Roger Turbush Ends Seven Year Dry Spell With Riverhead NASCAR Modified Victory

(Press Release from Riverhead Raceway)

Roger Turbush of Riverhead ended a seven-year, four-day Buzz Chew Chevrolet NASCAR Modified winless spell Saturday when he led wire-to-wire to win a caution free 50-lap feature event. Roger notched his first career Modified win on June 9th, 2019, never thinking it would take him seven years to return to victory lane. Saturday turned out to be a perfect day for Turbush, who since childhood has been an ardent New York Knickerbockers fan as he and his team hosted a watch party post-race at their hauler to witness his favorite NBA team lock up their first world title in 53-years. 

In HighMark Building Efficiency pole qualifying Chase Grennan of Glen Cove posted quickest time with a lap of 11.909, earning a Hoosier Tire for his effort. For the feature after the top eight from qualifying are handicapped Grennan sat to the outside of pole sitter Roger Turbush. Twice this season Roger has sat on the pole, once for a weekly event and the other he won the pole for the Miller Lite Salutes Don How 200 WMT event. Both times things didn’t pan out for Turbush but this time the third-generation driver wasn’t going to let the bad luck return. After a quick slip at the hot of the throttle, Roger raced to a slight advantage over Grennan with Chris Rogers quickly filing into third.

The race would be a caution free affair which was just fine with leader Turbush, while his challengers Grennan and Rogers hoped for a yellow flag along the way. After hanging on the leader’s back bumper over the first half of the contest Grennan began to fall back slightly as Rogers was turning up the heat for second. With 10-laps remaining Rogers started to show his nose to Grennan off the corners, thus allowing Turbush to increase his advantage. On lap 47 heading into the first corner, Rogers made a move like he was going to pass Grennan high but exiting turn two dipped low and under Chase for second with two laps to go.

When the checker flag waved that huge sigh of relief heard over the roar of the engines was from the driver of the Rheem Air Fury of Roger Turbush, ridding himself of the bad luck that hung over him in 2026. “I came into this race with a plan for the start, I kind of faked Chase out the first time, the second time I just put the hammer down” Turbush revealed. Roger missed all of practice as he was attending daughter Delaney’s dance recital, “my first laps in the car were qualifying, can’t thank her, my wife Stephanie and son Gavin enough for their support” In closing the happy winner took a moment to remember family and friends lost recently, “have to dedicate this to my cousin Buddy Turbush, Kathy Trent and Chuck Deon, they have meant so much to me and my family over the years, John and Keith too, this one is for all of them”.

Chris Rogers of Patchogue turned his late race pass of Chase Grennan of Glen Cove for second into a runner-up finish for the Coors Light team, Chase completed the podium in the Eastport Feeds Chevy. Matt Brode of East Islip was fourth, while Mark Stewart of Riverhead completed the top five. For the Grennan and Brode families the top five finishes were a feather in the cap on a day where it was announced Howie Brode and Danny Grennan were the Class of 2026 for induction onto the Cromarty Wall of Champions.

Dave Brigati of Calverton, father-in-law to the Modified winner Roger Turbush also found his way to victory lane as he topped the 25-lap Late Model feature.  Brigati and Riely O’Keefe, making his first start in a Late Model made up the front row with “The Fancy Farmer” Brigati breaking to the early lead. One lap after an early race restart O’Keefe left the bottom open ever so slightly with defending champion Gerard Giordano sneaking under him for second on lap 8. However, another yellow would wave for a Ray Minieri and Kevin Metzger tangle in turn four on lap 12. On the restart that followed O’Keefe repaid the favor back to Giordano sliding under Gerard for second. All the jockeying for position, combined with a fast hot rod allowed Dave Brigati in his Coors Light Chevy to drive away to his 11th career victory. Riely O’Keefe of Manorville continues to enjoy a magical 2026 season bringing the VIP Property Services and Serv Pro Team KC Ford home second subbing for Ed Cheslak. Sean Glennon of Northport drove the Middle Country Auto Service entry out of the Paprocky-Cheslak shops to a third place showing. 

Allan Pedersen of Center Moriches scored his 12th career TK Figure Eight win as he led wire to wire for the 15-lap triumph. At the throw of the green Pedersen raced his way to the lead with Kim Hyde giving chase over the first 6 circuits. A caution would wave for a stalled Bob Dalke on lap 6 and when the field went back to green Hyde. who was being pressured prior to the yellow by opening night winner Gary Fritz Jr. for second would lose the spot on the resumption of the race. Over the final 9 laps of the contest Allan Pedersen simply drove off to a comfortable lead, one he’d take to the finish in the Top Notch Performance Camaro. Gary Fritz Jr. of mastic was second with his Goodfellas Automotive Cadillac, while Will Farrell of Mastic completed the podium in third in the Bobby’s One Stop Custom Exhaust & Auto coupe. 

Jim Laird Jr. of Islip Terrace backed up his opening night win back in May with another 20-lap Blunderbust victory, the 22nd of his career. Matt Triola and veteran Tom Sullivan brought the grid to green with Triola racing out front while Sullivan battled with Laird on the very first lap for second. Laird started the race fourth but quickly looped around Sullivan for second before the first lap was in the books. Over the first half of the race, it was a familiar sight for the lead, Triola leading Laird, but this time Matt Triola, not brother Cody was trying to keep the family car out front. Just after the crossed flags were displayed Laird ducked under Triola off the second corner on lap 10 and by the time the duo hit the third turn there was a new race leader. Over the second half of the tilt Jim Laird Jr. kept the Bulovas Restorations Inc. Caprice out front for the win, “have to dedicate this to Mark Press of Hampton Car Storage one of my sponsors and a friend and Chuck Deon, a great guy” Jim reflected post-race. Matt Triola of Bay Shoe was second in the Cesspool Pros machine while Tom Sullivan of Massapequa in the Island Trees Automotive entry was third.

Chris Lescenski of Riverhead topped the 20-lap Street Stock feature event and in doing so has bragging rights over his fellow Town of Riverhead DPW co-worked Jarrod Hayes of Calverton. Lescenski and Dennis Kurras made up the front row for the start with Chris gaining the early advantage over Danny Pizzo who started third sneaking under Kurras at the drop of the green. On lap 3, all-time leading winner of the class Dave Antos worked his way by Pizzo for second, setting his radar for race leader Lescenski. Antos however was soon to be under attack from Jarrod Hayes allowing Lescenski some breathing room, for a few laps anyway. At the midway mark of the race Hayes slipped under Antos racing off the second corner for second and Jarrod quickly went to work on reeling in his co-worker. Hayes got to Lescenski’s rear bumper and over the second half of the race the tandem battled for the win. When the race concluded it was the John’s Floors Chevy of Chris Lescenski prevailing earning the Monday morning bragging rights at work. Jarrod Hayes, who renumbered his North Fork Sanitation Monte Carlo from 08 to 03 in honor of Chuck Deon was runner-up with Dave Antos of Lindenhurst third in the JTEC Electric Minte Carlo. 

Defending Truck Enduro champion Kevin Feeney of East Quogue has waited a long time for his first career victory, whether in the Trucks where he’s a two-time champion or the 8-Cylinder Enduro ranks where was he also the 2025 champion. Saturday the waiting came to a glorious conclusion when Feeney scored the 40-lap Truck Enduro win. Second generation talent Brandon LaManna showed the way over the first 24-circuits of the contest before suddenly slowing down the front stretch allowing Kevin Feeney who was second to inherit the lead. Feeney started deep in the field and methodically worked his way forward over the first half of the race. Once in the lead with the Ham Racing mount Feeney felt the heat from perennial winner Phil LaManna who draped himself all over the leaders rear tailgate. As the laps wore down things got dicey of turn four when lapped traffic forced the top two trucks to bounce off each other, but Kevin Feeney was able to hold on for the long-awaited win. Phil LaManna of Smithtown was second in the EP Milling & Sweeping Chevy S-10, “Woot” Lawrence of Southampton came home third with his Gregor Well Drilling entry.

“The Z-Man” Ryan Zukowski of Riverhead won a wild 12-lap School Bus Figure Eight race in an event that saw one of the 13-ton machines go over on its side. Zukowski, Frank “The Tank” Dumicich Jr. and the “Babylon Brawler” Sean Fitzpatrick waged a three-bus fight for the lead before Fitzpatrick’s bus tipped over in a non-contact incident, Sean was uninjured. When the race resumed Zukowski was able to pull away late, with Dumicich of East Quogue finishing second. 

NASCAR Modifieds: 1. Roger Turbush 2. Chris Rogers 3. Chase Grennan 4. Matt Brode 5. Mark Stewart 6. Dylan Slepian 7. Owen Grennan 8. Chris Young 9. Kyle Ellwood 10. Max Handley 11. Cory Midgett 12. Tom Sekulski

Late Models: 1. Dave Brigati 2. Riely O’Keefe 3. Sean Glennon 4. Gerard Giordano 5. Ryan Zukowski 6. Allan Pedersen 7. Jeremy McDermott 8. Keith Rotzi 9. Russ Jansen 10. Kevin Metzger 11. Ray Minieri 12. Shawn Patrick 13. Brian Doyle

Figure Eights: 1. Allan Pedersen 2. Gary Fritz Jr. 3. Will Farrell 4. Kim Hyde 5. Tyler Farrell 6. Eoughan Hayward 7. Rich Braun 8. Bob Dalke 

Blunderbusts: 1. Jim Laird Jr. 2. Matt Triola 3. Tom Sullivan 4. Tom Puccia 5. Anthony Capobianco 6. William Steed 7. Steve Fried 8. Patrick Brand 9. Jackie Handley

Street Stocks: 1. Chris Lescenski 2. Jarrod Hayes 3. Dave Antos 4. Dennis Kurras 5. Brandon Hubbard 6. Ricky Carman 7. Cody Triola 8. Danny Pizzo 9. Alyssa Paprocky 10. Rich Braun 11. PJ McGay 12. Bob Dalke 13. Mark Godnick 14. Kyle Halpin 15. Chris McGuire 16. Steve Harding

Truck Enduro (top ten): 1. Kevin Feeney 2. Phil LaManna 3. Woot Lawrence 4. Brandon LaManna 5. Don Nelson Jr. 6. Kayla Kelly 7. Donnie Southard 8. Charles Asatcio 9. Alexis Mullaly 10. Christi Mortimer 

School Bus Figure Eight race: Winner- Ryan Zukowski  

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