Riverhead raceway action

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Mike Andrews Jr. of Ridge got his 2009 NASCAR Modified season back on track Saturday evening at Riverhead Raceway when he topped the 35-lap feature event.

The first two races of the new season found Andrews plagued with mechanical woes, but this past week everything fell into place for Andrews to earn his ninth career victory. Quickly from the pole, Andrews raced out front with Bill Park and Justin Bonsignore to settle into second and third. With a spell of green-flag racing, Andrews built a cushion up front, while Park and Bonsignore raced in close quarters. Then came a couple of quick cautions for minor spins that set up two double-file restarts and on both occasions Bonsignore tried to sneak under second-place Park by riding Andrews’s rear spoiler, but both times Park was able to thwart the effort.

On lap 23, the fight for second got too close in turn two. While lapping a slower car, Park and Bonsignore had contact with Park spinning and Bonsignore sent to the rear for aggressive driving. That moved Chris Young from fourth to second and when the green waved once again he mirrored leader Andrews for the remainder, but close would be as good as it would get.

At the finish, it was Andrews Jr. going wire-to-wire for the win steering the Jessup Landscaping Chevy.

“We had a rough first two races mechanically,” offered a relived Andrews. “I can’t thank Joey & Debbie Ambrose and this team for never quitting, even in the worst of circumstances”

Young of Calverton was second in the Riverhead Building Supply Chevy, while John Fortin of Holtsville was third in the SGS Stone Works Chevy. Chuck Steuer of Bohemia and Rusty Turbush of Manorville completed the top five.

Peter “Buzzy” Eriksen of Baldwin erased a five-year dry spell when he won the 25-lap Late Model main event for his 42nd career win and first since August 28 of 2004. Shawn Patrick set the early pace of the race with Chris LaSpisa in tow for the first circuit until Eriksen moved by on lap two. “Buzzy” wasted very few laps before making his presence known to leader Patrick as he made an inside bid for the top spot payoff exiting turn two on the sixth lap. Once in command, Eriksen was able to stretch out his lead in the race, which went green to checker with no yellows, while LaSpisa chased Patrick for second, before Kevin Metzger pressured LaSpisa for third. At the checker, it was the Harley Davidson of Nassau County entry of Eriksen crossing the stripe first and when reminded in the victory lane of how long it’s been, “Buzzy” joked, “don’t remind me.”

Patrick of Brightwaters drove home second in the Meade’s Welding backed entry, while Metzger of Massapequa placed third in the V&J Auto Body Chevy after passing LaSpisa late in the going.

Chris McGuire of Shirley was tops in the 20-lap Charger feature event contest notching his eighth career trip to victory lane. Frank Scimeca Jr. broke out front at the throw of the green chased at first by Tom Anderson for two laps before McGuire overtook him for second on lap three. For five laps, McGuire would work on taking the lead away from Scimeca Jr., which he did with an inside pass racing down the backstretch entering turn three, with Scimeca now settling into second. Once in the lead, McGuire was able to open up some breathing room in his Long Island Fiber Exchange Ford, while defending champion Chris Turbush was roaring

through the field after pitting for two front flat tires after an early race skirmish. Turbush passed Scimeca for second at the two to go signal, but there would be no catching McGuire with just a half a mile remaining in the tilt. Following McGuire at the finish would be Turbush in the Melville Snow Contracting Pontiac, while Scimeca Jr. of Bay Shore had a solid race with a third in the Milburn Flooring machine.

Defending Super Pro Truck champion Lou Maestri of Deer Park scored his first win of the 2009 campaign as he won the 20-lap main event. Shaun Gouldsbury roared into the race lead early on chased by the daughter and father tandem of Erin & Frank Dumicich Sr. for the first quarter of the race before Lou Maestri raced to second on lap six. Once to second Maestri made his move on Gouldsbury quickly passing him on lap eight for the lead, with Turbush and Danny Grennan in hot pursuit as well. Turbush was riding the tailgate of Maestri and appeared ready to make a bid for the lead, but Grennan started to pressure Turbush for second and that allowed Maestri some breathing room. The second half of the race indeed was intense as a blanket could have covered all three trucks, but in the end it was Maestri driving the 5-Star Kennels Chevy to his 19th career triumph. Turbush of Riverhead was runner-up in the Marcello Masonry GMC, while Grennan of Glen Cove was third in the PCHS Engines Silverado.