Champion ceremonies. Over the past several years folks have approached us in person, phoned us or e-mailed us suggesting we should crown the divisional champions at the race track on the final night of racing for that particular division. Well in 2008 that’s exactly what we’re going to do, starting with this Sunday August 31^st with the final Legend Race Car feature of the year. The champion and his car owner will report to victory lane and once the race winner is interviewed the 2008 championship hardware will be awarded in front of family, friends and the spectators on hand. Saturday September 6^th will see the same for the NASCAR Modifieds and Late Models, while the Figure Eight, Charger, Blunderbust and Demolition Derby ceremony will take place September 13^th. The Super Pro Truck and Car Rollover champions will be feted on the final night of racing September 20^th. As for the Enduro division CARQUEST Auto Parts will be supplying the trophies for the 2008 champions and there is an effort by several to have an Enduro dinner alone on a date and at a facility to be named later. We will have more on this next week for you.

Awards dinner: As most of you know the past few seasons found the race season stretch from mid-October into the first week or two of November and frankly folks racers want to race and race fans want to watch a race. With that in mind we want to alert everybody right here that there will be no 2008 Riverhead Raceway awards dinner. One can point to many factors, a declining economy, the North-South Shootout but frankly ladies and gentleman it just got tougher and tougher to get interest for the affair the past few years and so it goes. Yes we will name a Rookie of the Year and Best Appearing Car in those divisions that have had those awards annually but those trophies will be given out at the January meetings in 2009.

2009. Having just read that last paragraph we realize some might start to question whether there will be a 2009 at Riverhead Raceway and Barbara & Jim Cromarty emphatically want me to tell everyone, yes! If not over the Labor Day weekend, then the next weekend you can expect us to announce the opening weekend for 2009 and the two practice days leading-up to the lid-lifter.

Thank you! To all those who made this past Sunday and the first Memory Lane Cars & Stars event a successful afternoon. I can’t name everyone, but you know who you are and you made the show more than I thought it would be. A special thank you to Barbara & Jim Cromarty for the use of the track for the day.

You could excuse Tom Rogers Jr. #6 if he was a bit bored Saturday, with only his NASCAR Modified to race for the night with the Late Models off. Having clinched the 2008 LM title for all intents and purpose last week Rogers promptly went out and won his second feature of 2008 in the Sunburst Tree Experts Chevy. All Rogers has to do is take the green flag in next week’s LM finale and he and car owner Jimmy Wichert of Unique Golf will be receiving the championship hardware in victory lane!

After slowing early in the 35-lap tilt, boy did Wayne Anderson #15 ever come to life later in the race chasing down and hounding Rogers to the checker flag. As we enter the final two NASCAR Modified races of 2008, the driver of the Eastport Feeds Chevy is still mum on whether he’ll race in 2009 or not. I know where my money is.

Point leader Bill Park #20 rallied to a third place tally in his Smithtown Nissan Chevy and in the process increased his margin to 46-points over John Fortin #84, 522 to 476, with Dave Brigati #98x third at 470. Keep in mind the final race next week September 6^th is a 50-lap, double point race that Park must get through before laying claim to his 4^th track crown.

Dan Jivanelli #44 drove the Fullam Enterprises Corvette to a fine 4^th place finish.

Justin Bonsignore #23 still enjoying a great second half of the season was 5^th in the Blue Point Auto Body racer.

If Dennis can do it so can I, is what Ken Darch must have said to himself last week, as he was 8^th in the Trade Auto Wreckers #03. The week before Dennis Scott also drove the car to a top ten finish.

Nice run for Frank Saladino #25 in 11^th in the Formac Welding Cavalier.

It took him awhile this week, but Roger Maynor #28 made a late race surge to score his 92^nd career Figure Eight win in the B. Sexton Site Development night main event. To get to the front Maynor in the Barrasso & Sons Mason Supplies Ford had to get past two drivers seeking their first career win as Will “the Thrill” Farrell and Scott Pedersen #27 had run up front for the first 14 laps of the race. However Maynor was able to sneak by and claim his 4^th win of the year and increase his advantage in the points to 44 over “TK” Tommy Kraft #8, 594 to 550. With just two races left Roger seems to have things in hand.

Once again Paul Specht #63 had another solid night in his sponsor wanted car as he crossed the line second. We often wonder if Paul had sponsors, like many other teams, how many more races he would have won, if not championships.

“TK” Tommy Kraft #8 was third in the Northeastern Office Equipment Chevy sporting his new US Marines haircut, did you get a piece of gum with that Tommy?

Great run for Arne Pedersen #34 who was 4^th in the final rundown, Arne who is sponsored by Ken Johnson Construction weekly had additional backing from B. Sexton Site Development for the race.

After nearly getting that elusive first career win Will Farrell was 5^th in the Anthony’s carpets Pontiac, looked to me like his tires went away late in the race. Another driver who if he had better funding might have some trophies sitting on his mantel.

Felt bad for Scott Pedersen in his Land, Air & Water Environmental #27 as a broken ball joint dropped his to a 11^th place finish after running up front most of the race.

Chris Busick drove his Servicemaster Clean #61 to his third win of 2008 after a torrid battle with Tommy “The Wildchild” Walkowiak for the win. Chris noted in victory lane that his car is for sale noting he came back to have some fun, but now it’s time for some other drivers to duke it out for the win. As talented as Chris is as a driver, he is also a very talented crew chief and set-up man in Charger and Late Model racing.

Trying as hard as he could Tommy Walkowiak had to be content with runner-up honors in the Unique Golf Chevy, which also cost him two points in his advantage over Busick in the championship chase, 748 to 734 with three races to go! By the way great to see Tommy practicing the Hampton Fleet Service #9 Enduro Truck for competition this Sunday August 31^st, owner Jim White told me five long nights later and the truck is back on track!

Rob Bader #19 might just have had a better car than the two leaders of the race as he crossed the line third in the Robert’s Express Oil machine. Keep in mind Rob is winding down his season long work with Pit Stop for Cancer, which you can make a donation to over the final three races of the year.

Scott Maliszewski #22 was 4^th in the Blaze Fuel Oil Chevy, while watching practice with Scott during the afternoon he told me he’s had more fun racing this year that any other. Now that’s great to hear!

“Turbo” Tom Sullivan #7 was 5^th in the Custom Exteriors Lincoln. Nice gesture by the way for “Fred” to lend Doug Watson his Buick BB for the night, as Doug’s car was still feeling the effects from the week before. Doug in turn promised to give Tom some fishing lessons.

Nice run for Kevin Rommeney #11x with a 9^th in the C&A Auto Parts racer.

Nice to see Bill Portney Sr. #43 grab a top ten with a 10^th in the sponsor wanted mount.

Great to see Enduro veteran Joe Parcelluzzi #28 after ten years of trying grab his first career win in the 50-lap Grand Enduro. Parcelluzzi moved his Blue Point Auto Body Chevy out front on lap 20 and had to contend with Greg Zaleski late in the race for the win, but he was able to answer the bell every time Zaleski made a move.

Zaleski steering the Gallo’s Used Auto Parts #12 had to settle for second. Hey I guess Greg it’s back to work next week when school starts; Greg for those who do not know is a Physical Education Teacher.

“Krazy” Ed Mistretta #17 had a great run in the Busy Bee Exterminating machine with a fine third place finish.

Donny “Boom Boom” Oliver #58 brought the Flanders Automotive entry home 4^th.

Walter Stroud #49 posted his best Grand Enduro finish with a 5^th in the Gene’s 112 Service Center Chevy.

Robin Vollmoeller #56 was stretching out his lead in the #56 when his car overheated; he was going to be tough to beat before the problem.

Michael “Cheesebox” Rommeney #11 had to survive a challenge from a relative newcomer in Demolition Derbies to win the Mini-School Bus Demo in his C&A Auto Parts entry. Richard Draeger #3 threw all he could at Michael, who was able to survive the challenge.

Wow! That is all anyone could say after “Slim” Jim Donaldson #47 won the Car Rollover Contest in the Prestige Motors car. Jim was only able to make one attempt at the ramp, but what an attempt it would be as he turned his car four complete times for the popular victory.

John Cozza won yet another round of Spectator Drags, but hinted he might retire from the event to work more on his Enduro racing ventures.

Until next week-BF