0
0
Riverhead, NY Sept. 14th.
By Bob Finan
Photo Michael Jaworecki/Myracenews
Prior to another exciting Eddie Partridge 256 for the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour, four Riverhead Raceway Advance Auto Parts Weekly Series divisions provided some thrills of their own. Brandon Turbush of Manorville finally rid his team of mechanical gremlins that have plagued them to capture his first 25-lap Late Model event of 2024. Ron Silk of Norwalk, CT completed a sweep of the 2024 Riverhead WMT winning the Eddie Partridge 256 for his third career tour win, and sixth overall Riverhead victory.
Brandon Turbush and Keith Rotzi lined up on the front row of the slim Late Model field with Turbush breaking out to the early advantage. Turbush, as was the case in prior races this season was able to get away from Ryan Zukowski who moved by Rotzi for second on the first lap. During the most recent LM contest Turbush was leading when a fuel pump quit forcing him to the pits during a caution period. Brandon did have a scare in this race too as just prior to the midway point of the race his car appeared to either bog or shut off exiting the fourth turn. This time however the issue cleared up and Turbush would lead the remainder of the race in the Freddy Ligon Racing entry for his first win of 2024, third of his career. Ryan Zukowski of Riverhead had another solid on track performance squashed in post-race tech after he was found with an unapproved carburetor. That graduated championship leader Jeremy McDermott of Riverhead in the JDP Mechanical racer to second and the Rudi’s Bar & Grill Chevy of Keith Rotzi of Islip to a third-place tally.
Cody Triola of Bay Shore currently is the hottest driver at Riverhead Raceway having won his third Blunderbust feature in a row Saturday during the Miller Lite Triple Crown Series 30-lap finale. Jim Laird Jr., back on track after recent transmission issues thanks to FB Transmissions, led the first five laps of the tilt, taking the lead from the outside pole. Pole sitter Tom Pickerell was second for the first lap before Cody Triola came from the third starting spot to get by and challenge Laird for the lead. Laird and Triola, who have recent history battled hard and clean for the lead which Triola took on the 6th circuit. Once the Cesspool Pros entry was out front it was all Cody Triola winning his 5th feature out of 8 races in 2024, 15th of his career. Laird of Islip was runner-up in the Stakey’s Pumpkin Farm Caprice while Tom Pickerell of Huntington sewed up the 2024 Miller Lute Triple Crown Series championship with a third-place finish in the Encore Rentals Chevy.
Former Street Stock champion Brian Brown of Calverton returned to his winning ways when he triumphed in the 20-lap feature event notching his first win of the season and milestone 10th of his career. Early on Chris Lescenski paced the race over Brian Brown before Brown completed an inside pass of Lescenski going up the backstretch to be scored the new race leader starting the 6th lap. Lescenski aside from losing the lead also lost second to impressive newcomer Charles Sudano on lap 7. The race was slowed on lap 11 for a two-car tangle involving Anthony Caccioppo and Kyle Halpin off the fourth turn, the following restart would change the look of the race. When action resumed Brown remained out front while Jarrod Hayes slipped under Sudano for second and the chase for the win was on. Over the final 8 laps Hayes glued himself to the back bumper of Brown’s machine, turning up the heat as the laps wore down. As the checker flags waved Brian Brown in the Eastport Feeds rare was not to be denied while Jarrod Hayes of Calverton settled for second in the North Fork Sanitation Chevy. Charles Sudano of Merrick turned heads with his podium finish of third in the L.I. Debris Chevy.
Tony Ferrante Jr. of New Hyde Park broke into victory lane when he topped the 15-lap Eddie Partridge Vintage All Star feature. Vinny Siraco showed the way for the first two laps before Ferrante put the Ferrante & Son Cavalier out front with a outside pass on the backstretch. Once Tony got out front, he never looked back scoring a popular win in front of many of the WMT teams he raced against. Sal Accardi Jr. of Deer Park was second in the A-Plus Auto Salvage Cavalier, with most recent winner Don Howe of Water Mill third in the Corwith’s Auto Body Chevy.
Late Models: 1. Brandon Turbush 2. Jeremy McDermott 3. Keith Rotzi 4. Ed Cheslak 5. Kevin Metzger 6. Ray Minieri 7. Scott Cheslak DQ-Ryan Zukowski
Blunderbusts: 1. Cody Triola 2. Jim Laird Jr. 3. Tom Pickerell 4. Tom Sullivan 5. Brad Bess 6. Bill Wegmann Sr. 7. Joe Densieski 8. Emily Hubbard 9. Liam Macwhinnie 10. Anthony Capobianco 11. Steve Fried 12. Joe Boccia
Street Stocks: 1. Brian Brown 2. Jarrod Hayes 3. Charles Sudano 4. Gerard Lawrence 5. Max Handley 6. Chris Lescenski 7. CJ Lehmann 8. Alysa Paprocky 9. Dennis Kurras 10. Tom Sullivan 11. Ricky Carman 12. John Harley 13. Kyle Halpin 14. James DiPietro 15. Bob Dalke 16. Anthony Caccioppo 17. PJ McGay 18. Luke Foerster 19. Danny Pizzo 20. Henry Cuesta
Vintage All Stars: 1. Tony Ferrante Jr. 2. Sal Accardi Jr. 3. Don Howe 4. Tom Pickerell 5. John Jasinski 6. Mike Siraco 7. Vinny Siraco 8. Jimmy Reed Jr. 9. Mark Miller 10. Frank Saladino 11. Pat Hughes 12. Don Conradis 13. Bill Auer
