(Press Release from Riverhead Raceway)
Riverhead Raceway owners Eddie & Connie Partridge and Tom Gatz figure there is only one way to send off the challenging 2020 race season into the sunset and that is in spectacular fashion as they announced plans for the 4th annual Islip 300 Saturday November 14th. The Partridge and Gatz ownership team are also happy and excited to announce that East West Marine Services has signed on to be the title sponsor of the $32,650 Tour Type Modified extravaganza that rewards the winner with a $7,000 payday.
In a normal race season the Islip 300 would take place either in May or June as it has since it’s 2016 inaugural running, however not being able to start the 2020 schedule until the first Saturday of August altered those plans. For the first time in it’s 70 year history Riverhead Raceway with the approval of the Town of Riverhead was permitted to run through the month of October with it’s Saturday night NASCAR Advance Auto Parts Weekly Racing Series as well plan the Islip 300 presented by East West Marine Services for the second weekend of November. If normalcy returns in 2021 then Riverhead Raceway would return to it’s traditional May-September format meaning the November date for the 300 is a one off historic date due to the circumstances and regulations of Covid-19.
Over the first three years a diverse group of racers have won the Islip 300 presented by East West Marine Services. In the inaugural 300 in 2017 then 15-year old Dillon Steuer of Bohemia stood the asphalt Tour Type Modified world on it’s collective ear winning the race and performing a world class burnout afterwards. In 2018 now NASCAR Cup Series regular Ryan Preece of Berlin, Ct. went back to his notebook for an old set-up to win the 300, while two time and defending Riverhead Raceway champion Kyle Soper won the 2019 edition of the race. All three past winners will be on hand to see if they can become the first repeat winner in the race that pays tribute to the old All Star Racing League races at Islip Speedway.
The Islip 300 presented by East West Marine Services will be a single day daytime show with practice, qualifying and feature event racing all taking place Saturday November 14th with Sunday November 15th serving as a rain date of needed. Qualifying is set to start at 12 noon. The Eagle Auto Mall Crate Modifieds will battle in a 50-lap event while the INEX Legend Race Cars go to post for a 40-lap main event with both classes qualifying via time trials. A INEX Legend Race Car B-Main would be contested if needed.
Aside from the $7,000 winners share the Islip 300 presented by East West Marine Services offers $2,500 for the runner-up while third through fifth pay $2,250, $2,000 & $1,750. Sixth through tenth are worth $1,500, $1,400, $1,300, $1,200 & $1,100. $1,000 each will go to the 11th & 12 place finishers while $900, $850 & $750 are on the line for thirteenth through fifteenth. Sixteenth will pay $700 and seventeenth $650 with eighteenth though twenty fifth worth $600 per position.
Teams from all Tour Type Modified series are welcome and can run their home series rules for the Islip 300 presented by East West Marine Services. Race of Champion, Modified Racing Series and Tri-Track series rules can be declared by a team but that team must run those rules in their entirety as in their 2020 rules book. The Riverhead Raceway Hoosier track tires will be used for the 300 with teams able to purchase seven tires for qualifying and the race, the car must start the race on it’s qualifying tires.
Qualifying will see the top 18 from time transferring into the 25-car Islip 300 field. Qualifying order will be determined by cumulative speeds from a continuous Tour Type Modified practice earlier in the morning. If neccessary a B Main will be contested with 6 moving into the 300 with the 25th position reserved for the highest Riverhead Raceway driver form the 2020 point standings who attempted to qualify either through time or the B Main.
Caution flag laps will count over the first 290 laps of racing but teams will not lose a lap in the pit area during service. Five pit laps will take place starting once the pits open under yellow.
Further details pertaining to the Islip 300 presented by East West Marine Services will be announced in the days and weeks to come on both social media as well the track web site www.riverheadraceway.com. To e-mail us please do so @ [email protected] with our phone number remaining 631-842-RACE.
Purse on the bottom end very weak.
Preece said on Facebook he’d be there kind of early which was interesting. This is an important time for him in Cup and he’s over performing going down to the wire. Eric Jones is getting mentioned a lot. How depressing. Still no one is saying he’s out of it. Last six races have actually been good to great. He’s making it real hard for them to show his the door.
Bonsignor said he was supporting Islip 300 whatever that means.
The 14 or so modifieds at Riverhead put on a great show but invaders are a rarity. This will be different and a can’t miss on RiverheadRaceway.TV.
Very cool to see them do this; dig the retro feel, one day format, 300 laps… but damn, I wish I could remember who the title sponsor is… North South something or other?? North South Shootout, that it…