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Riverhead, NY May 31st.
By Bob Finan
Over the past weekend during the Advance Auto Parts Weekly Series event at Riverhead Raceway, track owners Connie Partridge and Tom Gatz announced that Chuck Steuer of Bohemia and Keith “Flash” Gordon of Miller Place will be inducted onto the Cromarty Wall of Champions Saturday evening June 17th. The inductions of the two soft spoken drivers, both multi time track champions proceed the annual Baldwin, Evans & Jarzombek 77 Memorial for the NASCAR Modifieds.
Chuck Steuer started his Riverhead driving career in the popular Charger division, quickly winning 8 features events from May of 1991 through August of 1992, he would capture the 1992 Charger championship. As much talent Steuer showed behind the wheel, he was also a noted fabricator, building his championship Charger car with close friend Tom Ryan. When it was decided by Steuer, his family and sponsors to go NASCAR Modified racing they purchased their first car from legendary “Tiger” Tom Baldwin. It didn’t take Steuer long to find his way to victory lane in the highly competitive NASCAR Modified ranks of Riverhead Raceway, scoring his first of 19 career wins May 28th, 1994. Two years later, Chuck and the Northeastern Office Equipment team celebrated the first of two NASCAR Modified titles in 1996. Ten years later after racing off Long Island for a spell, Chuck claimed his second Modified championship in 2006. His final Modified victory came in the Cromarty Cup 50 on July 3rd, 2010. Chuck’s nineteen victories rank 22nd on the all-time win list.
These days Chuck Steuer is busier than ever in racing with son Dillon. The younger Steuer drives and prepares the Zubi’s Racing 358 & Big Block Modified machines for events in upstate New York, Pennsylvania and southern New Jersey. Chuck’s long- time friend, car owner and sponsor Grant Williams of Northeastern Office Equipment remain involved in Dillon’s dirt racing ventures. Dillon, who is also racing a partial Riverhead schedule in the Ken Matlach Motorsports entry will compete in the night’s Baldwin, Evans & Jarzombek 77.
Strapping into an always immaculate S&P Sanitation machine Keith “Flash” Gordon was also a quick learner when it came to winning races and the championships that came with those wins. Keith’s first of 10 Charger conquests came on opening night 1985 on Saturday April 27th. That was the first night Riverhead Raceway became the Saturday night home of NASCAR home track racing after Islip closed at the end of the 1984 season. One season later Gordon captured what would be the first of three Charger championships in four seasons, winning the 1986, ’87 & ’89 championships. Keith’s final trip to Charger victory lane was in July of the ’89 championship campaign. Down the road Keith would author a Late Model victory on August 23rd of 1997 driving as a teammate to Peter Bertuccio at Gershow Motorsports who went on to win the 1997 LM championship.
While not at the track often these days, Keith, a noted fabricator in addition to his driving prowess now enjoys his Rat Rod and other classic cars at various car shows and meets in the Tri-State area.
The Baldwin, Evans & Jarzombek 77 will be the first race in the 2023 Crown Jewel Series for the Ted Christopher Cup. The 2022 race winner Kyle Soper is not expected to be in the field to defend his race win having taken a step back from racing. Last July Timmy Solomito, Dylan Slepian, John Beatty Jr. and Matt Brode finished second through fifth, most if not all four drivers hope to contend for the 2023 victory. Mike Christopher Jr., Michael Rutkoski, JB Fortin, Jack Handley Jr. and Dave Brigati all posted top ten finishes in the 2022 event.
Joining the Cromarty Wall of Champion inductions and the Baldwin, Evans & Jarzombek 77 on the June 17th program are the Eagle Auto Mall Crate Modifieds, INEX Legend Race Cars, Eddie Partridge Vintage All Stars and 8-Cylinder Enduro.
Spectator gates open at 4:00 pm, qualifying starts at 5:30 pm with opening ceremonies at approximately 6:30 pm. Adult general admission is $30, kids 6-12 $15, 5 & under free.
The complete 2023 schedule of events can be viewed by visiting www.riverheadraceway.com, e-mails reach the track at office @riverheadraceway.com, the phone number is 631-842-RACE.
