New Riverhead Owners Ready To Celebrate Opening Night May 7th With Fireworks

After a busy off season making major capitol improvements to Riverhead Raceway, new track owners Eddie & Connie Partridge and Tom Gatz will enjoy the fruits of their efforts Saturday May 7th when they present Grand Opening Night at the historic quarter mile oval. To celebrate the occasion a spectacular Fireworks show will join the NASCAR Whelen All- American Series stock cars with feature racing starting at 6:30 pm.

When race teams and spectators arrive at the facility they will be greeted by virtually a new race track with every building undergoing a total makeover from head to toe. An all new Beer Garden on the third turn midway will be the place to be prior to feature event racing as live music will be presented weekly two hours before the official start of the program.

Once the racing begins on Grand Opening Night the mighty NASCAR Modifieds will highlight the 7 division card with a 40-lap feature event. The Late Model class has also undergone a makeover for 2016 and will compete in a 25-lap main event with 20-lap features set for the all new Riverhead Modified Crates, Blunderbusts, Super Pro Trucks and Legend Race Cars. The famed Figure Eight division will compete in a 15-lap feature.

Once the racing has been completed the improved lighting system will be doused and the night sky will light-up with another spectacular Fireworks show for everyone to enjoy as well celebrate the rebirth of the 66-year old Riverhead Raceway. Fans can also feast on our all-new comprehensive menu at all three refreshment stands and can now enjoy Pepsi Co. products along with Miller Lite, Twisted Tea and Wine for those 21-years and older.

It is expected that Tom Rogers Jr. of Riverhead will defend both his 2015 NASCAR Modified and Figure Eight titles starting with Grand Opening night while Jeremy McDermott of Riverhead will do the same in the Late Models. Also back to try for another championship will be Blunderbust champion Tom Pickerell of Huntington and Super Pro Truck kingpin Lou Maestri of Deer Park. The Legend Race Car title will be up for grabs in 2016 with 2015 champion Dylan Slepian of Dix Hills moving up to the new Riverehad Modified Crate class.

Heat races will set the starting grid for all seven feature events starting at 4:30 pm with main event racing going green at 6:30 pm. Pit gates will open at 12:00 noon for the May 7th program with spectator gates swinging open at 4:00 pm.