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Riverhead, NY Nov. 8th
By Bob Finan
The 2023 Crown Jewel Series at Riverhead Raceway will culminate Saturday at the 7th annual Islip 300 for Tour Type Modifieds and heading into the $7,000 to win event Kyle Ellwood of Riverhead leads the race for the Ted Christopher Cup. The 2023 Crown Jewel Series consisted of six Tour Type Modified extra distance or signature events over the course of the summer carrying separate championship points from the Advance Auto Parts Weekly NASCAR rankings.
Conceived during the winter of 2019 Race Director Scott Tapley with Riverhead GM John Ellwood, the Crown Jewel Series was to debut as a four-race slate in 2020, however a worldwide pandemic put those plans on the shelf. Undaunted the Crown Jewel Series debuted one year later for the 2021 signature extra distance events, the series champion earning the Ted Christopher Cup named after the late, iconic open wheel racer out of Plainville, Ct. By scoring victory in the 2021 Islip 300, JB Fortin of Holtville clinched the Ted Christopher Cup in addition to a $7.000 payday as winner of the 300. Last year, on the strength of a runner-up showing at the Islip 300, John Beatty Jr. of Merrick earned the 2022 Crown Jewel Series Ted Christopher Cup winner.
Heading into Saturday and the 2023 edition of the 300 honoring of the former Islip Speedway, Kyle Ellwood enjoys a hefty 36-point margin over defending TC Cup winner Beatty. For Beatty to catapult Ellwood to claim his second consecutive Crown Jewel Series title he’ll have to be 19 positions better in the final rundown. Ellwood holds the first tiebreaker having scored three Crown Jewel Series victories. Chris Young of Calverton ranks third in the standings 52-ponts back of Ellwood, 16 back of Beatty for second.
Ellwood took home the win in the first series event, the Baldwin, Evans & Jarzombek 77 on Saturday June 17th driving the Buzz Chew Chevrolet-Cadillac entry owned by the noted Southampton car dealer. Kyle’s second and third Crown Jewel Series wins came on the same night sweeping the Celebrating Chris Young Twin 49’s September 9th at the wheel of the Ken Matlach Motorsports owned Modified. When not winning series races, Ellwood would never finish off the podium scoring two runner-up finishes and a third-place tally.
Timmy Solomito of Islip was a tw0-time winner of Crown Jewel Series races in 2023 winning The Bubba 150 in August and the season concluding Cecil Palm Tree 66 October 15th. Former five-time NASCAR Modified champion Tom Rogers Jr. of Riverhead scored his 63rd career win during the July 1st., 73rd Year Celebration Flying Dutchman Tribute event. The victory tied Tom with the late Charlie Jarzombek for most Modified wins at Riverhead.
Joining the Islip 300 Tour Type Modifieds Saturday are the General Welding Supply 50 for the Eagle Chevrolet Crate Modifieds worth $2.500 to the winner, while $2,000 will be up for grabs for winning the HIGHMARK Building Efficiency 40 INEX Legend Race Car feature. The Eddie Partridge Vintage All-Stars will go to post in a 15-lap race.
Spectator gates open at 10:00 am, qualifying begins at 12 noon with Tour Type Modified time trials. Adults $40, kids 6-12 $15, 5 & under free. Pits open at 7:30 am, pit admission is $55, no licenses required. In the event inclement weather, the Islip 300 program in it’s entirety moves to November 18th.
To view the race day itinerary please visit http://www.riverheadraceway.com, emails reach the track at office@riverheadraceway.com, the phone number is 631-842-RACE.
