(Press Release from Riverhead Raceway)
Tom Rogers Jr. of Riverhead ended a two month absence from NASCAR Modified victory lane at Riverhead Raceway Saturday night when he won the 50-lap feature event for his 54th career win on a hot sultry night that saw temperatures hover in the low to mid 90’s all afternoon and evening.
It was Tom’s second win of the 2019 season.
Early going found John Baker and Chris Young dicing for the race lead with Baker taking the advantage. After starting 6th in the field Tom Rogers Jr. quickly made his way to third and by the time the field started the 5th lap Rogers raced under Young on the front stretch for second. Once by Young Rogers then began to size up leader Baker. After six laps of running second Rogers made another inside pass this time entering the third turn to wrestle the lead away from Baker on lap 11. Once Rogers put the Denise & Ken Darch owned Chevy out front it would be just a matter of clicking off the laps for Rogers with Baker now in the challengers role while championship leader Kyle Soper made his way to third from his 7th starting position.
Over the remainder of the race there were no changes among the top three for position and at the checker Tom Rogers Jr. drove the License To Chill entry to victory lane. There Tom revealed what was the winning move for the team, “I ran home and got my carburetor off my car, we were having some jetting issues with the one we came with, thankfully I live close” quipped the happy winner. “I can’t say enough about Denis & Ken and our team, we are having both fun & success, that’s all you can ask for”.
John Baker of Brookhaven once again found himself the runner-up at the finish, “this is our 4th second place this year, we are getting there and soon we’ll be over there” Baker said glancing over at victory lane after exiting his Staria Automotive Chevy. Kyle Soper of Manorville was third in the Eastport Feeds Chevy while John Beatty of Merrick and Dylan Slepian of Dix Hills rounded out the top five.
It’s official. The Late Model class in 2019 is Jeremy McDermott’s ball and stick and the Riverhead resident might not let anyone else play after he won his 7th race of the year now having won all but one race contested. With the win Jeremy ties Robin Vollmoeller (1983) and Paul McElearney (1984) for the most LM wins in a single season. Vollmoeller and McElearney turned the trick in 10 race seasons while McDermott has gotten their in 8 starts. Shawn Patrick showed the way over the first four laps with McDermott coming to second from his 4th starting position. It would be the 5th lap that McDermott would make his way out front in his Eastport Feeds Pontiac passing Patrick after the two made slight contact. Once out front in the Rob Pelis owned racer McDermott raced off to his 16th career win tying him with Vollmoeller and Jarrod Hayes for 6th on the all time LM win list. After being shuffled to the rear of the field midway through the race Chris Turbush of Wading River rallied for a runner-up finish in the Carpet Express Chevy while former two time champion Kevin Metzger of Massapequa was third in the Complete Well & Pump machine.
Vinny Delaney of Holtsville scored his first Figure Eight win of the year when he topped their 15-lap main event. After Bryan Quiiliam led the first two circuits of the contest former champion Scott Pedersen made his way to the lead on lap 3. Two laps later Delaney who started 4th made his way by Quilliam for second. After chasing Pedersen for the lead for two laps Delaney made his move to the race lead when he passed Scott on lap 7. Once out front Vinny’s work only just began as Tom Ferrara and Tom Rogers Jr. closed in to make it a three car fight for the win. Delaney who coming to the race had one career Figure Eight win to his credit did a masterful job working the crossing traffic at the intersection and keeping his two rivals at bay to nail down the win in the Northeastern Office Equipment Chevy. Ferrara of Patchogue was second in the Sayville South Bay Auto Repair Cadillac while Rogers manhandled his United Exhaust Shop Chevy Coupe to a third place finish. Tommy ran the last few laps with a broken rear suspension after contact.
After going winless over the first 6 races of the Super Pro Truck season before winning on July 10th Mark Stewart of Riverhead now enjoys a two race winning streak having won his second race in 10 days taking Saturday’s 20-lapper. The triumph was the 22nd of mark’s career tying him with Danny Grennan for third on the all time win list. Eddie Schutze broke to the early race lead but his race would end suddenly on the first lap with a spin entering turn three,. Eddie was towed off with rear end damage. Frank Dumicich Jr. who was second to Schutze chose the outside lane for the restart lining-up Mark Stewart to the inside and when the green reappeared Stewart got the advantage on Dumicich to grab the race lead. Frank would run second until the 5th lap when he was passed to the inside by 31-time SPT winner Lou Maestri who made his move exiting the fourth turn. Meanwhile back up front Mark Stewart was breaking away in his East End Building Chevy and he’d enjoy a comfortable lead until the finish of the race. Maestri of Deer Park was runner-up on the Hunter Business School Chevy while Sean Glennon of Northport was third in the Modelewski Law entry.
Eric Zeh of Selden took down his 4th Street Stock win of 2019 when he won their 20-lap main event. Former Charger driver Jay Henschel broke to the race lead at the throw of the green with Wesley Sammon settling into second. A yellow for debris on lap 7 would change the running order in the top three as on the restart following the caution Eric Zeh slipped by his cousin Sammon for second. Three laps later Zeh who started 7th made a pass of Henschel down the back stretch to take command of the race for good in his Best Built Construction Chevy driving off to his division leading 8th career win. Wesley Sammon of Southampton drove to a runner-up finish in his Frank Curtis Motorsports Chevy passing Jay Henschel of Levittown on the final lap with Henschel settling for third in his Firstline Locksmiths Chevy.
Christian Conklin of Riverhead has vowed to start last in all the 4/6-Cylinder Gut & Go Enduro races in 2019 and Saturday he wheeled his Hyundai Tiburon from a 31st starting berth to victory lane after a torrid late race duel with eventual runner-up Sean Rooney of Bellport. Rooney had broken to the race lead on lap 13 in his Oar Steak & Seafood Grille entry and was seeking his first win. However as the 40-lap tilt wore on Conklin was about to come calling and the race would be on. Running nose to tail and side by side the duo swapped paint and at one point Rooney’s rear bumper cover came off after contact but he’d save his car. The fight for the lead was as hot as the weather and when the dust settled Christian Conklin prevailed with Rooney a disappointed and frustrated runner-up. Ryan Warren of Ridge was third having the best seat in the house to watch the fight for the win.
In a fiercely contested School Bus Demolition Derby that lasted some 40 minutes “Cheesebox” Michael Rommeney of Bohemia outlasted “The Punisher” Paul Fox of Riverhead for the win. Like two heavyweight boxers Rommeney and Fox wen toe to toe with neither wanting to go down for the count and everyone on hand marveled at how the two veteran daredevils and their buses lasted so long in the torrid heat of the night. Finally Fox’s bus just couldn’t go anymore and Michael Rommeney enjoyed another victory in this unique event. “Irish” Mike O’Keefe, “The Stalker” Scott Phillips, “Mach Chicken” Rob Savoy and Mike Fredricks were joined by Blunderbust standout Jack Handley Jr. and “The Jack Attack” put in a heck of an effort but was forced to retire when the roof of his bus among other issues collapsed, Jack was okay.
NASCAR Modifieds: 1. Tom Rogers Jr. 2. John Baker 3. Kyle Soper 4. John Beatty Jr. 5. Dylan Slepian 6. Dave Brigati 7. Chris Young 8. CJ Lehmann 9. David Schneider 10. Roger Turbush DNS- Michael Rutkoski
Late Models: 1. Jeremy McDermott 2. Chris Turbush 3. Kevin Metzger 4. Ray Minieri 5. Dylan Slepian 6. Shawn Patrick 7. Darren McCabe
Figure Eights: 1. Vinny Delaney 2. Tom Ferrara 3. Tom Rogers Jr. 4. Scott Pedersen 5. Eriz Zeh 6. CJ Lehmann 7. Gary Fritz Jr. 8. Bryan Quilliam 9. Bob Dalke 10. Brian Hansen 11. Ken Hyde Jr. 12. Paul Cummings
Super Pro Trucks: 1, Mark Stewart 2. Lou Maestri 3. Sean Glennon 4. Frank Dumicich Jr. 5. Matt Triola 6. Frank Dumicich Sr. 7. Ethan Brown 8. Joe Cerabino 9. Eddie Schutze
Street Stocks: 1. Eric Zeh 2. Wesley Sammon 3. Jay Henschel 4. Brian Brown 5. David Antos 6. Brian McCormack 7. Gerard Lawrence 8. Johnny Cricchio 9. Chris Lescenski 10. David White 11. John DiPietro 12. Rhett Fogg 13. Anthony Pizzo
4/6-Cylinder Gut & Go Enduro (top ten) 1. Christian Conklin 2. Sean Rooney 3. Ryan Warren 4. Sean Glennon 5. Woot Lawrence 6. Kevin Coyle 7. Chris Olivari 8. Peter Verwys 9. Jesse St. Clair 10. Joey Palmeri Jr.
School Bus Demolition Derby: Winner- Michael Rommeney
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