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View Full Version : Riverhead's Wildest Finish



Dwight Clock
11-04-2006, 11:31 AM
1975 was a strange year for Riverhead Raceway. For one, it was the only time in the history of the track that it wasn't called Riverhead. That year it was known as Vimco Speedway. Also, as I recall, they ran on Wednesdays instead of the traditional Saturday shows. Back then the incomparable Charlie Jarzombek was at the height of his career and was nearly unbeatable at the county seat oval. Running the Vega version of the Jarzombek rocket ships Charlie proceeded to kick butt and take names all year. One of his wins was more memorable than the others. Charlie had started in the back and ripped through the field as only he could do. It was no contest and the fans simply waited for the laps to run out before leaving. But it was to be an exciting finish. Far more than Charlie J would have liked. Coming off of turn four for the checkered Jarzombek tangled with the lapped car of Herbie Hulse. At the finish Charlie was pointed in the right direction but was in midair about ten feet off the ground and upside down. After coming to a stop Jarzombek climbed out and, showing little interest in the checkered flag he had earned, proceeded to have a rather animated "discussion" with Mr. Hulse. There is a picture out there of this finish although I can't recall who took it. What a finish!

Teds Race Tours
11-04-2006, 12:50 PM
I was there, but as a 9 yr old, my memory may not have been perfect. Didn't CJ end up on the wall in the Grass Section that was just past the starters stand, or am I getting a race that he and Jim Tyler had in the 08 mixed up with it?

Dwight Clock
11-04-2006, 12:59 PM
I believe that you are right. Once CJ got out of the car all attention was on him going after Hulse. I don't remember much about where the car ended up.

Dwight Clock
11-05-2006, 08:05 AM
After thinking about it I believe that it was the father and son team of Bob and Gary Worthman that took the picture of that finish.

Captain History
11-06-2006, 02:46 PM
It's Wurthmann.
Does anybody know anything about Bob or Gary or if they are around? A search on them turned up nothing.....

Dwight Clock
11-06-2006, 02:59 PM
It's WurthmanThank you.

W. J.
11-06-2006, 05:12 PM
Yeah, I looked too, and you'd think with the collection of photos they took over the years, there would be something......

Dwight Clock
11-06-2006, 06:30 PM
It's Wurthman.
Does anybody know anything about Bob or Gary or if they are around? A search on them turned up nothing.....Bob would be well up in years now. The last I knew he lived in Massapequa right behind John Byrnes park. But that was 25 years ago.

Mike Fields
11-06-2006, 08:30 PM
To find those photos that are left, I believe you have to check with Marty Himes. If he doesn't have them, they probably don't exist anymore.

Captain History
11-09-2006, 04:40 AM
I think Gary Wurthmann resides in Massapequa Park.
Some B&G Wurthmann photos (only thing I found in a search):
http://www.lasheefs.com/Pages/BWPages/bwpage10.html