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Riverhead, NY Oct. 3rd.
By Bob Finan
Photos Michael Jaworecki/Myracenews
Owen Grennan of Glen Cove picked the right time of the season to start a win streak at Riverhead Raceway when he won his second straight Buzz Chew Chevrolet NASCAR Modified event in the annual Baldwin, Evans & Jarzombek 77 Saturday. With the victory Owen Grennan sewed up the 2026 Riverhead Raceway NASCAR Modified track championship one week after clinching the New York State championship of the NASCAR Local Racing Series powered by O’Reilly Auto Parts.
Owen Grennan’s night got off on the right foot, literally winning the HighMark Building Efficiency Fast Time Award with a qualifying lap of 11.855, edging out younger brother Chase who clocked in at 11.903. With the Baldwin, Evans & Jarzombek 77 the fourth race in the five race Crown Jewel Series for the Ted Christopher Cup, the field started straight up with the Grennan brothers bringing the field to green. What unfolded once the green flag finally waved after four previous attempts to run the race were washed out was history in the making as all 77-laps were clicked off without a single caution flag displayed.
Owen Grennan broke to the early race lead with Chase testing him not just on the initial start, but also during the early stages of the race. However, as the siblings logged laps Owen was able to start getting away from Chase and others in the top five including Dylan Slepian, Tom Rogers Jr. and Kyle Ellwood. Without any double file restarts after caution flags battles for position were minimal with Rogers and Ellwood racing for third, and Mark Stewart and Chris Young battling for sixth chief among them.
Owen Grennan, who came into the 77 with an 18-point advantage over Mark Stewart for the title had one more obstacle to overcome in the final segment of the race, lapped traffic that was heavier than normal with the absence of yellow flags. Like he had all season long Owen, a former two-time Crate Modified champion hit his marks, worked the traffic as he and his spotter Erick Zegel saw fit and drove off to his 5th career NASCAR Modified victory.
After winning the Cecil Palm Tree 66 on September 12th and now the Baldwin, Evans & Jarzombek 77 leading to the championship Owen just took it all in as he looked around the track clutching the checker flag after exiting his Dillner Precast Chevy. “When I was a kid racing a go-kart here, I’d sit up in these stands watching my heroes, wanting to do what they did and I am beyond happy to be standing here now”, Grennan, a schoolteacher by day reflected. Indeed, Owen’s story is prototypical of home track racers, started with the Eastern Kart Racing and East End Kart Racing groups at Riverhead before some Charger and Super Pro Truck racing yielded success. The quantum leap came with the Eagle Chevrolet Crate Modifieds where Owen remains the all-time leading winner with 23 leading to two championships.
“My father Danny, mom Kimberly, Chase and sister Kendall, this is a true family effort, from those Sunday afternoons here with go-karts right up until this moment. My grandmother, I don’t know how she hasn’t kicked us out of her garage, God bless her”. With his first NASCAR Modified championship under his belt there is one more mountain to climb in 2026 for Owen as he will try to clinch the Ted Christopher Cup with a win in the 10th annual Islip 300 Saturday November 14th.
Chase Grennan was runner-up with the Black Forest Auto entry with Dylan Slepian of Dix Hills completing the podium in third with the Rob Pelis owned, Eastport Feds Chevy. Kyle Ellwood of Riverhead was fourth with Tom Rogers Jr. of Riverhead fifth.
The Late Models were also on their collective best behavior Saturday, running off their final 25-lap feature event without interruption with “The Deputy” Brandon Turbush of Manorville scoring his second win of 2026. Allan Pedersen who came to the race 14-points back of championship leaders Dave Brigati of Calverton and Jeremy McDermott of Riverhead who were tied at the top, sat on the pole with Brandon Turbush to his right. When the dueling green flags waved Turbush was able to gain great bite on the outside to outrun Pedersen for the lead to start the race. Allan quickly tried a crossover move on Brandon off the fourth corner to start the second lap but to no avail. For the remainder of the race, Brandon Turbush steering the Lolly’s Hut entry was able to stay out front and earn his 6th career victory. Allan Pedersen of Center Moriches stayed close all race long before settling for second in the TJ’S Heros machine, while the returning Kyle Harvell of North Babylon was third in just his second race back in his sponsor wanted racer. With his 4th place effort, Jeremy McDermott sewed up his 9th career Late Model championship, tying former Figure Eight champion Roger Maynor of Bay Shore for the most championships in one division at Riverhead Raceway. Dave Brigati who was tied with McDermott coming into the race was 6th in the final rundown.
The mission for Michael Berner of Patchogue in the final 25-lap Eagle Chevrolet Crate Modified race of 2026 was simple, go out and win the race, the rest will fall into place, hopefully. With season long rivals AJ DeSantis of Yaphank and Richie Davidowitz of East Moriches tied for the championship lead entering the finale, Berner was four points back, he needed a win and some help too. He got both. Starting from the pole Berner raced his Planet Earth Recycling Chevy to the race lead, step one. Andrew Farnham who started in the front row quickly tucked into second and Berner needed Andrew there. With DeSantis third and Davidowitz fourth and a caution free race in the offering things were starting to come into focus for Berner, who if he could win would take control of the first tiebreaker with three wins to his rivals two each. As the laps clicked off and the field in single file formation and spreading apart from each other Michael Berner would score his 12th career win, a win that carried a lot of weight. With Berner winning and DeSantis third in the Tiana Shores Lawn & Tree Service Chevy at the finish they were tied in points, but Berner held the first tiebreaker 3 wins to 2. Andrew Farnham of Baldwin was runner-up with his LA Technology Group Chevy. Richie Davidowitz and Rat Pack Racing were fourth at the line placing them third in the season long championship.
Will “The Thrill” Farrell of Mastic might have waited a long time for his first career TK Figure Eight win but he sure wasn’t going to allow too much time to elapse before he claimed his second which he did Saturday in the 15-lap 2026 finale. Farrell, who came into the race tied for second in the championship hunt with Gary Fritz Jr. with the duo 8 back of Allan Pedersen for the title took the lead in an unwanted manner when his son Tyler, who was leading was caught up in a wreck with challenger Kim Hyde on lap 7. When the race resumed Will Farrell assumed the lead with championship rivals Fritz and Pedersen all over him over the second half of the race, Fritz hoping to win the race for his former crew chief Terry Fallon who passed away just couple of days prior. In the end Will Farrell and the Bobby’s One Stop Custom Exhaust & Automotive coupe sat in the winner’s circle with Gary Fritz Jr. of Mastic runner-up in the Goodfellas Auto Glass entry. Allan Pedersen of Center Moriches earned his first career track championship with his third-place tally in the Chris Elliott owned, Top Notch Performance Camaro. The race between Fritz and Pedersen was intense over the final three laps.
Jim Laird Jr, of Islip Terrace literally grew-up at Riverhead Raceway, tagging along with his grandparents Tony & Estelle Mastrangelo as they worked with the food services staff during the Barbara & Jim Cromarty era. Even back then Jim knew he wanted to race, win races and championships here. After 23 Blunderbust wins along the way, there was only one piece to the puzzle missing for Laird, a track championship. Saturday in perhaps the unlikeliest of ways, sitting in the pits while Matt Triola of Bay Shore won his third race of 2026., Jim Laird Jr. who enjoyed a very much needed 20-point lead coming into the 20-lap finale was a track champion. Matt Triola, running in his final Blunderbust race before retirement took the lead of the race during a 9th lap restart, racing to the outside of early pacesetter Tom Sullivan. Once Triola had the Cesspool Pros machine out front he’d drive to an emotional win. Tom Sullivan of Massapequa was runner-up in the Action Auto Wreckers racer, Anthony Capobianco of Islip Terrace, Laird’s son was an impressive third in the Gene’s 112 Auto Repair entry. During his championship interview, Jim Laird Jr. leaning on his Bulovas Restorations Caprice was speechless, perhaps at finally winning the Blunderbust title or maybe the manner in how he got there Saturday.
Entering the final 20-lap Super Pro Truck event of 2026, Frank Dumicich Jr of East Quogue held a slim 4-point edge over Mark Stewart of Riverhead, and just eight over his sister Erin Solomito of East Quogue. Just for some added fun, the front row of the feature saw Erin on the ole while Frank sat to her right, mark started deeper in the field. At the throw of the green Solomito took the race lead with Dumicich second while Stewart tried to claw his way towards the lead duo. The race took a long green flag run, which was just fine with Dumicich who would have been just fine with a caution free race. Then suddenly on lap 16, there it was, a caution, for Frank Dumicich Sr of all people who spun after contact in the fourth turn. When the field lined-up for the four-lap dash to the finish Dumicich Jr. actually took the lead from Solomito on lap 17, knowing his closest championship rival Stewart was now third right behind his sister. Unfazed and without a radio, Erin roared back out to the race lead re passing her brother while the field took the two to go signal, with Stewart trying to follow Erin under Frank. When the dust settled Erin Solomito in The Hydrant Hotel RAM earned her second win of 2026, the 8th of her career. Mark Stewart of Riverhead was second in the East Side Building Toyota, missing out by two points for the 2026 title. Frank Dumicich Jr. and his Okpetroleummarketplace.com Toyota team celebrated their second Super Pro Truck championship, their first since 2013 with a third-place finish. Erin Solomito’s team also won the Joe DiGangi Crew Chief of the Race award presented annually by Lou & Tracy Maestri.
Score one for the seasoned veterans in the 20-lap INEX Legend Race Car feature where Ray Fitzgerald of Manorville scored a milestone 10th career feature event win, holding off one of the many young up and coming talents in order to do so. The race got off to an auspicious start when a multi-car pile-up occurred coming to green, 2026 champion Riely O’Keefe feeling as though he triggered the mishap tapped his roof during the caution putting him to the rear while allowing those who could continue to maintain their positions. When the race did go green two of the elder statesmen in the INEX Legend Race Cars Ray Fitzgerald and Jim Sylvester ran one-two. as the laps clicked off, teenage driver Cillian Tennant inserted himself into the conversation or the win when he raced by Sylvester for second on lap 14. On lap 17 the third and final caution of the race waved setting up a double file restart between Fitzgerald and Tennant, with Riely O’Keefe back in the mix from the second row. When the green light came back on for the final few laps Tennant threw all he could at Fitzgerald for the lead but in the end, experience paid off for Ray Fitzgerald taking the win in the EP Milling & Sweeping machine. The win ties Ray for 8th on the all-time win list with Chris Young. Driving the race of his young and budding career, Cillian Tennant of Manorville settled for second in the Miller & Caggiano Attorney-At-Law coupe with Richie Davidowitz of East Moriches third in his Freddie & Megan Kraft backed racer. Riely O’Keefe of Manorville for the second time in three years celebrated post-race his INEX Legend Race Car championship.
NASCAR Modifieds: 1. Owen Grennan 2. Chase Grennan 3. Dylan Slepian 4. Kyle Ellwood 5. Tom Rogers Jr. 6. Mark Stewart 7. Chris Young 8. Justin Brown 9. Chris Rogers 10. Riely O’Keefe 11. Cory Midgett 12. Jack Handley Jr. 13. Richie Davidowitz 14. Tom Sekulski 15. Mike Albasini
Late Models: 1. Brandon Turbush 2. Allan Pedersen 3. Kyle Harvell 4. Jeremy McDermott 5. Keith Rotzi 6. Dave Brigati 7. Gerard Giordano 8. CJ Lehmann 9. Brian Doyle 10. Russ Jansen 11. Ed Cheslak 12. Alyssa Paprocky 13. Kevin Metzger DQ-Ryan Zukowski
Crate Modifieds: 1. Michael Berner 2. Andrew Farnham 3. AJ DeSantis 4. Richie Davidowitz 5. Vinny Delaney 6. Thomas Grattan
Figure Eights: 1. Will Farrell 2. Gary Fritz Jr. 3. Allan Pedersen 4. Tyler Farrell 5. Eoughan Hayward 6. Bob Dalke 7. Rich Braun 8. Kim Hyde
Blunderbusts: 1. Matt Triola 2. Tom Sullivan 3. Anthony Capobianco 4. William Steed 5. Steve Fried 6. Jim Laird Jr. 7. Emily Hubbard
Super Pro Trucks: 1. Erin Solomito 2. Mark Stewart 3. Frank Dumicich Jr. 4. Charles Sudano 5. Lou Maestri 6. Tony Naglieri 7. Liam Patrick 8. Paul Wojcik 9. Frank Dumicich Sr. 10. Joe Densieski 11. Dave Koenig 12. Rob Corwin
Legend Race Cars: 1. Ray Fitzgerald 2. Cillian Tennant 3. Richie Davidowitz 4. Riely O’Keefe 5. Anthony Marsh 6. Will Sipala 7. Jim Sylvester 8. Alex Halinar 9. Chance Lutz 10. Joe Cooke Jr. 11. Michael Metcalf 12. Ed Stadtlander 13. Pat Moore 14. John Noll 15. Marissa Stewart 16. Mike Renn 17. Charles Hodge 18. Steve Renn 19. Kevin Ohrnberger 20. Phillip Alaimo 21. Nick Hodge DNS- Jeff Farruggia Jr., Kendall Van Houten DQ- Rob Destefano Jr.
