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Riverhead, NY Aug. 16th
By Bob Finan
Photo: Ted Batkin
Dylan Slepian of Dix Hills ended a three-year dry spell for he and car owner Rob Pelis Saturday night at Riverhead Raceway as he drove to victory in the annual Baldwin, Evans & Jarzombek 77 NASCAR Modified event. Dylan’s winning pass for many was reminiscent of winning passes executed by “Charging” Charlie Jarzombek when Slepian took to the outside lane to take the lead and eventual victory, his first since September of 2022.
In Unique Golf Pole Award qualifying Owen Grennan tool the $200 bonus when he clicked off a lap of 11.834, Roger Turbush was second quick at 11.876. When the green flags waved Grennan filed into the lead with Turbush in tow while Jack Handley Jr. and Dylan Slepian ran third and fourth early with Slepian taking third in a timely manner. Soon after, the only caution flag of the contest would wave on lap 11 for John Beatty Jr. and Mark Stewart who both spun off the second corner after contact. This afforded Slepian the opportunity to line up to the inside in third and when the green lights came back on he was able to wrestle second away from, Roger Turbush on the restart.
The race settled in for a 66-lap green flag run until the finish with Grennan now pacing Slepian, Turbush, Chase Grennan and Chris Rogers. At first Slepian kept pace with leader Grennan but at times would also back down his pursuit hoping to conserve tire wear, but he’d have to pick up his pace when Turbush and the others closed in. It would be with 20-laps remaining in the race honoring three iconic NASCAR Modified drivers that things would heat up.
After a few laps of taking a look to the inside of Grennan, Slepian quickly shifted his game plan the outside lane as a possible avenue to the race lead. When Dylan started looking up top, Roger Turbush would fill the gap under Slepian, with Chris Rogers and Matt Brode waiting in the wings. On lap 69 Slepian was able to gain a run on leader Grennan, who was giving his former teammate plenty of room to operate. When the field started the 70th circuit, Dylan Slepian in true Jarzombek form rode the outside groove to the race lead with the Eastport Feeds Chevy. Once out-front Dylan opened a comfortable cushion over the final seven circuits to collect his first win as a married man,
After he took starter Jim Kelly’s dueling checker flags, the sigh of relief from Slepian and the Pelis team was almost heard over the roar of the cars. “it’s been a long time” Slepian, who downed two bottles of water before exiting his car admitted, but was quick to add, “it’s not like we’ve been irrelevant, we have had speed, just some tough luck along the way. When quizzed about his old school pass outside of Grennan, Slepian who steered the Chevette of Charlie Jarzombek in the Vintage All Star race earlier complimented his foe, “you can only go out there if a guy lets you go out there. I have to thank Owen for the clean race and respect he showed me”.
Owen Grennan of Glen Cove settled for runner-up money with his Dillner Precast entry, while Roger Turbush of Calverton completed the podium in the Cromer’s Market Chevy. Chris Rogers of Patchogue was fourth, Matt Brode of East Islip scored another top five with his fifth place showing.
The Pedersen family stranglehold on TK Figure Eight victory lane in 2025 remained intact when Allan Pedersen of Center Moriches collected his third win of the campaign. Will Farrell jumped to a commanding advantage at the start chased by Bob Dalke for the first lap, Kim Hyde passed Dalke on lap 2. Tyler Farrell stalled in the first corner drawing a yellow and erasing the lead built by his father. On the ensuing restart Farrell remained out front while Allan Pedersen was overtaking Hyde for second. One lap later Allan raced his way by Farrell for the race lead, a lead he’d never surrender in the Top Notch Performance Chevy. The victory was Allan’s 9th of his career ranking him 17th on the track win list, now just two behind his uncle Arne Pedersen. Scott Pederson of Shirley was runner-up in the Bobby’s One Stop Custom Exhaust & Auto Camaro, Will “The Thrill” Farrell of Mastic finished on the podium in third with his Boom Burger coupe.
Jack Handley Jr. of Medford pocketed his second Super Pro Truck win of 2025 when the defending champion won their 20-lap feature. More often than not, Handley and Sean Glennon have slugged it out for victories in 2025, Saturday was no exception. Pole sitter Frank Dumicich Jr. and Lou Maestri made up the front row, but a false start was called and sadly for Lou he suffered a flat tire. When the race did go green Dumicich led the first cycle before Jack Handley slipped by on lap 2. One lap later Sean Glennon came calling moving to second on lap 3 and once again it would be a slide job, paint swapping fight for the lead with Handley and Glennon. Jack led until lap 5, Sean took the lead from the outside on lap 6, they would swap the top spot a couple of times before things got too close on lap 14, just six laps from the finish. As the tandem, who were closely pursued by Dumicich and Charles Sudano from behind hit the first turn to start the 15th lap, both went up the hill. Dumicich, like any good racer would saw the daylight under the leaders and sent his truck in low, the odd man out in the three-wide scenario would be Glennon who drew a caution with a broken front suspension. When the race resumed Handley in his East Side Builders Toyota would lead Dumicich. with Sudano applying the heat for second in the closing laps. When the checker waved Jack Handley Jr. earned his 26th career win, moving him into sole possession of third on the all-time win list. Charles Sudano of Merrick is knocking on the door of a first career win, was second with his L.I. Debris Chevy, Frank Dumicich Jr. of East Quogue crossed the line third with the Okpetroleummarketplace.com Toyota.
Former Blunderbust champion Brandon Hubbard of Mastic is enjoying his new driving life with the Street Stock division after he won his third race of 2025 Saturday in a 20-lap contest. Armed with the pole for the start, Hubbard quickly asserted himself as the car to beat. Gerard Lawrence, subbing for Danny Pizzo who was recovering from a surgical procedure chased Hubbard early on. The race was slowed by two caution flags at lap 12, the first for James Dipietro who slowed with a flat in turn one and on the attempt to restart the race Alyssa Paprocky and Brian Brown got together off the second corner. When the race did resume Jarrod Hayes inserted himself into the conversation from third, as he and Lawrence were about to embark on a battle for second. That was just fine by leader Hubbard. Hayes took second from laps 14-16, before Lawrence came storming back on lap 17. All the while Brandon Hubbard with the Top Twenty Motorsports Chevy drove off to the win. Gerard Lawrence of Rocky Point was second in Danny Pizzo’s racer, with Jarrod Hayes in the J&R’s Steak House of Calverton third.
For the third time during the Eddie Partridge Vintage All Star season, Sal Accardi Jr. of Deer Park put the former Tom Baldwin 7NY in victory lane at the conclusion of 15-laps. Don Howe, a former five-time Riverhead Raceway Modified champion drove his RE Chassis Cavalier to the race lead over Accardi in the Baldwin Pontiac., these the actual cars, not replicas, as was the case for Dylan Slepian who races his way to third in the Charlie Jarzombek Chevette. A Vinny Siraco spin on lap 11 slowed the race and set-up a restart that frankly didn’t end well for Howe, nor Slepian. When the race resumed Howe and Slepian got together with Slepian spinning around with a left rear flat under the starters standing drawing an immediate caution, Tom Pickerell stopped with nowhere to go as well. When the race got back underway Accardi raced out front in the A-Plus Auto Salvage as Howe Balked on the restart, once in command Accardi led the remaining laps. John Cote of Bethel, NY was second, John Jasinski of Flanders third.
Baldwin, Evans & Jarzombek 77: 1. Dylan Slepian 2. Owen Grennan 3. Roger Turbush 4. Chris Rogers 5. Matt Brode 6. Jack Handley Jr. 7. Tom Rogers Jr. 8. CJ Lehmann 9. Kyle Ellwood 10. Chris Young 11. John Beatty Jr. 12. JR Bertuccio 13. Mark Stewart 14. Jack Baldwin 15. Chase Grennan
TK Figure Eights: 1. Allan Pedersen 2. Scott Pedersen 3. Will Farrell 4. Kim Hyde 5. Tyler Farrell 6. Bob Dalke
Super Pro Trucks: 1. Jack Handley Jr. 2. Charles Sudano 3. Frank Dumicich Jr. 4. Lou Maestri 5. Dave Koenig 6. Liam Patrick 7. Tony Naglieri 8. Frank Dumicich Sr. 9. Cillian Tennant 10. Eric Dumicich 11. Sean Glennon
Street Stocks: 1. Brandon Hubbard 2. Gerard Lawrence 3. Jarrod Hayes 4. Ricky Carman 5. Kyle Halpin 6. Tom Sullivan 7. Brian Brown 8. Chris Lescenski 9. PJ McGay 10. James Dipietro 11. Alyssa Paprocky 12. Dave Antos 13. Bob Dalke 14. Rich Braun 15. Anthony Foerster 16. Dennis Kurras 17. John Harley 18. Chris McGuire DNS- Anthony Caccioppo
Vintage All Stars: 1. Sal Accardi Jr. 2. John Cote 3. John Jasinski 4. Vinny Siraco 5. Mike Siraco 6. Tom Pickerell 7. Jimmy Reed Sr. 8. Frank Saladino 9. Mark Miller 10. Pat Hughes 11. Don Howe 12. Dylan Slepian 13. Don Conradis 14. Tony Ferrante Jr.
