0
0
Riverhead, NY Aug. 15th
By Bob Finan
As the 4th annual Bubba 150 for the NASCAR Tour Type Modifieds nears Saturday at Riverhead Raceway, Dennis Freese of Oval Speed Unlimited, who presents the event with track management announced the 2023 bonus award program totaling $4.250. Chris Turbush of Wading River is the defending race winner.
The Bubba 150 is run to celebrate and remember Bob “Bubba” Patajno, a longtime crew member with Bill Park at both Islip Speedway and Riverhead Raceway who passed suddenly in the Fall of 2019. “Bubba” was a integral part of Team Park leading Bill to 33 career Riverhead Raceway victories and four NASCAR Modified championships. With his ever-present cigar, Patanjo would engage all who came upon him, many of them left with an official “Bubba” nick name.
The Patajno family has posted $2,500 in bonus money making a victory in the 150 worth $4,300 before any other bonus or lap money is factored in. Bob’s family has added $500 for the Hard Charger of the 150 which rose to $600 when Bill Park added an additional $100. The leader of the 125th lap will earn a cool $500 from Waddell Communications & Ryan Preece Racing.
A $250 Lucky Draw Award has been offered by the Pedersen family of CheckerWon Manufacturing. The Bubba 150 winner will draw a pill from a hat and that driver will receive the $250 bonus. $100 will be awarded to the Pole Winner prior to the 150 from Righteous Window Cleaning, while Hydro Action has posted a Halfway Leader bonus of $100. Natural Design & Concepts Apparel will award $100 for the Most Laps Led, while Meade’s Welding & Fabricating sponsors a $100 Hard Luck Driver bonus.
Additionally, one complete set of lap money at $20 per lap has been sold, a second set is currently in the process of being compiled.
Chris Turbush picked the right time to garner his first career NASCAR Modified win when he triumphed in the race last summer. Tom Rogers Jr. of Riverhead won the inaugural Bubba 150 in September of 2020 while Kyle Soper of Manorville topped the 2021 edition in a 100-lap affair.
Timmy Solomito of Islip, winner this past Saturday in a 50-lap tilt announced on his Facebook page he’ll be back in an attempt to win the Bubba 150 and the winner’s plaque awarded by Oval Speed Unlimited. Tommy Baldwin Racing will be making their first non-WMT start at Riverhead in 2023 announcing Justin Bonsignore of Holtsville as the driver of the 7NY for the 150. Mike Christopher Jr. of Wolcott, Ct. will make his third Riverhead start of the season in the Rob Pelis owned machine. Christopher is running just the Crown Jewel Series events chasing the Ted Christopher Cup that is awarded after the Islip 300 in November.
2023 Riverhead Raceway championship contenders seeking their first Bubba 150 victory include John Beatty Jr. of Merrick, JR Bertuccio of Centereach, Chris Young of Calverton, Dylan Slepian of Dix Hills, Jack Handley Jr. of Medford, Tom Rogers Jr., Michael Rutkoski of Mattituck, Chris Rogers of Patchogue, Matt Brode of East Islip, Allan Pedersen of Center Moriches and Dave Brigati of Calverton.
Kyle Ellwood of Riverhead in the Matlach Motorsports entry, and Justin Brown of Manorville have only made a few Advance Auto Parts Weekly Series starts in 2023 but are readying for the Bubba150 Saturday. Brown topped the August 5th Riverhead 50-lap feature event in his family car, while Ellwood won the Baldwin, Evans & Jarzombek 77 in July.
Complimenting the Bubba 150 are the Eagle Chevrolet Crate Modifieds, Blunderbusts, INEX Legend Race Cars and the Eddie Partridge Vintage All-Stars. Qualifying is set for 5:30 pm, opening ceremonies to follow. Spectator gates open at 4:00 pm, adults $30, kids 6-12 $15, 5 & under free.
Make sure to visit the all-mew http://www.riverheadraceway.com for all things Riverhead Raceway. E-mails reach us at office@riverheadraceway.com, our phone number is 631-842-RACE.
