(Press Release from Riverhead Raceway)
The second of three regularly scheduled Wednesday night midweek specials will be presented at Riverhead Raceway August 7th featuring a very diverse race program.
The 3rd annual Laura Zegel Memorial for the Street Stocks will highlight the racing portion of the card with a 55-lap event paying $555 to the race winner in addition to lap money and other special monetary awards. The Crate Modifieds, Blunderbusts. INEX Legend Race Cars, 8-Cylinder Gut & Go Enduro and a School Bus Figure 8 race will round out the race card.
The 55-lap Street Stock race is run annually in the memory of Laura Zegel the mother of long time Enduro competitor and car owner Erick who was always present at every Enduro race at the track becoming with her camera and was known to many as “Mama Z” After rain postponed the 2018 edition of the race until the final race date of the year in late September there was plenty of drama on and off the track before a winner could be declared.
Eric Zeh of Selden had taken the checker flag first but after the on track ceremonies and celebrations he along with several other top finishing cars failed post race tech for unapproved front suspension parts. That turn of events handed veteran driver David Antos of Linenhurst the $555 victory as well the 2018 Street Stock championship.
Fast forward to this coming Wednesday’s race where another stellar field of Street Stock racers are chomping at the bit for their richest race of the year. To date Eric Zeh has controlled victory lane in the SS ranks winning four of the six races contested with only David Antos and Brian Brown of Riverhead the only other drivers posting wins. Among the drivers hoping to collect the $555 payday include Wesley Sammon of Southampton, Rhett Fogg of Westhampton, Brian McCormack of Holbrook, Chris Lescenski of Riverhead, Anthony Pizzo of Ronkonkoma, Jay Henschel of Levittown and Johhny Cricchio of Ridge.
Jenn Vassel has again organized the lap money and special award bonus money disclosing as of press time just 14 of the 55 laps were yet to be sponsored but she expects to have those sponsored. Jenn did announced McCormick Motorsports will post $100 and a plaque for Fast Time while $200 for second quick will be awarded by Trish & Kyle Curtis. Jimmy Denis will present the third quick driver in qualifying with a $55 bonus. Scenic Vista Services LLC has posted $200 for the Fastest Lap of the Race while former SS racer Gerard Lawrence will sponsor the $100 Best Appearing Car Award that will be accompanied by a plaque from EZ Motorsports. The Fogg Motorsports team & family has posted $55 for the 6th place finisher with that driver also awarded a plaque from EZ Motorsports. Frank Curtis Motorpsorts (FCM) has put up $100 each to the Hard Charger & Hard Luck Driver of the 55-lapper. Nowak Motorsports has put up a $100 gift certificate to Oval Speed Unlimited with the criteria for that award to be announced, there is also a Sunoco Race Fuel award also to be disclosed.
The Crate Modified class will go to post in a 30-lap tilt led by current championship leader Justin Brown of Manorville who is being chased by former two time champion Dave Brigati of Calverton, Terry Stiles of Rocky Point, Sean Glennon of Northport, Chris Rogers of Patchogue, Peter Bertuccio of Bohemia, Matthew Brode of East Islip, Dennis Krupski of Calverton, Mike Albasini of Bayside and AJ DeSantis of Yaphank.
Tom Pickerell of Huntington will lead the Blunderbust corps to post Wednesday for a 25-lap main event as the points leader over the likes of Cody Triola of Bay Shore, Russ Jansen of Medford, Jim Laird Jr. of Riverhead and “The Racing Great Grandfather” Bill Wegmann Sr. or North Bellmore.
25-laps will also be the race distance for the INEX Legend Race Cars led by championship leader Richie Davidowitz of East Moriches who’ll enjoy a 32 point lead going into the midweek special. Trying to track “Big Money” down are Eric Hersey of Commack, Allan Pedersen of Center Moriches, Kevin Nowak of Medford and former champion Vinny Delaney of Holtsville.
Defending 8-Cylinder Gut & Go Enduro kingpin Jarred Halsey of Southampton will be among the many drivers going for the gold with Jarred racing among others his parents Brian & Stacey also from Southampton.
Last but certainly not least will be the fourth School Bus Figure 8 race of 2019 with the three prior winners “The Punisher” Paul Fox of Riverhead, “Irish” Mike O’Keefe of Manorville and “Kev-O” Kevin Rommeney of Maspeth to be among the participants in the wild 15-lap affair.
The competitor pits are will open at 4:00 pm on Wednesday with practice running from 5:00-6:00 pm. Qualifying will commence at 6:30 pm followed by opening ceremonies and feature event racing. Spectator gates will open at 5:00 pm. Adults $30, kids 6-12- $10, 5 & under free.
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