RGeeProductions
06-15-2014, 10:57 AM
Tom Rogers Jr. Doubles Up At Riverhead With NASCAR Modified & Figure Eight Victories
It was one of those rare nights in a racing career for Tom Rogers Jr of Riverhead Saturday night at Riverhead Raceway as he found himself in the right place at the right time not once but twice as he won both the NASCAR Modified 35-lap feature as well the 15-lap Figure Eight event Saturday night. The Modified win was the 25th of Tom's career while it would be Figure Eight triumph number 19 for the driver who was also celebrating his birthday.
Rogers would again lead the way in qualifying in the NASCAR Modifieds with a lap of 11.943 but again have a bad redraw with a 5th starting spot while Justin Bonsignore and Howie Brode drew the front row. At the throw of the green it was Bonsignore who was basically on hand testing for the June 28th Hoosier Tire 200 WMT race breaking out front with Jason Agugliaro in tow for the first three laps. Tom Rogers Jr. moved by teammate Agugliaro on lap 4 and set sail for race leader Bonsignore on lap 4 with Timmy Solomito quickly coming to third as well. The race had a green flag run with Bonsignore out front until the 13th lap when Eddie Brunnhoelzl III spun drawing a caution flag setting up a double file restart which would drastically change the complexion of the race.
Coming off turn 4 Bonsignore in the determination of the NASCAR starters jumped the start on Rogers before the "go-zone" and the yellow quickly waved with Justin ordered to the rear of the field. Instead a frustrated Bonsignore went to the pits calling it a night. This left Rogers and Solomito in the front row for the restart and when the race went back to green Tommy took the lead with upstart driver Kyle Ellwood making his way under Solomito for second. Once again the race had a long green flag run with the exception of a late race yellow and that was okay by Tom Rogers Jr. who drove the Jessup Landscaping Chevy to victory for the first time in 2014 as he lead Ellwood, a former Legend Race Car champion to the checkers.
"I guess they say Justin left early" Rogers recapped in victory lane. "That left us in the lead and we were able to hold on for the win". Rogers who has always been known to speak what is on his mind furthered, "I don't know what it is, the tires or what but we are all just sliding around out here and to win these days is not that easy" He would conclude by thanking his car owner Joe Ambrose and his hard working crew saying "without these guys on this team this would not be possible".
Kyle Ellwood of Riverhead had a career night with a runner-up finish in the Riverhead Building Supply Chevy while Kevin Orlando of Statesville, NC was third in the Prototype Fabrication Chevy in his first start of 2014. Orlando will take the car he drove Saturday south with him in the days to come to race the famed Bowman Gray Stadium. Timmy Solomito of Islip and Eddie Brunnhoelzl III of Levittown completed the top five.
Former two time Late Model champion Kevin Metzger of Massapequa notched his first win of 2014 as he lead wire to wire in the 25-Late Model feature. Taking advantage of a rare pole starting berth Kevin raced out front at the start f the race with Roger Oxee moving to second and applying the pressure as he too was seeking his first win of the season. Shawn Patrick soon joined the party and would test Oxee for second which was just fine with race leader Metzger who was able to pull away slightly from the dueling duo. Lap 13 found Patrick muscling his way by Oxee for second but by then Kevin Metzger was in a zone, a zone that took the L.I. Fuel Oil Accessories Chevy to victory lane. Late in the race Shawn Patrick and Mike Bologna tested each other for second which once again was just fine with the eventual winner Metzger. Patrick of Brightwaters was runner-up in the Teddy Bear Graphics Dodge while Bologna of Melville was third in the Gershow Recycling Chevy.
The 15-lap Figure Eight main event all boiled down to a heated fight for the lead between Kenny Hyde Jr., the defending champion and Roger Maynor the all-time leading winner at Riverhead Raceway. After CJ Lehmann paced the race for the first lap over Bryan Quilliam, Kenny Hyde Jr. made a bold move racing from third to the race lead on lap three. Roger Maynor also made his own bold move from fourth to second and the race for the win was on. On the final lap Maynor was able to execute the crossover move on Hyde in the final turn of the race but as the tandem raced towards the checker Hyde got into Maynor sending him for a spin just feet shy of the finish line. NASCAR Officials sent Hyde to one finishing position behind Maynor (5th & 6th) which left Tom Rogers Jr. who was ready to settle for third to victory lane. "I knew something was going to give up there, I just kept my distance and here we are" Rogers admitted after his second win of 2014 in the United Exhaust Shop Coupe. Mike Mujsce of Quogue was runner-up in the Bill Beener Tree Service Chevy while CJ Lehmann of Mastic Beach placed third in the Reliable Motors Camaro.
Chris Turbush of Wading River is on a roll in Charger competition as he won his third feature of 2014 in their 30-lap feature event, this after setting fast time in qualifying with a lap of 13.359. Turbush would redraw fifth for the feature with John Baker and Jayson White drawing the front row. Baker took the early race lead at the drop of the green with Ray Minieri in tow. Chris Turbush would actually start the race in third spot after Scott Pedersen who was slated to start there could not answer the bell due to a rear end failure and Chris wasted little time making his presence known. With an inside pass of Minieri off turn two for second on lap 4, Chris then just four laps later made the same move on baker for the race lead off turn four. Once out front there was no stopping Chris Turbush in his Wildflower Smoke Shop Chevy as he drove off to his 38th career win. "Radiant" Ray Minieri of Bay Shore was second in the Hometown Taxi Chevy with defending champion Eric Zeh of Selden third in the Randy's Performance Chevy.
"The Stiles Files" Terry Stiles of Rocky Point would capture his second career Blunderbust victory as he was declared the race winner when the scheduled 2-lap main event was called after 13-laps due to the time limit. Terry wheeling the O'Brien & O'Brien Law Firm Chevy jumped to an early race lead in a race that featured two lengthy yellow flags for extensive clean-up after Tommy Walkowiak lost an engine and Richie Hubbard overheated both leaving a long trail of fluid on the track. Stiles was chased at the outset of the race by Tom Sullivan for a lap before newcomer Joe Warren Jr. came to second on lap 2. Warren, the 2013 4/6-Cylinder Car Enduro champion was glued to Stiles when the race was green but was unable to make a move for the lead when the race was called official after Tim Mulqueen drew what would be the final caution on lap 13 with his stall in turn four. For an elated Terry Stiles the triumph was his first since 2009 and it did not matter to him whether the race went 20 or 13 laps as he put it in victory lane, "a W is a W after all". Joe Warren Jr. of Ridge would have to be content with second place money in his Happy Hippie Smoke Shop entry with veteran and former champion Tom Pickerell of Huntington third in the Premier Utility Service Chevy.
The 20-lap Super Pro Truck main event would provide a photo finish and when the transponder information was reviewed "Dangerous" Dave Koenig of Freeport enjoyed his first win of 2014 and his 8th career victory in his 13-year driving career. Newcomer Jimmy Rennick Jr. moved from the pole to the race lead and for awhile it looked as though he would race off to victory as the race went 15- of it's 20-laps before a caution flag was needed. A tangle between Lou Maestri and Roger Turbush who were battling for second would be the reason for the caution, a caution Rennick a former successful Enduro driver from the late 80's surely did not want to see. The race boiled down to a five lap dash for the cash with Rennick leading over Koenig and Mark Stewart who was seeking his third straight win. Jimmy did a great job of holding the duo off until the last corner of the race when they went three wide with Rennick the odd man out on the outside. Stewart ducked under Koenig who was in the middle and they would race to the transponder line with Koenig taking the win by a whisker in his Brake Service Group Chevy. Mark Stewart of Riverhead was runner-up in the Spano Flooring while point leader Erin Solomito of Hampton Bays raced her way to third in the final turn in the Sea Level Construction Chevy.
Jimmy "The Kid" White Jr. of Southampton scored his third win in as many classes Saturday when he won the 8-Cylinder Demolition Derby in his Busy Bee Pest Control entry. George Astacio of Shirley was Judge's Choice and runner-up with Pete Mikos of Lake Ronkonkoma named Fan's Choice. White has authored two Blunderbust wins and a Grand Enduro victory to date in 2014.
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It was one of those rare nights in a racing career for Tom Rogers Jr of Riverhead Saturday night at Riverhead Raceway as he found himself in the right place at the right time not once but twice as he won both the NASCAR Modified 35-lap feature as well the 15-lap Figure Eight event Saturday night. The Modified win was the 25th of Tom's career while it would be Figure Eight triumph number 19 for the driver who was also celebrating his birthday.
Rogers would again lead the way in qualifying in the NASCAR Modifieds with a lap of 11.943 but again have a bad redraw with a 5th starting spot while Justin Bonsignore and Howie Brode drew the front row. At the throw of the green it was Bonsignore who was basically on hand testing for the June 28th Hoosier Tire 200 WMT race breaking out front with Jason Agugliaro in tow for the first three laps. Tom Rogers Jr. moved by teammate Agugliaro on lap 4 and set sail for race leader Bonsignore on lap 4 with Timmy Solomito quickly coming to third as well. The race had a green flag run with Bonsignore out front until the 13th lap when Eddie Brunnhoelzl III spun drawing a caution flag setting up a double file restart which would drastically change the complexion of the race.
Coming off turn 4 Bonsignore in the determination of the NASCAR starters jumped the start on Rogers before the "go-zone" and the yellow quickly waved with Justin ordered to the rear of the field. Instead a frustrated Bonsignore went to the pits calling it a night. This left Rogers and Solomito in the front row for the restart and when the race went back to green Tommy took the lead with upstart driver Kyle Ellwood making his way under Solomito for second. Once again the race had a long green flag run with the exception of a late race yellow and that was okay by Tom Rogers Jr. who drove the Jessup Landscaping Chevy to victory for the first time in 2014 as he lead Ellwood, a former Legend Race Car champion to the checkers.
"I guess they say Justin left early" Rogers recapped in victory lane. "That left us in the lead and we were able to hold on for the win". Rogers who has always been known to speak what is on his mind furthered, "I don't know what it is, the tires or what but we are all just sliding around out here and to win these days is not that easy" He would conclude by thanking his car owner Joe Ambrose and his hard working crew saying "without these guys on this team this would not be possible".
Kyle Ellwood of Riverhead had a career night with a runner-up finish in the Riverhead Building Supply Chevy while Kevin Orlando of Statesville, NC was third in the Prototype Fabrication Chevy in his first start of 2014. Orlando will take the car he drove Saturday south with him in the days to come to race the famed Bowman Gray Stadium. Timmy Solomito of Islip and Eddie Brunnhoelzl III of Levittown completed the top five.
Former two time Late Model champion Kevin Metzger of Massapequa notched his first win of 2014 as he lead wire to wire in the 25-Late Model feature. Taking advantage of a rare pole starting berth Kevin raced out front at the start f the race with Roger Oxee moving to second and applying the pressure as he too was seeking his first win of the season. Shawn Patrick soon joined the party and would test Oxee for second which was just fine with race leader Metzger who was able to pull away slightly from the dueling duo. Lap 13 found Patrick muscling his way by Oxee for second but by then Kevin Metzger was in a zone, a zone that took the L.I. Fuel Oil Accessories Chevy to victory lane. Late in the race Shawn Patrick and Mike Bologna tested each other for second which once again was just fine with the eventual winner Metzger. Patrick of Brightwaters was runner-up in the Teddy Bear Graphics Dodge while Bologna of Melville was third in the Gershow Recycling Chevy.
The 15-lap Figure Eight main event all boiled down to a heated fight for the lead between Kenny Hyde Jr., the defending champion and Roger Maynor the all-time leading winner at Riverhead Raceway. After CJ Lehmann paced the race for the first lap over Bryan Quilliam, Kenny Hyde Jr. made a bold move racing from third to the race lead on lap three. Roger Maynor also made his own bold move from fourth to second and the race for the win was on. On the final lap Maynor was able to execute the crossover move on Hyde in the final turn of the race but as the tandem raced towards the checker Hyde got into Maynor sending him for a spin just feet shy of the finish line. NASCAR Officials sent Hyde to one finishing position behind Maynor (5th & 6th) which left Tom Rogers Jr. who was ready to settle for third to victory lane. "I knew something was going to give up there, I just kept my distance and here we are" Rogers admitted after his second win of 2014 in the United Exhaust Shop Coupe. Mike Mujsce of Quogue was runner-up in the Bill Beener Tree Service Chevy while CJ Lehmann of Mastic Beach placed third in the Reliable Motors Camaro.
Chris Turbush of Wading River is on a roll in Charger competition as he won his third feature of 2014 in their 30-lap feature event, this after setting fast time in qualifying with a lap of 13.359. Turbush would redraw fifth for the feature with John Baker and Jayson White drawing the front row. Baker took the early race lead at the drop of the green with Ray Minieri in tow. Chris Turbush would actually start the race in third spot after Scott Pedersen who was slated to start there could not answer the bell due to a rear end failure and Chris wasted little time making his presence known. With an inside pass of Minieri off turn two for second on lap 4, Chris then just four laps later made the same move on baker for the race lead off turn four. Once out front there was no stopping Chris Turbush in his Wildflower Smoke Shop Chevy as he drove off to his 38th career win. "Radiant" Ray Minieri of Bay Shore was second in the Hometown Taxi Chevy with defending champion Eric Zeh of Selden third in the Randy's Performance Chevy.
"The Stiles Files" Terry Stiles of Rocky Point would capture his second career Blunderbust victory as he was declared the race winner when the scheduled 2-lap main event was called after 13-laps due to the time limit. Terry wheeling the O'Brien & O'Brien Law Firm Chevy jumped to an early race lead in a race that featured two lengthy yellow flags for extensive clean-up after Tommy Walkowiak lost an engine and Richie Hubbard overheated both leaving a long trail of fluid on the track. Stiles was chased at the outset of the race by Tom Sullivan for a lap before newcomer Joe Warren Jr. came to second on lap 2. Warren, the 2013 4/6-Cylinder Car Enduro champion was glued to Stiles when the race was green but was unable to make a move for the lead when the race was called official after Tim Mulqueen drew what would be the final caution on lap 13 with his stall in turn four. For an elated Terry Stiles the triumph was his first since 2009 and it did not matter to him whether the race went 20 or 13 laps as he put it in victory lane, "a W is a W after all". Joe Warren Jr. of Ridge would have to be content with second place money in his Happy Hippie Smoke Shop entry with veteran and former champion Tom Pickerell of Huntington third in the Premier Utility Service Chevy.
The 20-lap Super Pro Truck main event would provide a photo finish and when the transponder information was reviewed "Dangerous" Dave Koenig of Freeport enjoyed his first win of 2014 and his 8th career victory in his 13-year driving career. Newcomer Jimmy Rennick Jr. moved from the pole to the race lead and for awhile it looked as though he would race off to victory as the race went 15- of it's 20-laps before a caution flag was needed. A tangle between Lou Maestri and Roger Turbush who were battling for second would be the reason for the caution, a caution Rennick a former successful Enduro driver from the late 80's surely did not want to see. The race boiled down to a five lap dash for the cash with Rennick leading over Koenig and Mark Stewart who was seeking his third straight win. Jimmy did a great job of holding the duo off until the last corner of the race when they went three wide with Rennick the odd man out on the outside. Stewart ducked under Koenig who was in the middle and they would race to the transponder line with Koenig taking the win by a whisker in his Brake Service Group Chevy. Mark Stewart of Riverhead was runner-up in the Spano Flooring while point leader Erin Solomito of Hampton Bays raced her way to third in the final turn in the Sea Level Construction Chevy.
Jimmy "The Kid" White Jr. of Southampton scored his third win in as many classes Saturday when he won the 8-Cylinder Demolition Derby in his Busy Bee Pest Control entry. George Astacio of Shirley was Judge's Choice and runner-up with Pete Mikos of Lake Ronkonkoma named Fan's Choice. White has authored two Blunderbust wins and a Grand Enduro victory to date in 2014.
(continued)