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Riverhead, NY Aug. 23rd
By Bob Finan
A combination of chamber of commerce weather coupled with a School Bus Demolition Derby drew a standing room only crowd to Riverhead Raceway Saturday evening for another exciting race program. Eric Hersey of Commack led the NASCAR Advance Auto Parts Weekly Series winners when he topped the 25-lap Eagle Chevrolet Crate Modified feature. The large turnout was confirmed as the largest since Eddie & Connie Partridge & Tom Gatz began operating the historic venue in 2016 after purchasing it in 2015.
The 25-lap Eagle Chevrolet Crate Modified event, despite a short field had a tough time getting underway with two single car crashes before a lap was registered. Pole sitter Vinny Delaney, a championship contender coming into Saturday grabbed the wall off turn four to start the first lap, his car seemingly not turning on corner exit. On the second attempt to get the race going, Kenneth Massa Jr. making his first start of 2025 was collected by the wall under the starters stand. Both Delaney and Massa were done for the race. When the race finally got some green flag laps in AJ DeSantis showed the way over Eric Hersey, both drivers out to win their second race of the season. Hersey followed in DeSantis’s tire track early, as did third place runner Andrew Farnham, he also hoping for a second win. The trio ran in a string until the 13th lap when Hersey poked his nose under DeSantis to take the race lead exiting the fourth turn. Farnham tried to follow Hersey under DeSantis, but AJ shut the door. Over the final half of the contest Eric Hersey would lead the remainder of the race earning his fifth career win in the Peterson Irrigation Chevy. AJ DeSantis of Yaphank held on for second in his Strong Oil/Sunoco entry while Andrew Farnham of Baldwin completed the podium with his LA Technology Group machine.
Jim Laird Jr. of Islip Terrace collected his second straight Blunderbust win of the year when he topped their 30-lap main event, a race that featured many twists and turns along the way. Tom Sullivan powered to the early race advantage with Kyle Curtis in tow for the first circuit. After starting third, Jim Laird Jr. ventured to the outside of the track to overhaul Curtis for second on lap 2. he first plot twist came on the 3rd lap when the yellow waved for championship leader Cody Triola, who spun in his own fluid in turn four, not only did Cody have to pit, but his championship rival Joe Densieski was sent pit side with sheet metal from the rear of his car. Both returned for the restart. When the race did resume, Laird rode the outside lane by Sullivan to take the race lead to start the 4th lap of the extra distance tilt. On a mission, Triola was on the march from the rear of the field, as was Densieski. On lap 15 Triola worked his way by Sullivan for second, but lady luck had one more obstacle in store for Cody. While his hopes of catching Laird faded, Triola was a solid second before his left rear tire went down causing him to spin on lap 22, Cody pitted and returned. As the race went back green for the final time Jim Laird Jr. drove the Stakey’s Pumpkin Farm Caprice to his third win of 2025, 19th of his career tying him with rival Triola for 5th all time. Charging from the rear after pitting, Joe Densieski of Riverhead was runner-up in the Relle Electric Chevy, Tom Sullivan of Massapequa crossed the line third with his Island Trees Automotive racer. Cody Triola rallied back to 6th.
The record book will show that Anthony Marsh of Riverhead led all 20-lap of the INEX legend Race Car event at Riverhead Raceway, what it won’t show is the pressure the local driver had to withstand to collect his first win of 2025. When the green lights came up, Marsh drove out front to lead Jim Sylvester early. Ironically a yellow flag waved for debris that came off Sylvester’s car to set-up the first double file restart of the race. When the race did resume championship leader Kyle Ellwood dipped under Sylvester for second setting his sights on his rival Marsh for the lead. Running right behind the lead tandem were Richie Davidowitz Riely O’Keefe and Chevy Rommeney, all close enough to pounce if the leaders made a mistake. For the middle segment of the race Ellwood was all over Marsh for the top spot. As the race moved along to the later stages, Marsh was able to breathe slightly when Ellwood was pressured by Davidowitz for second. Richie was able to slide under Kyle for the position exiting turn four to start the 18th lap but by the time he got there Anthony Marsh in the George Tomko Racing prepared coupe was taking the checker flag for the 6th time in his career. Richie Davidowitz of East Moriches was second at the line in his racer backed by Freddie & Megan Kraft, while Riely O’Keefe of Manorville made a late race pass of Kyle Ellwood for third in the Jim Sylvester owned, Joe Ryan Race Cars entry.
The 20-lap Mini Stock feature turned out to be a battle of brothers between CJ Zukowski and Ryan Zukowski, both from Riverhead for the win. Over the first half of the race CJ showed Ryan the way, as Ryan made his first start in a car he recently bought from Tony Collinsworth. On lap 10 Ryan got a good run under CJ off the second corner to take the lead, but older brother CJ was right there looking to cross him back over for the lead. As the race entered the final five laps, CJ was able to reclaim the lead from Ryan and this time keep it in his Walls of Fame Cavalier. The triumph was CJ’s second of 2025, the 11th of his career. Ryan was runner-up in the Busy Bee Pest Control racer; former champion Joe Cooke Jr. of Shirley made a rare Mini Stock start and was third in the Island Technology Honda.
One thing was for certain in the 15-lap INEX Bandolero Outlaw event, John Alaimo of Miller Place was leaving nothing to chance as he led all the way for his second win of 2025. Alaimo raced out front at the throw of the green, but the race was halted after a lap when something broke on Madison Tomaszewski’s car, stopping just before contact with the wall in the fourth turn. When the race resumed Alaimo remained out front over Aria Ligon until the fourth circuit when Thomas Grattan passed Ligon for second. However, John Alaimo in his Turf King Outlaw had them all covered driving off to his fourth career victory. Thomas Grattan of Southold padded his championship lead with runner-up honors in the Reeve Farm Stand machine, Aria Ligon of Center Moriches completed the podium with her Chesterfield Associates Outlaw.
It was another “double dip” weekend for third generation racer Landon Solomito of Little Compton, RI when he backed up a Friday night win at the Seekonk, Ma. Speedway with his third INEX Bandolero Bandit 15-lap victory of 2025 at Riverhead Raceway. Wasting zero time, Landon powered his way from his third starting spot to the lead at the start of the race, chased early by Christian Ryan. On lap 5 Mason Goodale passed Ryan for second, but there was no catching the Acme Sanitary Services Bandit of Landon Solomito who sped to victory. Emmett Grattan of Southold was moved to second at the finish in the Southold IGA Bandit and brother Blake, who survived early race contact was awarded third in his Southold PBA entry. Unfortunately, Mason Goodale was disqualified for unapproved carburetor jets post-race.
Prior to his big brothers win, Brody Solomito’s path to victory lane in the INEX Bandolero Beginners race wasn’t quite as smooth as Landon’s, but he arrived there none the less. Mason Dickerson broke out front at the outset, with Alexis Gatz in tow. On lap 4 Gatz’s fine run ended in the frontstretch wall after contact drawing the caution, a well-timed caution for Brody Solomito who had just dipped onto the infield. While the Gatz car was removed, Solomito had his towed into the pits and his team made repairs. When the race went green again, Dickerson remained out front over Scarlett Dumicich, while Solomito quickly rebounded to third. On lap 6 Solomito moved by Dumicich for second, and one lap later raced his way by Dickerson for the lead with three laps left in the contest. Once leading Brody led the rest of the way for his second win in a row with his Natural Design Co. racer. Mason Dickerson of Southold was second in the Sea-Tow Services entry, Tyler Ross of Manorville claimed third in the MC-11 prepared machine.
A historic 11 buses took to the infield for a rock ’em, sock ’em School Bus Demolition Derby that was finally won by Street Stock racer Chris “Short Round” Lescenski of Riverhead. Chris would have to outlast the “Z-Man” Ryan Zukowski also of Riverhead in a slugfest to score his first ever win in the popular event. Both Frank Dumicich Jr. of East Quogue and Paul Wojcik of Patchogue rolled their buses during the contest, both climbed out uninjured.
Crate Modifieds: 1. Eric Hersey 2. AJ Desantis 3. Andrew Farnham 4. Michael Berner 5. Richie Davidowitz 6. Tom Sekulski 7. Vinny Delaney 8. Kenneth Massa Jr.
Blunderbusts: 1. Jim Laird Jr. 2. Joe Densieski 3. Tom Sullivan 4. Gary Caldwell 5. Emily Hubbard 6. Cody Triola 7. Tom Puccia 8. Kyle Curtis 9. Anthony Copobianco 10. William Steed 11. Brad Bess 12. Liam Macwhinnie
Legend Race Cars: 1. Anthony Marsh 2. Richie Davidowitz 3. Riely O’Keefe 4. Kyle Ellwood 5. Chevy Rommeney 6. Jeff Farruggia Jr. 7. Chris Sinatro 8. Eric Hersey 9. Pat Moore 10. Mike Renn 11. Michael Metcalf 12. Jayden Glennerster 13. Marissa Stewart 14. Nick Hodge 15. Alex Halinar 16. Mike Van Houten Jr. 17. Jim Sylvester 18. Charles Hodge 19. Kevin Ohrnberger 20. Ed Stadtlander 21. Billy King Jr. 22. Phillip Alaimo 23. Rich Braun 24. Joe Cooke Jr.
Mini Stocks: 1. CJ Zukowski 2. Ryan Zukowski 3. Joe Cooke Jr. 4. Joe Warren Jr. 5. Chris Olivari 6. Paul Wojcik 7. Eoughan Heyward 8. Hunter Cummings 9. Charles Astacio 10. George Astacio
Bandolero Outlaws: 1. John Alaimo 2. Thomas Grattan 3. Aria Ligon 4. Tyler Oxee 5. Grace Cheslak 6. Michael Barry 7. Madsion White 8. Antonio D’Alonzo 9. Madison Tomaszewski
Bandolero Bandits: 1. Landon Solomito 2. Emmett Grattan 3. Blake Grattan 4. Leighton Van Houten 5. Mackenzie Ulmet 6. Wyatt Goodale 7. Christian Ryan 8. Layla Quilliam 9. Brooke Meyer DQ- Mason Goodale
Bandolero Beginners: 1. Brody Solomito 2. Mason Dickerson 3. Tyler Ross 4. Scarlett Dumicich 5. Megan Cummings 6. Alexis Gatz
School Bus Demolition Derby: Winner- Chris Lescenski
