CHRIS YOUNG DOMINATES RIVERHEAD RACEWAY SUNDAY NASCAR MODIFIED 50-LAPPER

After scoring the NASCAR Pack the Track opening night NASCAR Modified victory May 4th, veteran Chris Young of Calverton has had a fast car weekly, not just the racing luck that is required while racing on the tight confines of Riverhead Raceway. That all changed for the second-generation talent Sunday afternoon as he led green to checker during a non-stop 50-lap affair to notch his second win of 2025. The program, a makeup of the June 7th rain out was run in efficient fashion with 195 laps of feature event racing slowed by just four caution flags all afternoon.

Armed with the pole position for the NASCAR Modified event run under a hot and sunny sky Chris Young wasted no time in hustling his mount to the lead over JR Bertuccio who quickly tucked into second from his third starting position. For the entire event Young and Bertuccio would occupy the top two positions with the leader able to sneak away by five or more car lengths. Bertuccio as the race moved along fell into the clutches of Kyle Ellwood, who made his way from his mid-pack starting berth to third. With Young comfortably out front, Ellwood with 30--laps down in the race started to turn up the heat on Bertuccio for second knowing he had a good car and if he could get by JR he might have a shot. Bertuccio held the inside lane leaving Ellwood no option but to try the outside, but the bite just wasn't there. After running alongside JR for 5-6 laps, Kyle realizing the grip wasn't there tucked back into third.

The duel between his two nearest rivals played right into the hands of Chris Young and his Earth's Splendor team extending his already comfortable lead even further until the race concluded. Afterwards Young was quick to point out, "We've been hooked up" but Chris also took time post-race to reflect about the time between wins, "we just had something on our backs recently" Chris offered. "At the shop I'd tell my fiancé Lexi, my guys I don't know what's on our backs but it's there. So, the other day driving home in my truck from the shop I asked God to make me an instrument of his peace, he did" the relieved winner concluded. 

JR Bertuccio of Centereach was runner-up in the Gershow Recycling Chevy, Kyle Ellwood of Riverhead settled for third in the Millennium Limited Contracting Chevy. Back in action after injury Chris Rogers of Patchogue was in old form coming home fourth while Dylan Slepian of Dix Hills made a late race pass to claim fifth. 

Former Mini Stock champion Andrew Farnham of Baldwin scored an impressive first career victory Sunday in the 25-lap Eagle Chevrolet Crate Modified feature. Farnham broke to the early race lead over championship contender Eric Hersey and it as evident early on the 2022 Mini Stock champ had the car to beat. With Farnham getting away Hersey, Richie Davidowitz, Michael Berner and AJ DeSantis all raced in close quarters. Realizing some heavy hitters were about a straightaway behind him the last thing Andrew wanted to see was a caution. Indeed, a minor spin on lap 17 would bring the field back to Farnham. When the race resumed Andrew fired off the perfect restart maintaining his lead while Hersey was under attack from AJ DeSantis for second with AJ completing the pass. However, there was no stopping the LA Technology Group entry of Andrew Farnham who led the final 8-laps for  the win, afterwards Andrew racing to the fence to greet his father. AJ DeSantis in the Tiana Lawn & Tree Service racer was runner-up while Saturday night's winner Richie Davidowitz of East Moriches was third in the Kelco Contracting Chevy.

Jim Laird of Islip Terrace was another driver at Riverhead who between his most recent win in May has endured a rough spell of luck, but Sunday Laird put the demons to rest with his 20-lap Blunderbust victory. At the throw of the green Laird and Tom Sullivan ran one-two, Sullivan coming off an impressive second the night before, Laird third the night before. Defending champion and the red-hot Cody Triola worked his way under Sullivan off the second corner to take second on lap 6, setting his sights on leader Laird. However, Jim Laird Jr. was not to be denied on the sun splashed afternoon as he steered his Stakey's Pumpkin Farm Caprice to his second win of 2025, the 18th of his career. Cody Triola of Bay Shore was runner-up in the C&L Aluminum & Glass entry, Joe Densieski of Riverhead third in the Licciardi Builders Caprice. 

For the third time in the past five INEX Legend Race Car events, defending champion Riely O'Keefe of Manorville prevailed once again winning Sunday's 20-lap contest. The Legend feature was a hotly contested affair right from the start when Jim Sylvester led all-time winner Richie Davidowitz for the first cycle. Anthony Marsh, runner-up Saturday night raced to second on lap 2 and tested Sylvester until Davidowitz reclaimed second on lap 5. One lap later Richie moved by Jim for the lead, Sylvester now ran second. Just prior to halfway things would change again with O'Keefe passing his car owner for second during a 9th lap restart, Riely quickly went right after leader Davidowitz and took the lead from him on lap 10. a second restart would shuffle the deck up front on lap 12 when Ben Morabito, who traveled all night from a INEX event in Virginia entered the fray moving to second to challenge O'Keefe. Ducking to the inside of leader O'Keefe entering the first turn, Morabito took the lead on lap 13, but O'Keefe two laps later reclaimed the lead during a torrid, nut clean battle. Over the final five laps with his rival nipping at his heels, Riely O'Keefe won his third INEX Legend Race Car feature since July 12th for car owner Jim Sylvester in the Planet Earth Recycling entry. A travel weary Ben Morabito of Miller Place came home second in the Nowak Motorsports racer, with Richie Davidowitz in the Freddie & Megan Kraft back coupe third. 

Michael Barry of Patchogue won his first career INEX Bandolero Outlaw main event when he topped their caution free 15-lap feature. Fresh off a third-place tally Saturday night Barry wasted no time in putting his Grease Garage Motorsports Outlaw to the race lead at the drop of the green. Perhaps the move of the race came behind Michael as Madison Tomaszewski times her start perfectly racing the extreme outside lane to second after starting deep in the field. In the end it was all Michael Barry enjoying the thrill of his first career win and as impressive as his drive was, his post-race interview was just as good. Madison Tomaszewski of Laurel was runner-up in the MC-11 prepared racer, John Alaimo of Miller Place third in the Turf King entry.

There has been no driver in 2025 who has dominated more than Mason Goodale of Riverhead who won his 5th INEX Bandolero Bandit event of 2025 Sunday. Brooke Meyer broke to the lead early and had full intentions on grabbing her first win in what would turn out to be a caution free 15-lap contest. Meyer and Layla Quilliam ran first and second for the first two laps before Mason Goodale came calling, passing Quilliam on lap 3. Once to second Mason had to first catch Meyer, who had broken away from the field and then pass the fast leader. On lap 6 with an inside pass entering the third and fourth corners Goodale put the Riverhead Building Supply Bandit out front for good to earn his 7th career win tying him with Will Sipala for 5th on the overall all-time Bandolero win list. Brooke Meyer of Riverhead was runner-up in The Hydrant Bandit, with championship contender Emmett Grattan of Southold third in the Southold IGA entry.

Barely seven-years old, Brody Solomito of Little Compton, RI became the youngest stock car winner in the 75-year history of Riverhead Raceway when he won a non-stop 10-lap INEX Bandolero Beginner event. Just one night before Brody spun while leading the Beginner main event with two laps to go suffering the "agony of defeat". However, as the old Wide World of Sports theme continues, Sunday Brody broke out front at the start and this time held a pretty wheel until the end to enjoy the "thrill of victory" in the John Blewett & Son Scrap racer. The comeback story of the weekend belonged to Alexis Gatz of Riverhead who less than 24-hours earlier had a hard impact with the first turn wall rebounded Sunday for a runner-up finish in the TS Haulers machine. Mason Dickerson of Southold competed the podium with his Sea Tow Services Beginner.  

The 4/6-Cylinder Enduro was a battle of tested tough, veteran Enduro drivers and past champions with John Palmeri of Lindenhurst scoring his second win of 2025. Mike Mujsce Jr. led David Olivari over the first two laps of the tilt before Olivari passed Mujsce. Palmeri, who started 22nd on the grid brought his J&J Towing machine to second on lap 10 passing Mujsce and five laps later worked his way by Olivari for the lead, a lead he'd not give up until the checker. David Olivari of Selden was second in the Middle Country Automotive racer; Ryan J. Warren of Ridge brought the Joe Warren Motorsports Cavalier home third. 

NASCAR Modifieds: 1. Chris Young 2. JR Bertuccio 3. Kyle Ellwood 4. Chris Rogers 5. Dylan Slepian 6. John Beatty Jr. 7. Chase Grennan 8. Mark Stewart 9. CJ Lehmann 10. Owen Grennan 11. Roger Turbush DNS- Matt Brode

Crate Modifieds: 1. Andrew Farnham 2. AJ DeSantis 3. Richie Davidowitz 4. Michael Berner 5. Vinny Delaney 6. Eric Hersey 7. Christopher Coleman 8. Stephen Coleman 9. Joe Warren Jr. 10. Thomas Grattan 11. Tom Sekulski

Blunderbusts: 1. Jim Laird Jr. 2. Cody Triola 3. Joe Densieski 4. Tom Sullivan 5. Liam Macwhinnie 6. Emily Hubbard 7. Gary Caldwell 8. Kyle Curtis 9. Brad Bess 10. Anthony Copobianco 11. Bredan Patrick 12. Tom Puccia DNS- William Steed

Legend Race Cars: 1. Riely O'Keefe 2. Ben Morabito 3. Richie Davidowitz 4. Kyle Ellwood 5. Anthony Marsh 6. Chris Sinatro 7 Jim Sylvester 8. Chevy Rommeney 9. Charles Hodge 10. Jeff Farruggia Jr. 11. Eric Hersey 12. Joe Cooke Jr. 13. Jayden Glennerster 14. Marissa Stewart 15. Pat Moore 16. Phillip Alaimo 17. Nick Hodge 18. Mike Van Houten Jr. 19. Alex Halinar 20. Mike Renn 21. Kevin Ohrnberger 22. Michael Metcalf 23. Billy King Jr. 24. Marc Godnick 25. Willie Burns 26. Kendall Van Houten

Bandolero Outlaws: 1. Michael Barry 2. Madison Tomaszewski 3. John Alaimo 4. Thomas Grattan 5. Aria Ligon 6. Tyler Oxee 7. Madison White 8. Grace Cheslak 9. Jordan Ryan

Bandolero Bandits: 1. Mason Goodale 2. Brooke Meyer 3. Emmett Grattan 4. Landon Solomito 5. Mackenzie Ulmet 6. Leighton Van Houten 7. Wyatt Goodale 8. Blake Grattan 9. Christian Ryan 10. Layla Quilliam

Bandolero Beginners: 1. Brody Solomito 2. Alexis Gatz 3. Mason Dickerson 4. Tyler Ross 5. Megan Cummings 6. Scarlett Dumicich 7. Carissa Busam 8. Emily Gatz

4/6-Cylinder Enduro (top ten): 1. John Palmeri 2. David Olivari 3. Ryan J. Warren 4. Mike Mujsce Jr. 5. Charles Sherry 6. Mike Kowalski 7. Donnie Southard 8. Dennis Kurras 9. Mike Fragola 10. Robin Schewire