Kyle Soper Survives Torrid Race Long Duel With Tom Rogers Jr. To Capture Baldwin, Evans & Jarzombek 77 Riverhead Raceway Win
Qualifying saw Kyle Soper win the JCR Motorsports $177 and Myracenews.com &77 Pole Award turning a lap of 13.341 while Tom Rogers Jr. the current track record holder was second quick at 11.364. The two fierce rivals would bring the 21-car field to the green flag with Soper edging out to lead the first lap with Kyle Ellwood scored second but the first of numerous caution flags would slow the race after just one lap. On the ensuing restart with the choose cone out drivers picked and chose inside/outside, a scene that would play out often during the event. On the first restart, Soper remained out front with Rogers quickly moving to second and the race long duel was on. Any veteran Riverhead observer will confirm that in the past Soper and Rogers have not always played nice in the sandbox together and with the yellow flag waving often finding lining up frequently side by side could lead to some sand flying and fans dared not take their collective eyes off the fight for the lead. On lap 15 after a yellow flag had waved it would be Rogers getting the measure of Soper on the ensuing restart with Tommy seeking his 61st career settling into the lead.
In fact, Rogers would pace the race over the next 39 circuits pocketing the Halfway Leader bonus of $100 from NASCAR WMT crew chief Doug Ogiejko. Soper after first losing the lead dropped a car length or two back of leader Rogers but as the laps wore down Kyle was ready to close in and make a run for his 22nd career victory. After clearing up a lap 55 caution a double-file restart was called to order with Rogers and Soper once again side by side and with the laps winding down many wondered when the fur would fly. When the race resumed Soper was able to gain the advantage from Rogers with the two main combatants again giving each other plenty of room and respect. Jon McKennedy who started the race third returned to that position later in the race and he for one was hoping the Soper/Rogers rivalry would heat up to the point of no return. However the race for the lead never hit the boiling point and in fact turned out to be the kind of race that Richie, Charlie, and Tommy all ran against one another at various stages of their careers.
Not from lack of effort Tom Rogers Jr. was runner-up in the License To Chill Chevy in his first race back after an illness forced him to sit out the July 24th event, “That’s the way we are suppose to race” Rogers deadpanned, “I am sure the fans loved it and we put on a show up front just like Tommy, Richie and Charlie used too Congrats to Kyle, Wayne and their team that was fun” After a third place tally in the GAF Roofing/Riverhead Building Supply WMT the night before at Stafford Motor Speedway another third place finish awaited Jon McKennedy of Chelmsford, Ma in the Tommy Baldwin Racing/Ultra Wheel Chevy, “I was hoping for another shot at the leaders with hoping for one more restart, I felt we had a good car but two thirds in one weekend, we’ll take it”. John Fortin Sr. of Holtsville was fourth and won the JCR Motorsports $177 Hard Charger award after starting 12th in the field while Kyle Ellwood of Riverhead was fifth.
Michael Berner of Patchogue nailed down his first Eagle Auto Mall Crate Modified win of 2021 when he won their 25-lap main event holding off defending track champion “Big Money” Richie Davidowitz of East Moriches. Early on Dennis Krupski who looked strong in winning his heat race broke to the early lead with Alex Colasanto in tow. After Steve Ratti’s broken front suspension drew a caution flag on lap 3 when the race resumed Colasanto got the better of Krupski to take the race lead. Berner, who started the race from fifth worked his way by Krupski for second on lap 5 and set sail for leader Colasanto. As is often the case with double-file restarts the next change for the lead would come on a restart on lap 8 as Michael Berner was able to power his way by Alex Colasanto for the race lead. Colasanto still searching for his first career win ran second until lap 17 when he was passed to the outside by Richie Davidowitz who had started the event tenth. Once to the challenger’s position, Davidowitz went to work on Berner for the lead but much like the NASCAR Modified event the battle for the lead was a hard but yet clean affair. In the end, 18-year old Michael Berner and his Pro Diesel Chevy would prevail and after exiting the car he quickly dedicated his race win to Louise Mangels, one of his biggest fans and family friend who passed away over the offseason. Richie Davidowitz brought the Benimax Trucking entry home second padding his championship lead along the way with Owen Grennan of Glen Cove third in the Excellence East Automotive Chevy.
Cody Triola of Bay Shore had not scored a Blunderbust win since opening night May 1st but the soon-to-be father changed all that with his sixth career win in a 20-lap affair Saturday. The race got off to an auspicious start on lap 1 when Kyle Halpin, CJ Lehamnn, and Alyssa Paprocky all came together in turn four to force a second attempt at starting the feature. Once the race did get going Bill Wegmann Jr. was out front with popular Tom Sullivan second. Aided in part by the three-car tangle at the start of the race Cody Triola who started eight was on the move coming to third behind Wegmann and Sullivan. After the field completed the 8th lap things changed in a hurry on lap 9 as Triola made a bold move pay dividends when in one clean sweep he raced his way from third to the race lead surprising both Wegmann and Sullivan. Wegmann two laps later on lap 12 was passed by Sullivan for second but Tom’s stay lasted only two laps after he was passed by “Mad” Max Handley on lap 14. Max who started scratch on the field in 11th clawed his way to the front but in the end, would have nothing for the eventual race winner Cody Triola in the Cesspool Pros entry. Max Handley of Medford was runner-up with his Licciardi Builders Caprice while “Turbo” Tom Sullivan of Massapequa was third in the Island Trees Automotive Chevy.
Every once in a while in short track racing a fell good story will unfold on a Saturday night, such was the case in the Super Pro Truck 20-lap feature event. Joe Cerabino of Bay Shore a couple of seasons ago decided after 17-years away from the game to go back racing with the Super Pro Trucks. Joe had last won a Late Model race at Riverhead on April 29th, 2000, and some 21 years later Cerabino made a triumphant return to the winners circle in a truck once raced by the late Larry “The King” Costa. Starting from the pole after a heat race win Joe Cerabino broke to the race lead at the throw of the green with 25-time SPT winner and former two-time champion Mark Stewart in tow. Over the first 15 laps of the contest, Stewart chased Cerabino but soon the challenger was being challenged himself by Lou Maestri for second. Cerabino, despite having two drivers who have won a collective 61 SPT races between them kept hitting his marks out front and soon things would change right behind him for second. On lap 15 Max Handley who came to fourth and joined the Stewart/Maestri tussle muscled his way into the fray and with some slight contact raced his way from fourth to second on lap 16. Handley quickly closed on leader Cerabino but with only a mile remaining in the race, it was Joe Cerabino in the Amore Pizza Chevy writing the feel-good story. During his victory lane celebration, Joe dedicated the win to his crew chief Keith Rotzi’s father Peter a former SPT racer who passed away in the winter. Max Handley was second in the HCC Collision Chevy while brother Jack also of Medford was third in the River Walk Bar & Grill Chevy.