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Riverhead, NY July 27th
By Bob Finan
It by no means was a Picasso, but when the yellow checker fell on the NASCAR Tour Type Modified event Saturday at Riverhead Raceway, Tom Rogers Jr. of Riverhead rewrote the history books with his 64th career victory. Rogers entered the scheduled 50-lap event tied with “Charging” Charlie Jarzombek of Baiting Hollow at 63 wins. With an ambitious 10-feature event program on the menu Saturday, the Tour Type Modified race was halted on lap 19 after numerous caution flags and the second Two for TK Figure Eight feature yet to be run.
Matt Brode moved out front at the throw of the green but in a sign of things to come the first caution waved just after the first laps was in the books. On the early restart, Rogers like Jarzombek, a former five-time track champion got the measure of Brode and was the new race leader on lap 2. Brode, who has endured a rough 2024 campaign ran second until lap 7 when he was passed by Chris Young to start the 8th circuit. The race, bogged down by stops and starts continued to have issues and drivers were warned by race control time was not on their side. That warning went unheeded.
The final straw came on lap 19 when a multi-car incident exiting the fourth turn ended the race. Once the wreck was cleared, the field put in proper running order, the historic checker flag, accompanied by the yellow waved over the hood of the Denise & Ken Darch owned machine driven by Tom Rogers Jr. In true Rogers fashion, he performed a Picasso like burnout on the backstretch, climbed on the roof of his car and in a pose, Rocky Balboa would have been proud of put his arms in the air, his silhouette barely visible through the smoke.
When asked by Raymond Rau in victory lane of it was a relief to finally get #64, a year after #63 Rogers explained, “I never really paid attention to the numbers, that was more for my crew and the fans. I’ve said all along I’d rather get this record by racing with Charlie, he ran in his time, I in mine, totally two different eras”. However, Rogers was happy about the historic win coming on a night where one of his mentors was being celebrated, “Tommy Kraft was a big part of my career and success, great to do this with Kathy, Freddie and the Kraft family here. Aside from Tommy, folks like George Brown, John Wellman of Big Brothers & Big Sisters of LI, Frank Vigliarolo Jr., all had faith in me, all a part of this. My brother-in-law Mike Berner, Sean Corsetti and of course Denise and Kenny, can’t thank them enough”. When the question of what lies ahead Tommy quickly shot back, “now that we got this win, retirement is coming, it’s coming fast. But we’ll finish this season for our sponsors and go from there”.
Chris Young of Calverton was runner-up with his Earth’s Splendor Chevy, with defending champion John Beatty of Merrick third in the MSM Motorsports entry. Dave Brigati of Calverton and JB Fortin of Holtsville completed the top five.
The Dennis Krupski 112 Eagle Chevrolet Crate Modified feature was dominated by “Mad’ Max Handley of Medford who led from green to checker to score his first win of the season. Handley set the tone early with a lap of 12.517 in qualifying earning the pole. When the green lights came on Handley quickly broke out front with Sean Glennon in tow for the first 15-circuits. AJ DeSantis worked his way by Glennon for second on lap 16 but his stay there was short-lived when Chase Grennan worked under DeSantis for second on lap 20. In the end it didn’t matter who ran second as Max Handley racked up $10 per lap in lap money as the race leader adding $1,120 to his race winnings. After taking the victory lap post-race Max explained how emotional this win was for, he and his family, “Dennis Krupski believed in my brother Jack his first chance outside the family, he mentored him and honestly this is very emotional for us, we miss Dennis”. Chase Grennan of Glen Cove could only watch while Handley dominated finishing second in the Eastport Feeds machine, Michael Berner of Patchogue was third in the Clean River Environmental Chevy
The 2nd annual Two for TK Twin 9 Figure Eight event featured a big surprise when the pits opened. The Mustang bodied machine that Tommy Kraft drove in 1985 was pit side, not just to serve as an honorary pace car, or be displayed on the midway. The machine was totally rebuilt in just under a month, a new Mustang body secured in Pennsylvania sat atop the car driven by Joe Warren Jr. in the Twin 9’s. In the first event Kim Hyde led until just after the halfway point before being overtaken by Scott Pedersen. Once out front in the Bobby’s One Stop Custom Exhaust & Auto Camaro Scott drove off to his second win of 2024, the 13th of his career. Bryan Quilliam of Shirley was runner-up in the Smoke Shack BBQ entry, with Gary Fritz Jr. of Mastic Beach third in the Goodfellas Auto Cadillac.
In the nightcap Two for TK Twin 9 it was Allan Pedersen. nephew of earlier winner Scott leading all 9 laps for his first win of 2024, the 7th of his career. Bryan Quilliam chased “Big” Al for the first two circuits before Gary Fritz Jr. got by during a double file restart on lap 3. Fritz, who won one of the Twin 9’s in 2023 was able to keep pace with Pedersen but in the end, Allan drove the Top Notch Performance Chevy to victory. Fritz was runner-up while Scott Pedersen was third. Afterwards Kathy Kraft and her family posed for pictures with the Two for TK Twin 9 winners, it was son Freddie who spearheaded the restoration project on Tommy’s Mustang racer in conjunction with Joe Warren Jr.
Jeremy McDermott, defending Late Model champion scored his second race win of 2024 when he topped their 25-lap feature event. Afterwards Jeremy, who is married to Tom Kraft’s niece Jessica, stopped during his victory lap in turn four and put the checker flag in the potted plant that sits where TK used to. McDermott was able to pass early leader Gerard Giordano during a 7th lap double file restart to take the lead in his Eastport Feeds Chevy, a lead he’d never surrender. Giordano of Freeport brought the Venture Auto Body mount home second with Keith Rotzi of Islip turning in a solid performance for third in the Rudi’s Bar & Grill machine.
Kevin Nowak of Medford notched his second INEX Legend Race Car win of the year when he topped a 20-lap feature event. Nowak, a former two-time track champion made his winning move on lap 2 when he passed George Tomko Jr, for the lead. Tomko not only lost the lead to Nowak on that lap, but also second to Joey Braun who followed in Nowak’s tire tracks. Nothing was going to stop the NoMo Motorsports machine of Kevin Nowak on this night as he drove to a 23rd career victory, tying him with Kyle Ellwood for second all-time. Joey Braun of Manorville was runner-up in the HighMark Building Efficiency mount while veteran Ray Fitzgerald of Manorville completed the podium in the EP Milling & Sweeping coupe.
In the 15-lap Eddie Partridge Vintage All Stars it was Sal Accardi Jr. of Deer Park posting his second consecutive victory. Accardi driving a former Tom Baldwin Cavalier 7NY took the lead on lap 2 from John Jasinski who led the first circuit. Once up front Accardi in the A-Plus Auto Salvage backed machine drove to the popular win. Don Howe of Water Mill was second in the Corwith’s Auto Body Cavalier, John Jasinski of Riverhead was third in a Gary Cretty tribute Vega owned by his father, well known fabricator Boots.
Will Sipala of Manorville came into Saturday’s Bock Auto INEX Bandolero Outlaw event with the attitude he was not going to be beat. He was right, he wasn’t. Sipala put the Riteway Automotive Center Outlaw out front at the throw of the green and never looked back. Tucker Bock, Kix Bock and finally Chevy Rommeney all ran second to eventual winner Sipala who earned his third career win, first of 2024. Rommeney of Bohemia was runner-up in the Benimax Trucking entry with KIx Bock of East Hampton third in the Bock Auto Outlaw.
John Alaimo of Miler Place scored his first career Bock Auto INEX Bandolero Bandit win in a 15-lap affair Saturday. Early in the contest, Antonio D’Alonzo broke to the lead over Mason Goodale. John Alaimo burst on the scene passing Goodale for second and one lap later D’Alonzo for the lead. On lap 8 Reid Halpin riding the outside line passed them all, taking the lead on lap 8, but shortly after a spinning lapped car threw Halpin into his own spin. Goodale with no place to go clipped Halpin, both continued with damage. When the race resumed Alaimo regained the lead and over the final 7 laps hit his marks to earn a well-deserved first career win in the Phillip Alaimo Construction Bandit. Emmett Grattan of Southold was runner-up in the Southold IGA entry, early leader Antonio D’Alonzo of Carle Place was third in his sponsor wanted Bandit, his best showing to date.
Leighton Van Houten of Wading River is now two-for-two at Riverhead Raceway winning her second straight Bock Auto Bandolero Beginner 10-lap event. Leighton, who missed the opener has made up for lost time with her second win in a row in the Riverhead Building Supply racer. Leighton’s two cousins chased her to the finish with Wyatt Goodale of Riverhead second in his Riverhead Building Supply entry, opening day winner Daxx Halpin of Wading River was third in the Tommy Baldwin Racing entry.
NASCAR Modifieds: 1. Tom Rogers Jr. 2. Chris Young 3. John Beatty Jr. 4. Dave Brigati 5. JB Fortin 6. Jack Handley Jr. 7. Mark Stewart 8. Chris Rogers 9. Glen Steger 10. Matt Brode 11. CJ Lehmann 12. JR Bertuccio 13. Michael Rutkoski 14. Owen Grennan 15. Dylan Slepian 16. Lou Strohl 17. Justin Brown 18. Timmy Solomito
Crate Modifieds: 1. Max Handley 2. Chase Grennan 3. Michael Berner 4. Sean Glennon 5. Timmy Solomito 6. Vinny Delaney 7. AJ DeSantis 8. Andrew Farnham 9. Charkes Macwhinnie 10. Tom Sekulski 11. Mike Albasini 12. Owen Grennan 13. Alex Colasanto 14. Terry Stiles 15. Joey Braun 16. Eric Hersey 17. Stephen Coleman 18. Kyle Ellwood
1st Figure Eight: 1. Scott Pedersen 2. Bryan Quilliam 3. Gary Fritz Jr. 4. Allan Pedersen 5. Johnny Vullo 6. Ryan Warren 7. Paulo Miquel 8. Kim Hyde 9. Will Farrell 10. Joe Warren Jr. 11. Bob Dalke
2nd Figure Eight: 1. Allan Pedersen 2. Gary Fritz Jr. 3. Scott Pedersen 4. Johnny Vullo 5. Bob Dalke 6. Joe Warren 7. Kim Hyde 8. Bryan Quilliam 9. Paulo Miquel 10. Ryan Warren 11. Will Farrell
Late Models: 1. Jeremy McDermott 2. Gerard Giordano 3. Keith Rotzi 4. Kevin Metzger 5. Chris McGuire 6. Ryan Zukowski 7. Shawn Patrick 8. Ed Cheslak 9. Scott Cheslak DQ- Ray Minieri
Legend Race Cars: 1. Kevin Nowak 2. Joey Braun 3. Ray Fitzgerald 4. Anthony Marsh 5. Riely O’Keefe 6. Geirge Tomko Jr. 7. Chase Van Houten 8. Rodney Dowless 9. Jim Sylvester 10. Ryan Barbieri 11. Colin Hoeffner 12. Jayden Glennerster 13. Chris Sinatro 14. Mike Van Houten Jr. 15. Ryan Lutz 16. Chevy Rommeney 17. Charles Hodge 18. Alex Halinar 19. Jeff Farruggia Jr. 20. Phillip Alaimo 21. Michael Metcalf 22. Will Sipala 23. Ed Stadtlander 24. Steve Harding 25. Kyle Ellwood 26. Rich Braun
Vintage All Stars: 1. Sal Accardi Jr. 2. Don Howe 3. John Jasinski 4. Tom Pickerell 5. Tony Ferrante Jr. 6. Bill Auer 7. Mark Miller 8. Mike Siraco 9. Frank Saladino 10. Jimmy Reed Jr. 11. Vinny Siraco 12. Pat Hughes
Bandolero Outlaws: 1. Will Sipala 2. Chevy Rommeney 3. Kix Bock 4. Tucker Bock 5. Thomas Grattan 6. Michael Barry 7. Madison White 8. Madison Tomaszewski 9. Grace Cheslak 10. Jordan Ryan
Bandolero Bandits: 1. John Alaimo 2. Emmett Grattan 3. Antonio D’Alonzo 4. Reid Halpin 5. Tyler Oxee 6. Mason Goodale 7. Brooke Meyer 8. Blake Grattan 9. Christian Ryan 10. Kayla Quilliam 1. Aria Ligon
Bandolero Beginner: 1. Leighton Van Houten 2. Wyatt Goodale 3. Daxx Halpin 4. Emily Gatz 5. Mackenzie Ulmet DNS Alexis Gatz
