1
0
Riverhead, NY Aug. 10th
By Bob Finan
Heading into the 2024 race season, JB Fortin of Holtsville and his family made the tough decision to drop off the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour and race closer to home at Riverhead Raceway. Saturday, Fortin led wire to wire to win his second Advance Auto Parts Weekly Series 50-lap NASCAR Modified feature of 2024 in front f family and friends on I Love America night.
At the throw of the green JB Fortin vaulted to the early advantage over Dylan Slepian who filed into second from outside the front row. The first half of the race ran caution free allowing the top two cars to break away some from the pack. However, that all changed on lap 26 when a multi-car jingle involving Justin Brown, Chris Rogers, Glen Steger and Jack Handley Jr. drew the yellow flag. Handley and Steger continued, Rogers and Brown were done for the race. On the ensuing restart JB Fortin as he did during the initial start got a great launch to maintain his lead, Chris Young was able to slip under Dylan Slepian for second and set sail for Fortin.
The lead tandem, both of whom are second generation drivers whose fathers combined for 68 Modified wins at the track ran nose to tail, with Timmy Solomito racing his way to third. As the laps clicked off the lead trio were able to get away from the rest of the pack, but as far as making a pass amongst themselves, well that wasn’t in the cards either despite racing in close quarters.
When the dueling checker flags waved JB Fortin in the John’s Fuel Oil Chevy earned his fifth career win, giving credit where credit was due post-race, “I was on my game with the start and restarts, but this win is all because my parents John & Nicole and my crew chief Kenny Lechner have so much faith in me. Lately, Kenny and I are just clicking, with some big races coming up, that’s a good thing”.
Chris Young of Calverton continues to collect top five finishes in 2024 with a runner-up showing in the Earth’s Splendor Chevy, Timmy Solomito of Islip completed the podium in the Kennedy L.I. Realty entry. Defending champion John Beatty Jr. of Merrick was fourth, Owen Grennan of Glen Cove completed the top five.
Chase Grennan of Glen Cove continued his march towards the 2024 Eagle Chevrolet Crate Modified championship when he collected his third win of the campaign in a 25-lap contest. Due in part to a grinding crash the last time the class competed; a disappointing 10-car field went to post with Vinny Delaney breaking to the early lead. Delaney paced the race over the first 6 circuits before Grennan came calling during a double file restart. With Grennan the new leader to start lap 7, Delaney kept pace hoping he might be able to reclaim the top spot. However, on lap 18 during another restart, Max Handley was able to pass Delaney for second. In the end it mattered not who ran second to Chase Grennan, as he drove off in the Black Forest Automotive Chevy to his 9th career win tying him for third all-time with Michael Rutkoski. Max Handley of Medford was second in the Hydro Action machine, Vinny Delaney of Islip Terrace claimed third in his Stakey’s Pumpkin Farm Chevy.
In the 15-lap TK Figure Eight main event Scott Pedersen of Shirley scored his third win of 2024. Kim Hyde led the first two laps of the tilt before giving way during a restart to Bryan Quilliam on lap 3. Quilliam seeking his first career win lead Hyde until lap 9 when she was overtaken by former three-time champion Pedersen. Ironically Quilliam now drivers for Scott’s former car owner thickening the plot. When Hyde spun from a top five position on lap 12, Quilliam and Pedersen lined-up to decide the outcome. When the green reappeared Pedersen, in the Land, Air & Water Environmental Camaro nailed the restart earning him his 14th career win. Quilliam of Shirley was runner-up in the Smoke Shack BBQ entry of Benny Vecchio. Making a return to where it all started for him, John Fortin Sr. of Holtsville brought the Top Notch Performance Camaro home in third. It was John’s first Figure Eight race in over three decades.
Chase Van Houten of Wading River made a rare 2024 Riverhead Raceway start in the 20-lap INEX Legend Race Cars feature, and it paid off when the third-generation talent took down the victory in a caution free affair. Chase broke to the early lead from the pole besting of all people his father Brad when the race got underway. Chase, 17, showed dear old Dad the way around over the first 11-laps of the event. On lap 12 after laps of pressuring the elder Van Houten, Riely O’Keefe worked his way by Brad for second. By the time O’Keefe made his way to second, Chase Van Houten in the Mike Van Houten Trucking coupe had pulled away enough to score his first win of the season third of his young career. O’Keefe of Manorville was runner-up in the Crystal Clear Window Cleaning entry, Joey Braun of Manorville completed the podium in third with the HighMark Building Efficiency coupe.
Alyssa Paprocky of Ricky Point has come close to earning her first career Street Stock win on numerous occasions. Saturday, in their 20-lap event it all came together for Alyssa as she led form flag-to-flag to collect that first career win. Paprocky, a two-time Blunderbust winner raced her way into the lead when the green light popped on, Dennis Kurras filed into second.
Kurras, enjoying a bounce back year in the class, chased Paprocky until lap 12 when he was passed by Gerard Lawrence. By the time Lawrence got to second, leader Paprocky had checked out on the field. Pulling up his bootstraps, Lawrence kept digging lap after lap but the sand in the hourglass would start to run out. By breaking out to the early lead and never letting off the throttle, Alyssa Paprocky put the Middle Country Automotive Chevy into the winner’s circle. Lawrence of Miller Place was second in the EP Milling & Sweeping Chevy, Max Handley of Medford was third in the Rosenberg & Gluck machine.
Chris Olivari of Coram was another Middle Country Automotive driver finding victory lane Saturday when he topped the 20-lap Mini Stock feature. Olivari led Paul Wojcik and CJ Zukowski over the line to complete the first lap, Wojcik and Zukowski would swap positions on lap 2 and that would pretty much be the story of the race. Olivari, who by trade is a Surgical Technologist hit his marks the remainder of the race for his first win of 2024, the third in his career. CJ Zukowski of Riverhead was second over the line in the Walls of Fame Cavalier, Paul Wojcik of Patchogue placed third in the Shirley Feed Honda.
It had been a while since Tucker Bock of East Hampton scored a Bock Auto INEX Bandolero victory, but he changed all of that Saturday winning the 15-lap Outlaw feature. Giavanna Agugliaro broke out front leading the first two laps before spinning from the lead after starting the third lap. Tucker Bock who chased GiGi for the first two laps took the lead on the restart and never looked back the remainder of the race in his Bock Auto Outlaw. Cillian Tennant of Manorville making his first start of 2024 was runner-up in the Miller & Caggiano Attorney At Law machine, Michael Barry of Patchogue was third in the Grease Garage Motorsports racer.
Defending Bock Auto INEX Bandolero Bandit champion Reid Halpin of Wading River survived an early race score to collect his second consecutive Bock Auto INEX Bandolero Bandit win. Brooke Meyer impressed early on leading the first two circuits over newcomer Tyler Oxee. It would be a lap three restart that would change the complexion of the race when a three wide situation unfolded off the fourth turn as cars bounced off each other and the wall. When the dust settled Reid Halpin was able to survive the incident, becoming the new race leader. Once he had the MC-11/Anthony Ferrante & Co Bandit in the lead Halpin never looked back earning his 6th career victory. Emmett Grattan of Southold turned in a stellar performance for second in the Southold IGA Bandit, Mason Goodale of Riverhead was third in the GAF Roofing racer.
Wyatt Goodale of Riverhead, in just his fifth start won the 10-lap Bock Auto INEX Bandolero Beginner event. Emily Gatz led the first lap of the event before Mackenzie Ulmet worked her way by to take the lead on lap 2. Goodale, who came to second when Ulmet passed Gatz, kept pace with the race leader as the laps clicked off. It would be a lap 7, double file restart that would be the undoing of leader Ulmet, as she not only surrendered the top spot to Goodale, but second to Daxx Halpin. Over the final three lap run Wyatt Goodale kept the Riverhead Building Supply machine out front for the popular win. Daxx Halpin of Wading River was runner-up in the Steve Park Properties/Raceforkids.com mount, Emily Gatz of Riverhead was third in the TS Haulers racer.
NASCAR Modifieds: 1. JB Fortin 2. Chris Young 3. Timmy Solomito 4. John Beatty Jr. 5. Owen Grennan 6. CJ Lehmann 7. Tom Rogers Jr. 8. Mark Stewart 9. Michael Rutkoski 10. Jack Handley Jr. 11. JR Bertuccio 12. Glen Steger 13. Dylan Slepian 14. Dave Brigati 15. Justin Brown 16. Chris Rogers DNS- Roger Turbush
Crate Modifieds: 1. Chase Grennan 2. Max Handley 3. Vinny Delaney 4. AJ DeSantis 5. Michael Berner 6. Eric Hersey 7. Andrew Farnham 8. Mike Albasini 9. Rich Gerbe 10. Tom Sekulski
Figure Eights: 1. Scott Pedersen 2. Bryan Quilliam 3. John Fortin 4. Gary Fritz Jr. 5. Paulo Miquel 6. Kim Hyde 7. Johnny Vullo 8. Douglas Buddenhagen 9. Ryan Warren 10. Bob Dalke
Legend Race Cars: 1. Chase Van Houten 2. Riely O’Keefe 3. Joey Braun 4. Brad Van Houten 5. Jeff farruggia Jr. 6. Kevin Nowak 7. Kyle Ellwood 8. Anthony Marsh 9. Rodney Dowless Jr. 10. Charles Hodge 11. Jim Sylvester 12. Jayden Glennerster 13. Mike Van Huten Jr. 14. Nick Kocis 15. Phillip Alaimo 16. Will Sipala 17. Ray Fitzgerald 18. Alex Halinar 19. Ray Stulz 20. Jeff Otto Jr. 21. Michael Collier 22. Michael Metcalf 23. Nick Hodge 24. Chris Sinatro 25. Billy King 26. Kevin Ohrnberger
Street Stocks: 1. Alyssa Paprocky 2. Gerard Lawrence 3. Max Handley 4. Dennis Kurras 5. Tom Sullivan 6. Charkes Sudano 7. Danny Pizzo 8. John Harley 9. Jake Curran 10. Ricky Carman 11. Kyle Halpin 12. Bob Dalke 13. Henry Cuesta 14. Anthony Foerster 15. PJ McGay 16. Jarrod Hayes 17. James Dipietro
Mini Stocks: 1. Chris Olivari 2. CJ Zukowski 3. Paul Wojcik 4. Joe Warren Jr. 5. Joe Cooke Jr. 6. Tyler Farrell 7. Marissa Stewart 8. Eoughan Hayward 9. Jake Innes 10. Charles Astacio 11. Will Garcia
Bandolero Outlaws: 1. Tucker Bock 2. Cillian Tennant 3. Michael Barry 4. Madison Tomaszewski 5. Madison White 6. Giavanna Agugliaro 7. Thomas Grattan 8. Grace Cheslak 9. Jordan Ryan 10. Kix Bock 11. Will Sipala
Bandolero Bandits: 1. Reid Halpin 2. Emmett Grattan 3. Mason Goodale 4. Antonio D’Alonzo 5. Layla Quilliam 6. Blake Grattan 7. Aria Ligon 8. Christian Ryan 9. Brooke Meyer 10. Tyler Oxee 11. John Alaimo
Bandolero Beginners: 1. Wyatt Goodale 2. Daxx Halpin 3. Emily Gatz 4. Mackenzie Ulmet 5. Alexis Gatz 6. Leighton Van Houten
