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By Brandon White
NASCAR.com
The NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour‘s second trip to Riverhead Raceway in 2023 will be a special evening for both the series and the facility.
Former driver Mike Ewanitsko is being honored at Riverhead on Saturday evening with the Miller Lite Salutes Mike Ewanitsko 200. A veteran of the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour starting with the series’ inaugural year in 1985, Ewanitsko amassed 28 Tour victories during his career, including a record 11 trips to Riverhead’s Victory Lane.
Since Ewanitsko ran his final NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour event at Riverhead in 2001, several drivers have established their own legacies at the quarter-mile bullring, including as Justin Bonsignore, Doug Coby, Ryan Preece, Ted Christopher, Donny Lia and many more.
Another chapter in Riverhead’s storied history will be written on Saturday evening as the current generation of NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour competitors look to build momentum during a busy summer slate for the series.
Below is everything you need to know about the seventh race of the 2023 NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour season.
Miller Lite Salutes Mike Ewanitsko 200 at Riverhead Raceway
What to watch for:
Everybody will be chasing Matt Hirschman when the green flag flies for the Miller Lite Salutes Mike Ewanitsko 200 at Riverhead Raceway.
After a slow start to the 2023 season by his standards, Hirschman has been unstoppable during the last two NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour events at Lee USA Speedway and Seekonk Speedway, as he led a combined total of 323 of 325 laps to score two consecutive victories.
Saturday’s Miller Lite Salutes Ewanitsko 200 will be Hirschman’s first NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour appearance at Riverhead this year, as a schedule conflict forced him to miss the first event at the facility on May 21.
The driver who stands the best chance of ending Hirschman’s hot streak is Justin Bonsignore, who won the most recent Riverhead NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour race in a thrilling battle with Ron Silk.
MORE RIVERHEAD: FloRacing | Entry List
Bonsignore holds the best record at Riverhead of any active NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour driver with 10 total victories. Should he take the checkered flag on Saturday evening, Bonsignore will tie Ewanitsko’s Tour record of 11 Riverhead victories.
As with any NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour race at Riverhead, there will be a healthy contingent of track regulars looking to shine on a national stage. Among the names in this group include John Beatty Jr., Jack Handley Jr., Roger Turbush and Chris Young.
Other noteworthy drivers on the preliminary entry list include Eric Goodale, who returns to the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour following a two-race absence. Joining Goodale on the entry list is another previous Riverhead winner, Timmy Solomito, who is seeking his first Tour victory since 2017.
The complete entry list for the Miller Lite Salutes Mike Ewanitsko 200 is available here.
