(Press Release from Riverhead Raceway)
Just hours after the famed ball drop in New York City, Riverhead Raceway owners Eddie & Connie Partridge and Tom Gatz announced an energized 2020 schedule of events to celebrate the 70th anniversary of racing at the famed quarter mile facility.
The schedule of events announced for 2020 will introduce some new and exciting concepts for both competitors and fans alike while many mainstay events and attractions will remain part of the Long Island racing fabric. The 2020 NASCAR Weekly Racing Series will open up with a seven for one program Saturday evening May 9th with the NASCAR Modifieds again headlining the weekly racing action.
The May Meltdown Enduro series opener will proceed the NASCAR lid lifter on Sunday afternoon May 3rd.
The NASCAR Modifieds will again race as the Division ! class of the NASCAR Weekly Racing Series at Riverhead Raceway with a regular feature event distance set for 50-laps. Just prior to Christmas track management announced the Four Race Crown Jewel Series for the NASCAR Modifieds a four race series that takes in the four extra distance time trial events. In additional to the weekly track NASCAR championship points the series will carry it’s own championship points with the champion of the Four Race Crown Jewel Series to win the Ted Christopher Cup.
The first of the four races will be the $7,000 to win 4th annual Islip 300 Saturday May 30th which will be followed by the 70th Year Celebration 70-lapper July 4th, the Baldwin, Evans & Jarzombek 77 on July 25th and conclude with the NASCAR 100 August 29th. The winner of the Four Race Crown Jewel Series championship chase will be presented the Ted Christopher track in victory lane at the conclusion of the NASCAR 100. Since the new broke of the Ted Christopher Cup interest in the Four Race Crown Jewel Series has been high on both sides of the pit wall.
The NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour will again visit Riverhead Raceway twice in 2020 first on Saturday evening June June 20th and again September 19th with both events slated for 200-laps and sure to be short track classics.
Another new twist to the 2020 Riverhead Raceway slate announced recently is the Miller Lite Triple Crown Series that encompasses the three scheduled time trials races for the six support classes of the NASCAR Weekly Racing Series. The Late Models, Crate Modifieds, Figure Eights, Blunderbusts, Super Pro Trucks and INEX Legend Race cars will all take part in the Miller Lite Triple Crown series and run for a championship within a championship like the NASCAR Modifieds. Additionally the Street Stocks and Mini Stock also will participate in the Miller Lite Triple Crown Series during their three time trial events in ’20.
Three NASCAR Cone Nights have been planned for the new season starting with the May 23rd program and followed cone races Saturday June 27th and again on August 1st. The cone race format will be a new addition at Riverhead Raceway and should provided plenty of restart excitement during those 3 nights.
The annual Wall of Fame night will remain part of the Baldwin, Evans & Jarzombek 77 festivities on Saturday evening July 25th with the Class of 2020 Cromarty Wall Of Champions inductees to be announced in the spring. Staying with the nostalgic theme July 25th will also serve as one of four events for the Vintage All Stars at the track in 2020. The Vintage All Stars will also appear on May 30th part of the Islip 300 as well June 27th and August 15th.
Three Wednesday night events are planned for the 2020 campaign starting with July 8th and followed by August 5th and August 26th the Back To School Night spectacular. The midweek events have become very popular on Long island and are an excellent way to break up the work week.
Family entertainment events will again be plentiful at Riverhead Raceway in 2020 highlighted by no less than five School Bus events. Three School Bus Figure Eight contests are on tap starting with the first race May 16th and followed by June 13th and Wednesday July 8th. Later in the summer two School Bus Demolition Derby events will rock the foundation of the 70-year old track on Saturday July 18th and again on August 22nd. The Monster Trucks will be back for two breathtaking Nights of Destruction Saturday July 11th and again on Wednesday August 26th.
Two Fireworks extravaganzas will light up the night sky starting with the July 4th 70th Year Celebration program as well on I Love America Night Saturday August 8th. Four bone jarring & car destroying Demolition Derbies are slated for 2020 starting with Saturday night June 6th and followed by events on July 4th, August 8th and September 5th. The fourth and final event will serve as the annual National Stock Demolition Derby.
Two Sunday Enduro programs will bookend the start and finish of the 2020 race season as the May Meltdown will open things up on Sunday May 3rd while the Enduro Extravaganza will bring the curtain down on 2020 Sunday September 27th. Aside from their Sunday shows the Street Stocks and Mini Stocks will race an additional 10 times either on Saturday or Wednesday night while the Truck Enduro, 8-Cylinder and Gut & Go Enduro divisions will race five times on select Saturday nights.
The first official order of business at Riverhead Raceway will be two safety tech inspection days Saturday afternoon April 11th and April 18th followed by two free to the public practice days on Saturday afternoon April 25th and May 2nd.
The complete 2020 Riverhead Raceway schedule of events can be viewed at www.riverheadraceway.com. E-mails reach the track at [email protected] and the phone number remains 631-842-RACE.
Now that is definitely an action packed schedule of events. The TC crown should prove for some added excitement, along with the cone races. More tracks should take some lessons from Riverhead. Ed and Connie keep up the great work!
Nice schedule. It is amazing that a tiny track in a secluded area, the end of Long Island, can thrive with a captive Tour Type Mod class as part of a weekly show.
And Thompson, an easily accessible, outstanding high banked ⅝-mile track located in the central hotbed of modified country, is dying of neglect.