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Riverhead, NY June 3rd
By Bob Finan
The weather is finally heating up on Long Island as is the early season excitement at Riverhead Raceway. If you crave racing, and plenty of it Saturday will satisfy that craving with 195-laps of NASCAR Advance Auto Parts Weekly Series and INEX feature racing planned across six divisions. The energetic night concludes with a wild School Bus race with this contest unfolding on the famed quarter mile oval.
Once the stock cars have completed their portion of the program the buses take to the track for a 15-lap event. In the first race of 2025, run on the Figure Eight course, Mike Van Houten Jr. of Jamesport held off the hard charging Frank Dumicich Jr, of East Quogue for an extremely popular win. Veteran race observers and new fans alike marvel as the 13-ton buses navigate the tight confines of Riverhead Raceway, with some drivers even attempting crossover moves in an attempt for victory.
The NASCAR Modifieds make their fourth start of 2025 Saturday with Chris Young of Calverton, Mark Stewart of Riverhead and Kyle Ellwood of Riverhead scoring victories to date, will one of the three collect a second win on the season, or will a new face emerge in victory lane at the end of 50-laps? Returning to action Saturday will be the Eagle Chevrolet Crate Modifieds for a 25-lap tilt and the same story applies with Owen Grennan of Glen Cove, Richie Davidowitz of East Moriches and Eric Hersey of Commack claiming wins over the first three races of 2025. Over in the Blunderbust paddock area, Cody Triola of Bay Shore won the first two races of the season before Jim Laird of Islip Terrace took the most recent tilt, the duo and others will battle for 20-laps Saturday.
Four INEX sanctioned feature events go to post led by the Legend Race Cars and their 20-lap affair. There have been no repeat winners in the first three races of the spring with Kyle Ellwood of Riverhead, Joey Braun of Manorville and Ben Morabito of Manorville taking checker flags. Thomas Grattan of Southold is two-for-three in the INEX Bandolero Outlaw ranks with Aria Ligon of Center Moriches scoring a single win, while Mason Goodale of Riverhead is dominating the INEX Bandolero Bandit action winning all three races contested. Tyler Ross of Westbury and Megan Cummings of Ronkonkoma are after their second INEX Bandolero Beginner win of 2025, if either one achieves that goal then they would bump up to the Bandits.
The wall-to-wall racing provided by the 4/6-Cylinder Enduro drivers will entertain with Chris Olivari of Coram and Ryan Warren of Ridge taking victories in the first two races of the young season. A Kids Big Wheel Race will start things off after opening ceremonies at 6:15 pm, the winners of the boys and girl categories get to keep their winning cars.
Spectator gates open at 4:00 pm, with qualifying set for 5:15 pm and opening ceremonies at 6:15 pm. Adult admission is $30, kids 6-12 $20, 5 & under are free.
To preview all events in 2025 please visit http://www.riverheadraceway.com, emails reach the track at office@riverheadraceway.com, our phone number remains 631-842-RACE.
