Overcoming an early race skirmish Jimmy "Showtime" Blewett of Howell, N.J. made a thrilling pass for the lead with five laps to go to win the 4th annual Baldwin, Evans & Jarzombek 77 Memorial by Axel Anderson Inc Saturday at Riverhead Raceway. The victory was worth $1,550 to Blewett on Whelen All-American Series night.
Defending NASCAR Modified champion Bill Park blistered the track in pre-race time trials with a lap of 11.580, just .034 off the track record to earn the Brigandi Brothers Automotive $100 fast time award. When the green flag waved over the 21-car field Park would bolt to the early lead, with Chuck Steuer who timed second to Park with a lap of 11.609 running second. The early portion of the race was dotted with several caution flags with Jimmy Blewett just one of many drivers having to overcome early race adversity.
Park led Steuer until the 25th lap when Steuer, the current track record holder, made a text book move to the inside of Bill to take the lead as they began the 26th lap. Once out front Steuer had a mirror full of Park, but as the race wore on under a green flag run, Chuck looked as though he'd win the 77-lap race for the second year in a row.
However on lap 69 several lapped car ran side by side in front of the leaders and when those cars checked-up for a spinning car, the leaders also became involved. Steuer then suffered a right front flat tire forcing him to pit with just six laps to go during the caution flag.
That moved Jimmy Blewett to second behind Park who regained the lead when Steuer pitted. When the final green of the race waved Blewett made an inside move on Park on lap 70, and then drove to victory in the United Crane Service entry.
After Wayne Anderson presented "Showtime" with the winning trophy Jimmy reflected, "we got caught up early in just a short track racing deal, but my spotter Fred Kraft told me we could still win the race if we conserve the right rear". With the race run in honor of three NASCAR Modified legends Blewett paused to give praise to a fourth, "My brother John taught me a lot about racing, how to run here at Riverhead and this trophy and the special checker flag is going in my basement where I have a memorial for him"
Bill Park of Manorville had to settle for second in the Smithtown Nissan Chevy, while Justin Bonsignore of Holtsville had another impressive outing for third in the North Shore Animal League America Chevy. Rowan Pennick of Huntington Valley, Pa raced from 16th to place 4th, while Howie Brode of East Islip drove from 15th to complete the top five. Pennick won the Sunoco Race Fuels Tom Baldwin Hard Charger award worth 5 gallons of Sunoco.
Roger Maynor of Bay Shore won his 4th Figure Eight feature of 2008 but before he could do so he had to battle with two old foes. Ralph Tasso zipped out front early with Scott Pedersen giving chase, but mechanical issues forced Pedersen out of the race on lap 4. That moved Roger Maynor to second and when the race resumed he and Tasso tussled for the lead swapping the top spot three times in just four laps, with "TK" Tommy Kraft lurking in third. On lap 9 Maynor steering the Edward Horton Builders Ford was able to race past Tasso once again for the lead with Kraft this time also passing Tasso for second. For the remainder of the race the trio ran in tight quarters before Roger Maynor took the checker flag for the 91st time in his career. Tom Kraft of Medford in the Northeastern Office Equipment Chevy was second, with Ralph Tasso of Bohemia third in the Johnny A Pin Stripping Chevy.
Racing a part-time schedule the last few seasons it had been four years since Doug Watson of Islip Terrace had visited victory lane after a Blunderbust main event, but that all changed Saturday night when the 20-lap contest concluded. Young talent Rob Bader for the second week in a row broke to the early lead with "Turbo" Tom Sullivan in tow over the first five laps. On lap 6 Sullivan was able to slip by Bader for the lead and coming to second at the same time would be Doug Watson. Over the next five laps Sullivan, who has suffered numerous engine failures over the past two seasons did all he could to hold off Watson for a well-deserved victory. However on lap 12 Watson made a bold inside move on Sullivan for the lead, a bid that not only paid-off with the lead, but the eventual win as well for Doug Watson in the Bi-County Auto Salvage Chevy. Joe Pingitore who raced his way to second when Watson made his winning pass would finish in that spot in the Tony's Crab King Inc. entry, with Chris Busick of Ronkonkoma coming home third in the Servicemaster Clean Chevy.
Before he could score the 20-lap Super Pro truck feature event victory, all "Dangerous" Dave Koenig had to do was race a second truck he owns for the lead. After Erin Dumicich paced the race for the first five laps, Roger Turbush in a truck owned by Koenig moved by for the lead on lap 5. Once lap later Koenig himself came to second and the race was on between the two teammates. Taking the long way around for the lead Koenig passed Turbush to the outside during a 7th lap restart with Turbush now pressuring Dave for the lead. Late in the race Koenig got some breathing room when Wayne Meyer closed in on Turbush for second and that was all the driver of the Nelson's Auto Salvage Chevy needed to secure the popular victory. Wayne Meyer of Riverhead was runner-up in the Flanders Automotive Chevy, while Roger Turbush of Riverhead crossed the line third in the Allied Air Conditioning truck.
Perhaps the best race was saved for the last as the 4-Cylinder Enduro drivers put on a barnburner of a race among three drivers to determine the winner of the 60-lap tilt. When the dust settled Robert Endlekofer of Miller Place scored his second win of 2008. Endlekofer, Shawn Wanat and Bob Hager staged a torrid duel for the lead running in close quarters for over half the race while dancing through heavy lapped traffic. Endlekofer and Wanat swapped the lead numerous times during this thriller with Endlekofer in the Family Automotive machine coming home the winner. Shawn Wanat of Riverhead was second in the Spits Speed Shop racer, while Bob Hager of Hampton Bays was third in the Westhampton Auto Salvage entry.
Don Carasiti of St James won his second straight One On One Spectator Drag competition, this week having to beat out Charles Guardino of Glen Cove to do so.