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Riverhead, NY May 2nd,
By Bob Finan
While Timmy Solomito of Islip and his family operated team haven’t set a solid schedule for their 2026 racing plans, one event he and his family had circled on their calendar was Riverhead Raceway opening night Saturday. When the checker flag waved over the 50-lap Buzz Chew Chevrolet NASCAR Modified event Timmy and his family celebrated his 28th career victory tying him with Don Howe for 13th on the all-time win list. Overall, an exciting night of NASCAR Local Racing Series powered by O’Reilly Auto Parts ushered in the 76th year of racing before chilled die-hard race fans.
Qualifying found Owen Grennan of Glen Cove quickest at 12.023 on a cold track earning the HighMark Building Efficiency Fast Time Award, one Hoosier Tire. Timmy Solomito was second quick with a lap of 12.051. When the cars hot the track for main event action Roger Turbush and his nephew Mark Stewart made up the front row, unfortunately for Roger trouble lurked around the corner. as his car did not fire off at the throw of the green. A broken axle was diagnosed as the issue. With his uncle’s misfortune that allowed Stewart to race to the early lead while Solomito, who started third was able to avoid running over Turbush racing to the inside of Stewart quickly. After a short side-by-side battle, Timmy raced to sole possession of the lead on lap 3 exiting the second corner.
For the duration of the race Solomito and Stewart would run one-two with Timmy dictating the race pace, at times edging away from Mark, while other times Stewart would zero in on the leader in the center of the corners. As that game of cat and mouse unfolded another was shaping up with Owen Grennan and Dylan Slepian testing each other for the final podium position, while Chris Rogers and Chris Young had at it as well.
When the checker flag flew it was Timmy Solomito notching his first win at Riverhead since August of 2024 after running a part time slate in 2025. “I had one fast race car” Solomito boasted post-race, “my brother Shawn always gives me a great piece, no matter where we race”. When quizzed about his 2026 plans Timmy’s competitors perhaps breathed a sigh of relief when he revealed “we have no set plan, right now this is the only race here we had marked on our calendar, we’ll see. My nephews are racing now, and we are enjoying that as a family, I love my family more than anything, my mom & dad have given us everything we’ve ever needed”.
Mark Stewart of Riverhead wheeled his Keith Grimes Excavating Chevy to runner up honors after throwing all he could at the eventual winner. Owen Grennan completed the podium with his Black Forest Auto entry, Dylan Slepian of Dix Hills and Chris Young of Calverton were fourth and fifth.
Perhaps the most exciting race of the evening, complete with a close finish unfolded in the 25-lap Late Model event with Allan Pedersen of Center Moriches earning his first career win with the class. “Big Al” as he is known to family and close friends sat on the pole with former multi-time champion Jeremy McDermott alongside. When the green lights came on Pedersen, in a car his team barely completed in time for opening night broke to a slight advantage over McDermott, who a couple years back used to battle weekly with Allan’s older brother Artie. While the lead duo diced, veteran Dave Brigati was on the march with a fast hot rod. Brigati soon reeled in the lead duo and made his presence known passing McDermott for second on lap 14. A yellow for a minor spin as the field started the 15th lap set-up a double file restart with Brigati racing alongside Pedersen when the green came back out. They would single file out until lap 17 when this time Brigati ducked low on Pedersen to draw even. Over the final eight laps of the contest, Brigati tried to pinch his car off the corners to gain the advantage, but each time Pedersen powered off the corner to the outside to keep the slightest advantage. Racing to the checker, leaning on each other Allan Pedersen and Dave Brigati had the fans on their feet with Pedersen in the TJ’S Heros entry taking the close victory. Dave Brigati of Calverton settled for second with his Coors Light backed racer, Jeremy McDermott of Riverhead wound-up third in the Eastport Feeds Chevy.
AJ DeSantis of Yaphank scored his 5th career Eagle Chevrolet Crate Modified win driving to a 25-lap victory Saturday. Michael Berner and Richie Davidowitz sat on the front row for the start with Berner breaking to the race lead. Davidowitz had an opening lap miscue that allowed AJ DeSantis to slip under him for second quickly. Berner, wheeling a car that is new to he and his family run team was being challenged heavily by DeSantis. On after completing the 8th circuit entering the first turn DeSantis closed in on leader Berner quickly, getting into the leader shooting him up the track in turn two. DeSantis was able to drive down under Berner for the lead, as was Davidowitz who had been running third. As the race wore on DeSantis in his Tiana Shores Landscaping Chevy was able to keep Davidowitz at bay, while under green or during any restarts and was ready to take the checker when suddenly the yellow waved for a minor spin. Thinking he already won, DeSantis would survive a green, white, checker to indeed park his car in the My Guy Auto Supply NAPA winner’s circle. The Rosemar Paving Chevy with Richie Davidowiz of East Moriches at the helm was second, early leader Michael Berner of Patchogue came home third with his Centereach Hyundai machine.
Gary Fritz Jr. of Mastic took the 2024 TK Figure Eight season off to get married to his wife Stephanie. Saturday the second-generation driver returned with a vengeance winning the 15-lap TK Figure Eight feature, his first win since May 11th, 2024. The feature got off to an auspicious start when Bob Dalke, Kim Hyde and Tyler Farrell all made contact at the throw of the green, Hyde was done for the night. When the race went green Will Farrell took the lead with Fritz in tow. On lap 6 Late Model winner Allan Pedersen had issues with what appeared to be a blown motor, drawing a yellow for fluid. On the ensuing restart Gary Fritz Jr. raced his Goodfellas Auto Repair entry to the lead, a lead he’d not surrender driving off to his 8th career win, tying him with Chuck Hlatky for 18th all-time. The father sin tandem of Will Farrell of Mastic was runner-up in the Bobby’s One Stop Custom Exhaust & Auto Coupe was second, while son Tyler completed the podium in third in his Finest Cuts Landscaping entry.
Sporting a paint scheme honoring Derrick Cope’s 1991 Daytona 500 winning NASCAR Cup car, Jim Laird jr. of Islip Terrace dominated the 20-lap Blunderbust feature event to pocket his 21st career win. Early in the race Laird quickly out his Bulovas Restorations Caprice into the lead, chased over the first four circuits by Matt Triola, younger brother to Laird’s longtime foe Cody. However, Triola soon found himself racing with Jarrett Campbell for second, allowing the race leader breathing room. On lap 5 Campbell would work his way by Triola for second, but Matt just four laps later reclaimed second passing Jarrett on the front stretch. With all that jockeying for position taking place, Jim Laird Jr. raced off to his 21st career victory, landing him in sole possession of fifth on the all-time win list. Matt Triola of Bay Shore won the battle for second in his Cesspool Pro entry; Jarrett Campbell of Yaphank was third in the A-Lot Maintenance Chevy.
The 20-lap Super Pro Truck main event was another barn burner that kept the fans warm with Charles Sudano of Merrick earning his first career win by being in the right place, at the right time. Tested tough veteran Lou Maestri, the all-time leading winner in the truck and Frank Dumicich Jr. made up the front row for the race. Taking a page from the 2025 Jack Handley Jr./Sean Glennon wars, Maestri and Dumicich entered a slugfest of their own Saturday. From the very first lap through the 16th cycle. the duo swapped the lead back and forth four times, each using crossover passes on the other, with neither being shy of contact. That contact would give Dumicich a left rear flat, sending him spinning on lap 16 drawing a yellow. While rival Dumicich was pit side changing a tire Maestri, unbeknownst to him had a right front going down. Dumicich returned, but Maestri with his flat coming after courtesy laps were exhausted got trapped in the pits. The wild turn of event with four laps remaining found Charles Sudano the new race leader, Sudano in the L.I. Debris truck ran among the leaders early before backing down, thinking perhaps they’d get together and indeed they would, earning Charles a first career win. Erin Solomito of East Quogue brought The Hydrant Ram home for runner-up honors, recovering from an earlier spin. Rich Bruce of Southold turned in the upset of the night coming home third with his Pro’s Choice Racing truck, with an assist from his teammates from Goodie Racing.
Riely O’Keefe of Manorville, a six-time INEX Legend Race Car winner in 2025 picked up right where he left off last fall winning the 20-lap opener Saturday. O’Keefe wheeling the Joe Ryan Race Cars machine wasted no time in taking the early race lead as the green flag waved, Chevy Rommeney, a heat race winner earlier in the program filed into second, with veterans Richie Davidowitz and Ray Fitzgerald lurking right behind. On lap 11 Davidowitz closed in on a lapped car and had to get on the binders, Fitzgerald with nowhere to go tapped Richie slightly sending him into a spin drawing the races second caution. On the ensuing restart O’Keefe continued lead, while Fitzgerald was able to slip under Rommeney for second. Over the closing laps Riely O’Keefe was able to hold a pretty wheel to earn a milestone 10th career win, tying him with Chris Young for 7th all-time. Ray Fitzgerald of Manorville was runner-up in his EP Milling & Sweeping coupe, with Chevy Rommeney of Bohemia a solid third with his MC-11Performance entry.
Race Results Riverhead Raceway 5-2-2026
NASCAR Modifieds: 1. Timmy Solomito 2. Mark Stewart 3. Owen Grennan 4. Dylan Slepian 5. Chris Young 6. Chris Rogers 7. Chase Grennan 8. Kyle Ellwood 9. Cory Midgett 10. Matt Brode 11. John Michael Shenette 12. Tom Sekulski 13. Roger Turbush DNS- Howie Brode
Late Models: 1. Allan Pedersen 2. Dave Brigati 3. Jeremy McDermott 4. Ed Cheslak 5. Keith Rotzi 6. Gerard Giordano 7. Kevin Metzger 8. Russ Jansen 9. Brandon Turbush 10. Ray Minieri 1. Ryan Zukowski 11. Paul Cummings 12. Brian Doyle
Crate Modifieds: 1. AJ DeSantis 2. Richie Davidowitz 3. Michael Berner 4. Eric Hersey 5. Thomas Grattan 6. Vinny Delaney 7. Andrew Farnham 8. Dennis Kurras 9. Eddie Schutze 10. Joe Densieski 11. Stephen Coleman
Figure Eights: 1. Gary Fritz Jr. 2. Will Farrell 3. Tyler Farrell 4. Eoughan Heyward 5. Bob Dalke 6. Allan Pedersen 7. Rich Braun 8. Kim Hyde
Blunderbusts: 1. Jim Laird Jr. 2. Matt Triola 3. Jarrett Campbell 4. Jackie Handley 5. Tom Puccia 6. William Steed 7. Anthony Capobianco
Super Pro Trucks: 1. Charles Sudano 2. Erin Dumicich 3. Rich Bruce 4. Tony Naglieri 5. Frank Dumicich Jr. 6. Frank Dumicich Sr. 7. Mark Stewart 8. Lou Maestri 9. Rob Corwin 10. Liam Patrick
Legend Race Cars: 1. Rielly O’Keefe 2. Ray Fitzgerald 3. Chevy Rommeney 4. Anthiny Marsh 5. Jim Sylvester 6. Sal Sinatro 7. Will Sipala 8. Rodney Dowless Jr. 9. Nick Hodge 10. Brad Van Houten 11. Jeffrey Farruggia Jr. 12. Jayden Glennerster 13. Matthew Duncovich 14. Charles Hodge 15. Michael Metcalf 16. Cillian Tennant 17. Marissa Stewart 18. Joe Cooke Jr. 19. Ed Stadtlander 20. Michael Barry 21. Mike Renn 22. Alex Halinar 23. Robert Destefano Jr. 24. Billy King 25. Richie Davidowitz 26. Kendall Van Houten
