Steuer, Walkowiak & Davidowitz Capture Riverhead WMT Prelims

Prior to the Riverhead 200 Saturday night at Riverhead Raceway three NASCAR Whelen All American Series preliminary races were contested with Dillon Steuer of Bohemia (Eagle Auto Mall Modified Crates), Tommy Walkowiak of Ridge (Blunderbusts) and Richie Davidowitz of East Moriches (INEX Legend Race Cars) taking home victories.

In the 25-lap Eagle Auto Mall Modified Crate event 14-year old Dillon Steuer raced his way from the outside pole to the race lead getting the jump on pole sitter Bobby Gardner when the race went green.  Championship leader Dave Brigati made a bold move to come from the 4th starting spot to second before the first laps was in the books. The race had a 18-lap green flag run that saw Brigati stay within striking distance of Steuer before the yellow waved for a AJ DeSantis spin on lap 18. With a double file restart in the offering many wondered how the youthful Steuer would handle the tested tough veteran Brigati with Dillon providing the answer when the race went back to green by staying out front. Brigati in the meantime wasn’t only concerned with attempting to find a way by Steuer for the lead all the while trying to fend off third place runner Dylan Slepian. Slepian who is Brigati’s nearest rival in the 2016 championship chase kept Dave honest over the final stages of the race for second.

At the checker flag versatile Dillon Steuer brought his Northeastern Office Equipment Chevy home for the popular win. Before he returns to Riverhead over the Labor Day weekend Dillon and his team have mid week races planned on the dirt at the Georgetown Speedway in Delaware and the Lebanon Valley Speedway in upstate New York. Dave Brigati of Calverton was runner-up in the Quest Machining Chevy with Dylan Slepian of Dix Hills third in the Hurricane Grill & Wings entry.

For the second time in three races “The Wildchild” Tommy Walkowiak of Ridge topped the 20-lap Blunderbust feature event for his 58th career victory. As was the case with his first win earlier in the month Walkowiak started from the pole and immediately moved to the race lead when the race started. As is typical with the Blunderbust troops the 20-lapper went green to checker which also played into Tommy’s hands. Bill Wegmann Sr., who overcame breaking down on the Long Island Expressway in route to the track ran second to Walkowiak for the first five laps before he was passed by defending champion Tom Pickerell on lap 6. At the end of the day however it mattered not to eventual race winner Tommy Walkowiak in his Langdon’s Automotive Caprice who ran second as he enjoyed a healthy lead until the checker flag waved. Tom Pickerell of Huntington was runner-up in the USIC Utility Locating Chevy with Eric Zeh of Selden placing third in the Purple Turtle Cadillac.

“Big Money” Richie Davidowitz of East Moriches posted his third INEX Legend Race Car victory of the season when he topped their 20-lap main event. Ed Cheslak broke out to the early race lead when the green light came on but a quick yellow after the first lap was completed for a Jonathan Parson incident off turn two slowed the race. On the ensuing restart Cheslak would lose to the lead to Richie Davidwitz who made a successful outside pass. Cheslak ran second until the start of the 4th lap when he spun after contact moving John Beatty Jr. to the role of challenger. Beatty ran second until he was over taken by Kyle Ellwood on lap 9 and Ellwood then went right to work on leader Davidowitz. Kyle lap after lap tried to set Richie up for a crossover pass but the race leader was equal to each and every challenge Ellwood threw his way. Meanwhile Beatty sat back and watched it all from third hoping the leading duo might actually get together but that never materialized. At the finish it was Richie Davidowitz sitting in the winners circle in his Blue Point Auto Body racer with Kyle Ellwood of Riverhead runner-up in the SGS Stone Works entry. John Beatty Jr. of Merrick was third in the D&D Auto Body mount.

Modified Crates: 1. Dillon Steuer 2. Dave Brigati 3. Dylan Slepian 4. CJ Lehmann 5. Dennis Krupski 6. Bobby Gardner 7. Terry Stiles 8. Peter Bertuccio 9. AJ DeSantis 10. Jay Hansen

Blunderbusts: 1. Tommy Walkowiak 2. Tom Pickerell 3. Eric Zeh 4. Jack Handley Jr. 5. Jim Laird 6. Tom Puccia 7. Bill Wegmann Sr. 8. Tim Mulqueen 9. Scott Maliszewski 10. Joshua Creel 11. Derek Wegmann 12. Tom Sullivan 13. Cassandra Denis 14. Alyssa Paprocky

Legend Race Cars: 1. Richie Davidowitz 2. Kyle Ellwood 3. John Beatty Jr. 4. Vinny Delaney 5. Kevin Nowak 6. Bryan Kelly 7. Michael Rutkoski 8. Ray Fitzgerald 9. Dylan Slepian 10. Mike Van Houten Jr. 11. George Tomko Jr. 12. Jerry Curran 13. Jim Sylvester 14. Kyle Kwasna 15. Jeff Otto Jr. 16. Steve Bolland 17. Mike Maduske 18. Don Conradis 19. Silas Hiscock Sr. 20. Kenny Southard 21. Dennis Kurras 22. Ed Cheslak 23. Ryan Lutz 24. Will Hiscock 25. Jonathan Parsons 26. Kyle Soper

Source: Bob Finan/RR PR