Tom Rogers Jr. of Riverhead made it two wins in a row at Riverhead Raceway on Saturday night, as he won the prestigious Baldwin, Evans & Jarzombek 77 by Hagerman Systems for his third NASCAR Modified win of 2014.
For Rogers Jr., the win was the 27th of his career and worth a cool $2,000.
The night was highlighted by three of “Charging” Charlie Jarzombek’s vintage race cars being on hand, as well as a “Tiger” Tom Baldwin 7NY and NASCAR’S Jerry Cook on hand as well for this very special race and night.
Rogers Jr. once again topped qualifying with a lap of 11.864 seconds, earning him the $100 fast-time award from race sponsor Hagerman Systems, but once again his luck in the redraw failed him, as he drew seventh. Ron Silk and Jerry Solomito Jr. picked the front row, and at the throw of the green, Silk moved out front, with Solomito Jr. running second for the first two circuits. Lap 3 found Vinny Biondolillo coming to second behind leader Silk, and the 16-year-old would chase the race leader for three laps before a yellow flag slowed the race.
On the ensuing restart, Dave Brigati was able to follow in Silk’s tire tracks to slip under Biondolillo for second, and he spent the following eight laps running second until a lap 14 caution waved. On the restart, Brigati was lined up to the outside of leader Silk, and when the duo hit the gas off turn four, they made contact, with Brigati hitting the wall hard on the front stretch, ending his night on a double hook. Silk escaped with no damage.
That turn of events moved Rogers Jr. to second alongside Silk for the restart, and Rogers Jr. spent just one lap chasing Silk for the lead as he ducked under the race leader off turn four on lap 16 to take the race lead, with Silk settling into second. As the race finally hit an extended green flag, Rogers Jr., wheeling his family-owned car for the second straight week, was able to keep a couple of car lengths between himself and Silk, with Ryan Preece moving into third. Preece not only started the race from the rear but also made his way to the top three after a pit stop for a right front flat tire as the 2013 NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour champion thrilled the crowd, making some daring passes to get back to the front of the field.
Rogers Jr., like many drivers of his generation, paused and thanked one of the three NASCAR Modified legends: “Not many people knew, but Tommy [Baldwin] was really good to me early in my career. He’d give me some parts to try out here at Riverhead, and if they were good, he’d run them on the tour.” As for being back in his family car, Rogers Jr. admitted, “Good thing we won last week and tonight, ’cause that is how the car is being funded. We keep going good, we keep going.”
Silk, of Norwalk, Connecticut, was runner-up in the TS Haulers Chevy, while Preece, of Berlin, Connecticut, could only get back to third in the East West Marine Chevy after passing more cars than perhaps any other driver in the race. Jeffery Goodale of Riverhead and Eddie Brunnhoelzl III of Levittown completed the top five.
Figure Eights
For the past two seasons, Charger standout C.J. Lehmann of Mastic Beach has been moonlighting in Benny Vecchio’s Figure Eight car, and Saturday night he hit pay dirt as he won the 15-lap main event.
Rookie drivers Bryan Quilliam and Chris Elixson brought the field to the green flag, and Lehmann made a bold move to take the race lead from the second row, with Quilliam tucking into second for a lap. Lap 2 found Lehmann’s teammate, Scott Pedersen, making his way to second, with Ken Hyde Jr. and Roger Maynor also lurking in second and third.
With the race going green for an extended period of time, Lehmann was able to build a comfortable lead, but that was erased on lap 11, when the yellow flag waved for Quilliam, who stalled near the intersection. On the restart, Hyde Jr., the defending champion in the class, as well Roger Maynor, the all-time leading winner at Riverhead Raceway, both eventually slipped by Pedersen and set sail for leader Lehmann. Both were all over C.J.’s rear bumper, but that would be as close as they got, as Lehmann held them both off to score a popular win in the Reliable Motors Camaro.
Maynor of Bay Shore took second in the Barrasso & Sons Mason Supplies Ford, while Hyde Jr., of Mastic Beach, was third in the All Out Fire Protection Chevy.
Chargers
For “Radiant” Ray Minieri of Bay Shore, his second Charger win of 2014 would be a milestone victory, the 20th of his career.
When the 20-lap contest got under way, rookie driver Greg Immerman, steering a former Ray Minieri car, moved into the race lead, with Cory Midgett second for the first lap. Lap 2 saw Minieri overtake Midgett for second, tucking in behind race leader Immerman. After chasing the race leader for a half dozen laps, Minieri made his bid for the race lead on lap 8, passing Immerman for the lead.
Just moments later, Immerman’s night would get even worse, as he and Chris Turbush got together racing into turn three, drawing the caution flag. That turn of events moved Lehmann from fourth to second behind race leader Minieri, with David Roys now third. When the race resumed, it was all Minieri in his Long Island Performance entry as he led the remainder of the way to pocket the victory. Lehmann, of Mastic Beach, was runner-up in the TBR Racing Chevy, while Roys of Coram placed third in the Robert’s Asphalt machine.
Blunderbusts
On a night when three NASCAR Modified legends were fondly remembered, “The Jack Attack” Jack Handley Jr. of Medford did something the trio had to do many times in their careers, and that was come from deep in the field to win a race.
Handley found himself starting the 20-lap Blunderbust feature in 15th, but it mattered not to the 18-year-old talent, as he won his third race of 2014, his first since May 10. Jessica Cohan led the first five laps of the race before she was passed by Bryan Sescila on lap 6. Sescila’s stay out front was quick, as Tim Mulqueen made his way by and appeared to be on his way to his second straight win in the class after taking the lead from Sescila on lap 9. However, during a 14th lap yellow flag, a unique situation came into play, as track officials noticed that Mulqueen’s window net was not only down but sitting in turn four on the track, and he was sent to the pits for repairs.
That set of circumstances moved Tom Sullivan into the race lead just one lap after he moved to second, with Handley Jr., who had weaved his way through traffic, from 15th now to second. When the race resumed, Sullivan did all he could do to keep Handley Jr. at bay, but on lap 16, Handley Jr. moved to the outside lane to make a pass on Sullivan for the lead, which he completed on the back stretch.
Once out front, there was no stopping the Bean & Bagel Cafe driver, as he raced to the popular victory. Sullivan, of Massapequa, was second in the Custom Exteriors Chevy, while first-year driver Joe Warren Jr. of Rocky Point was third in the ZZZ Glass & Radiator racer.
Legends
On the first anniversary of his first career Legend Race Car feature event win, Vinny Delaney of Holtsville celebrated by scoring his first win of 2014 in a 20-lap feature event.
Eric Hersey paced the race for the first six laps of the contest, with Brad Van Houten and Delaney quickly coming to second and third. The trio ran under a blanket while dicing for the lead, with the turning point of the race coming on the 6th lap.
As they raced down the back stretch, Van Houten threw his car to the outside of Hersey down the back stretch. Hersey in turn moved up on Van Houten as they were now exiting turn four, which opened up the inside lane. Delaney was quick to pounce as he dove low under Hersey and Van Houten to come away with the race lead with that bold move.
With Delaney now out front, Van Houten was now second and glued to the leader’s bumper for pretty much the remainder of the race, as Van Houten looked high and low for a way by Delaney for the lead. Delaney would have none of it, and he drove his Cleary’s On The Water machine to victory.
Van Houten, of Wading River, was second, while Artie Pedersen III of Center Moriches was third in the Rico’s Clothing mount.
