0
0
Riverhead, NY Aug. 17th
By Bob Finan
In a racing sense, Timmy Solomito of Islip transcended time Saturday evening at Riverhead Raceway, as he won the annual Baldwin Evans & Jarzombek 77 scoring a clean sweep after setting quick time in qualifying. Solomito’s second Tour Type Modified win of 2024 came just minutes after he won the Eddie Partridge Vintage All Star event in the late Charlie Jarzombek’s Chevette of Ricky Jarzombek.
After clicking off a lap of 11.479, best of 21 cars in qualifying Timmy Solomito and Jack Handley Jr., 11.615 made up the front row for the 77 honoring three NASCAR Modified icons. At the throw of the green “The Natural” Timmy Solomito broke to the lead with Jack Handley and Michael Rutkoski on his heels over the first six laps. On lap 7 Dylan Slepian moved by Rutkoski for third and quickly moved in on Handley for second. On lap 13 Slepian made his way by Handley, quickly setting his sights on leader Solomito. It was at this point of the race a long green flag run unfolded with Solomito, Slepian and Handley making up the top three.
However, things would heat up in the final segment of the race. After the race hit the 50-lap mark Slepian started to turn up the heat on leader Solomito, perhaps forcing Timmy to run harder than he’d like. After a caution flag for a minor incident. Slepian was able to line up alongside Solomito for the restart and the duo ran side by side to start the 58th lap. As they started to exit the second turn Solomito and Slepian wheels hopped each other with the challenger winding up in the wall, none too happy about the turn of events.
When the race resumed on lap 58 Solomito remained the race leader after race control deemed his contact with Slepian incidental, Michael Rutkoski sat second when the race restarted. The move of the race was soon to come when Chris Rogers threw his car three wide on the outside through turns three and four, passing Jack Handley for third as well Rutkoski for second in one clean swoop.
In the end there was no stopping the USNE Energy Chevy of Timmy Solomito from earning his 26th career NASCAR Modified victory at the demanding bullring. When pressed post-race about the turn two incident with Slepian the race winner pulled no punches, “just hard racing” Solomito reviewed, “I feel his left front got onto my right front when he turned down and he wound up in the wall”. Moving past the on-track action Timmy again thanked those most important to him, can’t thank my Mom & Dad for all they do, my brother Shawn, he’s not here tonight, home with the kids, but it’s his set-up”.
Chris Rogers of Patchogue thrilled the fans with his three wide maneuvers earning him runner-up honors in the Coors Light entry, Michael Rutkoski of Mattituck was third in the United Rentals Chevy. Jack Handley Jr. of Medford and defending track champion John Beatty Jr. of Merrick were fourth and fifth.
If you would have told “Blankets” Joey Braun before the season started, he would not have gotten his first INEX Legend Race Car win until August, he probably would have taken you off his Christmas card list. Low and behold when the 20-lap feature event ended Braun of Manorville collected his first win of 2024. Ryan Lutz and Brain made up the front row of the 26-car starting grid, both drivers were in a dead heat to lead lap 1. On the second cycle Lutz held a slight lead, but things would quickly go south for the second-generation driver. On lap 3 Braun got a good run off the fourth corner and Lutz to the inside tried to rally back entering the first turn. Before they got to the turn, contact was made and Lutz spun to the infield. When the race resumed Braun remained the leader with veteran Ray Fitzgerald now second. Fitzgerald instead of concerning himself with chasing down the leader, soon found himself in defense mode as Kyle Ellwood was all over him. On lap 13 Ellwood, who finished 4th in a Tour Type Modified race the night before at the Stafford Motor Speedway got by for second. By the time Ellwood got to second Joey Braun was too far out front taking the win in his HighMark Building Efficiency coupe, the 16th of his young career. Kyle Ellwood of Riverhead was runner-up in the Millennium Limited Contracting machine, Ray Fitzgerald of Manorville completed the podium in the EP Milling & Sweeping entry.
Before winning the modern-day Baldwin, Evans & Jarzombek 77, Timmy Solomito strapped into the Jarzombek Chevette Modified built by Ricky and Charlie on their Baiting Hollow farm. Many believe it was this car built with a radical offset that started the 56% left side weight rule still used today in Modified racing. John Jasinski and Dylan Slepian, in one of the Jarzombek Vega’s brought the field to green for the 15-lap Eddie Partridge Vintage All Star event. Jasinski spun the wheels on the start allowing Timmy Solomito to come front third to the lead on lap 1, with Slepian second. On lap 2, Sal Accardi brought his “Tiger” Tom Baldwin 7NY to second passing Slepian, who soon dropped to the infield out of the race. It didn’t matter who ran second as Solomito ran away and his in the AG Schmidt Chevette. On lap 12, Solomito clicked off a lap of 11.825 as he was dominating the race. Sal Accardi of Deer Park was second in the A-Plus Auto Salvage Cavalier, John Jasinski of Riverhead was third in the Boots Built Vega, a throwback to Gary Cretty’s Vega.
Former Truck Enduro champion Don Nelson Jr. of Rocky Point won the 40-lap main event which was contested after a rain shower hit the track. Nelson dedicated the win to his late girlfriend Kimberly who he lost recently. Following the Nelson Brothers Racing driver at the finish was current championship leader Mariah Lawrence of Southampton in the Total Dental of Mattituck machine, Gary Voight of Medford was third in the A. Voight Towing mount.
When rain moved over the track the Eagle Chevrolet Crate Modified and Super Pro Truck features were scrapped for the night. Track management are now looking at the schedule to see where they can be fit in.
NASCAR Modifieds: 1. Timmy Solomito 2. Chris Rogers 3. Michael Rutkoski 4. Craig Lutz 5. Jack Handley Jr. 6. John Beatty Jr. 7. Matt Brode 8. Owen Grennan 9. Mark Stewart 10. Luke Baldwin 11. Lou Strohl 12. JB Fortin 13. Jack Baldwin 14. Chris Young 15. Tom Rogers Jr. 16. Dave Brigati 17. Dylan Slepian 18. JR Bertuccio 19. Chuck Hossfeld 20. Roger Turbush 21. CJ Lehmann
Legend Race Cars: 1. Joey Braun 2. Kyle Ellwood 3. Ray Fitzgerald 4. Chase Van Houten 5. Kevin Nowak 6. Ben Morabito 7. Anthony Marsh 8. Brad Van Houten 9. Jayden Glennerster 10. Jeff Farruggia 11. Riely O’Keefe 12. Ryan Barbieri 13. Mike Van Houten Jr. 14. Rodney Dowless Jr. 15. Chris Sinatro 16. Alex Halinar 17. Ray Stulz 18. Charles Hodge 19. Phillip Alaimo 20. Will Sipala 21. Nick Kocis 22. Nick Hodge 23. Kevin Ohrnberger 24. Ed Stadtlander 25. Chevy Rommeney 26. Ryan Lutz
Vintage All Stars 1. Timmy Solomito 2. Sal Accardi Jr. 3. John Jasinski 4. Tony Ferrante Jr. 5. Don Howe 5. Mark Miller 6. Vinny Siraco 7. Ban Levangie 8. Mike Siraco 9. Frank Saladino 10. Jimmy Reed Jr. 11. Pay Hughes 12. Dylan Slepian
Truck Enduro: 1. Don Nelson Jr. 2. Mariah Lawrence 3. Gary Voight 4. Bobby Pease 5. Phil LaManna 6. Kevin Feeney 7. Justin McGrady 8. Woot Lawrence 9. Brandon LaManna 10. Brandon Hubbard 11. Jackie Germuth 12. Brandon Anderson 13. Kerry Botts 14. Jim Kelley 15. Rob Corwin 16. Chloe Phillips 17. Ryan Wertz 18. Chris Ward
