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Riverhead, NY Sept. 25th
By Bob Finan
The washout over the past weekend has set-up a Championship Weekend doubleheader at Riverhead Raceway this Saturday September 30th and Sunday October 1st. Saturday evening six NASCAR Advance Auto Parts Weekly Seines champions will officially be named, while Sunday afternoon finds two Bock Auto INEX Bandolero and five Enduro 2023 champions crowned. The busy racing weekend closes out the regular season before the 7th annual Islip 300 unfolds at the quarter mile oval on Saturday November 11th.
Heading to Saturday John Beatty Jr, of Merrick holds a 16-point lead over Dylan Slepian of Dix Hills for the 2023 NASCAR Modified championship entering the Cecil Palm Tree 66. Both drivers, former INEX Legend race car champions, Beatty in 2017 and Slepian in 2015 are chasing their first ever NASCAR Modified title. 2002 champion JR Bertuccio of Centereach who enjoyed a renaissance season in ’23, sits third 18 markers behind Beatty. Chris Young of Calverton and Jack Handley of Medford sit fourth and fifth heading into the finale Saturday, Young -24 and Handley -32.
For the seventh time in his amazing Late Model career Jeremy McDermott of Riverhead has clinched the 2023 championship before the final 25-lap feature event takes the green Saturday night. Gerard “G-Rod” Giordano of Freeport, Artie Pedersen III of Center Moriches and Chris McGuire of Miller Place will settle who finishes second in the championship chase Saturday.
The most intriguing championship tussle will unfold in the Eagle Chevrolet Crate Modifieds where the Grennan brothers are the only two left standing. Defending champion Owen leads younger brother Chase by eight points heading to the 25-lap finale. Eight points is also the difference for the Blunderbust finale with Jim Laird Jr. of Rocky Point and Brandon Hubbard set to decide the 2023 crown in a 20-lapper.
The 2023 Super Pro truck championship appears to be solidly in the control of Jack Handley Jr of Medford who enjoys a 24-point lead over Lou Maestri of Deer Park. With an average of ten trucks signing in weekly, Jack will earn his third career championship when he takes the green flag. The 2023 INEX Legend Race Car championship is the third division with an eight-point span separating the two main contenders with Richie Davidowitz of East Moriches leading upstart Jeff Farruggia Jr. of Riverhead. Davidowitz, the 2019 champion seeks his second title, while Farruggia races after his first.
Once the Saturday night business is squared away Sunday the Street Stocks and Mini Stocks will determine their 2023 champs. Defending Street Stock kingpin Dave Antos of Lindenhurst holds a comfortable 24-point bulge over Brian McCormack of Holbrook heading to the 30-lap finale. For Antos it would be his fourth career SS title while McCormack seeks his first. Joe Cooke Jr. of Shirley will take a 14-point lead over Paul Wojcik of Patchogue into the 30-lap Mini Stock final Sunday, Cooke has never won a Mini Stock title while Wojcik was the 2018 & 2021 champion. Newcomer John Harley of Sayville sits third and could make some noise in the championship duel 16-points back of Cooke.
Enjoying a career season in the Bock Auto INEX Bandolero Bandits with four wins to date, Reid Halpin of Wading River holds a comfortable 20-point lead over Emmett Grattan of Southold heading the 15-lap finale. Ben Morabito of Miller Place, the 2022 Bandits champion will enter the Outlaw 15-lap main event Sunday as their 2023 champion. Ben, the 2023 Cook Out Summer Shootout Series champ at Charlotte Speedway holds an insurmountable 44-point lead over newcomer Cillian Tennant of Riverhead. The two Bock Auto Bandolero champions and top drivers in points will again receive trophies from Jimmy & Angela Rennick of JCR Motorsports.
Also decided Sunday will be the three Enduro championships with Jimmy & Angela Rennick of JCR Motorsports providing championship hardware for the champions and top point drivers of 2023. Bobby “The Pease Man’ Pease of Medford holds an 8-point leader over former champion Mariah Lawrence of Southampton heading to Sunday with former multi-time champion Don Nelson of Rocky Point who is 10 markers back of Pease.
2022 Truck Enduro champion Woot Lawrence of Southampton comes to the final 8-Cylinder Enduro event with a beyond healthy 60-pont lead over defending champion Pat Collins of Southampton. Zach Tyler of Cutchogue will enjoy an 18-point cushion over Frank Raynor of North Sea for the 2023 4/6-Cylinder Gut & Go championship.
A busy final Championship Weekend is sure to provide plenty of thrills and spills at Riverhead Raceway. Please visit http://www.riverheadraceway.com for the race day itinerary for both days. Emails reach the track at office@riverheadraceway.com while our phone number remains 631-842-RACE
