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Riverhead, NY July 26th
By Bob Finan
Photo: Jimmy Hayden/Myracenews
Owen Grennan of Glen Cove, a schoolteacher by day doesn’t return to work in the East Meadow school district for a few weeks, however Saturday night at Riverhead Raceway he taught his fellow NASCAR Modified competitors a lesson when he won the 50-lap Advance Auto Parts Night feature. Owen led all 50-circuits and became the 7th different winner in seven starts for the Modifieds in 2025.
Slated to start from the pole, Owen Grennan chose the outside lane moving front row mate Dylan Slepian to the inside. When the green flag dropped Grennan got a monster launch on Slepian to move out front before the race was halted after the 1st lap for CJ Lehmann who stopped by the first turn with a damaged right front. When the field was realigned Grennan again chose the top again leaping out to a lead over Slepian, a scenario that would repeat itself after a few laps later when caution flew for Michael Rutkoski who was in the fence with damage in the second corner. On the ensuing restart, Grennan riding the high lane for the double file resumption remained out front with defending champion John Beatty Jr. racing by Slepian for second.
Beatty, the most recent winner entering Saturday would be able to stay in Grennan’s tire tracks but that would be about it for the balance of the contest. When the checker flags waved Owen Grennan earned his second career win in the Black Forest Auto Chevy. When quizzed about his choice of the outside for the start of the race and subsequent restarts Owen revealed his thought process, “I decided to pick the top and go like hell, it was tough on the bottom tonight” Grennan, who won the 2024 regular season finale for his first career win added, “have to thank Black Forest Auto, they helped with getting this engine and of course Eastport Feeds who support my and my brother Chase’s journey and our longtime sponsor Dillner Precast”.
John Beatty Jr. of Merrick and his MSM Elite Motorsports team continued their march for a third consecutive championship finishing second, while Marl Stewart of Riverhead made some restart moves of his own to complete the podium in third with the Cromer’s Market Chevy. Timmy Solomito of Islip and Chase Grennan of Glen Cove were fourth and fifth.
The Two for TK Twin 9 Figure Eight events became a Pedersen family affair, which has been the story of the 2025 season for the division. In the opening 9-lap dash Ryan Warren, who was driving for Tommy and Kathy Kraft at the time of TK’s passing jumped to the early race lead. Ryan had just received delivery of his freshened engine earlier in the week and thrashed to make his first start of 2025 to honor his fallen owner. Ryan led from the throw of the green until the final corner when Allan Pedersen, who got by Kim Hyde for second on lap 5 came calling. Racing through the final corner Pedersen nudged Warren getting to send the leader up the hill enough for Allan to score the last-minute win, his second of 2035, 8th of his career. Afterwards the driver of the Top Notch Performance Camaro admitted, “yeah, I gave him a shot there on the last lap, I know I probably have one coming” Ryan Warren of Ridge was a heartbroken runner-up in the Big Sal’s powered entry, defending champion Scott Pedersen of Shirley third in the Bobby’s One Stop Custom Exhaust & Auto Chevy.
In the 9-lap Two of TK nightcap Kim Hyde would be the driver to impress early, hoping to score her first career win in a race that means so much to the entire Figure Eight family. Kim was out front when Ryan Warren, of all people came calling. On lap 5 entering the first corner Warren got into Hyde just enough to spin her from the lead, thwarting Kim’s quest to become the first ever female Figure Eight winner for the time being. Warren was sent to the rear for his role. When the race continued after caution, Scott Pedersen inherited the lead and the four-time champion never looked back driving to a milestone 20th career victory in his Land, Air, Water Environmental Camaro. Will “The Thrill: Farrell of Mastic crossed the line second in the Boom Burger of Westhampton coupe, while Ryan Warren rallied back from his penalty for third.
If you believe in symmetry in numbers, then the winner of the 25-lap Eagle Chevrolet Crate Modified feature Saturday should have come as no surprise. Michael Berner of Patchogue, who like “TK” Tommy Kraft has the number nine on the sides of his car drove to his first victory of 2025, oh and for good measure, Berner’s winning machine carried a photo tribute to Kraft on the rear panel. Tommy Sekulski led the first lap of the event from the pole but unfortunately spun after contact starting the second lap. Berner, who started alongside Sekulski would power to the lead on the restart with impressive rookie Joe Warren Jr. in tow. Veteran Vinny Delaney made his way to the challengers’ role on lap 4 ducking under Warren for a pass to see if he had anything for the leader. As the laps clicked off, with “TK” riding on the back of his Clean River Environmental Chevy, Michael Berner collected his 9th career triumph, tying him for fourth all time with Michael Rutkoski. Vinny Delaney of Islip Terrace was runner-up in the Sea Crystal Polls entry; championship leader Eric Hersey of Commack rounded out the podium with his Peterson Irrigation racer.
Joe Densieski of Riverhead realized the dream of a lifetime Saturday after he led from start to finish to come home victorious in a non-stop, 20-lap Blunderbust event. Ever since strapping into the Handley Racing entry, Densieski has wanted to add another winner’s sticker to the dashboard that already contains over 60 such stickers. Saturday, he did just that after he leaped out front at the throw of the green and never looked back in the Hydro Action Caprice. “I have spent 54 years of my life at this place” Joe surmised in victory lane, “I have won as a pit crew member, crew chief and a car owner, I wanted to win pretty badly as a driver too, pretty cool”. Tom Sullivan of Massapequa chased Densieski for the entire race distance but settled for second in the Island Trees Automotive racer. The best battle of the race was for third between Cody Triola of Bay Shore and Jim Laird Jr. of Islip Terrace. Unfortunately, it was for naught, as both were disqualified for unapproved camshafts post-race. Liam Macwhinnie of Southampton was third in his East West Pest Control Chevy.
In the 30-lap INEX Legend Race Car event, Kyle Ellwood of Riverhead became the first repeat winner in six races after being in the right place, at the right time Saturday. Veteran driver Ray Fitzgerald, whose 2024 season was cut short by a hard crash broke to the early lead and was hopeful of having his comeback come full circle. Fitzgerald had a series of challengers early on including, Jayden Glennerster, Jim Sylvester and Chevy Rommeney. The race was interrupted numerous times by caution, and it was during a 17th lap restart Chase Van Houten slipped by Rommeney for second dropping Chevy to third. Often times in racing whether on a big or small track racers often go for the same piece of real estate; such was the case on lap 23 when Fitzgerald and Van Houten touched in turn two. Fitzgerlad spun, Van Houten was trying to dance around him when he was clipped by Rommeney, the top three all collected. That innocent racing incident parted the season for Kyle Ellwood who was running fourth, testing Rommeney for third at the time. Kyle came through unscathed in the Millennium Limited Contracting coupe and was the new leader for the lap 23 restart. When the race resumed Kyle was able to get away just enough while Anthony Marsh, who restarted second was passed by Will Sipala in the first turn, with Marsh going wide, Ben Morabito raced his way to third, despite having to pit early after an incident. Despite two hungry young INEX Legend Race Car talents on his heels Kyle Ellwood drove to his 27th career victory and now is just two shy of all-time leading winner Richie Davidowitz. Will Sipala of Manorville was a stellar second in the Riteway Automotive Center machine, Ben Morabito of Miller Place came home third in the Nowak Motorsports entry.
Soft spoken Phil LaManna of Smithtown roared through the field to win the 40-lap Truck Enduro for his second tally of 2025. Former champion Justin McGrady paced the race early on and would lead the first dozen laps of the tilt. 2024 8-Cylinder Enduro champion Kevin Feeney moved to second and was closing in on McGrady when all of a sudden Phil LaManna joined the party. By the time the 13th lap started LaManna in the EP Milling & Sweeping Chevy had the lead, a lead he’d never surrender. Mariah Lawrence of Southampton made a late race charge for runner-up honors in her Total Dental General Lee, Kevin Feeney of Quogue settled for third in the HAM Racing mount.
NASCAR Modifieds: 1. Owen Grennan 2. John Beatty Jr. 3. Mark Stewart 4. Timmy Solomito 5. Chase Grennan 6. Chris Young 7. JR Bertuccio 8. Dylan Slepian 9, Roger Turbush 10. Matt Brode 11. Chris Rogers 12. Kyle Ellwood 13. CJ Lehmann 14. Tom Rogers Jr. 15. Michael Rutkoski
Crate Modifieds: 1. Michael Berner 2. Vinny Delaney 3. Eric Hersey 4. Richie Davidowitz 5. Joey Braun 6. Joe Warren Jr. 7. AJ DeSantis 8. Tom Sekulski 9. Thomas Grattan
TK Twin 9 Figure Eight #1: 1. Allan Pedersen 2. Ryan Warren 3. Scott Pedersen 4. Will Farrell 5. Kim Hyde 6. Bobby Dalke 7. Tyler Farrell 8. David White
TK Twin 9 Figure Eight #2: 1. Scott Pedersen 2. Will Farrell 3, Ryan Warren 4. Kim Hyde 5. Tyler Farrell 6. David White 7. Bob Dalke 8. Allan Pedersen
Blunderbusts: 1. Joe Densieski 2. Tom Sullivan 3. Liam Macwhinnie 4. Kyle Curtis 5. Anthony Copobianco 6. Emily Hubbard 7. Brad Bess DQ- Cody Triola, Jim Laird Jr.
Legend Race Cars: 1. Kyle Ellwood 2. Will Sipala 3. Ben Morabito 4. Chris Sinatro 5. Jim Sylvester 6. Anthony Marsh 7. Jeff Farruggia Jr. 8. Pat Moore 9. Allan Pedersen 10. Mike Van Houten Jr. 11. Michael Metcalf 12. Alex Halinar 13. Ed Stadtlander 14. Marissa Stewart 15. Ray Fitzgerald 16. Phillip Alaimo 17. Frank Dumicich Jr. 18. Kevin Ohrnberger 19. Joe Cooke Jr. 20. Charles Hodge 21. Chevy Rommeney 22. Kendall Van Houten 23. Jayden Glennerster 24. Chase Van Houten 25. Nick Hodge 26. Riely O’Keefe
Truck Enduro (top ten): 1. Phil LaManna 2. Mariah Lawrence 3. Kevin Feeney 4. Justin McGrady 5. Woot Lawrence 6. Chris Grover 7. Jackie Germuth 8. Eric Germuth 9. Brandon LaManna 10. Ryan Wertz
