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Riverhead, NY Nov. 12th
By Bob Finan
There is a good chance Jimmy Renfrew Jr. of Candia, NH never even flown over Riverhead Raceway prior to Sunday’s inaugural East & West Pest Control Full Fender Fall Frenzy 200. It took Renfrew all of 19-laps during a morning practice to familiarize himself with the tight bullring before going out and leading all but 2 of 200-laps for the $5,000 victory.
With rules opened up for the event drew an eclectic field of race cars and trucks from the Northeast as well the Riverhead Raceway divisions that fit the regulations. When retiring starter Bruce Noll waved his dueling green flags Charlie Baldwin of Hudson, NH led a quartet of fellow New England drivers to the first turn to lead the first lap. On the second lap racing down the backstretch, Renfrew jumped to the outside of Baldwin to move out front with Baldwin settling into second. Right behind the lead tandem were Adam Lovejoy, Jason Woodward and Travis Lovejoy. Running a more powerful Street Stock type car many on hand wondered how the five invaders from the north would fare having to use the track Hoosier f53 compound. The prevailing thought was among the Long Island drivers was, more power would lead to quicker tire wear. Long Island talents such as Brian Brown, Brian Doyle, Tom Pickerell, Jack Handley Jr., and Dave Koenig racing everything from old Charger cars, Riverhead legal Street Stocks, Blunderbusts and Super Pro Trucks were able to race in the second half of the top ten. As a group, the hope was with less power, their tire wear would lead to a late race advantage.
After a competition caution for fuel on lap 75 the race would resume with Renfrew remaining the race leader, but Baldwin was now feeling the heat from Adam Lovejoy for second. Lovejoy was able to loop around Baldwin on lap 94 joining his Renfrew Racing teammate up front. A series of caution flags for minor spins and fluid on track didn’t deter race leader Renfrew as he dominated the middle portion of the contest. Baldwin and Woodward were running third and fourth, unfortunately for Travis Lovejoy, a broken drive shaft ended his race while running among the top five.
With Renfrew still leading the race for second would intensify as the laps started to dwindle, Charlie Baldwin, who swapped a tire out during a pit stop found new life and made his way to third, pressuring Lovejoy for second. After a few laps Baldwin would move to second on lap178, but if he were to catch Renfrew, he’d need a late race caution to do so, that caution never came.
Racing under the dueling checker flags Jimmy Renfrew Jr. in his Southern Maine Pools entry took home the win. When asked his first impression of Riverhead post-race, Renfrew revealed it was his kind of place, “I like it, it’s a tight bullring and you really got to get up on the wheel here as a driver”. Charlie Baldwin was runner-up in the Ellis Pool Covers entry while Adam Lovejoy of Sanford, Me. was third in the Make-A-Wish Chevy. Jason Woodard of Waterbury Center, Vt. was fourth with his J&S Sales & Service entry, with Brian Doyle the first Riverhead driver over the line fifth with the East Coast Eddie Auto Repair Chevy. Doyle used his championship Limited Late Model car he raced at Wall Stadium for the 200.
Sixth through tenth were, Brian Brown of Calverton, Dave Koenig of Baldwin, Tom Pickerell of Huntington, Mike Odwazny of Syosset and Ken Hyde Jr. of Medford. Pickerell was the first Riverhead Raceway legal Street Stock over the line.
In the 20-lap Mini Stock feature Tony Collinsworth of Ocala, Fl topped the race after wrestling the lead away from Chris Olivari of Selden at halfway. Collinsworth, recently relocated to the Sunshine State, at the insistence of sponsor Walls Of Fame, grabbed a flight north for the race. After victory lane Tony was off to catch a flight back home. Olivari was runner-up in the Middle Country Automotive racer while Shawn Wanat of Riverhead brought the Spit Speed Shop entry home third.
Aria Ligon of Center Moriches scored her second 15-lap Bock Auto INEX Bandolero victory in a row in the Chesterfield Associates Bandit. Riding the outside lane Ligon passed Mason Goodale on lap 4 exiting the fourth turn to take command of the race. Goodale of Riverhead was runner-up in the Riverhead Building Supply machine while Emmett Grattan of Southold was third in the IGA Market Bandit.
In the 15-lap Bock Auto INEX Bandolero Outlaws Phillip Alaimo of Miller Place earned his first career win in the Alaimo Contracting mount. Alaimo lead from start to finish for the win and hinted that a Legend Race Car maybe in his future in the next couple of seasons. 2022 champion Chevy Rommeney of Bohemia was runner-up in the MC-11 racer while Madison Tomaszewski of Riverhead was third in the RK Precision machine.
Jarrett Campbell of Yaphank notched his third Truck Enduro victory of 2023 with his 50-lap victory Sunday in the General Welding Supply Chevy. Campbell worked his way by 2023 Truck Enduro champion Bobby Pease of Medford on lap 9 and never looked back. Phil LaManna of Smithtown made his way to second with his EP Milling & Sweeping S-10 late in the race and was closing but settled for runner-up honors. Gary Voight of Medford was third in the A. Voight Towing mount.
Mike Mujsce Jr. of Hampton bays collected his fourth win of the 2023 4/6-Cylinder Gut & Go campaign in the Mike’s Auto Service of Quogue racer. Mike moved by David Olivari who led the first lap on lap two and dominated the remainder of the 40-lap affair. Olivari of Coram was second in the Middle Country Automotive machine while George Astacio of Mastic Beach has a stellar third place tally in the East End Bait & Tackle entry.
Fall Frenzy 200: 1. Jimmy Renfrew Jr. 2. Charlie Baldwin 3. Adam Lovejoy 4. Jason Woodard 5. Brian Doyle 6. Brian Brown 7. Dave Koenig 8. Tom Pickerell 9. Mike Odwazny 9. Ken Hyde Jr. 11. Eric Lutz 12. Rob McCormick 13. Charles Sudano 14. Tom Puccia 15. John Harley 16. PJ McGay 17. Dave Antos 18. Luke Foerster 19. Jack Handley Jr. 20 Chris Lescenski 21. Travis Lovejoy 22. Alyssa Paprocky 23. Gerard Lawrence 24. Tom Talbot
Mini Stocks: 1. Tony Collinsworth 2. Chris Olivari 3. Shawn Wanat 4. Joe Warren Jr. 5. Paul Wojcik 6. CJ Zukowski 7. Joe Cooke Jr. 8. Ryan Warren 9. Jake Innes 10. Will Garcia 11. Charles Astacio 12. Eoughan Heyward 13. Tyler Farrell 14. Brad Anderson
Bandolero Bandits: 1. Aria Ligon 2. Mason Goodale 3. Emmett Grattan 4. Reid Halpin 5. Michael Barry 6. Antonio D’Alonzo 7. Brooke Meyer 8. Tyler Oxee 9. Blake Grattan 10. Ken Hyde III 11. Christian Ryan 12. Jordan Ryan
Bandolero Outlaws: 1. Phillip Alaimo 2. Chevy Rommeney 3. Madison Tomaszewski 4. Will Sipala 5. Nick Hodge
Truck Enduro: 1. Jarrett Campbell 2. Phil LaManna 3. Gary Voight 4. Don Nelson Jr. 5. Bobby Pease 6. Bobby Pease Jr. 7. Woot Lawrence 8. William Kennedy 9. Whitney Williams 10. Brandon LaManna 11. Eric Germuth 12. Chloe Phillips 13. Mariah Lawrence 14. Hallie Campo 15. Danielle Creegan 16. James Kelly 17. Ben Gregor 18. Jim Kelly 19. Mark Russo 20. Jennifer Hohwiesner 21. Vinny pease 22. Dusty Cole 23. Kerry Botts
Gut & Go Enduro: 1. Mike Mujsce Jr. 2. David Olivari 3. George Astacio 4. AJ DeSantis 5. Peter Verwys Jr. 6. Kevin Coyle 7. Dillon Reid 8. Joey Palmeri Jr. 9. Michael Asdahl 10. Pat Collins Jr. 11. Will Farrell 12. Charles Astacio 13. Eoughan Heyward 14. Jeremy Rand 15. Raymond Rau 16. Chris Constantine 17. Vinny Abbatiello 18. Richie Carman 19. Michael Fragola 20 Ryan Warren 21. James Heym 22. Mike Mujsce III 23, Liam Macwhinnie 24. Jacob Hartard 25. Chris Olivari 26. Franky Abbatiello 27. John Palmeri 28. Donny Oliver 29. Robert Kramer 30. Tyler Farrell 31. Ryan T. Warren 32. Steve Phillips
