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Riverhead, NY Oct. 27th
By Bob Finan
Riverhead Raceway officials have finalized the purse for the 10th annual Islip 300 Saturday November 14th announcing a $43,000 purse for the Tour Type Modified spectacular with the winner pocketing $12,000 while the race pays a minimum of $1,000 to start. Aside from revealing the purse, track officials have also posted rules for the Islip 300 and have opened up free registration now available at www.riverheadraceway.com. Joey Braun of Manorville is the defending Islip 300 winner and it’s expected he and his HighMark Building Efficiency team will be out to make it two in a row November 14th.
In 2017 the late Eddie Partridge in his second year as Riverhead Raceway owner with his wife Connie and nephew Tom introduced the Islip 300 concept to host a big money, long distance race at his rack while honoring the legacy of the famed Islip Speedway. The inaugural Islip 300 was presented in-season during the 2017 race schedule with then 15-year old Dillon Steuer of Bohemia turning the asphalt Modified world on it’s head with an astounding upset win worth $7,000 to the Northeastern Office Equipment team.
Over it’s nine year run the Islip 300 continues to produce a competitive balance of upstart, young drivers taking home victories, as well the tested tough, seasoned Modified veterans. After Steuer’s shocking 2017 win, Ryan Preece of Berlin, Ct. won his first of two Islip 300 events in 2018 and after his 2020 win the NASCAR Cup star remains the only two-time winner of the 300. In 2019 Kyle Soper of Manorville took home Islip 300 gold, with JB Fortin of Holtsville the 2021 victor. Veteran wheelmen Anthony Nocella of Woburn, Ma. topped the 2022 edition of the 300 while Matt Hirschman of Northampton scored a popular 2023 win. In 2024, Chase Grennan of Glen Cove at 17 became the second teenager to visit Islip 300 victory lane with the 2024 event going to Joey Braun.
Fast forward to 2026 and the 10th running of the Islip 300 the race will again pay $12,000 to the winner, with second paying $5,000, while third is worth $3,000. Fourth through tenth finishers will receive, $2,500, $2,000, $1,500, $1,400, $1,300, $1,200 & $1,100. The 300 will start 22 cars with 11th through 22nd paying $1,000 per position. The Islip 300 will again be an open event for teams and their cars who compete with the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour, Monaco Tri-Track Series, Race of Champions, SMART Modified Tour or Modified Racing Series are all eligible. Once a team declares the series rules they’ll follow, they must do so in totality. The Riverhead Raceway Hoosier
Hoosier Racing Tire will be the only tire permitted.
Joining the Islip 300 festivities are the Eagle Chevrolet Crate Modifieds who’ll also now follow a more open rules package not just for November 14th, but also moving into the 2027 season at Riverhead Raceway. Also in action are the INEX Legend Race Cars, Street Stocks and Eddie Partridge Vintage All-Stars. Teams planning on running in these divisions are also asked to register in advance an no charge prior to November 10th at www.riveheadraceway.com in order to aid track staff in planning pit parking and tire orders in advance. A $100 late fee will be applied to late entries.
General admission gates will open at 10:00 AM, adults $40, kids 6-12 $20, 5 & under free. Pit window sales will open at 7:30 AM, with pit gates opening at 8:30 AM.
A complete race day itinerary will be available on the track web page, emails can be forwarded to office@riverheadraceway.com, the phone number is 631-842-RACE.
