On the eve of his 61st birthday, defending NASCAR Modified champion Bill Park of Manorville was declared the opening night feature event winner Saturday night at Riverhead Raceway. Chuck Steuer had crossed the line first, but came-up light on the scales in post race inspection.
Early in the 35-lap NASCAR Modified feature on a cold and misty evening John Fortin and Chuck Steuer were locked in a tussle for the lead for the first 11circuits. Just after a restart Fortin went up the hill a touch in turn one and two forcing Steuer wide as well, Mike Andrews Jr. throttled his car to inside of both but exiting turn two Andrews and Fortin would tangle. Andrews car rode the hood of Fortin's all the way into the infield in turn three.
On the ensuing restart it was Chuck Steuer and Bill Park who both avoided the incident to be left to fight for the lead and fight they would. Park, long known for preferring the outside line made several attempts to do just that, but with the conditions the way they were his repeated tries at the outside would not pan out.
Steuer, who was driving with a touch of the flu, crossed the line first but it was all for naught as his all-new racer came-up light at the scales. NASCAR Whelen All-American Series Officials allowed Steuer and his team several attempts at the scales.
This inserted Bill Park in the Smithtown Nissan Chevy as the new race winner for his 27th career triumph in his four-decade career. Howie Brode of East Islip roared from 13th to runner-up money in the Long Island Freightliner Chevy, while Dave Brigati of Calverton went to a back-up car to race his way from 17th to third in the Full Throttle Hot Rod Magazine Chevy. Dan Jivanelli of Hampton Bays and Tom Rogers Jr. of Patchogue rounded out the top five.
Armed with an all-new Howe built Late Model Roger Oxee of Peconic got his 2008 season off on the right foot, literally going wire to wire for his 56th career main event win in a 25-lap feature. Oxee, who just weeks ago became a new father jumped right into the lead at the throw of the green and it would be Kevin Metzger to fill Roger's mirror for the entire race. It was in the closing laps that Metzger made the most noise as he was able to tuck-up right and tight on Oxee but there would be no denying the hungry leader on this night. At the finish it was Roger Oxee in the World Tile & Carpet Pontiac a very relieved winner as "RJ" felt as though his car wasKen Hyde of Medford put a new sponsorship package deal together for his Figure Eight team leading-up to the new season. He wanted to get out of the gate fast this year and he indeed did with a victory in their 20-lap main event. After being chased by Tom Graff for 11 laps Hyde saw Roger Maynor move to second, not an image a leader wants to see, as Maynor is the all-time Riverhead Raceway feature winner. However at the halfway mark Maynor got caught-up in the first and second turn spinning around and relinquishing second. That moved "TK' Tommy Kraft, who was running fourth at the time to second and for final half of the race he chased Hyde for the win. At the checker it was the L.I. Deutz machine of Ken Hyde crossing the line first making for one very elated driver in victory lane. Tom Kraft of Medford was second in the Raceway Auto Sales Chevy, while Roger Maynor of Bay Shore recovered for third in the Barrasso & Sons Mason Supplies entry.
Chris Turbush of Riverhead scored a very emotional 20-lap Charger victory on opening night, just some 24-hours after his legendary father "Dynamite" Dan Turbush had an operation to remove a kidney. Impressive Frank Scimeca Jr. led the first five laps of the contest before being undone by a restart leading-up to the sixth lap. Both Turbush and Chris McGuire slid under Scimeca for the first two spots. For the final 15-laps the two good friends off the race track ran nose to tail but when the race concluded it was Chris Turbush in the Spano Floors Pontiac. He said afterwards chocking back tears, "this one is for my dad, he's my rock" Chris McGuire had to settle for second place money in the Gutter Tunnel Ford, while the returning Steve Ratti of Manorville charged to a third place tally in the JMB Construction machine.
Back in his totally rebuilt Blunderbust, Tommy Walkowiak of Ridge padded his all-time division leading win total in a 20-lap feature. Michael Rommeney set the tone for the first three laps before Walkowiak roared to the lead on lap 4 as the field took the green after a restart. Once out front it was no walk in the park for the "Wildchild" as "Krazy" Ed Mistretta soon came to second and kept the pressure on Tommy for a good part of the race. However when Mike Boken's checker flag waved it was the Unique Golf Chevy of Tommy Walkowiak beneath it first. Ed Mistretta of New Hyde Park was runner-up in the Bams Auto Body mount, with Chris Busick of Ronkonkoma turning in the drive of the race to finish third. Busick was involved in an early race spin and had to race his way back through the field.
The race, story and heartbreak of the night truly came in the 20-lap Super Pro Truck main event that found Lou Maestri of Deer Park taking the honors. After pole sitter Frank Dumicich Sr. led the first lap, teenage daughter Erin on lap 2 quickly overtook him. Once in front Erin was able to build a slight lead over several drivers who chased her including her father, Wayne Meyer and Lou Maestri. At the halfway signal Maestri took over second, but it was apparent he might not have anything for the young female talent. Erin was equal to the task on several late race restarts and those who did brave the weather roared as she took the white flag. However in turn two disaster would strike as her truck, which was running all by itself suddenly snapped around ending this storybook run. That allowed Lou Maestri in the 5 Star Kennels entry to take the lead and even he was upset by Dumicich's misfortune noting, "I was a second place truck tonight". Wayne Meyer of Riverhead in the Triple AAA Firewood & Mulch GMC was runner-up, with Mike "The King of Queens" Albasini of Flushing third in the N.Y. Metro Peterbilt truck.