RGeeProductions
07-11-2011, 10:37 PM
TOM ROGERS JR. OVERCOMES DEFLATING TIRE TO TOP RIVERHEAD RACEWAY NASCAR MODIFIED FIELD SATURDAY
Defending NASCAR Modified champion Tom Rogers Jr. of Patchogue didn't let a small obstacle like a deflating left front tire stop him from winning the 35-lap feature event at Riverhead Raceway Saturday night. In fact he did it while pulling away from the pack late in the race. Rogers, steering the Joe & Debbie Ambrose Chevy, earned $1,450 for his 14th career victory after starting 6th on the grid.
Amber Fortin and Jason Agugliaro sat on the front row of the 22-car field but when the field exited the second turn after the green flag, veteran Chris Young roared from fourth to the race lead when the two young drivers along with Jerry Solomito Jr. opened up the inside lane in the corner. Tom Rogers Jr. raced his way to second after Young opened up the inside lane and a 6th lap yellow pitted the two former Figure Eight standouts side by side for a double file restart. After taking the green Young and Rogers rubbed rub rails down the back stretch and entering turn three Young's car actually hopped the left front wheel of Rogers who was able to ride the outside lane to the race lead. Young lost the handle for a moment on his racer and faded, moving Jerry Solomito to second. Solomito chased Rogers until the yellow waved again on lap 8 setting up another double file restart.
During the caution period NASCAR Whelen All-American Series Officials alerted Tom that his left front tire looked like it was soft. They also told him the decision was his to either stay or pit so Tom chose to stay out as the tire was soft but not flat. On the ensuing restart John Fortin was able to slip under Solomito for second and the former three time champion, knowing Rogers had an issue made a run at Tom for the lead. Amazingly however as the race hit an extended green flag run Tom Rogers actually began to pull away from not just John Fortin, but also third place Solomito and the oncoming Justin Bonsignore. With Rogers out front the attention soon turned to Bonsignore who carved his way under Solomito for third and a few circuits later also dove under Fortin for second. Unfortunately for Justin the laps were running thin and Rogers was too far out to make a run at the race win.
At the checker it was the Eastern Concrete Chevy of Tom Rogers Jr. first across the line and after exiting his car he went directly to the soft left front tire. Upon seeing the tire Rogers admitted "that's ugly right there, I really don't know how it held air but it did". The contact with Young broke the bead that the tire has on the rim and the opening between the rim and tire bead was nearly an inch or more. When asked if he ever considered pitting Tom disclosed, "My brother-in-law Michael is my radio man. I asked what he thought and he said it was soft but not flat so we went for it".
Point leader Justin Bonsignore of Holtsville put on a clinic wheeling his M3 Technology Chevy from 10th starting spot to a runner-up finish and in the process increased his lead over John Fortin of Holtsville to 16, Fortin was third in the Long Island Aquarium & Exhibition Center Chevy. Jerry Solomito Jr. of Islip and John Beatty Jr. of Valley Stream completed the top five.
Just hours after NY Yankee legend Derek Jeter notched his 3,000th hit with a home run in the Bronx, Roger Oxee of Peconic hit his own milestone home run when he won his 60th career Late Model race in a 25-lap contest. Boosted by a rare outside pole starting berth Roger quickly wheeled his Southold IGA Pontiac to the race lead over pole sitter Dennis Krupski, who like a starting pitcher didn't want to give up the big hit to Oxee. Krupski who returned to the Late Models in 2011 shadowed Oxee for almost the entire race before he was overtaken by a hard charging Scott Kulesa for second on lap 23. Scott who started the race 9th made some bold moves on his way towards the front but by the time he reached second the laps were down to just two and Roger Oxee was out of reach. After accepting the congratulations of his crew and track staff Oxee admitted getting the 60th win was a chore, "60 wins at Riverhead, that's not easy" he reflected and also announced his future plans, "2012 will be my last season racing. I have a young son who needs his daddy". Scott Kulesa of Georgetown, Ma was runner-up in the Ranco Sand & Stone Pontiac while Jarrod Hayes of Riverhead placed third in the Apple Auto Parts Chevy.
The Super Pro Trucks ran a 20-lap feature event non-stop and when the race concluded it appeared as though Brian McElearney of N. Babylon had won his second straight race just two weeks after securing his first career victory. However in post race technical inspection Brian's truck came up light and after NASCAR Officials gave the team several attempts at the scales he was disqualified from the win. That moved "The King of Queen" Mike Albasini of Flushing in his Hollis Court Collision Chevy from a runner-up finish to his 8th career win. Albasini, the 2009 Super Pro Truck champion led the first three laps of the race before McElearney got by with an inside pass off turn four as the duo was starting the 4th lap. With McElearney opening up a comfortable cushion Albasini was locked in an intense race for second with Chris Turbush of Riverhead, a battle that would actually turn out to be for the race win. Chris Turbush was runner-up in the East-West Marine Chevy while Frank Dumicich Jr. of E. Quogue was third in the Teddy Bear Graphics Chevy.
Even though the 2011 season is half over it's safe to say Chris Young of Calverton is enjoying a career year as he drove to his third Legend Race Car feature event win of 2011. Jeffrey Goodale and Dylan Slepian battled for the race lead for the first four laps of the 20-lap distance before Chris Young made his way to second with a pass of Slepian on lap 5. After challenging Goodale for two laps Young made his move for the race lead on lap 7 passing Jeffrey to the inside exiting the fourth turn as the two started the 8th lap. Over the final dozen laps Chris in the Ray The Plumber racer was able to pull away from Jeffrey Goodale who later in the race had his hands full with third place Justin Strumpf. With Young taking the checker flag Jeffrey Goodale of Riverhead in the Riverhead Building Supply entry was able to hold onto second with Justin Strumpf of Selden finishing third in the Monster's Recycling machine. Young leads Strumpf by eight points, 320 to 312 in the chase for the 2011 championship.
Tested tough 8-Cylinder Enduro veteran Dege Russell of Rocky Point won the 75-lap feature event for the Enduro class that started this form of racing at Riverhead Raceway back in 1986. Russell took the lead at the start of the race and appeared to be on cruise control until the final third of the contest. That is when another Enduro veteran Dominic Ranieri of E. Northport entered the picture hunting down Russell and making numerous runs at the lead. However every time Ranieri got close or for that matter alongside Russell, traffic would hamper his effort. At the finish it was the Kelly Russell Realty Chevy of Dege Russell scoring the victory with Dominic Ranieri second in the Westhampton Auto Salvage Chevy. Anthony Pizzo of Lake Ronkonkoma made a late race charge to finish third in the STS Tire Stores Caprice.
James "Killa" Kilkenny of Howard Beach topped the Minivan Demolition Derby in his Albin Avenue Auto Wreckers van besting Matt Mulqueen of Levittown in his Timmy's Towing entry. Mulqueen was named Judge's Choice, while defending champion Jason Savoy of Lake Panamoka was voted fan's Choice in his Monster's Recycling van.
NASCAR Modifieds 35-laps: 1. Tom Rogers Jr. 2. Justin Bonsignore 3. John Fortin 4. Jerry Solomito Jr. 5. John Beatty Jr. 6. Shawn Solomito 7. Ryan Preece 8. Bill Park 9. Howie Brode 10. Ronnie Silk 11. Ken Darch 12. Wayne Anderson 13. Greg Harris 14. Chris Young 15. Amber Fortin 16. Glenn Logan 17. Kyle Ellwood 18. Mike Ewanitsko 19. Mike Watson 20. Robin Vollmoeller 21. Jason Agugliaro 22. Kevin Nowak DNS- Don Howe
Late Models 25-laps: 1. Roger Oxee 2. Scott Kulesa 3. Jarrod Hayes 4. Dennis Krupski 5. Shawn Patrick 6. Rob McCormick 7. Chris LaSpisa 8. Peter Eriksen 9. Mike Bologna 10. Kevin Metzger 11. Arne Pedersen 12. Tony Anello 13. Artie Pedersen Jr. DNS- Daryl Baker
Super Pro Trucks 20-laps: 1. Mike Albasini 2. Chris Turbush 3. Frank Dumicich Jr. 4. Frank Dumicich Sr. 6. Dave Koenig 7. Erin Dumicich 8. Keith Rotzi 9. Peter Rotzi 10. Kevin Scharfenberg 11. Matt Odwazny 12. Roger Turbush DQ- Brian McElearney
Legend Race Cars 20-laps: 1. Chris Young 2. Jeffrey Goodale 3. Justin Strumpf 4. Jim Byrne 5. Kevin Nowak 6. Dylan Slepian 7. Paul Dodorico 8. Chris Rogers 9. Mike Malone 10. Bryan Kelly 11. Jay Sendlewski 12. Kyle Ellwood 13. Tom Marsh 14. Kyle Soper 15. Alex Urbina 16. Vincent Biondolillo 17. Jim Sylvester 18. George Baker Jr. 19. Greg DiCanio 20. Vinny Delaney 21. Cody Triola 22. Artie Pedersen III 23. Tony Naglieri 24. Jim Pape Jr.
8-Cylinder Enduro 75-laps (top five): 1. Dege Russell 2. Dominic Ranieri 3. Anthony Pizzo 4. Bob Baker 5. Kris Dane
Minivan Demolition Derby: Winner- James Kilkenny
Bob Finan
Defending NASCAR Modified champion Tom Rogers Jr. of Patchogue didn't let a small obstacle like a deflating left front tire stop him from winning the 35-lap feature event at Riverhead Raceway Saturday night. In fact he did it while pulling away from the pack late in the race. Rogers, steering the Joe & Debbie Ambrose Chevy, earned $1,450 for his 14th career victory after starting 6th on the grid.
Amber Fortin and Jason Agugliaro sat on the front row of the 22-car field but when the field exited the second turn after the green flag, veteran Chris Young roared from fourth to the race lead when the two young drivers along with Jerry Solomito Jr. opened up the inside lane in the corner. Tom Rogers Jr. raced his way to second after Young opened up the inside lane and a 6th lap yellow pitted the two former Figure Eight standouts side by side for a double file restart. After taking the green Young and Rogers rubbed rub rails down the back stretch and entering turn three Young's car actually hopped the left front wheel of Rogers who was able to ride the outside lane to the race lead. Young lost the handle for a moment on his racer and faded, moving Jerry Solomito to second. Solomito chased Rogers until the yellow waved again on lap 8 setting up another double file restart.
During the caution period NASCAR Whelen All-American Series Officials alerted Tom that his left front tire looked like it was soft. They also told him the decision was his to either stay or pit so Tom chose to stay out as the tire was soft but not flat. On the ensuing restart John Fortin was able to slip under Solomito for second and the former three time champion, knowing Rogers had an issue made a run at Tom for the lead. Amazingly however as the race hit an extended green flag run Tom Rogers actually began to pull away from not just John Fortin, but also third place Solomito and the oncoming Justin Bonsignore. With Rogers out front the attention soon turned to Bonsignore who carved his way under Solomito for third and a few circuits later also dove under Fortin for second. Unfortunately for Justin the laps were running thin and Rogers was too far out to make a run at the race win.
At the checker it was the Eastern Concrete Chevy of Tom Rogers Jr. first across the line and after exiting his car he went directly to the soft left front tire. Upon seeing the tire Rogers admitted "that's ugly right there, I really don't know how it held air but it did". The contact with Young broke the bead that the tire has on the rim and the opening between the rim and tire bead was nearly an inch or more. When asked if he ever considered pitting Tom disclosed, "My brother-in-law Michael is my radio man. I asked what he thought and he said it was soft but not flat so we went for it".
Point leader Justin Bonsignore of Holtsville put on a clinic wheeling his M3 Technology Chevy from 10th starting spot to a runner-up finish and in the process increased his lead over John Fortin of Holtsville to 16, Fortin was third in the Long Island Aquarium & Exhibition Center Chevy. Jerry Solomito Jr. of Islip and John Beatty Jr. of Valley Stream completed the top five.
Just hours after NY Yankee legend Derek Jeter notched his 3,000th hit with a home run in the Bronx, Roger Oxee of Peconic hit his own milestone home run when he won his 60th career Late Model race in a 25-lap contest. Boosted by a rare outside pole starting berth Roger quickly wheeled his Southold IGA Pontiac to the race lead over pole sitter Dennis Krupski, who like a starting pitcher didn't want to give up the big hit to Oxee. Krupski who returned to the Late Models in 2011 shadowed Oxee for almost the entire race before he was overtaken by a hard charging Scott Kulesa for second on lap 23. Scott who started the race 9th made some bold moves on his way towards the front but by the time he reached second the laps were down to just two and Roger Oxee was out of reach. After accepting the congratulations of his crew and track staff Oxee admitted getting the 60th win was a chore, "60 wins at Riverhead, that's not easy" he reflected and also announced his future plans, "2012 will be my last season racing. I have a young son who needs his daddy". Scott Kulesa of Georgetown, Ma was runner-up in the Ranco Sand & Stone Pontiac while Jarrod Hayes of Riverhead placed third in the Apple Auto Parts Chevy.
The Super Pro Trucks ran a 20-lap feature event non-stop and when the race concluded it appeared as though Brian McElearney of N. Babylon had won his second straight race just two weeks after securing his first career victory. However in post race technical inspection Brian's truck came up light and after NASCAR Officials gave the team several attempts at the scales he was disqualified from the win. That moved "The King of Queen" Mike Albasini of Flushing in his Hollis Court Collision Chevy from a runner-up finish to his 8th career win. Albasini, the 2009 Super Pro Truck champion led the first three laps of the race before McElearney got by with an inside pass off turn four as the duo was starting the 4th lap. With McElearney opening up a comfortable cushion Albasini was locked in an intense race for second with Chris Turbush of Riverhead, a battle that would actually turn out to be for the race win. Chris Turbush was runner-up in the East-West Marine Chevy while Frank Dumicich Jr. of E. Quogue was third in the Teddy Bear Graphics Chevy.
Even though the 2011 season is half over it's safe to say Chris Young of Calverton is enjoying a career year as he drove to his third Legend Race Car feature event win of 2011. Jeffrey Goodale and Dylan Slepian battled for the race lead for the first four laps of the 20-lap distance before Chris Young made his way to second with a pass of Slepian on lap 5. After challenging Goodale for two laps Young made his move for the race lead on lap 7 passing Jeffrey to the inside exiting the fourth turn as the two started the 8th lap. Over the final dozen laps Chris in the Ray The Plumber racer was able to pull away from Jeffrey Goodale who later in the race had his hands full with third place Justin Strumpf. With Young taking the checker flag Jeffrey Goodale of Riverhead in the Riverhead Building Supply entry was able to hold onto second with Justin Strumpf of Selden finishing third in the Monster's Recycling machine. Young leads Strumpf by eight points, 320 to 312 in the chase for the 2011 championship.
Tested tough 8-Cylinder Enduro veteran Dege Russell of Rocky Point won the 75-lap feature event for the Enduro class that started this form of racing at Riverhead Raceway back in 1986. Russell took the lead at the start of the race and appeared to be on cruise control until the final third of the contest. That is when another Enduro veteran Dominic Ranieri of E. Northport entered the picture hunting down Russell and making numerous runs at the lead. However every time Ranieri got close or for that matter alongside Russell, traffic would hamper his effort. At the finish it was the Kelly Russell Realty Chevy of Dege Russell scoring the victory with Dominic Ranieri second in the Westhampton Auto Salvage Chevy. Anthony Pizzo of Lake Ronkonkoma made a late race charge to finish third in the STS Tire Stores Caprice.
James "Killa" Kilkenny of Howard Beach topped the Minivan Demolition Derby in his Albin Avenue Auto Wreckers van besting Matt Mulqueen of Levittown in his Timmy's Towing entry. Mulqueen was named Judge's Choice, while defending champion Jason Savoy of Lake Panamoka was voted fan's Choice in his Monster's Recycling van.
NASCAR Modifieds 35-laps: 1. Tom Rogers Jr. 2. Justin Bonsignore 3. John Fortin 4. Jerry Solomito Jr. 5. John Beatty Jr. 6. Shawn Solomito 7. Ryan Preece 8. Bill Park 9. Howie Brode 10. Ronnie Silk 11. Ken Darch 12. Wayne Anderson 13. Greg Harris 14. Chris Young 15. Amber Fortin 16. Glenn Logan 17. Kyle Ellwood 18. Mike Ewanitsko 19. Mike Watson 20. Robin Vollmoeller 21. Jason Agugliaro 22. Kevin Nowak DNS- Don Howe
Late Models 25-laps: 1. Roger Oxee 2. Scott Kulesa 3. Jarrod Hayes 4. Dennis Krupski 5. Shawn Patrick 6. Rob McCormick 7. Chris LaSpisa 8. Peter Eriksen 9. Mike Bologna 10. Kevin Metzger 11. Arne Pedersen 12. Tony Anello 13. Artie Pedersen Jr. DNS- Daryl Baker
Super Pro Trucks 20-laps: 1. Mike Albasini 2. Chris Turbush 3. Frank Dumicich Jr. 4. Frank Dumicich Sr. 6. Dave Koenig 7. Erin Dumicich 8. Keith Rotzi 9. Peter Rotzi 10. Kevin Scharfenberg 11. Matt Odwazny 12. Roger Turbush DQ- Brian McElearney
Legend Race Cars 20-laps: 1. Chris Young 2. Jeffrey Goodale 3. Justin Strumpf 4. Jim Byrne 5. Kevin Nowak 6. Dylan Slepian 7. Paul Dodorico 8. Chris Rogers 9. Mike Malone 10. Bryan Kelly 11. Jay Sendlewski 12. Kyle Ellwood 13. Tom Marsh 14. Kyle Soper 15. Alex Urbina 16. Vincent Biondolillo 17. Jim Sylvester 18. George Baker Jr. 19. Greg DiCanio 20. Vinny Delaney 21. Cody Triola 22. Artie Pedersen III 23. Tony Naglieri 24. Jim Pape Jr.
8-Cylinder Enduro 75-laps (top five): 1. Dege Russell 2. Dominic Ranieri 3. Anthony Pizzo 4. Bob Baker 5. Kris Dane
Minivan Demolition Derby: Winner- James Kilkenny
Bob Finan