(Press Release from NASCAR Integrated Marketing Communications)
The NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour‘s second trip to Riverhead Raceway in 2023 will be a special evening for both the series and the facility.
Former driver Mike Ewanitsko is being honored at Riverhead on Saturday evening with the Miller Lite Salutes Mike Ewanitsko 200. A veteran of the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour starting with the series’ inaugural year in 1985, Ewanitsko amassed 28 Tour victories during his career, including a record 11 trips to Riverhead’s Victory Lane.
Since Ewanitsko ran his final NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour event at Riverhead in 2001, several drivers have established their own legacies at the quarter-mile bullring, including as Justin Bonsignore, Doug Coby, Ryan Preece, Ted Christopher, Donny Lia and many more.
Another chapter in Riverhead’s storied history will be written on Saturday evening as the current generation of NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour competitors look to build momentum during a busy summer slate for the series.
Below is everything you need to know about the seventh race of the 2023 NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour season.
Miller Lite Salutes Mike Ewanitsko 200 at Riverhead Raceway
What to watch for:
Everybody will be chasing Matt Hirschman when the green flag flies for the Miller Lite Salutes Mike Ewanitsko 200 at Riverhead Raceway.
After a slow start to the 2023 season by his standards, Hirschman has been unstoppable during the last two NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour events at Lee USA Speedway and Seekonk Speedway, as he led a combined total of 323 of 325 laps to score two consecutive victories.
Saturday’s Miller Lite Salutes Ewanitsko 200 will be Hirschman’s first NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour appearance at Riverhead this year, as a schedule conflict forced him to miss the first event at the facility on May 21.
The driver who stands the best chance of ending Hirschman’s hot streak is Justin Bonsignore, who won the most recent Riverhead NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour race in a thrilling battle with Ron Silk.
MORE RIVERHEAD: FloRacing | Entry List
Bonsignore holds the best record at Riverhead of any active NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour driver with 10 total victories. Should he take the checkered flag on Saturday evening, Bonsignore will tie Ewanitsko’s Tour record of 11 Riverhead victories.
As with any NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour race at Riverhead, there will be a healthy contingent of track regulars looking to shine on a national stage. Among the names in this group include John Beatty Jr., Jack Handley Jr., Roger Turbush and Chris Young.
Other noteworthy drivers on the preliminary entry list include Eric Goodale, who returns to the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour following a two-race absence. Joining Goodale on the entry list is another previous Riverhead winner, Timmy Solomito, who is seeking his first Tour victory since 2017.
The complete entry list for the Miller Lite Salutes Mike Ewanitsko 200 is available here.
RACE FACTS
| Race | Miller Lite Salutes Mike Ewanitsko 200 |
| Date | Saturday, June 24, 2023 |
| Track | Riverhead Raceway |
| Layout | Quarter-mile asphalt oval |
| Location | Riverhead, New York |
| Start time | 8 p.m. ET |
| Laps | 200 |
| Posted awards | $81,600 |
| Live stream | FloRacing (Live) |
Schedule: Saturday, June 24 … Final practice from 3:15 p.m. to 4:15 p.m. ET … Qualifying at 6 p.m. ET … Miller Lite Salutes Mike Ewanitsko 200 at 8 p.m. ET.
Qualifying: Two consecutive qualifying laps. Faster lap determines qualifying position. Adjustment or repairs may not be made on the vehicle after the vehicle has taken the green flag at the start/finish line. NASCAR reserves the right to have more than one vehicle engage in qualifying runs at the same time. Starting field for the Miller Lite Salutes Mike Ewanitsko 200 is limited to 28 starters including provisionals.
Tire allotment: The maximum tire allotment available for this event is eight (8) tires per team. All tires used for qualifying and the race must be purchased at the track and scanned by Hoosier, unless otherwise approved in advance by the Series Director. Four (4) tires must be used for qualifying and to begin the race. All qualifying tires must remain in impound until released by NASCAR officials. The remaining tire allotment may be used for practice and/or change tires during the event. The tire change rule is zero (0) tires, any position.
So what’s the deal with Mike Christopher this year is life distracting from his focus? Getting older, more mature with other facets of his life taking priority. Pretty solid 4th at the Icebreaker but otherwise the relationship with TBR on the back burner. Practicing a lot at Stafford in the SK82 is producing no meaningful results. From qualifying to the feature was never really competitive in this race in the 70 the last car finishing all 77 laps at Riverhead. A down year seems to be in the making for the popular driver in 2023 so I’ll be keeping an eye out on that situation for sure.
Radar also up on Jack Handley. Noticed him sideways causing problems for the leaders in the last NWMT race at Riverhead coming out of the corner. In this race dominating until a caution. Then inexplicably jogging right and putting the car outside him on the front row in the wall. Was Handley the victim of the guy in back of him? Officials say no and he was sent to the back.
Boy that tour mod racing at Riverhead can be entertaining. The low groove, hooking the apron was not working so well but Slepian stuck with it lap after lap and he did get it to work finally getting enough bite to take the spot. I have to believe he’s doing it to get ready for the next NWMT race coming up next Saturday.
Famous Crate Modified driver Kyle Elwood takes down the win. The thing about Riverhead is you just never know who’s going to win. So many good cars the winner often the driver that’s positioned right and has a bit of luck. Beatty doing some nifty driving at the end as well ending up in second.
Gotta say Riverhead is definitely into remembering the drivers of the past. Rain a definite possibility Saturday night they went on forever honoring the drivers the race was dedicated to. They’re back at it again this Saturday remembering Ewanitsko. Meanwhile the stands have only a smattering of spectators. The most energy coming from the two young fella’s flagging the race along with the official flag man. All that remembrance is fine for we crusty old fans who know what they’re talking about. New fans that take the race in may be wondering if they made a mistake and wondered into an old folks home where the old guys are sharing war stories.
What Riverhead needs most is a perfect summer night with no threat of rain.