TOM ROGERS JR. NOTCHES
SECOND MODIFIED WIN OF '08 AT RIVERHEAD RACEWAY
Riverhead, N.Y. Aug. 23rd
By Bob Finan
Just one week
after clinching the 2008 Late Model title, Tom Rogers Jr. of Patchogue iced the cake this past
Saturday night when he won his second NASCAR Modified feature event of 2008 at
Riverhead Raceway on Donaldson's Volkswagen-Subaru night. The 35-lap
victory was worth $1,435 and also compliments his three wins in the Late
Models this season.
For the second
straight week Eddie Brunnhoelzl III assumed the early race lead with Howie Brode quickly moving
to second with a bold move at the throw of the green. Just a lap or two
later Chris Young joined the duo and the race for the lead became a three car
duel. On lap 9 Young and Brode running
side by side got together with Brode winding-up in the first turn wall. On the ensuing double file restart
Brunnhoelzl remained the race leader
with Tom Rogers Jr. working his way to second with Chris Young now third.
With his first
career Riverhead Raceway victory within sight things went south in a hurry on lap 22 for
Brunnhoelzl. A yellow waved for Dave Brigati who spun in turn one, as Brunnhoelzl
slowed for the yellow he was tapped from behind and spun, which broke the
transmission in his car. During that yellow Chris Young who barely had moved to
second was forced to pit and that left Tom Rogers jr. to contend with Wayne
Anderson for the win over the final
13-laps. Anderson rode Rogers back bumper the remainder of the race but never was able to make a serious bid
for the lead.
At the checkered
flag it was Tom Rogers Jr. in the Sunburst Tree Experts Chevy scoring the win and performing two
separate burnouts for the I Love America night crowd. "We were a little
tight tonight" Rogers admitted in victory lane, "Eddie had the car to beat
tonight, but I saw him get pushed off during the caution" Tom praised his
loyal crew, "my team does double duty all season long with this car and our
Late Model, but in the end it all paid-off".
Wayne Anderson of
Yaphank crossed the line second in the Eastport Feeds Chevy, while point leader Bill Park of
Manorville was third in the Smithtown Nissan Chevy. Dan Jivanelli of Hampton
Bays and Justin Bonsignore of Holtsville
completed the top five. With just two races to go Bill Park leads John Fortin by 46-point for the 2008
championship.
Roger Maynor of
Bay Shore waited until there were five laps left in the 20-lap B. Sexton Site Development Figure
Eight main event before he made some noise and when he did turn up the
volume it would result in his 92nd career Figure Eight victory. Will "the
Thrill" Farrell jumped to the race lead at the drop of the green with rookie
Scott Pedersen in hot pursuit and for awhile it looked like either one would
have their first career win. However
on lap 15 in one clean swoop Roger Maynor, who started the race 9th made a clean pass of both Pedersen and
Farrell to take command of the race. Paul Specht raced to second on lap 17 and
had but just three laps to try and reel in the leader, but with the event
going green to checker with no cautions
that only aided the Maynor effort. At the conclusion it was the Barrasso & Sons Mason Supplies Ford of
Roger Maynor again gracing victory lane, with Paul Specht of Holtsville
having a solid outing for runner-up money in his un-sponsored racer. "TK"
Tommy Kraft of Medford was third in the Dynamic Painting Chevy and with two
races left in the season he trails Roger Maynor by 44-points for the title.
Another
Blunderbust feature can only mean one thing, another close Blunderbust finish for the win. This week
Chris Busick of Ronkonkoma had to work right until the checker flag waved
for his third win of the campaign. The "Racing Grandpa" Bill Wegmann moved to
the race lead with Kevin Rommeney giving chase for the first eight laps
before he was overtaken by Tom Sullivan
on lap 9. Sullivan ran second for two laps before Chris Busick worked his way by and set his sights on
race leader Wegmann, whose night would go south on a single file restart
with just six laps to go. When the green waved after the late race caution
Wegmann slowed to the infield with mechanical woes moving Chris Busick into
the lead, with his rival Tommy Walkowiak
now sitting second. Over the final laps Walkowiak rode Busick's rear bumper looking high and low for an
avenue by the race leader. However Chris Busick too is a tested tough BB
veteran and was first across the line at the end of the race in the
Servicemaster Clean entry. Tommy Walkowiak of Ridge was second in the Unique Golf Chevy,
while Rob Bader had a strong race for third in the Robert's Express Oil
racer. In the championship chase Walkowiak leads Busick by 14-points with
three races remaining on the year.
After ten years of
trying, Joe Parcelluzzi of West Sayville finally earned that first career win when he
topped the 50-lap Grand Enduro feature. Early in the race veteran driver Robin
Vollmoeller worked his way out front and looked as though he would be tough to
beat as the laps clicked off. However
with a comfortable cushion Robin suddenly veered to the infield on lap 19 with an overheating issue moving
Joe Parcelluzzi out front. As the race wore on Parcelluzzi saw the advantage
he had built-up erased as Greg Zaleski
marched his way to second and closed in on the race leader. The tandem ran in close quarters over the
finals laps, dancing through lapped traffic all the while with Joe Parcelluzzi
took the checkers first in his Blue
Point Auto Body Chevy. Greg Zaleski of Southold was runner-up in the Gallo's Used Auto Parts machine, with
"Krazy" Ed Mistretta third in the Busy Bee Exterminating racer.
"Slim" Jim
Donaldson of Coram brought the house down when he won the Car Rollover Contest with just one attempt at
the ramp which found him completing
four complete rolls worth 20-points. That was enough for the Prestige Motors driver to win the event
over Jason Savoy of Lake Panamoka and Joe Marko of Lindenhurst who were
second and third.
The Mini School
Bus Demolition Derby proved to be another extremely hard hitting affair with Michael "Cheesebox"
Rommeney of Maspeth scoring yet another win. Newcomer Richard Draeger of
Valley Stream threw all he could at Rommeney but in the end the C&A Auto
Parts driver would again prevail.
INFORMED
YOUR RIVERHEAD RACEWAY SATURDAY AUGUST 23RD, 2008
By Bob Finan
Donaldson's VW-Subaru NASCAR Modifieds
35-laps: 1. Tom Rogers Jr. 2. Wayne Anderson 3. Bill Park 4. Dan
Jivanelli 5. Justin Bonsignore 6. Dave Brigati 7. Chuck Steuer 8. Ken
Darch 9. Rusty Turbush 10. Marisa Niederauer 11. Frank Saladino 12.
Sean McDonald 13. Ed Brunnhoelzl III 14. Chris Young 15. David Roys 16.
Mike Andrews Jr. 17. Howie Brode 18. John Fortin 19. Shawn Solomito
B. Sexton Site Development Figure
Eights 20-laps: 1. Roger Maynor 2. Paul Specht 3. Tom Kraft 4.
Arne Pedersen 5. Will Farrell 6. Tom Ferrara 7. Carl Baxter 8. Ken Hyde
9. Tom Graff 10. Jim Donaldson 11. Scott Pedersen 12. Bob Dalke 13.
Mike Mujsce 14. Jessica Larsen
Donaldson's VW-Subaru Blunderbusts
20-laps: 1. Chris Busick 2. Tommy Walkowiak 3. Rob Bader 4.
Scott Maliszewski 5. Tom Sullivan 6. Tom Pickerell 7. Ed Mistretta 8.
Joe Pingitore 9. Kevin Rommeney 10. Bill Portney Sr. 11. Jessica Larsen
12. Paul Parisi 13. Scott Sepe 14. Doug Watson 15. Tim Mulqueen 16.
Brian Hansen 17. Russ Kohler 18. Bill Wegmann 19. Ray Shannon
Donaldson's VW-Subaru Grand Enduro 50-laps: 1. Joe Parcelluzzi
2. Greg Zaleski 3. Ed Mistretta 4. Donny Oliver 5. Walter Stroud
Car Rollover Contest: Winner- Jim Donaldson
Spectator Drags: Winner- John Cozza
Mini School Bus Demolition Derby:
Winner- Michael Rommeney