0
0
Riverhead, NY July 10th
By Bob Finan
Michael Berner of Patchogue spent the better part of Friday night’s 25-lap Eagle Chevrolet Crate Modified feature at Riverhead Raceway chasing down race leader Kyle Ellwood of Riverhead before executing a last lap pass to earn his second win of 2026. Matt Triola of Bay Shore won his first career Blunderbust feature, while Jim Sylvester of Massapequa topped the INEX Legend Race Cars, Ryan Zukowski of Riverhead remained perfect in the Mini Stocks and Mike Mujsce Jr. of Hampton Bays secured his second 4/6-Cylinder Enduro triumph of the season.
Kyle Ellwood and rookie Thomas Grattan brought the Crate Modifieds to green with veteran Ellwood getting away from the freshman at the throw of the green. With Vinny Delaney, Richie Davidowitz, Michael Berner and AJ DeSantis spending their first lap working their way past Grattan that allowed Ellwood to gain a big early advantage. Early on Delaney and Davidowitz dueled for second with momentary contact between the two exiting the second turn on lap five shuffling the running order. The incident did not draw a caution, but both Delaney and Davidowitz had to back off allowing Michael Berner and AJ DeSantis to slip by for second and third. Davidowitz blended back into the back of the top five, while Delaney wasn’t as fortunate as his car stalled, it cost Vinny a lap to restart his stalled machine.
As the race wore down to the 10-lap to go mark it became evident that both Berner and DeSantis were gaining on leader Ellwood, as Kyle’s car started to get very tight in the corners. By the time there were five laps left Ellwood had his challengers right on his rear spoiler as he fought hard trying to stay out front. After taking the white flag Berner moved high entering the first turn behind Ellwood, quickly dipping his car to the inside in a bid for the lead exiting the second corner. By the time they reached three Berner had a run under Ellwood, with DeSantis right behind Berner hoping to wrestle second away from Ellwood at the line.
At the checker Michael Berner drove the Plant Earth Recycling Chevy to his 11th career win in a nail biter. “We made a bunch of changes for the feature, I have to thank Chris Young, Chris I know you are watching at home, thanks for your help” Berner shared post-race. “Once we got to Kyle, I could see his car was getting really tight in the corners, so I threw it in there. I like racing with Kyle; we race well together”.
AJ DeSantis of Yaphank would cross the line second with his Tiana Shores Landscaping entry, Kyle Ellwood would have to settle for third in the John Kirk owned, Goodfellas Auto Repair Chevy.
Matt Triola led wire-to-wire to collect his first career Blunderbust 20-lap feature event in the car his older brother Cody was a 20-time winner with. Matt and popular veteran Tom Sullivan brought the field to green with Triola racing to the lead while Sullivan was under attack from Jim Laird Jr. for second. Laird, fresh off a two-week Florida family vacation moved to second passing Sullivan on the second lap of what would be a non-stop event. Once to second Laird glued himself to leader Triola’s rear bumper, a scenario familiar with the Blunderbsts when Cody was at the wheel. Jim let Matt know he was there once or twice along the way, but when the race concluded Matt Triola and his Cesspool Pros team enjoyed a hard-fought win. Jim Laird of Islip Terrace was runner-up in the Bulovas Restorations Caprice, Tom Sullivan of Massapequa completed the podium in third with his Action Auto Wreckers entry.
Jim Sylvester has been in four victory lane photos during the 2026 INEX Legend Race Car season at Riverhead Raceway, all in his role as car owner to the red-hot Riely O’Keefe of Manorville, Friday it was Jim who held the checker flag for the victory lane photos after winning the 20-lap Legend Race Car main event. Anthony Marsh and newcomer Phillip Alaimo brought the field to green with the tested tough Marsh breaking out front early with Charles Hodge giving chase. Hodge was passed during a 3rd lap restart by Jim Sylvester with Richie Davidowitz coming to third in Jim’s tire tracks. Several early race yellow flags waved setting up double file restarts and on lap 6 Davidowitz slipped under Sylvester for second behind Marsh on one such restart. Sylvester would reclaim second from Davidowitz on lap 8, one lap after a double file restart. As the laps clicked off Marsh continued to lead and appeared to be in route to his first win of ’26, however the racing Gods would frown upon the local driver as the field came to take the white flag. Suddenly with the white waving and approaching lapped traffic Marsh’s car snapped around, without contact in the fourth turn, Marsh kept his car moving after the heartbreaking turn of events. That moved the Joe Ryan Race Cars coupe of Jim Sylvester out front for the final circuit with Jim claiming his 9th career win tying him with Ray Fitzgerald for ninth on the all-time win list. Richie Davidowitz f East Moriches was second in the Freddie & Megan Kraft backed entry; Riely O’Keefe of Manorville came home third in the Action Auto Wreckers machine. O’Keefe was one of those early race cautions with an uncharacteristic spin in turn four, Riely drove all the way back to the podium after dropping back to 25th.
Only one driver remains undefeated in 2026 at Riverhead Raceway as Ryan Zukowski won his fourth 20-lap Mini Stock feature Friday. Hunter Cummings and Chris Olivari brought the field to green with Olivari moving out front. Former champion Paul Wojcik moved by Cummings for second on lap 2, but two laps later Paul was overtaken by Ryan Zukowski who moved by with an inside pass in turn three on lap 5. “The Z-Man” spent five laps sizing leader Olivari up for a pass and just after taking the halfway signal. Zukowski dipped under Olivari off two for the race lead. Once Ryan Zukowski had the Busy Bee Pest Control Chevy out front there was no looking back as he raced to his 7th career win, tying him with Tom Puccia for 6th all-time. Chris Olivari of Coram was second in his Middle Country Automotive racer, Paul Wojcik of Patchogue came home third in the Lexington Capital Holdings Honda.
Mike Mujsce Jr. came to the 40-lap 4/6-Cylinder Enduro with a game plan, get the lead early and drive away from all of his rivals. Mujsce succeeded as he made a bold move entering the first turn at the throw of the green to take the lead while one of his rivals, Chris Olivari was busy attempting to drive from a starting berth deep in the field to the front. When the race concluded, Mike Mujsce Jr. scored his second win of the 2026 season in his Mike’s Auto Service entry, while Olvari worked his way to a stellar runner up finish in the Peconic Bay Medical Center Ortho Group mount. Defending champion John Palmeri of Lindenhurst also came from deep in the pack for a third-place tally in the J&J Towing machine.
The Tip the Cow event was introduced to Riverhead Raceway Friday and for the inaugural race the cow won! Driving the cow was Late Model standout Keith Rotzi with several drivers trying to Tip the Cow, if a driver is successful getting the cow flipped over, they are the winner. If the cow avoids being tipped over for the duration of the race, then they take the win. When the dust settled Friday, Keith Rotzi of Islip in the Perillo Brothers donated van avoided all “tippers” to keep the van upright to take the win.
Results Riverhead Raceway July 10th 2026
Crate Modifieds: 1. Michael Berner 2. AJ DeSantis 3. Kyle Ellwood 4. Richie Davidowitz 5. Thomas Grattan 6. Vinny Delaney 7. Dennis Kurras
Blunderbusts: 1. Matt Triola 2. Jim Laird Jr. 3. Tom Sullivan 4. Anthony Capobianco 5. Steve Fried 6. Patrick Brand 7. Joshua Creel DNS-William Steed
Legend Race Cars: 1. Jim Sylvester 2. Richie Davidowitz 3. Riely O’Keefe 4. Jayden Glennerster 5. Will Sipala 6. Nick Hidge 7. Chevy Rommeney 8. Phillip Alaimo 9. Michael Metcalf 10. Marissa Stewart 11. Kendall Van Houten 12. Charles Hodge 13. Cillian Tennant 14. Anthony Marsh 15. Alex Halinar 16. Ed Stadtlander 17. Michael Barry 18. John Noll 19. Chance Lutz 20. Rob Desteafno 21. Kevin Ohrnberger 22. Billy King Jr. 23. Joe Cooke Jr. 24. Steve Renn 25. Chris Sinatro 26. Ray Fitzgerald 27. Mike Renn DNS Jeff Farruggia
Mini Stocks: 1. Ryan Zukowski 2. Chris Olivari 3. Paul Wojcik 4. Joe Warren Jr. 5. CJ Zukowski 6. Andrew Coll 7. Hunter Cummings 8. Eoughan Hayward 9. Madison Tomazewski 10. Charles Astacio 11. George Astacio
4/6-Cylinder Enduro (top ten) 1. Mike Mujsce Jr. 2. Chris Olivari 3. John Palmeri 4. Mike Kowalski 5. Anthony Paretta 6. Nicholas Harnage 7. Robert Sherry 8. Robert Kraemer 9. Robin Schewire 10. Dannie Southard
Tip the Cow: Winner- Keith Rotzi
