Shawn Solomito Scores Victory in a Photo Finish With Ron Silk
It was one the fiercest NASCAR Modified battles ever contested at the 66-year old Riverhead Raceway and it all boiled down to a photo finish in which Shawn Solomito of Center Moriches nipped Ron Silk of Norwalk, Ct for his second consecutive win of the young 2016 season Saturday night. In the companion NEMA Midget Allan Cantor Memorial by IGA Food Markets Randy Cabral of Plymouth, Ma. would prevail in their 25-lap main event.
When the green flag waved for the NASCAR Modifieds pole sitter and rookie driver Cory Midgett and former three time champion John Fortin Sr. would go toe to toe early on with Fortin riding the outside lane. John would soon take sole possession of the race lead on lap 4 just prior to the caution flag waving. On the ensuing restart Vinny Biondolillo made a calculated inside pass of Midgett to come to second with Shawn Solomito racing his way from a 7th place starting berth to third. Shawn’s march to the front continued on lap 10 when he snuck by Biondolillo setting sail for race leader John Fortin.
A lap 15 caution flag once again found the field two by two for the restart with second place Solomito outside of race leader Fortin. When the race resumed Shawn rode the outside lane with Fortin trying to make the challenger as uncomfortable as he could from the inside. However Solomito was not to be denied and moved out front with Fortin now under attack from third place Howie Brode. That battle would actually play a role in the forthcoming Solomito-Silk tussle for the lead later in the race. Lap 31 Fortin moved up on Brode exiting the second corner and Howie caught the wall with the right front of his car. Race director Scott Tapley sent Fortin to the rear for his role in the skirmish.
The stage for one of the closest NASCAR Modified finishes ever at the track was now set as Ron Silk, who was running fourth at the time of the Fortin-Brode incident was now lined up alongside Solomito for the late race restart. When the green waved Silk stayed to the outside of Solomito who like Fortin earlier in the race was attempting to make his challenger uncomfortable outside. Racing side by side with the fans on their feet the duo actually touched with just two laps to go exiting turn for and what ensued was a NHRA style “peddle fest’ with both drivers feathering the throttle to regain control of their machines.
With the checker flag waving the tandem were side by side off turn four and at the line by mere inches it would be Shawn Solomito in the Eastport Feeds Chevy taking the hard fought win his second straight making him two for two in 2016. “My heart is about ready to jump out of my chest” Shawn proclaimed in his post race interview. “Early on John ran me up the hill a bit but I was able to stay alongside, then later in the race I tried to move Ronnie up and he was able to stay out there. I really don’t like being raced or having to race that way but here it is what you have to do sometimes”. As for his two for two start to 2016 Shawn pointed directly to his team, “I can’t thank Wayne & Joette Anderson and all my guys enough for what they do, now next week we’ll try and win the Baldwin, Evans & Jarzombek 77 and go three for three”.
Ron Silk steering the Danny Watts owned Horton Avenue Materials Chevy was runner up leaving nothing on the table in the process. Vinny Biondolillo of Farmingville completed the podium with his third place tally in the USIC Utility Locating Chevy. Kyle Soper of Manorville and Jason Agugliaro of Islip completed the top five.
In the Allan Cantor Memorial by IGA Food Markets NEMA Midget 25 Paul Scally broke out front at the throw of the green with Seth Carlson giving chase before he yielded to Jim Chambers on lap 5. A 8th lap restart totally changed the complexion of the race as John Zych roared from third to the race lead with Chambers coming to second with the new leader. Zych would pace the race for the next ten laps leading up until the 19th circuit when Chambers was able to move out front. Soon thereafter Zych spun off turn four, the victim of worn tires. It would be the ensuing restart that would provide the scariest moment of the race. Former NASCAR Modified track champion Justin Bonsignore marched his way from a 8th place starting berth to be in contention for the race win running third. When the green flag waved Justin’s car never stopped going into the first turn and he slammed the wall hard in the Bertrand Racing entry. Justin’s emerged from the car gingerly but afterwards only had a bruised knee.
During the caution flag for Bonsignore’s crash, race leader Jim Chambers was forced to pit with a soft right rear tire handing the lead over to former multi-time NEMA champion Randy Cabral who would lead the final five laps in his K&N Filters machine to score the victory. “This win means alot” Randy noted after exiting his car, “Allan and his son Adam are good friends, it’s special to win this one”. Avery Stoehr of Lakeville, Ma. was runner up with third place money going to Allan Chambers of Atkinson, Ma.
the 20-lap NEMA Lites feature event would be dominated by the “Jersey Jet” Joey Payne of Fairlawn, N.J. as he led from wire to wire. Payne, who last won on Long Island in 1982 at the Islip Speedway was chased for the first two laps of the tilt by Paul Scally. Moments later Scally would surrender that spot to Dan Cugini on a double file restart on lap 3 and while “Dangerous” Dan could stay in Payne’s tire tracks he was never quite able to mount a serious challenge for the race lead. Cugini of Marshfield, Ma. would have to be content with runner-up pay on the day. Jim Chambers of Atkinson, ma would round off the podium finish.
2015 Legend Race Car champion Dylan Slepian wasted little time in making his mark in the new Riverhead Modified Crate class as he won their 20-lap main event. Starting on the outside pole for the event Slepian was able to edge out pole sitter Dennis Krupski for the race lead when the green light winked on. Krupski held onto second for the first two laps of the race before opening night winner Dave Brigati worked his way by on lap 3. With Brigati now filling his mirror Slepian knew he had to hit his marks and not make any mistakes along the way or the veteran driver would pounce. Adding to Dylan’s stress would also be the fact he’d have to survive no less than three restarts with Brigati along the way. In the end the Hurricane Grill & Wings machine of Dylan Slepian would take home the win over Dave Brigati of Calverton in his Outlaw Racing entry. Dennis Krupski of Calverton finished third in the Bean & Bagel Cafe Chevy.
The 20-lap INEX Legend Race Car feature would be a non-stop affair which played right into the hands of race winner Kyle Ellwood of Riverhead. Allan Pedersen was able to move out front from the pole when the race got underway and he’d lead the first two laps of the contest. Heading into the first turn as the field started the third lap is when Kyle Ellwood made his bid for the race lead, sneaking under Pedersen entering the corner. Once out front Kyle’s biggest concern for the remainder of the race would be the heavy lapped traffic which the driver of the SGS Stone Works racer was able to handle to score the win. Allan Pedersen of Center Moriches was runner-up in the Sherwin Williams Paint machine with Kevin Nowak of Medford third in the J-Tech Electric mount.
NASCAR Modifieds: 1. Shawn Solomito 2. Ron Silk 3. Vinny Biondolillo 4. Kyle Soper 5. Jason Agugliaro 6. John Fortin Jr. 7. John Fortin Sr. 8. Dave Brigati 9. Cory Midgett 10. Dillon Steuer 11. Howie Brode 12. John Baker DNS-Ken Darch Heat winners- John Fortin Sr., Shawn Solomito
NEMA Midgets: 1. Randy Cabral 2. Avery Stoehr 3. Allan Chambers 4. Paul Scally 5. Dan Cugini 6. John Zych 7. Todd Bertrand 8. Bethany Stoehr 9. Seth Carlson 10. Jim Chambers 11. Pete Pernesiglio 12. Justin Bonsignore 13. Kevin Park 14. Joey Payne Heat winners- Seth Carslon, John Zych
NEMA Lites: 1. Joey Payne 2. Dan Cugini 3. Jim Chambers 4. Allan Chambers 5. Jim Cataldo 6. Meg Cugini 7. Paul Scally 8. Ryan Locke 9. Jeremy Decourcy 10. Randy Cabral
Modified Crates: 1. Dylan Slepian 2. Dave Brigati 3. Dennis Krupski 4. Bobby Gardner 5. CJ Lehmann 6. Jason Hansen 7. Terry Stiles 8. Dillon Steuer 9. Peter Bertuccio Heat winner- Dylan Slepian
Legend Race Cars: 1. Kyle Ellwood 2. Allan Pedersen 3. Kevin Nowak 4. Dylan Slepian 5. Greg Harris 6. Brendon Bock 7. John Beatty Jr. 8. Vinny Delaney 9. Richie Davidowitz 10. Bryan Kelly 11. Shawn Wanat 12. Ray Fitzgerald 13. George Tomko Jr. 14. Jim Sylvester 15. Jerry Curran 16. Ed Cheslak 17. Jeff Otto Jr. 18. Will Hiscock 19. Mike Van Houten Jr. 20. Kyle Kwasna 21. Dennis Kurras 22. Paul Dodorico 23. John Mackie 24. Kenny Southard 25. Chris Mitchell Heat winners- Allan Pedersen, Richie Davidowitz & Kevin Nowak
Source: Bob Finan/Riverhead Raceway PR