Welcome To Riverhead Raceway - Bob Finan's Eye On Riverhead

.. "EYE ON RIVERHEAD" by Bob Finan Tuesday, November 27, 2012 Congratulations to our own Barbara & Jim Cromarty on being named Business of the Year 2012 by the Riverhead Chamber of Commerce!!! The husband and wife promotional team will be honored at the Chamber's Annual Awards Party on Thursday December 6th, 2012 at The Vineyards of Aquebogue. This honor is not only a long time coming and well deserved for Barbara & Jim but also tops off a year in which they were able to donate 100 trees to the Town of Riverhead through the NASCAR Green Initiative back in September. This honor also encompasses Riverhead Raceway and its contribution to the Riverhead community. Ever since buying the track from Ed & Clara Hawkins and family prior to the 1985 season Barbara & Jim have been very active in the Riverhead community and all of us are happy to see them honored by the Chamber. Unfortunately Barbara & Jim have a long standing commitment to the NASCAR Whelen All-American Series Champion's Celebration in Charlotte, NC that weekend where 2012 Riverhead Raceway NASCAR Modified champion Shawn Solomito will also be feted for his New York State Championship. The Cromarty's, disappointed they can't attend the Chamber of Commerce dinner, will be sending yours truly to the affair along with daughter Robin Merry and husband Don plus Steve Tooker, Richie Grodski and Walter Bonczyk to represent them. It will indeed be a fun filled special evening that runs from 6:00 PM until 10:00 PM and all are welcome to attend. For ticket pricing and information please call Marty Hughes at the Riverhead Chamber of Commerce at 631-727-7600, or send an e-mail to info@riverheadchamber.com. Other 2012 Honorees of the Riverhead Chamber of Commerce include Ray Maynard of Skydive Long Island, Person of the Year, Carmela DiTalia, Director of the Year; the Meras Family of Star Confectionery will receive the Gold Key Award; the L.I. Cauliflower Association will be presented the Agricultural Achievement Award; while the 2012 Riverhead High School Girls Basketball Team will receive the Spirit of Riverhead Award and Jesse Goodale Sr. will be presented the Lifetime Service Award. By the way Riverhead Raceway congratulates the Riverhead High School Varsity Football team on their Suffolk County Class II championship after the Blue Waves beat the North Babylon Bulldogs the Sunday of Thanksgiving weekend. While dishing out the congratulations let's salute 2012 Riverhead Raceway Legend Race Car champion Kyle Ellwood and his Riverhead Building Supply #71x team on their win during the Friday portion of the Turkey Derby at Wall Stadium. Needless to say the Riverhead High School Senior had a career year, one he'll remember forever. By the way Chris Turbush was all dressed up with no place to go that same afternoon as he had his #81 Super Pro Truck ready to race. Unfortunately Chris was the only entrant, but in a class move Cliff Krause and his Wall Stadium staff presented "Bub" with the winner’s trophy. If you're reading this prior to Saturday December 1st, please don't forget about the Long Island Automotive Swap Shop I'll be presenting that Saturday on the grounds of Riverhead Raceway. This event was started by the late "Big" Bob O'Rourke back at Islip Speedway back in the day and many have asked over the years to keep the Swap Shop going and I will Saturday (12-1-12). Vendors will pay just $20 per spot while the general admission is $5 for this virtual race car/automotive flea market. Drag racers, EEKR Go-Kart Racers, NASCAR Collectible Dealers and those wanting to bring out their collection of photo albums from Islip Speedway and Freeport Stadium are all welcome. So help keep the tradition started by "Big" Bob going at the Long Island Automotive Swap Shop, please join us. The 2013 NASCAR Whelen All-American Series schedule is all but finished Barbara and Jim told me last week, just one more communication with NASCAR and the full slate of races and family entertainment events will be made public. Here is what I can tell you, the 2013 NASCAR season will go green with all seven classes in action Saturday evening May 4th. A full card of exciting Enduro racing will take place Sunday afternoon May 5th. The two traditional pre-season practice sessions are set for Saturday afternoon April 20th and Saturday afternoon April 27th. One new event scheduled for this year will be the Wall of Fame Night on August 17th. Fans will be asked to cast their ballot for the newest entrant during the season and the winner will be honored that night. More on that later. Spoke via FB with Rob Bader who at the time thinks he has his #19 Blunderbust sold as a rolling chassis to a fellow BB driver. Rob noted he might go Grand Enduro racing in 2013 but then again with "Badorade" you just never know. Dennis Krupski sent a message my way recently and he knows he wants to sell everything Late Model in his possession. Suffice to say the 2012 season was not too kind to Dennis on and off the track. His race shop was a victim of the April Suffolk County wildfires which got his campaign off on the wrong foot. The year ended with a hard crash at the World Series of Racing in October at the Thompson Speedway which left his #12 totaled. Dennis has plenty of spare Late Model parts and for further information please call him at 631-767-0445, I'm sure Dennis will be at the December 1st Swap Shop as well. All of us at Riverhead Raceway send our thoughts and prayers to Late Model driver Greg Kleila #72 who lost his mom after a long illness recently. Hopefully most of you were not affected too badly by "Superstorm" Sandy however a few of our extended Riverhead Raceway family were. Margie Kempski our Office Manager had her home, which is south of Montauk Highway in Lindenhurst heavily damaged. She and her husband Ron just completed a remodeling of their kitchen on the lower floor, which took the brunt of the flooding. Robin Merry tells us that Wendy Maxwell and her husband Bill and daughter Heather who live in Freeport also suffered heavy flooding at their Freeport residence. We keep Margie and Wendy and everyone affected by Sandy in our thoughts and prayers. Our next Eye should come up at the end of December but if we can get some news out of our race teams (hint, hint) we'll do it sooner!!! E-mail me your team’s news, plans or sponsors for 2013 at rwf58@aol.com or send me a PM on Facebook. Until next time - BF 2012 Eye On Riverhead Archive





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Riverhead Raceway 1797 Old Country Road Riverhead, NY 11901 631.842.RACE (7223)	Email Contact: info@riverheadraceway.com