Analyzing the Miller Lite 140 at Riverhead Raceway

By admin July 28, 2008 NASCAR WMT, Riverhead

Daytona Beach, FL — The 47th running of the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour at Riverhead (N.Y.) Raceway will take place on Saturday, Aug. 2 with the Miller Lite 140.

At Riverhead Raceway:

  • The NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour has held races at Riverhead each year since the series was formed in 1985.
  • Riverhead played host to at least two, and as many as three, NWMT races from 1985-2002.
  • Among the early entries for the Miller Lite 140, seven have reached Victory Lane at Riverhead before … Mike Stefanik (6 wins), Ted Christopher (4), Donny Lia (4), Rick Fuller (2), Dan Jivanelli (2), Wayne Anderson (1) and Ed Flemke Jr. (1).
  • At .25-miles, Riverhead is the smallest track of the eight that the NWMT will race at in 2008.

Season Recap:

  • Chuck Hossfeld is the current points leader and the only repeat winner so far in 2008 … He has victories at Stafford (5/23) Motor Speedway and New Hampshire Motor Speedway (6/28).
  • Ed Flemke Jr. captured the season-opener at Thompson (Conn.) International Speedway, his first victory since 2004.
  • Ted Christopher won the second race of the season at Stafford (Conn.) Motor Speedway to move into a tie for fifth place on the all-time wins list.
  • Ronnie Silk won the 75-lap green flag-only race at Thompson (Conn.) International Speedway for his second career victory.
  • In the first qualifying format race of 2008, Matt Hirschman earned his first career NWMT victory at Spencer Speedway on July 12.
  • James Civali, Bobby Grigas III and Ryan Preece have earned their first career poles in 2008.

Selected Driver Highlights:
Wayne Anderson (No. 15 Chevrolet)

  • Last full-time season on the NWMT was 1995 … Will be the seventh year in a row he has entered the NWMT race at Riverhead, his home track.
  • Will be honored for his 1994 NWMT title prior to the race as part of NASCAR’s celebration of 60 years of Modified champions.

Eric Beers (No. 46 Chevrolet)

  • Has two wins and six poles in 118 career starts.
  • Has three top-five finishes in six starts this year.
  • Recorded three-straight top-10 finishes at Riverhead in 2004-05.

Jimmy Blewett (No. 19 Chevrolet)

  • Has two wins and one pole in 52 career starts.
  • His fourth place finish at Spencer bumped him from 22nd to 14th in the season standings.
  • Is the younger brother of the late John Blewett III, a winner at Riverhead in 1999.
  • Won the Baldwin-Evans-Jarzombek memorial race as part of Riverhead’s NASCAR Whelen All-American Series on July 19 … The win moved him up to ninth in the NWAAS national standings.

Ted Christopher (No. 36 Chevrolet)

  • Has 28 wins and 13 poles in 251 career starts.
  • Won the Spring Sizzler at Stafford (Conn.) Motor Speedway on April 27.
  • Has at least one victory in 10 consecutive seasons.
  • Is 95 points behind leader Chuck Hossfeld in the season standings.
  • Has led 197 of 720 (27%) total laps this year, most of any driver.

James Civali (No. 28 Chevrolet)

  • Has four wins in 42 career starts.
  • Finished in the top 10 in the first three races, but best finish since is 26th at Spencer.

Ed Flemke Jr. (No. 10 Chevrolet)

  • Won the season-opener at Thompson.
  • Has 17 wins and 16 poles in 360 career starts.
  • Has made a record 301 consecutive starts … The last time he did not start an NWMT event was on July 22, 1992 at Riverside Park Speedway.

Rick Fuller (No. 77)

  • 1993 NWMT Champion … Will be honored prior to Sept. 7 event at Thompson.
  • Has 20 wins and 11 poles in 431 career starts … Last won at Waterford in May, 2003.
  • Has two top-10s in his last four starts at Riverhead.

Bobby Grigas III (No. 09 Chevrolet)

  • Captured his first career Coors Light Pole Award at Thompson on June 19.
  • Registered best career finish (third) at the Icebreaker, also at Thompson.
  • Led the first laps of his career in the Icebreaker … His 87 total laps led this year rank third.

    • Matt Hirschman (No. 59 Chevrolet)

    • Earned his first NWMT win at Spencer last time out … Has 21 top 10s in 45 career starts.
    • Has finished on the lead lap in 23 consecutive races, the most among all drivers.
    • Has top-10s in three of the last four races and is now fourth in the standings.

    Chuck Hossfeld (No. 4 Dodge)

    • Current NWMT points leader, 95 ahead of Ted Christopher, the largest margin this year.
    • Has finished in the top four in each of the season’s first six races.
    • Is the only driver to earn multiple wins so far in 2008, Stafford (5/23) and New Hampshire (6/19).
    • Has led 110 laps this year, second only to Christopher’s 197.
    • Has seven wins, 42 top fives and 61 top 10s in 101 career starts.

    Donny Lia (No. 18 Chevrolet)

    • The 2007 NWMT champion driving the No. 4 for Bob Garbarino.
    • Drives the No. 71 NationRides.com Chevy full-time in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series.
    • Will compete in the Miller Lite 140, which will be his first NWMT start since last year’s title.
    • Is the defending champion of this race, and has four career NWMT wins at Riverhead.

    Ronnie Silk (No. 79 Pontiac)

    • Earned his second career victory at Thompson on June 19.
    • Is ninth in the season standings … Has three top-10 finishes in a row.
    • Has 17 top-10s in 46 career NWMT starts.
    • Is second in the standings after three races in the NASCAR Whelen Southern Modified Tour, 36 points behind L.W. Miller.

    Mike Stefanik (No. 16 Pontiac)

    • Seven-time NWMT Champion … Was honored as part of NASCAR’s 60 years of Modified champions celebration prior to the TSI Harley-Davidson 150 at Stafford.
    • Has a NWMT record 68 victories in 371 career starts.
    • Has four top-fives in 2008 and is sixth in the standings.
    • Active wins leader at Riverhead with six … Last win was in 2001.

    Todd Szegedy (No. 2 Ford)

    • The 2003 NWMT Champion … Will be honored at New Hampshire on Sept. 28.
    • Has 12 wins in 100 career starts, the best start-to-victory ratio (8:1) of any active driver.
    • Is in third place in season points … He and Chuck Hossfeld are the only drivers to finish in the top 10 in each of the season’s first six races.

    Jamie Tomaino (No. 99 Chevrolet)

    • The 1990 NWMT Champion … Was honored prior to the last race at Spencer.
    • Has only missed four of the 495 races in the history of the NWMT (1985-pr.).
    • Is one of three drivers (Rick Fuller, Carl Pasteryak) to make a start in all 24 years of the NWMT.

    Upcoming Milestones/Benchmarks:

    • Ted Christopher has 28 career victories … The next win would put him in sole possession of fifth place on all-time list, breaking a tie Mike Ewanitsko.
    • Todd Szegedy’s next win would be the 13th of his career, which would put him in sole possession of 13th on the all-time list.
    • Donny Lia has 11 career NWMT wins … His next would place him in a tie with Szegedy, George Kent and Richie Evans on the all-time list.
    • Mike Stefanik has 40 career poles … The next would place him in a tie with Tony Hirschman for the all-time lead.
    • Jamie Tomaino will extend his own series record by making his 492nd career start.
    • Ed Flemke Jr. is expected to extend his record consecutive starts streak to 302.

    Sources: Jason Cunningham/NASCAR WMT PR