(Press Release from Riverhead Raceway)
When the record books close Saturday on the 2020 race season at Riverhead Raceway with the running of the 4th annual Islip 300 by East West Marine Supply it will without a doubt be the weirdest season ever in the 70-year history of the popular quarter mile oval. Eddie & Connie Partridge and Tom Gatz delayed like most short track operators by the Covid-19 worldwide pandemic finally launched their race season on Saturday August 1st and will cap off it all off in spectacular fashion Saturday afternoon.
As of Monday morning 5 days out from the Tour Type Modified extravaganza a dozen Riverhead Raceway Advance Auto Parts Weekly Racing Series NASCAR Modified teams have indicated they’ll be on hand hoping to cap off this truly odd season with victory in the Islip 300 by East West Marine Supply. No teams nor drivers know the lay of the land better than those who drove it all summer and fall long and perhaps none better than 2020 NASCAR Modified champion Tom Rogers Jr. of Riverhead. In route to his record tying 5th NASCAR Modified track championship Rogers put the Denise & Ken Darch owned Chevy into the winners circle 3-times to bring his career win total to 60, just three behind the late “Charging” Charlie Jarzombek. Of those three triumphs Rogers scored a $5,910 payday in mid September when he won The Bubba 150, he’d love to grab another big payday Saturday.
Dylan Slepian of Dix Hill chased Rogers right down to the final night of racing for the title and he too was a three time winner in the Rob Pelis owned and built machine. Also taking home three wins in 2020 would be 2018 & 2019 champion Kyle Soper of Manorville who comes to the 300 as the defending race winner in the Wayne & Joette Anderson owned Chevy. Two time winner in 2020 Chris Young of Calverton winner of the final night of racing would like to start a two race win streak by capturing the Islip 300 by East West Marine Supply and the $7,000 that goes along with the win. John Beatty Jr. of Merrick scored an August victory for he and car owner Mark S. Mina and John is very adept at running the longer distance races and will be a threat for the win.
The remainder of the weekly Riverhead contingent racing the 300 did not come away with a regular season win but the 300 would be as good a race as any to close out their 2020 campaign with victory. Roger Turbush of Riverhead is hungry for a win as are weekly foes Michael Rutkoski of Mattituck, John Baker of Brookhaven, Justin Brown of Manorville, Artie Pedersen III, John Fortin Sr. of Holtsville and Eddie Brunnhoelzl Jr. of Levittown. Not only would victory in the Islip 300 complete their 2020 season on a high note but it would indeed be career defining.
Leading the charge of the “invading” drivers is 2020 NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour champion Justin Bonsignore of Holtsville who recently tuned up for the 300 with a runner-up performance in the Mike Stefanik Hall of Fame 160 steering the Rob Pelis owned team car to Dylan Slepian. Justin will be in his Ken Massa Motorsports WMT ride on Saturday. 2020 Stafford Motor Speedway SK Modified champion Keith Rocco of Berlin, Ct. fresh off his 10th place ARCA Menards Series West event in Phoenix will be heading to the 300 as will NASCAR Cup star and former winner of the 300 (2018) Ryan Preece, Rocco’s neighbor in Berlin, Ct. In 2017 at just 15-years young Dillon Steuer of Bohemia set the Tout Type Modified world ablaze when he won the inaugural Islip 300 he’ll be seeking to become the first repeat winner of the race Saturday along with Preece and Soper.
2020 WMT runner-up Jon McKennedy of Chelmsford, Ma. will have some what of a home court advantage driving for owner Tommy Baldwin Jr., as will Dave Sapienza of Riverhead who made a handful of Riverhead Raceway starts during the season. Eric Goodale of Riverhead won a 2014 WMT race at the track he grew up from 3-miles away and Craig Lutz of Miller Place knows the place well too as does recently entered and married JB Fortin of Holtsville. Max Zachem of Preston, Ct. is a past winner at Riverhead having won the 2017 NASCAR opening night show and he’ll be joined by fellow Connecticut driving stars Ronnie Williams of Ellington and Matt Galko of Meriden. Brian Weber a Coram, L.I. native will be in action Saturday making the haul from Corneilus, N.C. with a John Sutton prepared Tour Type Modified enclosed in his hauler.
The Eagle Auto Mall Crate Modifieds and INEX Legend Race Cars will join the Islip 300 by East West Marine Supply card this Saturday at Riverhead Raceway. Pits will open at 8:00 am, practice for the Crates and legend starts at 10:00 am with Tour Type Modifieds practicing from 11:00 am through 12 noon. General admission opens at 11:00 am, with qualifying at 1:00 pm.
Adults $35, kids 6-12 $15 with 5 and under free. The race will also be live streamed on RiverheadRaceway.Tv at $35 per view, for that link plus the detailed race day schedule please visit www.riverheadraceway.com, In the event of rain the event will be run Sunday November 15th with the same time format. Our phone number remains 631-842-RACE.
Has anyone been to Riverhead this year? First come first serve at the gate? What’s the capicity? Sellout expected?
Saw the Wall of Fame Night w/Baldwin/Evans/Jarzo race virtually that featured basically the 14 or so Riverhead tour modified regulars and it was a good race. The undercard is always can’t miss on that little track so it’s money well spent.
The service provider is Speedsport same as Stafford and the stream quality first rate if you’re entertaining tuning in.
The $35 smackers for this one in my view is well worth it. Sparkling albeit chilly weather forecast and a bunch of big name invaders taking on the home boys. Kind of a no brainer I would think in person or virtually.
This race and the Turkey Derby are shaping up to be sterling ways to wrap up the season in the year of the pandemic.
Yet there seems to be no buzz in the forum. Curious.