Riverhead Raceway Announces 1999 Pre-Season Practice and Opening Dates
Riverhead, NY — Riverhead Raceway promoters, Barbara and Jim Cromarty, announced today the two opening days for the fast approaching 1999 season at the quarter-mile oval. On Sunday afternoon, April 18th the popular Enduro races will officially open the 1999 schedule, while the NASCAR Winston Racing Series stock cars have their opener the following Saturday evening, April 24th. Prior to the two opening shows of the exciting 1999 schedule will be the two traditional pre-season practice sessions for the stock cars which will unfold on Saturday afternoon, April 10th and again the afternoon of Saturday, April 17th. On both days fans can come out to enjoy a free sneak preview of what promises to be a season full of fun and excitement that will feature something for everyone over the course of the summer. As always, admission to the grandstand area will be absolutely free of charge and the two practice sessions will run from 12 noon until 5:00 pm.
Sunday , April 18th will then find everyone playing for keeps as a full card of Enduro races will be presented and Riverhead officials disclosed recently that 4 cylinder Enduros will join the full size Enduros for all seven scheduled Enduro programs in 1999. Joining the Enduro troops on April 18th will be the Legend Race Cars and the growing Super Pro Truck division, who will entertain the fans with some great side by side racing. Completing the card will be the One-On-One Spectator Drag and the wild Car Rollover Contest, which will also be part of all seven Enduro shows in ’99. All the action will get underway with the Legend Race Car heats at 12:30 pm and in the event of rain, the who will be run the following Sunday, April 25th.
Just six days after the schedules Enduro opener, the 1999 NASCAR Winston Racing Series will kick into gear with Barbara and Jim Cromarty presenting an exciting six for one racing card which will be highlighted by the ultra fast and popular NASCAR Modifieds who will run their first of 19 feature events of the season in a 35 lap regular distance. Complementing the card, as well, will be the Late Models, who come off a successful 1998 campaign heading into the new season along with the Figure Eights, chargers Blunderbusts and Legend Race Cars. Heat races for the opener, as well as for the entire 1999 season will take the green flag at 4:30 pm, with the spectator gates opening at 3:00 pm.
Of the 1998 divisional champions at Riverhead just about all will return to defend their titles in 1999. Howie Brode of Bay Shore will aim for his second straight NASCAR Modified crown, while Steve Tooker of Riverhead hopes to win his third Late Model title in four years. Tom Kraft of Kings Park is gearing up for a second straight Figure Eight championship, as will be Richie Carman of Port Jefferson in the Chargers, John Bagshaw of Aquebogue in the Legend Race Cars and George Taylor of Bethpage in the Super Pro Trucks. The only champion from ’98 whose plans were still in the air is the Blunderbust kingpin Ray Dominguez of Bellerose, Queens.
Sources: Riverhead Raceway