Veterans Dave Brigati & Ron Silk Split Riverhead Raceway Wall Of Champions NASCAR Modified Twin 30’s
RIVERHEAD, NY — Saturday evening at Riverhead Raceway provided some 194 laps of feature event racing during a high paced Wall of Champions night NASCAR Whelen All-American Series program and when the dust settled on the Twin 30’s for the NASCAR Modifieds Dave Brigati of Calverton scored the win in the opener while Ron Silk of Norwalk, Ct topped the nightcap. Prior to the NASCAR Modified features Wayne Anderson of Yaphank, Bill Park of Manorville and the late Joe Biondolillo Jr. of Holtsville were inducted onto the track’s Wall of Champion in turn three.
Pre-race qualifying found Ryan Preece setting fast time with a lap of 11.771 but his luck in the redraw remained not so good as he redrew 8th while Vinny Biondolillo drew the pole with veteran Dave Brigati picking the outside pole. When the green flag waved it would be Brigati getting the measure of the 15-year old Biondolillo for the lead on the first lap with Timmy Solomito moving to second around the pole sitter on lap 2. After an early race caution set up a double file restart the racing that followed the caution flag period was some of the best in the 63-year history of Riverhead Raceway with the top six Brigati, Solomito, Howie Brode, Ron Silk, Shawn Solomito and Ryan Preece running side by side in near line-up formation for several laps. Not a spark flew during this breathtaking battle to get to the front. Eventually the race would find Brigati taking sole possession of the lead with Timmy Solomito testing him at entering and exiting every turn. Ironically it was Brigati who gave Solomito his first opportunity in a NASCAR Modified and the duo put on an entertaining fight for the race lead and win.
With the laps winding down to a precious few Timmy turned up the heat on the race leader but when the checkered flag waved it was Dave Brigati in the Del-J Associates Chevy posting his second win of 2013. Timmy Solomito of Islip was runner-up, in the Eastport Feeds Chevy with Ryan Preece of Berlin, Ct. driving from 8th to finish third in the JAD Carpet Showcase entry. Ron Silk and Howie Brode of East Islip completed the top five.
The second 30-lap main event found the field lining-up in the order they finished the first race with Dave Brigati leading Timmy Solomito into the first turn when the green light winked on. However this time the tandem made contact entering turn three sending both cars sliding wildly through the infield along with several other including Ryan Preece. Everyone kept going and no caution was needed. Ron Silk, making his first start in Joe Ambrose’s Jessup Landscaping Chevy was able to avoid all that was going on around him to drive into the race lead with David Roys quickly coming to second. The two drivers know each other very well as Roys used to serve as the car chief on the TS Haulers NASCAR WMT ride that Silk drives. At first Roys was able to keep pace with Silk but as the race wore on Ron was able to keep a comfortable cushion between he and David.
At the conclusion of the second race it was Ron Silk making the most out of what may very well be a one race deal in the Ambrose ride, “I had a lot of fun with these guys today” Ron reflected in victory lane, “we got a break there when the leaders got together for a moment and here we are”.
Dave Brigati noted in his victory lane interview “I’m just happy to be back racing here at my home track Riverhead Raceway and I can’t thank Brian Schwarz enough, he put this car back together during the week pretty much by himself”. As to the incident with Timmy Solomito on the first lap of the second race Dave quickly responded, “just a racing deal”
Going into the 50-lap Late Model feature things were going according to plan for Jarrod Hayes of Calverton, he set fast time in qualifying with a lap of 12.567 earning $100 from Finishline Carting & Randy’s Performance. He then drew the pole in the redraw and was hoping to go out and lead all 50-laps. In the pre-race hot laps though the plan went south in a hurry as Jarrod pulled to the infield in a cloud of smoke with what he would later call “internal engine issues”. That moved Ken Alfano who redrew third to the pole for the race which carried plenty of bonus money along the way/ Alfano took full advantage of his new starting spot to take the race lead over Jeremy McDermott when the green waved, Roger Oxee was able to get around McDermott for second on lap 2. Over the following 33 laps Alfano was able to keep a hard pressing Oxee at bay and it appeared as though he would keep his recent hot streak, a win and runner-up in his last two starts intact. Disaster would strike Alfano as the field entered turn one to start the 36th lap as he blew a right front tire out at full speed going into the corner. Amazingly Ken was able to keep the car off the wall and would return after pitting. That turn of events moved Roger Oxee into the lead after he spent a good part of the race setting Alfano up for pass and moved Jeremy McDermott to second. Jeremy draped himself all over Oxee’s rear spoiler over the final 15 -laps of the race but in the end it was the all-time leading winner in the class Roger Oxee posting his 64th career win in the Southold IGA Pontiac. Jeremy McDermott of Riverhead was runner-up in the SDS Telecommunication Dodge with Shawn Patrick of Brightwaters placing third in the Matlach Fabricating Dodge, Shawn made a great recovery from an early spin to rally for the podium finish.
Former Figure Eight champion Arne Pedersen of Mastic Beach spent the last two weeks installing a new front clip on his BNR Home Improvement Dodge after a crash two weeks ago in a Charger race and he made all that hard work payoff for he and his team with a victory, his second of 2013. Taking advantage of a rare pole starting spot Pedersen moved out front when the race got underway with Ken Hyde Jr. running second for the first lap. Lap 2 saw Scott Pedersen, Arne’s brother come to second around Hyde and the battle of brotherly love was on! Arne aside from having to ward off his younger brother Scott also had another big issue to deal with as he lost power steering in his car around the second or third lap and was forced to manhandle his machine around the track. With all the recent hard work and expense his team has endured the last two weeks there was no beating Arne Pedersen as he drove off to his 11th career win since 2010. Scott Pedersen of Shirley was second in the Reliable Motors Chevy while Roger Maynor of Bay Shore claimed third place money in the Barrasso & Sons Mason Supplies Ford.
“The Jack Attack” Jack Handley Jr. of Medford posted his 4th Blunderbust win of the season after executing a pass for the lead with five laps remaining in a non-stop 20-lap contest. Bill Wegmann Jr. moved out front when the race went green with “Pistol” Paul Parisi in tow over the first three laps. As the field started the fourth lap of the race Jack Handley Jr. slipped under Parisi off turn two to take second position away and set his sights for race leader Wegmann. Once he was done reeling in Wegmann it was time for the 17-year old driver to try and figure out a way by the race leader which he was able to accomplish on lap 15 with just five laps to go. Once out front Jack Handley Jr. would lead the rest of the way in his Tom O’Keefe & Sons Chevy to score another popular victory. Bill Wegmann Jr. of Patchogue would settle for second in the Crackerjack Auto Stores racer while Jimmy “The Kid” White Jr. placed third in the Busy Bee Pest Control machine.
It had been just over three years since the patriarch of the racing Dumicich family, Frank Sr. had won a Super Pro Truck main event but that all changed when he scored his 17th career win in the class Saturday. The veteran wheelman quickly raced around pole sitter Anthony Vecchio for the race lead when the green flag waved and once out front the former champion never looked back After Vecchio ran second for the first two laps Frank’s daughter Erin Dumicich-Solomito got around Anthony for second with Mike Albasini coming to third. Erin and Mike would test each other for a few laps for second which was okay by Frank Sr, as he gained some breathing room but then Albasini made an inside pass for second entering turn three. Once to second Albasini then set sail for leader Dumicich and he drew close to Frank over the final half of the race but was not able to muster a pass. At the finish it would be the Arenz Heating and Air Conditioning Ford F-150 of Frank Dumicich Sr, scoring his first win since June 12th, 2010. Mike Albasini of Flushing was runner-up in the Gardner Specialty Auto Chevy with Lou Maestri of Deer Park rallying late in the race for third in the Gershow Recycling Chevy.
In the scheduled 30-lap INEX National Qualifier for the Legend Race Car “The Natural” Timmy Solomito of Islip triumphed in a race that was shortened to 29-laps due to the time limit. Kyle Ellwood was quickest in time trials with a lap of 13.791 earning a $100 bonus from Teddy Bear Graphics, Kyle would redraw 7th while Timmy Solomito picked the pole with Vinny Delaney on the outside pole. At the start of the race Timmy Solomito jumped out front for the race lead, a lead he’d never surrender but would be tested for on several double file restarts during the race that was slowed by numerous caution flags. Solomito’s teammate Justin Strumpf ran second to Timmy over the first seven laps of the race before a double file restart. On that restart Kyle Soper was able to work his way under Strumpf for second and the remainder of the race saw Soper chase Solomito for the race lead and the win putting plenty of pressure on the eventual race winner.. The final caution would wave on lap 29 when Johnnie Gloor IV lost an engine dropping oil on the track going into turn one and several cars slid into the wall in the oil slick ending the race one lap shy of it’s scheduled 30-laps. When the field was set in the proper order the checker flag waved with Timmy Solomito in the Monster Recycling racer collecting his second win of 2013. Kyle Soper of Manorville was runner-up in the Atlantic Chevrolet-Cadillac entry with points leader Kyle Ellwood of Riverhead third in the Riverhead Building Supply mount.
NASCAR Modifieds Twin 30 #1: 1. Dave Brigati 2. Timmy Solomito 3. Ryan Preece 4. Ron Silk 5. Howie Brode 6. David Roys 7. Frank Vigliarolo Jr. 8. Marisa Niederauer 9. Eddie Brunnhoelzl III 10. Jerry Solomito Jr. 11. Jason Agugliaro 12. Shawn Solomito 13. Kevin Orlando 14. Ken Darch 15. Glenn Logan 16. Danny Watts 17. Dave Sapienza 18. Kyle Ellwood 19. Vinny Biondolillo
NASCAR Modifieds Twin 30 #2: 1. Ron Silk 2. David Roys 3. Howie Brode 4. Ryan Preece 5. Frank Vigliarolo Jr. 6. Shawn Solomito 7. Kevin Orlando 8. Eddie Brunnhoelzl III 9. Timmy Solomito 10. Dave Brigati 11. Kyle Ellwood 12. Dave Sapienza 13. Ken Darch 14. Marisa Niederauer 15. Danny Watts 16. Jason Agugliaro 17. Glenn Logan 18. Jerry Solomito Jr. 19. Vinny Biondolillo
Late Models 50-laps: 1. Roger Oxee 2. Jeremy McDermott 3. Shawn Patrick 4. Mike Bologna 5. Ken Alfano 6. Peter Eriksen Jr. 7. Chris LaSpisa 8. Scott Kulesa 9. Kevin Metzger 10. Chris McGuire 11. Scott Lehmann 12. Chris Mangles 13. Jarrod Hayes
Figure Eights: 1. Arne Pedersen 2. Scott Pedersen 3. Roger Maynor 4. Ken Hyde Jr. 5. John Vullo 6. Gary Fritz Jr. 7. CJ Lehmann 8. Frank Dumicich Jr. 9. Tommy Walkowiak 10. Brian Hansen 11. Mike Mujsce
Blunderbust: 1. Jack Handley Jr. 2. Bill Wegmann Jr. 3. Jimmy White Jr. 4. Tommy Walkowiak 5. Tom Pickerell 6. Ron Langdon 7. Paul Parisi 8. Scott Maliszewski 9. Justin Wahl 10. Tim Mulqueen 11. Bill Wegmann Sr. 12. Brandon Hubbard 13. Brian Brown 14. Tom Sullivan 15. Tom Puccia 16. Bob Muller 17. Rob Bader 18. Bryan Quilliam 19. Joe Seeger DNS Johnny Crichio
Super Pro Trucks: 1. Frank Dumicich Sr. 2. Mike Albasini 3. Lou Maestri 4. Erin Dumicich-Solomito 5. Bobby Gardner 6. Frank Dumicich Jr. 7. Brian McElearney 8. Frank Scimeca Jr. 9. Roger Turbush 10. Dave Koenig 11. Anthony Vecchio 12. Rich Campo 13. Rich Campo
INEX National Qualifier Legend Race Cars: 1. Timmy Solomito 2. Kyle Soper 3. Kyle Ellwood 4. Justin Strumpf 5. Brendon Bock 6. Richie Davidowitz 7. Kevin Nowak 8. Artie Pedersen III 9. Vinny Delaney 10. Paul Dodorico 11. Jeffery Goodale 12. Bryan Kelly 13. Greg Harris 14. Brad Van Houten 15. Dylan Slepian 16. Richie Coy 17. Jim Sylvester 18. Steve Hersey 19. Johnnie Gloor IV 20. Raven Schrantz 21. Anthony Marsh 22. Eric Hersey 23. Chris Rogers 24. George Tomko Jr. 25. Vinny Colletti 26. Colin Hoeffner 27. Shawn Wanat
Sources: Bob Finan/Riverhead Raceway PR