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Riverhead, NY July 31st.
By Bob Finan
A near capacity crowd filed into Riverhead Raceway for some midweek mayhem featuring a School Bus Demolition Derby Wednesday evening with Max Handley of Medford earning his third Street Stock win of 2024, while Joe Warren Jr. of Ridge pocketed his third Mini Stock victory in four starts. The program was the first of three Wednesday night presentations, this Wednesday August 7th will be the second again featuring a School Bus Demolition Derby.
In the 20-lap Street Stock tilt, Danny Pizzo and Cody Triola, subbing for James DiPietro in the MSM Elite Motorsports entry, broke out front at the throw of the green to run one-two over the first five circuits. On lap 6 Max Handley burst on the scene passing Triola for second. On lap 9 the complexion of the race would change when the caution came out for Gerard Lawrence who was disabled in the fourth corner. On the ensuing restart Handley was able to ride the outside lane by Pizzo for the lead to start the 10th lap. Once in front with the Rosenberg & Gluck Chevy, Max Handley was able to race off for the victory, the 4th of his career. Just days earlier on Saturday Max dominated the Dennis Krupski 112 Eagle Chevrolet Crate Modified event. Triola of Bay Shore was runner-up while Jarrod Hayes of Calverton placed third in the North Fork Sanitation Chevy.
Joe Warren may have padded his lead atop the all-time Mini Stock win list with his 15th career win Wednesday, but it was one of the hardest fought he has endured. Warren started 5th on the grid while Tyler Farrell and former champion Paul Wojcik in the front row, When the green waved Wojcik slipped out front while Farrell got a handful of wheel off turn two on the first lap. Farrell collected his car but broke the momentum of Chris Olivari allowing Warren to burst from fifth to second on that first cycle. Wojcik hit his marks and was able to keep Warren in his mirror until the final turn of the final lap of the race. A lapped car presented itself as a challenge for the leaders in turn three, Wojcik decided to cut a wide swath around, while the always daring Warren threaded the needle between the lapper and leader Wojcik. Taking the lead in the final 10-yards of the race Joe Warren Jr. parked the Newtown Landscaping Cavalier in victory lane. Left to sit and wonder, Paul Wojcik of Patchogue was runner-up in the Shirley Feed Honda while CJ Zukowski of Riverhead completed the podium in the Walls of Fame Cavalier.
For the second time in four days, Will Sipala of Manorville won the 15-lap Bock Auto Bandolero Outlaw feature. Sipala broke to the lead at the throw of the green, Thomas Grattan gave chase over the first two laps. Tucker Buck made his way by Grattan on lap 3 but that would be as close as he’d get to eventual race winner Sipala in the JD Posillico Contracting Outlaw. Bock of East Hampton in the Bock Auto entry was runner-up with Michael Cherry of Patchogue third.
Defending Bock Auto Bandolero Bandit champion Reid Halpin of Wading River knew he had to get to the lead as early as he could if he was going to avoid any additional racing misfortune this season. After an all-night trip home from Charlotte, NC, Halpin drove from fifth to the race lead on the first lap of the contest executing his plan. Aria Ligon chased Halpin over the first 5 laps before she was passed by most recent winner John Alaimo. As the race drew closer to conclusion Alaimo glued himself to the back bumper of Halpin with Reid in the Florida Connection Bandit taking his first win of 2024, 5th of his career. Alaimo of Miller Place brought the Turf King entry home second, while Tyler Oxee of Pelham turned in a stellar performance for a third-place tally in the North Fork Sanitation racer.
Another driver making things exciting with a final lap pass for a victory was Daxx Halpin of Wading River in the 10-lap Bick Auto Bandolero Beginner event. Newcomer Mackenzie Ulmet lead the first 9-laps of the contest after starting at the front. Halpin winner on opening day once to second had the task of erasing a comfortable lead Ulmet had built. Halpin was within striking distance just after taking the white flag. As the leaders exited the second corner a lapped car awaited, Ulmet went to the outside, Halpin to the inside. In the end Daxx Halpin made the winning choice in his Tommy Baldwin Racing machine. Ulmet of Riverhead was runner-up in the Mark Davis Builders entry, Emily Gatz of Riverhead scored a career best third in the TS Haulers entry.
2023 Blunderbust champion Brandon Hubbard of Mastic earned his second Truck Enduro victory of 2024 in a 30-lap event. Phil LaManna of Smithtown was second, Mariah Lawrence of Southampton third in the Total Dental Care General Lee.
Pat Collins Jr. of Southampton simply could have gone to the card store for his parent’s 20th wedding anniversary, perhaps even taken them to dinner. That’s not what racers do, instead the second-generation driver won his first career 8-Cylinder Enduro over his father Pat no less in a 30-lap feature. Following the PC Truck & Equipment tandem in third was neighbor Woot Lawrence of Southampton in the Gregor Well Drilling Camaro.
The Palmeri Brothers if Lindenhurst had a family affair of their own with John best Joey in their J&J Towing racers in the 30-lap 4/6-Cylinder Enduro event. Defending champion Zach Tyler of Cutchogue brought the Miller & Caggiano Attorney at Law mount home third.
It was perhaps the hardest hitting School Bus Demolition Derby in history Wednesday night, and when the dust settled the “Red Neck Renegade” Jon Calfa of Mastic Beach was the winner in his Rapid Recovery Towing bus.
Street Stocks: 1. Max Handley 2. Cody Triola 3. Jarrod Hayes 4. Danny Pizzo 4. Dennis Kurras 6. Jake Curran 8. Gerard Lawrence 8. Charkes Sudano 9. John Harley 10. Tom Sullivan 11. Alyssa Paprocky 12. PJ McGay 13. Kyle Halpin 14. Bob Dalke 15. CJ Lehmann 16. Chris Lescenski 17. Anthony Caccioppo 18. Ricky Carman 19. Brian Brown 20. Luke Foerster
Mini Stocks: 1. Joe Warren Jr. 2. Paul Wojcik 3. CJ Zukowski 4. Chris Olivari 5. Tyler Farrell 6. Eoughan Hayward 7. Will Garcia 8. Charkes Astacio 9. Ryan Warren 10. Marissa Stewart 11. Scott Setek
Bandolero Outlaws: 1. Will Sipala 2. Tucker Bock 3. Michael Barry 4. Thomas Grattan 5. Madison Tomaszewski 6. Giavanna Agugliaro 7. Kix Bock 8. Madison White 9. Grace Cheslak
Bandolero Bandits: 1. Reid Halpin 2. John Alaimo 3. Tyler Oxee 4. Mason Goodale 5. Emmett Grattan 6. Antonio D’Alonzo 7. Aria Ligon 8. Brooke Meyer 9. Layla Quilliam 10. Blake Grattan
Bandolero Beginners: 1. Daxx Halpin 2. Mackenzie Ulmet 3. Emily Gatz 4. Alexis Gatz 5. Wyatt Goodale
Truck Enduro: 1. Brnadon Hubbard 2. Phil LaManna 3. Mariah Lawrence 4. Justin McGrady 5. Bobby Pease Sr. 6. Bobby Pease Jr. 7. Don Nelson Jr. 8. Gary Voight 9. Chris Ward 10. Jackie Germuth 11. Brandon Anderson 12. Chloe Phillips 13. Vinny Pease 14. Brandon LaManna
8-Cylinder Enduro: 1. Pat Collins Jr. 2. Pat Collins Sr. 3. Woot Lawrence 4. Anthony Pizzo 5. Kevin Feeney 6. Greg Harris 7. Justin Squires 8. Ricky Carman 9. Roger Tramm 10. Jimmy Muench 11. Richie Carman 12. Eric Germuth 13. Christian Kalbfleisch 14. Sean Fitzpatrick 15. James McCarthy Jr. 16. James Heym 17. David Verbeeck 18. Anthiony Capobianco 19. Cutter Gera 20. Steve Neenan 21. Steve Jones 22. Moody Enaya 23. Carmine Ragusa 24. Donny Oliver
4/6-Cylinder Ebnduro: 1. John Palmeri 2. Joey Palmeri Jr. 3. Zach Tyler 4. Mike Mujsce III 5. Mike Mujsce Jr. 6. Chris Olivari 7. AJ DeSantis 8. Ryan T Warren 9. Vinny Ababatiello 10. Jesse Bichsel 11. Bob Drake 12. Jack Tessa 13. Anthony Paretta 14. Michael Kowalski 15. Mike Fragola 16. Robert Sherry 17. Joe Warren Jr. 18. Wendy Rommeney 19. Charles Astacio 20. Franky Abbatiello 21. Taylor Schewire 22. Charles Sherry 23. Aiden Farrell 24. David Olivari 25. Jeremy Rand 26. Ryan Warren 27. Ed LaSpina 28. George Astacio 29. Chris Smith
School Bus Demolition Derby: Winner-Jon Calfa
