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LongIslandJam
12-14-2005, 04:48 AM
Who would be in your fantasy 10-car Modified Shootout @ Riverhead?

Here's mine:

* Charlie Jarzombek
- I never got to see him race, but he's THE legend of Riverhead should be on everyone's list.

* Wayne Anderson
- With 5 championships, tough to turn this guy down.

* Don Howe
- Another guy with 5 championships and a legend.

* Mike Ewanitsko
- 30 wins over 14 seasons, no one knows the outside groove like Mike Ewanitsko does.

* #5
- A toss up between: Vigliarolo, Bertuccio, Jivanelli, Bill Park, John Fortin, Tom Rogers, Jr... Hard to decide.

What's yours?

Jones44
12-14-2005, 05:35 AM
#1 Charlie Jarzombek
#61 Richie Evans
#x90 Fred Harbach
#15 Wayne Anderson
#24 Jimmy Spencer

allhailunc
12-14-2005, 06:08 AM
1-Chargin Charlie
2-The flying Dutchman
3-Don Howe
4-Gentleman Jim
5-Iron Mike Ewanitsko

Tower Man
12-14-2005, 07:26 AM
This is for entertainment purposes only. No offense to those not mentioned.

1 - John Fortin

2 - J.R. Bertuccio

3 - Don Howe

4 - Charlie J

5 - Bill Park

Mortgage Guy
12-14-2005, 07:39 AM
1) John Fortin
2) Tom McCann
3) Tom Baldwin
4) Frank Vigliarolo Jr
5) Charlie J
6) JR Bertuccio
7) Wayne Anderson
8) Jimmy Spencer
9) Steve Park
10) Mike Stefanik

I think it would be just as much fun to watch the aftermath when this one is over.

RacinRob
12-14-2005, 08:37 AM
not in any specific order

Wayne Anderson, Steve Park, Charlie J, Richie Evans, Tommy Baldwin

SpeedyMS
12-14-2005, 08:58 AM
1. CJ
2. Howe
3. Ewanitsko
4. Anderson
5. Me-- hey, you did say fantasy :-)

Wheel Racing
12-14-2005, 09:25 AM
1-Charlie J
2-Tom Mcann
3-Don Howe
4-Mike Ewanitsko
5-Fred Harbach

Honorable Mention: John Blewett Jr, Brian Miller, JR Bertuccio, Tom Baldwin

chrome horn
12-14-2005, 09:48 AM
Richie Evans
Ed Flemke SR
Mike Ewanitsko
Tom Baldwin
Jim Hendrickson

RGeeProductions
12-14-2005, 09:51 AM
Your Fantasy 5-car Modified Shootout @ Riverhead?
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Who would be in your fantasy 10-car Modified Shootout @ Riverhead?
Wasn't sure which you were asking, LOL!!!!!

1. Tom McCann
2. CJ
3. Mike Ewanitsko
4. John Blewett Jr '76 or 09'
5. Don Howe
6. Tom Baldwin
7. Artie Tappen
8. Wayne Anderson
9. Steve Park
10. Gary Winters

DAN D.
12-14-2005, 11:49 AM
1. Tom McCann
2. CJ
3. Mike Ewanitsko
4. Gentleman Jim Hendrickson
5. Don Howe
6. Tom Baldwin
7. Artie Tappen
8. Wayne Anderson
9. Steve Park
10. Gary Winters

W. J.
12-14-2005, 12:06 PM
(1st heat?)
1. Charlie Jarzombek
2. Reggie Ruggiero
3. Ted Wesnofske
4. Fred Harbach
5. George Brunnhoelzl Jr.
6. Gary Winters
7. Mike Ewanitsko
8. Richie Evans
9. Tom Baldwin
10. Frank Vigliarolo Jr.

Alternate Starters: (2nd heat?) Artie Tappen, Bill & Bob Park, Bugs Stevens, Ted Christopher, Jimmy Spencer, Geoffrey & Brett Bodine, Mike McLaughlin, Fred DeSarro.

Alternate Starters (3rd heat?) Wayne & Axel Anderson, Ed & George Brunnhoelzl Sr., Jim & Cliff Tyler, John Blewett Jr & III, Don Howe, Eddie Flemke Sr.

Then we take the top 7 from each heat and let THEM race in a 100 lap feature!!! :)

broz
12-14-2005, 12:12 PM
I consulted with my Dad on this one as I thought it would be cool to have 5 from him and 5 from me to come up with our top 10. Truth is we share 2, so I picked 2 others.

Junior's picks...
1. Charlie J (said he never respected anyone more in his mirror than CJ)
2. Gentleman Jim (never met more of a "Class Act" in his life)
3. Richie Anderson
4. Teddy Wesnofske (Teddy was one of the fastest guys to run next to)
5. Jim Malone

My picks...
(i had 1 and 2 in my original list)
6. Junior Ambrose (not biased or anything :rolleyes: , always my favorite and was pretty damn fast in his day as well)
7. Gary Winters
8. Richie Evans (always loved his colors, :applause: )
9. Al D'Angelo (never recall seeing him, but would have loved to based on everything I ever read)
10. Jimmy Spencer (how can "Mr Excitement" be left out?)

:applause:

Teds Race Tours
12-14-2005, 12:37 PM
in no particular order.

Mike Ewanitsko
Don Howe
Charlie Jarzombek
Tom McCann
George Brunnhoelzl Jr
JR Bertuccio
Fred Harbach
Jim Malone Sr
Richie Evans
Jimmy Spencer.

art11758
12-14-2005, 02:58 PM
In no particular order
Artie Tappen
Reggie Ruggiero
Tommy Washburn
Fred Harbach
Charlie Jarzombek
and if I'm allowed five more...
Richie Evans
Wayne Anderson
Gary Winters
Mike McLaughlin
Billy Spade

wally28
12-14-2005, 03:19 PM
T.C.
J.R.
Tiger
Vigs
McCann

I wouldn't leave the pits, just wait for WWIII when it was over !!

Ace
12-14-2005, 06:21 PM
Charlie J
Don Howe
Tom McCann
Tom Baldwin
Wayne Anderson
Mike Ewanitsko
John Fortin
George Brunnhoelzl Jr
Jimmy Spencer
Jimmy Blewett

Honorable Mention:Mike Andrews Jr,Chuck Steuer, Vigs, GB III, Tom McCann Jr

Rich Mergl
12-14-2005, 07:47 PM
Al DeAngelo
Axel Anderson
Charlie Jarzombek
Fred Harbach
Richie Evans
Jimmy Hendrickson
George Brunnhoelzl
Don Howe
Tom McCann
Mike Ewanitsko
Mike Stefanik

Mike Fields
12-14-2005, 08:25 PM
Bruno Brackey
Ed Brunnhoelzl Sr.
George Brunnhoelzl Jr.
Richie Evans
Charlie Jarzombek
Don Howe
Wayne Anderson
Jimmy Spencer
Ted Christopher
Les Ley
Mike Stefanik
Mike Ewanitsko
Jerry Cook
Eddie Flemke Sr.
Eno Lirpasti

The above is in no particular order... I'm going to stop here at 15.

Although the thread's title called for only 5, we could have had one hell of a Tour race if we can list 28!!! How about y'all try and list a full field for a 28-car Tour race?

kart34
12-14-2005, 08:27 PM
1. Don Howe
2. Jim Malone
3. Mike Ewanisko
4. Steve Park
5. Richie Evans
6. Mike Stefanik
7. Fred harback
8. Tom McCann
9. John Fortin
10. Tom Baldwin

Jones44
12-15-2005, 05:37 AM
28? Now that's a challenge, Fieldsy, but I'll try (with each car # only being used once, no less)
1 Charlie Jarzombek, 61 Richie Evans, x90 Fred Harbach, 15 Wayne Anderson, 24 Jimmy Spencer, 16 Tom McCann Sr, 6 Tom McCann Jr, 14 Brian Miller, 99 Geoffrey Bodine, 69 Reggie Ruggiero, 8x Ed Brunnhoelzl Jr, 28 George Brunnhoelzl III, 590 Axel Anderson, 76 John Blewett III, 34 John Fortin,
13 Ted Christopher, 19 Bob Park, 8 Jeff Fuller, 77 Rick Fuller, 12 Brett Bodine, 36 Mike Ewanitsko, 7ny Tom Baldwin, 2 Don Howe, 02 JR Bertuccio, 44 Mike Stefanik, 11x Chuck Steuer, 3 Mousey Kempster, & "Ace of Spades" Al DeAngelo... if you only want 28 lol

allhailunc
12-15-2005, 07:20 AM
damn what happened to the 5 car shootout?-you guys musta been drinking and are seeing double or triple :lol:

RGeeProductions
12-15-2005, 08:03 AM
damn what happened to the 5 car shootout?-you guys musta been drinking and are seeing double or triple :lol:
I am very sorry, but I think YOU better look above again. I put up 10 because it does say, and I quote:

Your Fantasy 5-car Modified Shootout @ Riverhead
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Who would be in your fantasy 10-car Modified Shootout @ Riverhead?

Now , who's drinking???? LOL
I opted for the 10!!!

Duke22
12-15-2005, 09:58 AM
These are the best that I've seen, sorry to the greats before my time.

Charlie Jarzombek
Richie Evans
Mike Stefanik
Jim Hendrickson
Wayne Anderson
Jimmy Spencer
Mike McLaughlin
Jeff Fuller
Mike Ewanitsko (in his prime, nobody better at Riverhead)
Tony Hirschman

DriveitinDeep
12-15-2005, 11:09 AM
not having Joe Krukowski's name mentioned anywhere kind of surprises me especially from Broz

broz
12-15-2005, 12:10 PM
I chose not to have any honorable mentions and now thinking about it, I probably should have. There are so many more I would like to list, but those were my top 5.
Joey would have been number one on that list. My Grandfather had great admiration for him and he is a super-nice guy. :applause:
Thanks for bringing it up "Drive", maybe it will help "jog" someone else's memory to add him to their list ;)

Teds Race Tours
12-15-2005, 01:40 PM
Joe was 11th on my list. My fav driver from the day, but I had to put Jim Malone Sr on my list instead.

LongIslandJam
12-15-2005, 07:27 PM
Nope, I must have been the one drinking... 5, 10, 24 cars... all the same... Just enjoy:)

44chargerfan
12-15-2005, 07:42 PM
The Flying Dutchman
Bill Park
Ewanitsko
Stefanik
CJ
Steve Park
Showtime
TC
Tomaino
Tommy Rogers

allhailunc
12-16-2005, 05:25 AM
Shut up JA and go back to stuffing yer mug with Belly Bombs. :lol: All kidding aside 1, 5, 2000 hell if we were to add all the faves we've had over the years, this post would have it's own website. But if I had to truly pick one driver that I've had the pleasure of seeing, and it's gonna happen again, it would be Iron Mike Ewanitsko :applause:

Tower Man
12-16-2005, 07:46 AM
Man, five is hard. I forgot some of those names. Okay let's try this. Before 1975 and 1976 to the present.

And yes, Joe Krukowski should be on the list, so add him to mine. Call it a provisional because we have more than 28 different names listed.

DriveitinDeep
12-16-2005, 09:59 AM
Jack Reinhard in the J6 should be mentioned as well.

art11758
12-16-2005, 10:22 AM
I too had thought about Jack. I tried to keep it within guys I had seen and enjoyed, and one I never saw but heard lots about. Tough choices.

hollywoodmic
12-16-2005, 02:52 PM
Ok this has been a great thread, here are my 10

1. 61 Richie Evans
2. x90 Fred Harbach
3. 34 Don Howe
4. 2 JR Bertuccio
5. 16 Tom Mc Cann
6. x6 Mike Stefanik
7. 7ny Tom Baldwin
8. 36 Mike Ewanitsko
9. 28 Geore Brunnhoelzl Jr.
10. 1 Charlie Jarzombek

There really are so many more great drivers that have come and raced at "The Head". Do what I did, look at everyone's list again........do you see a bad one??? We have been lucky as race fans to have the most competitive weekly Modified fields in the country. Any era I would put our weekly guys and gals against any other weekly racetrack in the country.

modprincess8x
12-17-2005, 06:59 AM
My picks are...

3 generations of Brunnhoelzl's

Eddie Sr
Eddie Jr
Eddie III

George Sr
Georgie Jr
Georgie III

Jones44
12-17-2005, 07:53 AM
This type of thing would be great for a World of Outlaws type show- everyone time trials, the fastest 18 or so straight to the A main, then all the preliminaries....

Tower Man
12-17-2005, 04:35 PM
3 generations of Brunnhoelzl's, in the same race at the same time. Saw them all. Now that would be an awesome race. Who would win? My quess is the one who drew the pole.

Would be interesting.

Gravel
12-17-2005, 08:05 PM
#1 C.J.
#15 Wayne Anderson
#71 Bruno Brackey
#61 The "Rapid Roman"
#2 JR Bertuccio

I happen to like the kid, and he does have talent.

modified_fan
12-17-2005, 08:15 PM
A very interesting post......One that can be broken down so many ways: by eras, by excitement, by favorites, etc....etc....

I can't begin to fairly rate drivers I never saw. How can one leave Richie Evans off of any list, but I only vaguely remember seeing him a few times as a teen.

That being said Walt Newcomb, who many of you know well, made a very good effort to rank our talent from the years. With proper acknowledgment to my friend, please allow me to copy his text from the MSS in early August:

""""""This is how the Top-30 All-Time Modified Feature Winners list reads from the Riverhead Raceway program. It actually includes thirty-three drivers, as there is a four-way tie for thirtieth place. This list also includes number of winning seasons and date of first win and last or most recent win. The list is based on wins up until the end of 2004 and I have adjusted the list based on 2005 wins (+) for Wayne Anderson, Chris Young and J.R. Bertuccio.

Rank Driver Total wins

1 Charlie Jarzombek 63
2 Jim Malone, Sr. 50
3 Jack Reinhard 31*
3 Tommy Washburn 31
5 Mike Ewanitsko 30
6 Wayne Anderson 29 +++
7 John Berkoski 27
7 Don Howe 27
9 Chris Young 25 +
10 J.R. Bertuccio 24 +
11 Joe Krukowski 22
11 Ed Brunnhoelzl, Jr. 22
13 Fred Harbach 21
14 Ronnie Herra 20
14 Bill Park 20
16 Bob Park 18
16 Dan Jivanelli 18
18 Axel Anderson 17
18 Gary Winters 17
18 Tom McCann, Sr. 17
21 John Fortin 15
22 Johnny Rambo 14
23 Johnny Washburn 13*
23 Frank Vigliarolo, Jr. 13
23 Chuck Steuer 13
26 Ronnie Matson 12
27 Tom Baldwin 11
28 Don Gillespie 10
28 Greg Sacks 10
30 Mousey Kempster 9
30 Joe Collins 9
30 Ed Brunnhoelzl, Sr. 9
30 GeorgeBrunnhoelzl, Sr.9

(* Includes one tie between Reinhard & J. Washburn)

Call him C.J., Bunny or Chargin’ Charlie, he is number one on the list hands down.
In addition to the highest number of career wins, Charlie won ten (10) races in a season twice. The feat of ten (10) wins in a season at Riverhead was first performed by Gary Winters in 1962. However when Jarzombek accomplished the feat in back-to-back seasons in ’76 & ’77, the Modifieds only ran fourteen (14) races in each of those years. Charlie won 71.4% of the races at Riverhead in both of those seasons, a mark that is not likely to be challenged. Jarzombek also holds the record for the most consecutive wins at eight (8) between July of 1976 and May of 1977.

The stories of Jim Malone, Sr. are legendary. He was one of the nicest people I met in the pit area when I started going to the races at Riverhead and Islip. Malone’s fifty-wins (50) put him on the list instantly.

I don’t know much about Jack Reinhard and Tommy Washburn. They were from before my time and before the time of most people who might make an argument about a Top-10 list. Mike Ewanitsko is one win shy of making it a three-way tie for third in career wins at Riverhead.

I am certain that Ewanitsko belongs on the list. I am also pretty sure that if Wayne Anderson keeps his momentum going, he could vault from eighth position to sole possession of third place in career wins in one season. By virtue of his three victories this year he has already put himself in front of John Berkoski and Don Howe in sixth place. Three more wins would put him in elite company. Anderson is also a five-time champion at the Long Island bullring.

Berkoski was another one of the drivers that was ahead of my time. Don Howe raced for many years in Carl Zeh’s RE cars. He had a renaissance later in his career driving for Joe Bertuccio. Put Howe on the list too.

Chris Young is ninth on the list of career winners at Riverhead. Chris is the Riverhead Raceway career leader in winning seasons at seventeen (17). I’d love to put Chris in any Top-10 list of mine. It would be a borderline selection at best.

J.R. Bertuccio has won twenty-four features in just eight seasons. The kid is a human highlight reel. Unfortunately some of his off-track escapades have kept him sidetracked. This is one of the most talented people on the win list. Time will tell if he can earn his way onto the Top-10 list.

Joe Krukowski amassed some pretty good numbers but he was before my time. Ed Brunnhoelzl, Jr., much like Chris Young would be a borderline selection.

Fred Harbach makes my All-time driver list. Everyone knew Fred as “The Flying Dutchman” and as Bob Finan would say “The Man, The Myth, The Legend!” We knew him as “Father Time”. He raced against guys who were a third of his age and spanked them. The one thing about Father Time is that he knew when it was time to hit the button. There are half a dozen guys ahead of Fred on the win list that would or would have given a lot of credit to Harbach for helping them to become as successful as they became or have become.

Ronnie Herra is another driver that is from before my time. Bill and Bob Park, uncle and father respectively of CTS campaigner Steve Park, have had successful careers at Riverhead. The same can be said for Dan Jivanelli. I like all of them. None however made the list.

Axel Anderson, son of Cannonball Anderson and father of the aforementioned Wayne. I have been told that Axel Anderson was so fast that he would make his son look like he was sitting in cement. Axel won seventeen (17) races in just four (4) seasons. I never saw him race but we yelled at each other, shook hands and even chatted. This Anderson was a racer of the first order.

Several years after Axel accomplished his feat, the same was repeated by another competitor. Gary Winters also won seventeen (17) races in just four (4) seasons. He was before my time but like in Axel’s case; when the legend outgrows the stats, print the legend.

So how does my list look?

1 Charlie Jarzombek
2 Gary Winters
3 Axel Anderson
4 Don Howe
5 Wayne Anderson
6 Jim Malone, Sr.
7 Mike Ewantisko
8 Fred Harbach
9 Jack Reinhard
9 Tommy Washburn """

Best regards, Walt!

Rich Mergl
12-17-2005, 08:45 PM
What about Alan Harbach. I remember him very well from Islip Speedway.
Many a good race with the best.

art11758
12-19-2005, 10:29 AM
A little more about Tommy Washburn. My Pops related to me that he was an incredible competitor in his time. (early to mid fifties when my Pops wrenched)The story I recall is he was a tractor trailer driver which in those days was a physically demanding job. He had just motored in to Freeport truck,trailer and all, hopped in car and won a 100 lap feature. To put that in perspective would rank him as an "ironman" of sorts of the era. Now granted stories do become more legendary as time goes on. There may be others who post here that recall more or be able to better qualify what my Pops remembers. The stories of how much the crowd booed the stars of the day (Al D'angelo in particular)are still pretty entertaining though. Thats another thread though.

randomrodder
12-19-2005, 06:37 PM
1 Charlie J
2 Freddie Harbach
3 Gary Winters
4 Jim Hendicks
5 Richie Evans
6 Jerry Cook
7 Fred Desarro
8 Ed Flemke Sr
9 Don Howe
10 Mousey Kempster
11 Cliff Tylor
12 Ray Hendrickson
13 Wayne Anderson
14 Mikie Ewanitsko
15 Geoff Bodine

I think that would make for an interesting field.