After a spring and summer of great NASCAR Modified racing the 2010 championship fight will boil down to 35-laps of racing this Saturday evening September 11th. Heading into that finale Tom Rogers Jr. #6 will take a 12-point lead to post with him with defending champion John Fortin #84 and Chuck Steuer #11x tied for second behind him. Simply stated for Fortin or Steuer to wrestle the title away from Rogers, they'll have to finish seven positions ahead of him and for the two challengers the more cars that start the race the better. No matter who comes out on top it truly has been a competitive and fun season for the open wheeled machines. Heaven forbid the race can not be run on this Saturday due to weather, as per the 2010 schedule for September 18th the race would shift to that date.

After a season filled with more hard knocks than success, Chris Young #49 never wavered and Saturday he rewarded himself and his Riverhead Building Supply team with victory. It sure was fun to watch the likes of Young, Wayne Anderson #15 and Dan Jivanelli #5 race for the lead; among them they've authored 84 NASCAR Modified wins on the quarter mile oval. Young's win gives him 32 which breaks a four way tie he was in with Wayne Anderson, Tommy Washburn and Jackie Reinhardt at 31, moving him into tie with Bill Park #20 for third on the all time win list. Showing how much of a class act he truly is I thought the remarks of Chris in victory lane were pretty cool. Chris said "I'm just happy to be racing with Danny and Wayne for the win"; referring to the recent health issues over the last two years Danny and Wayne have been through.

Wayne Anderson #15 challenged Chris for a spell before falling back into the throws of John Beatty Jr. #14 and Chuck Steuer #11x in a late race duel for second. Wayne in the Eastport Feeds Chevy did indeed cross the line in the runner-up position, his second such finish in a month. As we head into the final race of 2010 I wonder what Anderson's plans will be, given what occurred in 2010. In my opinion Wayne has looked great since returning to the cockpit in July after his health scare in May and my money says he'll race in 2011.

After a few near misses during the wild 35-lap NASCAR Modified event, Chuck Steuer was able to enjoy his 3rd place finish in the Northeastern Office Equipment Chevy knowing he had a much better night than his two nearest rivals, Rogers and Fortin. In fact if Chuck would have placed behind the duo in this race, his title shot for 2010 would have been wiped out. Instead the 1996 and 2006 champion is right back in the thick of things going into Saturday night.

After surviving a nightmarish afternoon just getting to the races, John Beatty Jr. #14 with limited practice drove the Freeport Collision Chevy across the line in 4th place. Beatty suffered a blowout on his enclosed trailer on the way to the track and after a lengthy repair was made he was able to make the second round of warm-ups. I asked crew member Glenn Dixon, who was anxiously awaiting John's arrival where the team was, all he could tell me was they weren't answering their cell phone, well now we know why. Beatty had a spirited fight with Anderson for second late in the race before Steuer slipped by for third.

Great to see Dan Jivanelli #5 contesting for a feature event win in Steve Tooker's entry. The team started a few weeks back just showcasing the car which is for sale. However the dyed in the wool racers they are, the team knowing they'd start up front last week bolted on four new tires and went for the gusto. They nearly got it too, but on a lap 1 double file restart Young had too much power and raced to the lead and eventual win. None the less Dan had to be pleased with his 5th place finish after missing a shift on a lap 22 restart.

Eddie Brunnhoelzl III #8x has locked himself into at least a fourth place finish in the 2010 NASCAR Modified standings with his 6th place showing. Before the show we saw "for sale" painted on the quarter panels of the Senix Creek Inn entry, EB III told me if they sell the car they will upgrade for 2011, if not they will run this same car for the title next year.

"Fast" Al Ermmarino went back to the Gershow Recycling machine he started 2010 with; the end result was 7th place in the final tally. Great to see the original "Wildchild" Danny Marcello visiting with Joe Bertuccio by the car in the afternoon, Danny told us he's keeping busy and knowing him, never rule out a return to racing.

Frank Saladino #25, in perhaps the oldest NASCAR Modified at Riverhead was 8th and won the "Tiger" Tom Baldwin Hard Charger Award by Fred Bobb, earning five gallons of Sunoco Race Fuels in the process.

"The Natural" Timmy Solomito #99 worked through a rough night in the Long Island Fiber Exchange Chevy to claim 9th place money which also vaulted him past Bill Park into 5th place in the current point standings.

Kevin Nowak #53 in just his third start was 10th in the Racing Creations Chevy. Kevin will keep his rookie status as far as Riverhead Raceway is concerned in 2011, but in the NASCAR Whelen All-American Series he will not be considered a rookie driver. Just ask John Beatty Jr. and Jerry Solomito about that fiasco.

Tom Rogers Jr. #6 lost 21 laps in the pits making repairs to his car which included replacing a radiator, front end parts and much more after an opening lap tangle. Tom had a 16-point lead over John Fortin and when Rogers didn't make the gate for the restart things were looking up for John, well for a lap anyway. After one lap was in the books John got caught up in a tangle doing damage to the right rear suspension of his car forcing him to go 20 laps down. End result Fortin was 13th in the Triangle Pub Chevy and Rogers 15th in the HR Promotions entry, John gained just four markers on Tom.

CJ Lehmann #1 realized his life long dream Saturday when he topped the 20-lap Charger feature event in his Mastic Sports Deli entry. Lehmann raced his way by Daryn Miller on lap 3 to take the lead and later in the contest had to ward off a hard charging Kevin Orlando #00, which he did to earn his first feature event win. After spending the past five years living in Pennsylvania and the last two racing there, the Lehmann family moved back to Long Island and Saturday night CJ gave them one reason to be happy they did.

After working perhaps an off-season in a week the Orlando family was rewarded with a fine runner-up finish by Kevin Orlando in the RP Landscaping Dodge. "KO" told me earlier in the day they had to cut the entire car from the back off the roll cage to the rear bumper and totally rebuild it, which is quite the undertaking both physically and financially. With two races to go in 2010 Orlando sits 20 points behind Charger point leader Chris Turbush thanks to his dedicated crew and family.

Chris Turbush #81 broke the tie for the Charger point lead with a fine third place tally in the Melville Snow Contractors Pontiac which finds him now four points ahead of Chris McGuire #89x, 776 to 772. Chris, who missed a race due to suspension in the spring is tied for the best average finish at Riverhead Raceway in 2010 with none other than his brother Roger the current Super Pro Truck point leader. The brothers own a 3.4 average finish; next best in line are Roger Oxee, 3.7, Kevin Metzger 3.8 and Tommy Walkowiak 3.9. That is why Chris might just drive to his third consecutive Charger title just as his father "Dynamite" Dan did in 2003, 2004 and 2005.

Jeremy McDermott was back in his own #5 Suffolk Precast Pontiac Saturday and wheeled it to a 4th place finish and he remains fourth in points as well with 722.

'Dynamite" Dan Turbush was 5th in the Island Wide Taxi Pontiac and oddly enough remains winless in 2010 something I can't recall happening in a long, long time!

Ken Heagy from the NASCAR WMT on a busman's holiday drove the #18 Charger and was 16th. This is the car that his lovely gal Debbie won in a raffle from Dan Dombal and prior to Dan it was the Charger car of Sal Accardi Jr. and prior to that George Crockett!

Glad to see Eric Zeh was okay after a nasty head on hit into the fourth turn wall in the Lolly's Hut #17x. Nice to visit with Eric's grandfather Carl Zeh by the exit gate Saturday, Carl of course was the NASCAR Modified car owner for five time Riverhead Raceway champion Don Howe #34.

Rob Bader #19 scored his second Blunderbust win of the 2010 campaign and a harder fought victory I don't think Rob has ever had or will ever have in his bright future. Over the final five or six laps of the Best Buy Night Blunderbust feature Bader had the all-time leading winner Tommy "The Wildchild" Walkowiak draped all over his rear bumper and at times in his rear bumper. On the white flag lap Rob in the Robert's Express Oil entry was actually pointed towards the "crush" cars for the Monster Trucks, but after a short jaunt through the infield was able to cross the line as the race winner. Rob's proud uncle and former Charger driver Jay Hulse winked at me and said "he finally listened to me; I've been telling him low and slow when you're leading". It worked.

Not for a lack of trying but Walkowiak will have to wait a week before winning his 43rd career race, but folks give the driver of the Blaze Fuel Oil Chevy credit, once he had Rob loose off turn two he could have driven right through him, he didn't. What a race the duo staged for the Monster Truck crowd on hand who loved every minute of the last lap drama. Walkowiak has pumped up his point lead over Tom Pickerell #4 to 64. If Walkowiak finishes ahead of or within seven positions of Pickerell this week, he'll be your 2010 Blunderbust champion.

Kevin Rommeney #14 was waiting in the wings while the Bader & Walkowiak battle raged, hoping the tandem would get together and he'd drive off into the sunset with a victory. Well they didn't but Kevin was still happy with a third place finish in the Hollis Court Collision entry.

Nice race and finish for Tim "Lightening" Mulqueen #77 as he was 4th in the Remove-It Man Demo racer which pretty much assures him of a top ten finish in points.

Scott Maliszewski #22 crossed the line 5th in the Thomas J. Stock Attorney At Law Chevy and now sits third in the 2010 standings with 646 markers.

Tom Pickerell #4 was 6th in the Pickerell Clam Buick and will need almost a miracle to by-pass Walkowiak for the 2010 title.

1997 Blunderbust champion John "King" Clancy is back! Clancy made a deal to buy the Neal Feola Jr. #16, which he re-numbered to  51 and in his maiden voyage he was 12th among the 18 cars that started the feature.

Twenty Blunderbusts on hand but neither ray Shannon #64 nor Lexy Sweeney #13 started the main event.

It was a Dumicich family affair in the 20-lap Super Pro Truck feature event with Frank Dumicich Jr. #42 winning his second race of 2010 in his Gregg's Landscaping Chevy. At the start of the race Frank and his father Frank Sr. tested each other for the lead before Frank Jr. moved out front for good on lap 3 with an outside pass. It's been quite a season for Frank Dumicich Jr., two SPT victories that are matched by two Charger wins, he's third in SPT points, just two back of second and he sits seventh in the Charger rankings. With sister Erin finishing third in the SPT race in her Sea-Level Construction Dodge the Dumicich family enjoyed their night to say the least.

"Dangerous" Dave Koenig #97 made up some ground in the 2010 championship chase with his runner-up finish in his Nelson's Auto Salvage entry, Dave is now 28 points back of Roger Turbush #88, 456 to 428 with two races to go. That means Dave has to better Roger by 15-positions in those two races, while still finishing ahead of Dumicich Jr. who is third with 426 and Lou Maestri #1 who is fourth with 422.

Maestri kept himself in the title hunt with a fine 4th place finish in the 5 Star Kennels entry and don't count out the former champion just yet!

Shaun Gouldsbury in the LIRV Sales Dodge completed the top five in 5th and with two races to go might just still pick-up a win while everyone around him races for points.

Roger Turbush #88 was 6th at the line in his Allied Air Conditioning GMC and still sits in the catbird chair for sure.

Look for Bobby Gardner to run Mike Albasini's other SPT as soon as this Saturday. This is the former Rob "the Racer" McCormick entry, Mike told me they'll use the #46 as a good luck charm.

Nice top ten efforts for Kathleen Hallock in the Raynor's Garage #9 and Matt Odwazny #32 in the Soulful Sounds racer as they were 9th and 10th respectfully.

Late Models return for their first of two more races left in 2010 with Kevin Metzger #23 leading Roger Oxee #39 by 8, 530 to 522, while Mike Bologna #00 sits third with 518 in a good three way fight for the championship.

The 2010 Figure Eight title remains a tussle among brothers Arne and Scott Pedersen with Arne #34 leading Scott #27 by just 8, 450 to 442, while Mike Mujsce #13 is third at 416.

The final Legend Race Car feature of 2010 is set for this Saturday and Kevin Nowak #53 enjoys a 26-point margin over Timmy Solomito #99 and defending champion Tony Naglieri #94 who are tied for second, 350 to 324. Either Solomito or Naglieri need to finish 14-spots better than Nowak, a tall order for sure.

The first of two 4/6-Cylinder Truck Enduro events were staged Saturday and what a barn burner it turned out to be! Ben Gregor #45 and Shawn Wanat #61 went toe-to-toe over the last five laps to determine the winner with Gregor winning his second straight in the Gregor Well Drilling Chevy. Wanat had taken the lead from Gregor with six laps to go, but Gregor reclaimed the spot just three laps later for his second career win.

Wanat had to settle for runner-up money in the Westhampton Auto Salvage truck, while Rob "The Racer" McCormick #17x survived a scary moment to finish third in the McCormick Motorsports entry. Rob was tracking down the leaders when his steering wheel detached at full speed down the back stretch, Rob acted quickly and had a good finish despite the mishap.

In a "Family Feud" 8-Cylinder Demolition Derby James "The Killa" Kilkenny #54 bested one of his life long mentors, his Uncle Bobby "The Killer Bee' Benison #14. Despite being family, when the event boiled down to these two the hitting was fast, furious and hard. Jamie won in his Albin Avenue Auto Salvage machine and quickly becomes a favorite for the September 18th National Demolition Derby Championship which pays $1,500 to the winner on Miller Lite night.

Benison, who hadn't run in a demo in quite sometime didn't show any signs of rust and was named Judge's Choice, while point leader Jason Savoy #86 was voted fan's Choice.

With just the National Demolition Derby Championship remaining Savoy leads Kilkenny by just 20, 470 to 450, while Brian Savoy sits third with 270 with no mathematical chance to win the crown or for that matter to move up to second.

Sunday Grand Enduro winner Jimmy Denis #92 was in a zone, plain and simple. Denis who started the race 16th roared to the race lead on lap 30, erasing a half a lap lead that David Antos #73 had built up over the first 30 circuits of the 50-lap tilt. Once out front Denis took no prisoners in his All American Marine Chevy scoring his second win of 2010, his first coming on Father's Day back in June. The win completed a great racing weekend for the Denis family who are also part of Rob Bader's winning Blunderbust team. By the way, was Jimmy's practicing the Frank Scimeca #96 Charger on Sunday a sign of things to come in 2011?

For David Antos that elusive first career win is going to have to wait at least until our Oktoberfest Enduro show on Saturday September 25th. Antos had all but one car covered in the race before he had to be happy with second in the CR Customs Monte Carlo.

Veteran driver Joe Parcelluzzi #28 crossed the line third in the Blue Point Auto Body Chevy. Speaking of Blue Point Auto Body, great to see John Cozza on hand over the weekend at the track and looking well.

While the Saturday night 4/6-Cylinder Truck Enduro might have gone down to the wire, Sunday's race did not as Robin Vollmoeller #2 dominated the 50-lap race in his Solar Salon Tanning entry. Vollmoeller lapped all but the 2nd and 3rd place finishers and in fact the last truck he put a lap down before winning was his future son-in-law Greg Harris #65 who finished 4th in his SGS Stone Works entry.

Rob "The Racer" McCormick #17x bested his Saturday night finish by one with a second on Sunday afternoon in his Ramirez Landscaping machine.

Don Nelson Jr. #38 was third in the Nelson Brothers racing owned entry.

I'll bet when Dominic Ranieri woke up Sunday morning to go racing, he thought he'd have a good day. Just how good however I bet not even he imagined as he won both 8-Cylinder Enduro races and led all 125 laps in doing so. Ranieri in the Westhampton Auto Salvage Chevy surely will remember Labor day weekend at Riverhead Raceway for a long time to come.

Anthony Pizzo #14 chased Ranieri in the first 75-lap race before finishing second in the United Exhaust Shops Caprice, while Dwayne Sipila #4 was third in the Aurora Home Improvements entry.

In the 50-lap nightcap Bob Baker in the MJM Plumbing & Heating #5 and Robert Duffus Jr. #4 steering the Krazy Kars entry were second and third.

Gene Burbol #9 won his second straight 6-Cylinder Enduro feature in his Gene's 112 Service Center racer leading all 50-laps in the process. Mitchell Pattern in the Spits Speed Shop #13 and Jeffrey Gregor  in his Gregor Well Drilling #7 chased Burbol to the line.

Steve "The Pitbull" Trimboli #1 led all 50-laps of the 4-Cylinder Enduro to collect his third win of 2010 season in his Pitbull Motors Mercedes Benz, which was on rails Sunday. We love Steve's attitude towards racing and life that he shared with everyone in victory lane, he truly has things in perspective.

Dennis Nelson in the Nelson Brothers Racing #3 and Billy Smith #24 were second and third and for Smith it was one of his better finishes.

Well that wraps up a busy weekend!

Until next week-BF