John Baker Scores $1,000 Late Model Win

After completing his rookie season in the NASCAR Modified ranks at Riverhead Raceway one week ago John Baker of Brookhaven returned to his full body racing roots Saturday to win the $1,000 50-lap Late Model Cone race. In the National Stock Demolition Derby championship 54-year old Mike “Gravel” Buksa of Islip won the hard hitting event worth $1,600 and his first National Championship since 1988.

After Shawn Patrick led the first two laps of the Late Model feature John Baker was able to make an outside pass for the lead on lap 2. Moments after losing the race lead Patrick’s night would get even worse when he and the visiting Kevin Orlando made contact on the front stretch sending the tandem into the infield in turn one on lap 4. That turn of events propelled Chris Turbush who started the race 4th into the second spot. Despite the early contact between Patrick & Orlando the race went green up until the 46th lap and unfortunately for Chris Turbush who was hoping for his sixth win of 2016 the caution would be for him. Something in the rear suspension let go sending Chris into a spin in the first turn.

With just four laps left in the contest John Baker would now have to hold off his teammate for the night Kevin Orlando who rallied from his early race misfortune to come all the way back to second for the double file restart. When the green flag waved John Baker was able to get away first and lead the final mile of the race in his RE Power By Solar Universe Chevy. Kevin Orlando who now calls Statesville, NC home was runner-up in the Clean Burn Energy Systems Chevy with Eric Zeh of Selden completing the podium in third in his Corwith’s Auto Body Chevy.

Dillon Steuer of Bohemia scored his third Eagle Auto Mall Modified Crate win of 2016 when he topped their 50-lap Cone Race worth $800 to the winner. Pole sitter CJ Lehmann moved out front at the throw of the green with his front row mate Steuer moving into second and 2016 champion Dave Brigati tucking into third. After searching around for a way by Lehmann for over the first half of the race, Steuer who made moves both to the inside and outside would finally hit pay dirt on lap 31. Racing down the backstretch Dillon got a run on CJ and by the time the duo started the 32nd lap Steuer was the new race leader. With Steuer opening the door under Lehmann for the lead Brigati, a cagey veteran made his way by for second and once again the 46-year champion found himself chasing the 14-year old upstart driver.

Over the final 14 laps of the contest Dillon Steuer kept his Northeastern Office Equipment Chevy out front until the checkered flag waved. The win was a bittersweet one for the teenage driver as he noted afterwards, “this one is for Bob Demling, he’s fighting cancer again and I really wanted to win for Bob” Also making the win more emotional was the fact Dillon’s team has sold the winning car to a local team to compete with in 2017. Dave Brigati of Calverton in his Quest Machining & Fabrication Chevy and CJ Lehmann of Shirley in the Baldwin Automotive Chevy completed the top three.

The 50-lap Blunderbust Cone Race fell to “The Wildchild” Tommy Walkowiak of Ridge as he checks off career win #61 with the triumph. With the starting line up set by heat race finishes Tommy by virtue of his win in the second qualifier started on the outside of the front row. Eric Zeh was the pole sitter for the race and when the green light winked on Walkowiak made his way to the early race lead and began to build a comfortable cushion as the race moved along and by the time the halfway signal was displayed Walkowiak had built a half track lead. 2015 champion Tom Pickerell made his way by Zeh for second five laps into the race on a double file restart but in the end it did not matter who ran second with “The Wildchild” long gone. When the race concluded Tommy Walkowiak in the Langdon’s Automotive Chevy enjoyed a comfortable victory. Tom Pickerell of Huntington was runner-up in the USIC Utility Locating Chevy while Tim Mulqueen of Levittown placed third in the Timmy’s Towing Cadillac.

2016 Super Pro Truck champion Roger Turbush of Riverhead scored his 27th career win in the class when he topped their 50-lap Cone Race. Roger began the race on the outside of the front row with his father-in-law Dave Brigati on the pole. Brigati would lead the first lap when the race started but Turbush would roar back to take the lead on the second lap riding the outside lane. With Turbush leading Brigati would run second until just prior to the halfway mark when he was overtaken by teenage talent Owen Grennan. Over the final half of the race Roger Turbush would stay out front and grab his forth win of 2016 in his Superior Systems Chevy. Owen Grennan of Glan Cove was runner-up in his Evergreen Fences entry while Dave Brigati crossed the line third in the JDL Environmental racer.

For the first time in his long INEX Legend Race Car career Jim Sylvester of Massapequa won at his home track as he was declared the winner of the 50-lap Cone Race that was shortened to 37-laps due to numerous yellow flags and hard crashes. Brad Van Houten broke to the early race lead over Eric Hersey when the race got underway and they’d run in that order up until the 32nd lap of the race. On lap 32 the fight for the lead got too close when Hersey got into the back of Van Houten sending him into a spin from the lead. Hersey was sent to the rear for his role in the incident. Just laps later Van Houten would go flipping off turn 4 while attempting to race his way back through the field. Brad was checked out at a local hospital and released with a concussion. Having inherited the lead on lap 33 Jim Sylvester would be challenged by Bryan Kelly once the race restarted. However while under a caution on lap 37 and the race already over an hour old officials decided to end the race on lap 37 which was music to the ears of winner Jim Sylvester and his 860 Motorsports team. A frustrated Bryan Kelly of Aquebogue was second in the John’s Tree Removal machine while Kevin Nowak of Medford placed third in the 1st Class Videos racer.

Unfortunately for the competitors of the 4/6-Cylinder Car Enduro “Blackjack” Bryan Kelly took his Legend Race Car frustrations out on them winning their 50-lap race for his second win of 2016. Kelly powered his way to the race lead on lap 19 and never looked back working lapped traffic masterfully in route to the win. Ed Fontana of Wading River was second in the Good Wood Shop machine while 2016 champion Steve “The Pitbull” Trimboli of Freeport secured the title with his third place finish in the Pitbull Motors Mercedes.

Mike “Gravel” Buksa outlasted a star studded Stock Demolition Derby roster to win the $1,600 National championship in what could very well be called an upset but yet very popular victory. Buksa in the Monster’s Recycling backed car outlasted the likes of defending champion Jamie “Kilzone” Kilkenny, “Cheesebox” Michael Rommeney, “Deathwish’ Jason Savoy and “Mad” Mike Smith among others to take home the win. Afterwards Mike admitted he almost didn’t compete, “I wasn’t sure but then Bobby Benison of Monster’s told me to take the car and go have fun” Mike did admit however, “this is it, I’m officially retired”.

Late Models: 1. John Baker 2. Kevin Orlando 3. Eric Zeh 4. Scott Kulesa 5. Kevin Metzger 6. Rusty Turbush 7. Shawn Patrick 8. Roger Oxee 9. Chris Turbush 10. Tim Okula 11. Chris LaSpisa 12. Dave Brigati DNS- Kyle Soper DNS-David Roys DNS Rhett Fogg

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

Blunderbusts: 1. Tommy Walkowiak 2. Tom Pickerell 3. Tim Mulqueen 4. Eric Zeh 5. Joshua Creel 6. Rob Bader 7. Tom Sullivan 8. Jack Handley Sr. 9. Jim Laird 10. Wayne Meyer 11. Scott Maliszewski 12. Cassandra Denis 13. Bob Muller 14. Bill Wegmann Sr. 15. Derek Wegmann

Super Pro Trucks: 1. Roger Turbush 2. Owen Grennan 3. Dave Brigati 4. Brian McElearney 5. Lou Maestri 6. Sean Glennon 7. Jimmy Rennick Jr. 8. Tommy Walkowiak 9. Mike Mujsce 10. Mike Albasini

INEX Legend Race Cars: 1. Jim Sylvester 2. Bryan Kelly 3. Kevin Nowak 4. Jerry Curran 5. Paul Dodorico 6. Ray Fitzgerald 7. Eric Hersey 8. Jonathon Parsons 9. Jeff Otto Jr. 10 Chris Rogers 11. Will Hiscock 12. Ed Cheslak 13. Bill Fitzgerald 14. Silas Hiscock 15. Mike Van Houten Jr. 16. Brad Van Houten 17. George Tomko Jr. 18. Steve Bolland 19. Richie Davidowitz 20. Wally Davidowitz 21. Kyle Kwasna DNS- John Mackie DNS- Don Conradis

4/6-Cyliunder Car Enduro (top ten) 1. Bryan Kelly 2. Ed Fontana 3. Steve Trimboli 4. George Davis 5. Tom Coyle 6. Paul Wojcik 7. Brandon Esposito 8. Peter Verwys 9. James Johnson 10. Mike Farrell

Demolition Derby: Winner- Mike Buksa

Source: Bob Finan/RR PR