Successful Riverhead Raceway Practice Days Complete

The second practice day of 2016 was completed Saturday afternoon under sun splashed skies with some 66 stock cars logging laps preparing for the upcoming NASCAR Whelen All American Series. This coming Saturday night May 7th they will play for keeps as Eddie & Connie Partridge and Tom Gatz present Grand Opening Night with all seven divisions in action and joined by a huge Fireworks spectacular. Feature racing will start at 6:30 pm with qualifying heats getting underway at 4:30 pm.

A dozen NASCAR Modifieds took to the track Saturday with eight of the teams having working transponders aboard. 2015 Rookie of the Year and championship runner-up Kyle Soper topped the charts with a lap of 11.954 and was followed by Shawn Solomito, Jeff Goodale, Vincnet Biondolillo and John Fortin Jr. Tom Rogers Jr., the defending NASCAR Modified champion along with John Fortin Sr., Howie Brode and Chuck Steuer all also former champions at the quarter mile were on hand but did not have working transponders for the session.

Of the eleven Late Models on hand Saturday nine had transponders with all time leading winner Roger Oxee quickest among them with a lap of 13.096. Former four time Charger champions Chris Turbush was second quickest and followed by Kyle Soper in Scott Kulesa’s car, Shawn Patrick and Brandon Turbush.

CJ Lehmann topped the new Riverhead Modified Crate competitors with all eight cars on hand using the transponder system. Lehmann turned a lap of 12.889 and was followed  by Dave Brigati, Dillon Steuer, Terry Stiles and Peter Bertuccio.

Eleven Blunderbusts took to the track with just five equipped with transponders with “The Wildchild” Tommy Walkowiak fastest at 14.847. Jack Handley Jr., Tom Puccia, Eric Zeh and Alyssa Paprocky were second through fifth.

The Super Pro Trucks were out in numbers with a dozen on hand, nine of which had transponders. Jimmy Rennick Jr. topped the charts with a lap of 13.528 and was followed by Frank Dumicich Sr., Roger Turbush, Lou Maestri and Frank Dumicich Jr.

Another healthy turnout of Legend Race Cars signed into the pits with fifteen hitting the track. Of the thirteen carrying transponders Greg Harris was quickest with a lap of 13.852 and followed by Vinny Delaney, Shawn Wanat, Bryan Kelly and Kyle Ellwood.

The Figure Eights had one of their best warm-up day showings and while the class is the only one at the track that does not use transponders defending champion Tom Rogers Jr. was joined by the likes of Roger Maynor, Tom Ferrara, Mike Mujsce Sr., Scott Pedersen, Tom Kraft Jr. and Brian Hansen.

All the race teams on hand now head back to their respective race shops to ready themselves for this Saturday night’s Grand Opening Night program. The NASCAR Modifieds will run a 40-lap main event with the Late Models going 25 circuits. The Riverhead Modified Crate, Blunderbusts, Super Pro Trucks and Legend Race Cars will all compete in 20-lap features with the Figure Eights set for 15-laps of excitement.

Once the Figure Eights have finished the new and improved track lights will be doused and the night sky will light up in spectacular fashion with Fireworks in honor of the new track owners and promoters as well as to celebrate the start of the 66th year of racing at the historic quarter mile.

Race teams should note pit gates will open at 12 noon this Saturday with practice slated for 2:00 pm followed by heat races at 4:30 pm. On the spectator side the general admission gates will open at 4:00 pm with live music in the all new Beer Garden on the third turn midway starting at 4:30 pm.

Our entire 2016 schedule of events along with weather updates, division rules and entry blanks can be found at www.riverheadraceway.com. To reach us by telephone dial 631-842-RACE Monday through Friday from 10:00 am until 4:00 pm.

Source: Bob Finan/Riverhead Raceway PR