up the field. On the exit of Turn 4, Kevin Metzger lost control and spun his No.23. Scott Kulesa received some damage to his right front but, all drivers continued.
After a complete restart LaSpisa and McGuire made contact sending the No.89 around and bringing out the caution again. Shawn Patrick and Mike Bologna inherited the front row on the restart with Jeremy McDermott and Chris Lescenski right behind them. When the green waved again Patrick was able to hold off the hard charging Bologna until the next caution flag flew on Lap 7 when Jack Orlando looped the No.99 in Turn 2. Patrick would lead the field to the green again, this time Bologna was able to get by the No.88 and move into the lead.
John Baker, who was outside the top 6 at the restart, was able to work his way up to 2nd in just 5 laps. Bologna had almost a straight away lead over Baker at half way. Slowly Baker caught up to the No.00 and soon with 10 laps to go Baker was all over the back bumper of Bologna. On Lap 26 Brandon Turbush spun the No.37 in Turn 2 bringing out the caution. At the same time John Baker’s teammate Jack Orlando blew the motor in the No.99 ending his night.
The field restarted the race single file with 4 laps to go and John Baker continued to pressure Bologna for the lead. On Lap 28 Baker was able to stay on the left rear corner of the No.00 and entering Turn 3 powered his way by and into the lead. From there it was clear selling and John Baker scored his second straight win in the Late Models.
“I felt like I was in there a couple times,” Baker said, “Then [Bologna] would cut down and I would back out of it but, that last one there [in Turn 3] I had to do what I had to do.”
“Dynamite” Dan Turbush Continues his Dominance in Super Pro Trucks Capturing 5th Win in 2015
The Super Pro Trucks have been dominated by “Dynamite” Dan Turbush who has four wins on the season so far, the most by any driver in the division. The field was set by time trials with Turbush’s grandson Mark Stewart setting fast time with a 13.578, Stewart would pick out the 3rd starting position in the re-draw. Dave Brigati picked the pole with “Dynamite” Dan to his outside.
At the drop of the green flag Bobby Gardner, driving a second truck for Mike Albasini, missed a shift and stacked up the field but, everyone continued. Brigati continued to lead but, Dan Turbush was all over him fighting for the lead. On Lap 6 Turbush made a move to the outside and passed Brigati moving into the lead. The first caution came out on Lap 27 when Brian Brown went hard into the front stretch wall riding it all the way to Turn 1, he would be ok. During the caution, officials made Dave Brigati pit for possible leaking fluid from his truck, he would return.
When the green flag flew again it was Turbush still in the lead with Mark Stewart and Lou Maestri behind him. On the entrance to Turn 3 Maestri and Stewart got together spinning the No.97 around. Brian McElearney, Jimmy Rennick Jr. and Gerard Giordano were all involved with Giordano suffering a busted radiator. When the race restarted again, Turbush didn’t look back holding off Lou Maestri and grabbing his 5th win this season and 79th all time at Riverhead Raceway.
“Those last 3 laps took like 30 minutes,” Turbush said, “Sweat was in my eyes and everything and I was like ‘man this thing needs to go’ and that’s what this little blue truck did.”
Walkowiak Takes Home 3rd Win of the Season After An Almost Photo Finish
The Blunderbusts also ran a 30 Lap feature with the field set by time trials with Jim Laird Jr. setting fast time with a 14.944, he would re-draw 6th. Starting on the pole in a fitting way was Eric Zeh in a renumbered No.34 in honor of his grandfather, Carl Zeh. Starting to his outside would be Tommy Walkowiak in the No.00.
At the drop of the green flag Walkowiak and Zeh went at it going side by side until Lap 4 when Walkowiak had the upper hand passing Zeh on the outside for the lead. On Lap 6 point leader Tom Pickerell spun in Turn 4, he would continue and no caution would be thrown. The first and only caution came out on Lap 20 when Eric Zeh and Tom Puccia got together on the back stretch cutting down Puccia’s right front tire.
On the restart it was Walkowiak leading with Jack Handley Jr. right behind him, and Jim Laird Jr. sitting in third. On Lap 23 Handley started to look under Walkowiak for the lead and stayed on the rear bumper of the No.00 until the white flag flew. Handley bumped Walkowiak going into the final corner and when they crossed the strip it was Walkowiak by half a car.
Preece Takes Home Modified Victory After Caution Free Race
After running twin 49’s last week the Modifieds were back in action for a single 35 Lap feature. Ryan Preece was quickest in time trials with an 11.721, he was also the luckiest driver picking the pole in the re-draw with Tom Rogers Jr. starting to his outside.
At the start, the two veterans went at it going side by side for multiple laps until Preece was able to clear Rogers on Lap 3. From there the field spread out and ran single file as the race went green to checker with Ryan Preece holding off Tommy Rogers Jr. for his fourth win of the season.
Anthony Pizzo won the 8-cylinder enduro.
Photos available at: http://www.racerhub.com/photos/index.php?cat=2419
Aug. 15 Results:
Super Pro Truck
1 Dan Turbush (2)
2 Lou Maestri (7)
3 Bobby Gardner (6)
4 Brian McElearney (5)
5 Mark Stewart (3)
6 David H. Brigati (1)
7 Jimmy Rennick Jr. (4)
8 Anthony Vecchio (11)
9 Amanda Andersen (12)
10 Gerard Giordano (10)
11 Brian Brown (9)
12 Michael Albasini (8)
Blunderbusts
1 Tommy Walkowiak (2)
2 Jack Handley Jr. (8)
3 Jim Laird (6)
4 Scott Maliszewski (5)
5 Jimmy White Jr. (7)
6 Tim Mulqueen (13)
7 Tom Pickerell (4)
8 Tom Sullivan (3)
9 Joe Warren (11)
10 William A. Wegmann (9)
11 Edward Mistretta (12)
12 Eric Zeh (1)
13 Thomas Puccia (10)
14 Jessica Cohen (15)
15 Robert Ehrle (16)
16 Ryan Zukowski (17)
17 Derek Wegmann (14)
Late Models
1 John Baker (4)
2 Jeremy McDermott (5)
3 Mike Bologna (9)
4 Kevin Metzger (7)
5 Scott Kulesa (10)
6 Chris Lescenski (13)
7 Shawn Patrick (3)
8 Brandon Turbush (15)
9 Emily La Spisa (11)
10 Jack Orlando (6)
11 Chris La Spisa (2)
12 Kaitlyn Schober (12)
13 Roger Oxee (8)
14 Chris McGuire (1)
15 Kyle Soper (14)
NASCAR Modifieds
1 Ryan Preece (1)
2 Tom Rogers Jr.(2)
3 Kyle Soper (3)
4 John Fortin Jr. (4)
5 John Fortin (6)
6 Vinny Biondolillo (5)
7 Howie Brode (8)
8 Eddie Brunnhoelzl III (7)
9 Kyle Ellwood (10)
10 Chuck Steuer (11)
11 Jason Agugliaro (9)
12 Ken Darch (12)
13 David Schneider (13)
14 Amber Fortin (14)
15 Jeffrey Goodale (15)
Source: Brenden Madonia/LongIslandJam.com