0
0
Riverhead, NY March 10th
By Bob Finan
Photo: Tom Morris Racing Photography
The 2025 season at Riverhead Raceway will celebrate a milestone anniversary of the Route 58 oval as the track enters its 75th year of providing stock car racing thrills and family entertainment events. Track owners Connie Partridge and Tom Gatz will get the 75th Anniversary party started with a doubleheader weekend May 3rd and May 4th. Saturday evening the NASCAR Pack the Track opener will unfold for the Advance Auto Parts Weekly Series racers, while Sunday afternoon the Enduro & INEX Bandolero stars take to the track for the May Meltdown program.
Built in 1949, Riverhead Raceway presented its first race on dirt in 1951. The racing surface was converted to asphalt prior to the 1955 season, and since then the 14-degree banked quarter mile oval has thrilled generation after generation of racing fans. Since 1985 Riverhead Raceway has been a charter member of NASCAR, proudly hosting Whelen Modified Tour events annually and hosting Advance Auto Parts Weekly Series.
The chase for the 2025 NASCAR Modified championship will begin Saturday May 3rd with a 50-lap event. When the new schedule was released in January perhaps the most noticeable aspect of the agenda was a 13-race regular season for the Modifieds. In essence the NASCAR Modifieds will race on a every other week basis with one or two exceptions in 2025. Additionally, Riverhead again hosts two NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour events, The Miller Lite 200 Salute to Steve Park on June 14th and the Eddie Partridge 256 on September 6th. The 9th annual Islip 300 will unfold Saturday November 15th.
NASCAR Modified regular race distance will remain 50-laps for 2025, while the Crown Jewel Series is made up of the five extra distance events planned. The chase for the 2025 Ted Christopher Cup starts Saturday June 28th with the 75th Anniversary Celebration Flying Dutchman Tribute 75. Round two of the Crown Jewel Series unfolds on August 2nd featuring The Bubba 150, with the Baldwin, Evans & Jarzombek 77 set for two weeks later August 16th. The fourth of five TC Cup races takes to the grid September 13th with the Cecil Palm Tree 66 with the Islip 300 November 15th serving as the final event for the series.
Joining the Modifieds on NASCAR Pack the Track Night May 3rd are the Late Models, Eagle Chevrolet Crate Modifieds, Figure Eights, Blunderbusts, Super Pro Trucks and INEX Legend Race Cars. These divisions when not running in support of a NASCAR Modified event in 2025 will headline a weekly program from time to time. Unfortunately, it has been announced the Triple Crown Series that had been contested the past several seasons will not be in play this season.
The second half of the opening weekend features a Sunday matinee May 4th., the Street Stocks and Mini Stocks will headline the May Meltdown program with the popular INEX Bandolero racers, the driving stars of tomorrow in action as well. Add the wall-to-wall racing excitement of the Truck Enduro, 8-Cylinder Enduro and 4/6-Cylinder Gut & Go Enduro on Sunday for what is sure to be a wild afternoon of racing.
Spectator gates will open at 4:00 pm for the NASCAR Pack the Track Saturday evening program, opening ceremonies are scheduled for 6:00 pm. Sunday spectator gates for the May Meltdown open at 12 noon, opening ceremonies are at 1:00 pm.
Race teams planning on competing at Riverhead Raceway either full or part time are reminded to register their car numbers for 2025 by visiting http://www.riverheadraceway.com, follow the Competitors link to start the process. There is a $52 per car registration fee, no registration is deemed complete until all the pertinent information, including tax information is presented. There are NO in person registrations! Cars will not be permitted to hit the track without a fully completed registration.
Pre-season Safety Tech Inspection dates have been announced for Saturday April 5th and April 12th. Randy Murray and his staff will be available to inspect cars for safety first, there is a $20 per car inspection fee. No race cars will be permitted to practice during the pre-season practice days April 19th and April 26th without first going through and passing safety tech. If time and weather permit engines will be sealed. Under any circumstances there will be no starting race engines during the two Safety Tech inspection days, the track will provide a push truck as warranted.
The entire 2025 75th Anniversary schedule can be viewed @ http://www.riverheadraceway.com, emails reach management @ office@riverheadraceway.com, the phone number remains 631-842-RACE.
