(Press Release from Riverhead Raceway)
Riverhead Raceway owners Eddie & Connie Partridge and Tom Gatz announced Tuesday morning a new concept for the six divisions that run in support of the headline NASCAR Modifieds on a regular basis as they unveiled the Miller Lite Triple Crown Series for 2020. Miller Lite, a marketing partner with the famed quarter mile oval since 1985 will serve as the title sponsor for the Triple Crown Series that is built around on the three time trial races scheduled for each class during the race season. This announcement comes on the heels of the news released prior to Christmas announcing the Four Race Crown Jewel Series for the NASCAR Modifieds with the champion of that series earning the prestigious Ted Christopher Cup.
Track GM John Ellwood had been tossing around the series within a series concept for some time now and together with Riverhead Raceway Race Director Scott Tapley the Miller Lite Triple Crown Series comes to fruition with this announcement. “Over the years due to work or family obligations many teams simply can’t commit to racing all the races in a season” Ellwood explained. “most of those teams generally would focus on the time trial shows as races they could compete in and now with the advent of the Miller Lite Triple Crown Series a team can actually win a championship within a championship” the energetic GM concluded. John also disclosed that for all divisions the driver who sets fast time in qualifying will start the feature event from the pole as Riverhead Raceway has eliminated inverts or redraws after qualifying for 2020
The Late Models will contest their first Miller Lite Triple Crown Series race Wednesday night July 8th followed by a pair of 50-lap series races on Saturday August 1st, Cone Night and Saturday September 12th on 1st Responder Night. The Crate Modifieds enter their 5th year of racing at Riverhead and will take part in Miller Lite Triple Crown Series events starting with a 45 lap tilt Saturday May 23rd, Cone Night. Saturday August 1st will be the second series race for the Crate Modifieds with another 45-lapper the third and final race Saturday September 5th. Early indications point to a banner year for the Crate Modified with an influx of new talent ready to bolster the already tough roster.
With the popular Figure Eight class traditionally not utilizing the time trial qualifying format the division will still be a big part of the Miller Lite Triple Crown Series with three Saturday night events June 6th on Mullet Madness Night, July 18th and again August 22nd. The final two races in the series for the Figure Eights will be complimented by School Bus Demolition Derby both nights. The Blunderbusts will go to post in their first series race in a 30-lapper Saturday May 23rd, Cone Night followed up by two Wednesday night appearances August 5th and August 26th the annual Monster Truck Wednesday.
Mirroring the Blunderbusts the Super Pro Trucks will have two Wednesday night races in the Miller Lite Triple Crown Series following their Saturday night opener June 13th parts of the School Bus Figure Eight race program. The two Wednesday night series races for the “tailgate brigade” are set for July 8th and August 26th. The INEX Legend Race Cars have Miller Lite Triple Crown Series events starting with Mullet Madness Night Saturday June 6th before also concluding their three race stint on with two Wednesday night shows August 8th School Bus Figure Eight race night and Monster Truck Wednesday August 26th.
The 2020 NASCAR Weekly series at Riverhead Raceway will kick off with a seven for one program Saturday evening May 9th with a seven for one program that follows the two practice days Saturday afternoons April 25th and May 2nd. The complete 2020 schedule of events will be up January 2nd, 2020 at ww.riverheadraceway.com. E-mails reach the track at [email protected] with our phone number remaining 631-842-RACE.
Great news for the support divisions at Riverhead, with the Miller Lite triple crown series. The Partridge family is doing a great job ensuring that every division is uniquely special at their track.. I’d like to see other tracks (Stafford) do some sort of series in memory of TC. It hasn’t been announced yet wether or not KHI will continue the TC bonus, so it was great news to hear that Riverhead was designing a series in his honor. HAPPY NEW YEAR to all you gearheada out there, hope 2020 brings great things to all!