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Riverhead, NY July 25th
By Bob Finan
All Photos Michael Jaworecki/Myracenews
There is something magical about Riverhead Raceway and the Buzz Chew NASCAR Modifieds for the combination of driver Joey Braun of Manorville and car owner Rich Gerbe who are now three-for-three at the demanding quarter mile after winning the 7th annual Oval Speed Bubba 150 Saturday night. After winning their first start on a late August Wednesday night in 2025, a regular 50-lap feature before the new team went on to win the 9th annual Islip 300 last November.
Qualifying saw the returning Justin Brown of Manorville set the standard with a lap of 11.812 earning the Righteous Window Cleaning $200 Pole Award, Mark Stewart of Riverhead was second quick with a lap of 11.839. Brown and Stewart led the field to green with Brown edging out front over Stewart with Roger Turbush filing into third. The first of four cautions during the 150 flew on lap 5 after a four-car tangle in the fourth turn involving Tom Sekulski, Kyle Ellwood, Cory Midgett and Cayden Lapcevich slowed the race. Only Midgett would be able to continue. When the race resumed the top three were unchanged, but things were heating up for leader Brown with Stewart and Turbush chomping at the bit. Stewart was able to slide his car under Brown exiting the fourth corner to start the 27th circuit, with Turbush filling the opening under Brown as well to move to second.
The second caution waved on lap 58 when Max Handley and Owen Grennan got together on the backstretch with Grennan’s car perched on top of the Handley machine. After separating the two cars, each pitted and returned to action. On the ensuing restart Joey Braun would enter the conversation as he was able to work his way to the outside of Brown for third on the restart. A green flag run of 43 laps would follow the lap 58 caution with the top four drivers fairly content logging laps, especially Stewart who was pocketing $10 per lap in bonus money as the leader.
As the race hot the lap 100 mark, Braun was now applying the heat on Turbush for third and was able to sneak by for the position on lap 102 which turned out to be perfect timing as a Max Handley spin slowed the race on lap 103. Stewart and Braun lined up alongside each other for the restart with Stewart staying out front over Braun. The final yellow waved on lap 106 when Matt Brode spun off the front stretch with a flat rear tire setting up the final restart of the contest.
When the green light blinked back on the top two remained unchanged, but Justin Brown was able to work his way by Roger Turbush to move back to third. With the laps quickly clicking off Braun was right on Stewart’s back bumper, calculating where and when he’d make his bid for the lead. For his part, Stewart was driving a masterful race, backing up the corners to break Bruan’s momentum of gaining a run on exit. Braun realizing what Mark was doing changed up his game plan and on lap 134 he dove under Stewart on entry into the first corner, drew even in the center and by the time they exited the second corner Braun was the new race leader.
Undaunted losing the lead, Stewart quickly glued himself to Braun’s rear bumper and the roles were reversed, Braun now backing up the corners while Stewart searched for a way by. Mark threw all he could Braun’s way but, in the end, the HighMark Building Efficiency Chevy would cross the line first under the checker flag, which was joined by the yellow flag. As the field raced through the third and fourth corner Stewart had contact knocking out his front suspension forcing the yellow to join the checker as Braun raced under both ending the event.
A jubilant race winner could hardly contain himself exiting the car, “I love coming here, what a great racetrack!” Joey boasted adding, “hope you guys had fun, great crowd here tonight”. Looking back on the race Braun offered, “great battle with Markie, Doug Ogiejko gave me a great car. So happy for Rich Gerbe, his father Lee who’ve done so much for me here, and of course on the SMART tour. We needed this, we been having a rough go on tour”. Braun earned $2,544 in bonus awards, $544 in lap money, $1,500 from the family of Bob “Bubba” Patanjo as well $500 from the HighMark Building Efficiency Challenge. Including track purse money, the win totaled $4,704 for Braun and his Rich Gerbe owned team.
When the yellow flag waved to join the impending checker, the field was frozen and Mark Stewart would be scored second after leading 107 laps of the race in his Keith Grimes Excavating entry. “Tried to hold Joey off but he got me, I tried to get back by but all in all a great race, fun racing with him, good point night too” Stewart earned a total of $2,908 in bonus monies, $1,358 of which was in lap money for leading and running among the top three the entire race. Mark additionally won the $250 Natural Design Co, Most Laps Led bonus as well the Preece Racing $200 Halfway Leader award. Stewart also collected $600 from the Patanjo family as well $500 from the Highmark Building Efficiency challenge.
Justin Brown was third in the final rundown reflecting afterwards, “our second time out with our Paul Mauceri tribute NSE Windows car, we are happy with where we are” Brown took home $1,674 in lap and bonus money for his podium effort. Roger Turbush of Calverton came home fourth earning $584 in lap money for his time racing in the top three, Owen Grennan of Glen Cove rebounded nicely for fifth after his lap 58 incident.
The Super Pro Trucks would run a non-stop 20-lap main event and when it concluded Sean Glennon of Northport utilized a front row stating berth to propel him to his first win of 2026. Glennon, who missed the first few races of the season lined up alongside opening night winner Charles Sudano for the start, breaking out front at the drop of the green flag. With 16-career wins under his belt once Sean put the Glennon Construction Chevy out front there was no looking back as he drove to his career win number 17 tying him for fifth all-time with Frank Dumicich Sr. Ironically, Frank Dumicich Jr. of East Quogue, also a 16-time winner moved his Okpetroleummarketplace.com Toyota to second where he’d finish after passing Sudano on lap 11. Mark Stewart of Riverhead scored another podium finish with a third in the East Side Building Toyota.
Former five-time NASCAR Modified champion Don Howe of Water Mill was another driver taking advantage of an outside front row starting position to win the Eddie Partridge Vintage All Stars 15-lap feature. At the throw of the green Howe in the Corwith’s Auto Body Cavalier worked by pole sitter Sal Accardi Jr of Deer Park to take control of the race early. Don, a 28-time Modified winner at Riverhead was able to click off another Vintage All Star win with Sal Accardi Jr. second in the Calabrese Trucking entry. John Jasinski of Flanders was third in the Gary Cretty tribute Vega.
Defending INEX Bandolero Outlaw champion Thomas Grattan of Southold nailed down his first win of 2026 in a 15-lap feature event. The Ryan brothers, Jordan and Christian led the 12-car field to green with Jordan showing the way for the first three circuits. Shortly after passing Christian Ryan for second on lap 3. Moments after Grattan pass the race was slowed by a multi-car tangle in turn two that found two-time winner in 2026 Tyler Oxee’s race come to an end after contacting the turn two wall. Tyler was okay but his bid for three in a row was over. On the restart Thomas Grattan put his Reeve Farm Stand Outlaw out front for good, driving to his fourth career win. Michael Barry of Patchogue had a solid run for second in the Grease Garage Motorsports entry, John Alaimo of Miller Place was third in the Phillip Alaimo Construction Outlaw.
Perhaps no driver came into action Saturday more motivated than INEX Bandolero Bandit standout Mason Goodale of Riverhead who rode that wave of motivation to his first win 2026 in a 15-lap affair. Wyatt Goodale, Mason’s younger brother paced the race over the first two laps before a yellow waved. Mackenzie Ulmet, Leighton Van Houten and North Carolina invader Thomas Mullins got together in the second corner to draw the yellow. When the race resumed Brooke Meyer led the third lap before being overtaken by Mason Goodale on the 4th cycle. Once in the lead with the Riverhead Building Supply Bandit Mason Goodale would pull away for his 8th career win tying him with Chevy Rommeney and Reid Halpin for third all-time. Thomas Mullins of Mount Pleasant, NC recovered nicely form his lap 2 tangle to drive the Bulovas Restorations Bandit home for runner-up honors, Brooke Meyer of Riverhead completed the podium in the Meyer Construction racer.
In the INEX Bandolero Beginner 10-lap feature, Cullen DiSalvo of Fairfield, Ct. made his first ever Riverhead Raceway a memorable one by taking home the win. DiSalvo wheeling the DDM Setups & Maintenance entry took the lead with just two laps to go in the contest. Over the final half mile DiSalvo was able to ward off Bradley Borsett of North Babylon in the MC-11 entry for the victory, Scarlett Dumicich of East Quogue was third in the Rapid Recovery machine.
For the second time in three races Mike Mujsce Jr of Hampton Bays prevailed in the 15-lap 4/6-Cylinder Figure Eight feature, a 15-lap tilt. Joe Warren Jr. led the first trip through the crossover before Mujsce took over the lead on lap 2. It was an easy win by no means for Mujsce who had to watch out for crossing traffic and worry about a car that was starting to smoke pretty badly. In the end it all worked out for Mike Mujsce Jr. and his self-funded team. Eoughan Hayward of Westhampton and Robert Kraemer of Bohemia were second and third at the conclusion.
Sean “Ugly Mugly” Adler of Lindenhurst is now two-for-two in 4/6-Cylinder Demolition Derby competition as he edged out Monster’s Recycling teammate Jason “Misery Machine” Savoy of Lake Panamoka for the $600 win. Savoy was second with newcomer Chris Smith of Riverhead hanging on for third.
Bubba 150: 1. Joey Braun 2. Mark Stewart 3. Justin Brown 4. Roger Turbush 5. Owen Grennan 6. Dylan Slepian 7. Chase Grennan 8. Matt Brode 9. Chris Young 10. Artie Pedersen III 11. Max Handley 12. Andrew Krause 13. Cory Midgett 14. Eric Hersey 15. Chris Rogers 16. Cayden Lapcevich 17. Kyle Ellwood 18. Tom Sekulski DNS- Howie Brode
Super Pro Trucks: 1. Sean Glennon 2. Frank Dumicich Jr. 3. Mark Stewart 4. Erin Solomito 5. Charles Sudano 6. Lou Maestri 7. Tony Naglieri 8. Liam Patrick 9. Frank Dumicich Sr. 10. Rob Corwin
Vintage All Stars: 1. Don Howe 2. Sal Accardi Jr. 3. John Jasinski 4. John Cote 5. Don Conradis 6. Frank Saladino 7. Richard Auer 8. Mark Miller 9. Jimmy Reed Jr. 10. Mike Siraco 11. Pat Hughes
Bandolero Outlaws: 1. Thomas Grattan 2. Michael Barry 3. John Alaimo 4. Aria Ligon 5. Tyler Ross 6. Mason Dickerson 7. Jordan Ryan 8. Madison White 9. Christian Ryan 10. Megan Cummings 11. Grace Cheslak 12. Tyler Oxee
Bandolero Bandits: 1. Mason Goodale 2. Thomas Mullins 3. Brooke Meyer 4. Wyatt Goodale 5. Mackenzie Ulmet 6. Emily Gatz 7. Leighton Van Houten
Bandolero Beginners: 1. Cullen DiSalvo 2. Bradley Borsett 3. Scarlett Dumicich 4. Jimmy White III 5. Carissa Busam 6. Liam McNamara
4/6-Cylinder Figure Eight: 1. Mike Mujsce Jr. 2. Eoghan Hayward 3. Robert Kraemer 4. Mike Fragola 5. Charles Sherry 6. Billman Griffing 7. George Astacio 8. Joe Warren Jr. 9. Robert Sherry
4/6-Cylinder Demolition Derby: Winner- Sean Adler 2. Jason Savoy 3. Chris Smith
