RICHIE DAVIDOWITZ FENDS OFF AJ DESANTIS FOR RIVERHEAD RACEWAY EAGLE CHEVROLET CRATE MODIFIED 100 VICTORY

During a race drivers' career some victories feel more significant than others for varying reasons. For Richie Davidowitz of East Moriches and his Rat Pack Racing team their victory Saturday in the Eagle Chevrolet Crate 100 at Riverhead Raceway is one of those wins. Setting fast time in qualifying and leading all 100-laps served as sweet redemption for the new pairing who had a runner-up finish stripped away after a tech infraction a couple weeks back. 

Richie Davidowitz was just 3/10ths off the track record of Dave Brigati in qualifying as he toured the track in 12.521. AJ DeSantis was just a tick behind Richie with a 12.539. The two young veterans brought the field to green with Davidowitz edging out front over DeSantis. For the entire 100-lap distance, the tandem ran first and second during a race that was slowed just once by caution on lap 27 for a Michael Berner spin. At times the leader would gap the challenger by a few car lengths, other times DeSantis would pull up to the rear spoiler of Davidowitz sizing him up for a potential pass. 

Late in the race with the laps dwindling down to under 10 to go, DeSantis ramped up the heat. Davidowitz appeared to be getting loose exiting the corners and DeSantis sensing this committed to the bottom, hoping to get a nose under Richie for what AJ hoped would be a winning move. DeSantis with three laps to go got into Davidowitz enough to get the leading machine out of shape but "Big Money" was able to gather it back in to maintain the advantage.

At the conclusion Richie Davidowitz in the Rosemar Industries Chevy collected his second win of 2025, the 7th Crate Modified victory of his career. Post race asked what this win meant to him and his team Davidowitz proclaimed, "I am ecstatic, Rat Pack Racing gave me an awesome car to drive and despite the driver nearly falling out of the seat here we are. This one is for Jimmy Becht, longtime Rat Pack supporter who is in the hospital". When quizzed about his race long duel with DeSantis, the winner admitted, "AJ had the better car in the end, I was giving him the outside, but he kept beating on my bumper trying to pass to the inside. If he goes outside, he probably wins". 

AJ DeSantis of Yaphank would have to be content with runner-up money in his Tiana Shores Lawn & Tree Service Chevy, Eric Hersey of Commack was third in his Peterson Irrigation entry. Terry Stiles of Rocky Point had sat third for most of the race and crossed the line to complete the podium but was disqualified post-race for an unapproved camshaft. 

Gerard Giordano of Freeport scored his first Late Model victory of the season winning a non-stop 25-lap feature event. At the throw of the green Giordano led tested tough veteran Dave Brigati for the first lap before Dave crossed the youngster over exiting the fourth turn to take the lead on lap 2. "The Fancy Farmer" paced the race until lap 10 when Giordano was able to return the favor reclaiming the lead from Brigati. A lap after surrendering the lead, Dave was overtaken for second the next lap by Jeremy McDermott, who quickly set his radar for race leader Giordano. Undaunted with McDermott, a 35-time winner & 8-time champion filling his rearview mirror, "G-Rod" Giordano in the Excelsior Lodge of New York entry hit his marks leading the second half of the race until the conclusion for his third career win. Jeremy McDermott of Riverhead was second in the Eastport Feeds Chevy, Dave Brigati of Calverton stood on the podium with a third in the Coors Light Silver Bullet. 

Cody Triola of Bay Shore is three for four in 2025 Blunderbust events contested to date, his latest triumph in Saturday night's 20-lapper. Polesitter Joe Densieski broke to the early advantage over Tom Puccia to lead the first cycle, Puccia was passed on lap 2 by Jim Laird Jr. Once to second Laird went right to work on leader Densieski and as history has shown over time, Blunderbust races can become full contact. Such was the case in this one as Densieski and Laird got together off the second turn and wound up drawing a caution flag. That moved Cody Triola, who was watching all that was going on in front of him to the race lead for the restart. Tom Puccia, then Tom Sullivan all chased Triola before Laird came roaring back to the front after pitting during his caution. Laird raced his way under Sullivan for second off the fourth corner on lap 13, but by then Cody Triola in the Cesspool Pros machine was well on his way to his 18th career victory. Jim Laird Jr. of Islip Terrace in the Wing Away Restaurant Caprice was second with Tom Sullivan third in the Island Trees Automotive racer. 

The month of June is a big one for Chase Van Houten of Wading River as it is for most teenagers with high school graduation and the senior prom all part of the fun. Saturday, the third-generation driver added his special month when he led wire to wire in winning the 20-lap INEX Legend Race Car main event. At the start Chase Van Houten wasted little time hustling his Joe Ryan Race Cars machine to the race lead over Anthony Marsh with the duo running one-two over the first 9-laps of the tilt. During a double file restart Van Houten held serve out front but Rodney Dowless, with a weekend off from the CARS Tour Pro Late Model series moved to second with the Jim Sylvester owned entry slipping under Marsh. Dowless soon found Ben Morabito alongside challenging for second with Ben taking the position on lap 13. The second half of the race saw numerous yellow flags flying setting up many double file restarts among three rising young talents of short track racing. On every restart Chase Van Houten executed perfectly to maintain his lead and drive off to his 5th career victory. Ben Morabito of Miller Place was runner-up in the Nowak Motorsports machine, Rodney Dowless of Dix Hills third in the Joe Ryan Race Cars coupe of Sylvester. 

Tyler Oxee of Carmel, NY notched his second career INEX Bandolero Outlaw win when he topped their 15-lap feature event. After Antonio D'Alonzo leaped out front to lead the first lap. Tyler Oxee made his way to the front in his North Fork Sanitation mount to take the race lead. D'Alonzo chased Oxee until the 7th circuit when he was passed by two-time winner Thomas Grattan. By the time Grattan got to second, Tyler, the son of the all-time leading Late Model winner Roger Oxee (64) was comfortably out front and in route to victory. Thomas Grattan of Southold would have to be content with second in the Sophie's Rest Outlaw, John Alaimo of Miller Place turned in a stellar performance coming for dead last to third in his Turf King entry. 

Mason Goodale entered the 15-lap INEX Bandolero Bandit feature having won three of three races in 2025. Then his cousin Landon Solomito of Little Compton, RI paid a visit with his Bandit race car. Fresh off a victory with the Fast Friday Series at the Seekonk Speedway Friday night, Landon took full advantage of his pole starting position to lead from green to checker in the Acme Sanitary Services Bandit earning his first Riverhead Raceway win. As impressive as Landon was on track, so was his rooting section that included 47 NASCAR Modified wins at the track between his father Shawn (18), Uncle Timmy (27) and Grandfather Jerry (2). Emmett Grattan of Southold ran second to Solomito for the entire race distance and was runner-up in his IGA of Southold Bandit, while Mason Goodale of Riverhead came home third in the Riverhead Building Supply racer, his three-race win streak ended by family. 

Third generation racer Scarlett Dumicich of East Quogue did her racing family prod as well as she won the 10-lap INEX Bandolero Beginner feature. Scarlett led Mason Dickerson for the first four laps of the contest before Alexis Gatz roared to second on lap 5. By the time Gatz arrived in second, Dumicich in the Rapid Recovery entry had built an insurmountable lead. Scarlette had her own racing lineage of successful racers rooting her on Saturday with Grandfather Frank, a 17-time Super Pro Truck winner, her father Frank Jr a 15-time truck winner and Aunt Erin Solomito with 4 SPT triumphs all rooting her on. Alexis Gatz of Riverhead was second in the TS Haulers Beginner, Mason Dickerson of Southold third in the Sea-Tow Services machine.  

Don Carasiti of St. James once dominated the One-on-One Spectator Drags in his red Pontiac Firebird, all the while wearing his "Flying Dutchman" Fred Harbach tee shirt. Saturday Don broke out front on lap 3 of the 40-lap 8-Cylinder Enduro to score his first win of 2025. Carasiti overtook early pacesetter Justin Ferreri to the outside exiting the second turn to take the lead and never look back. Sean Fitzpatrick of West Babylon was second in the All American Auto Glass Chevy, defending champion Kevin Feeney of Quogue was third in the HAM Racing machine.

"Frank the Tank" Frank Dumicich Jr. of East Quogue worked lapped traffic masterfully while keeping "The Z-Man" Ryan Zurkowski of Riverhead at bay to win the School Bus Figure Eight race. The duo was side-by-side coming to the checker with Dumicih in the Rapid Recovery Towing bus the victor. 

Crate Modifieds: 1. Richie Davidowitz 2. AJ DeSantis 3. Eric Hersey 4. Michael Berner 5. Vinny Delaney 6. Andrew Farnham 7. Joe Warren Jr. 8. Tom Sekulski 9. Sean Glennon DQ- Terry Stiles DQ-Joey Braun

Late Models: 1. Gerard Giordano 2. Jeremy McDermott 3. Dave Brigati 4. Brandon Turbush 5. Keith Rotzi 6. Ray Minieri 7. Russ Jansen 8. Ryan Zukowski 10. Alyssa Paprocky 11. Ed Cheslak 12. Scott Cheslak DNS- Kevin Metzger

Blunderbusts: 1. Cody Triola 2. Jim Laird Jr. 3. Tom Sullivan 4, Liam Macwhinnie 5. Joe Densieski 6. Brad Bess 7. Anthony Capobianco 8. Ralph Corsini 9. Tom Puccia 10. Emily Hubbard

Legend Race Cars: 1. Chase Van Houten 2. Ben Morabito 3. Rodney Dowless Jr. 4. Jeff Farruggia Jr. 5. Jim Sylvester 6. Pat Moore 7. Jayden Glennerster 8. Riely O'Keefe 9. Kyle Ellwood 10. Christopher Coleman 11. Joey Braun 12. Anthony Marsh 13. Mike Van Houten Jr. 14. Phillip Alaimo 15. Alex Halinar 16. Mike Renn 17. Nick Hodge 18. Michael Metcalf 19. Charles Hodge 20. Chris Sinatro 21. Reid Halpin 22. Marc Godnick 23. Rich Braun 24. Chevy Rommeney 25. Frank Dumicich Jr. 26. Kendall Van Houten  

Bandolero Outlaws: 1. Tyler Oxee 2. Thomas Grattan 3. John Alaimo 4. Madison Tomaszewski 5. Reid Halpin 6. Michael Barry 7. Madison White 8. D'Antonio D'Alonzo 9. Jordan Ryan 10. Grace Cheslak 11. Aria Ligon  

Bandolero Bandits: 1. Landon Solomito 2. Emmett Grattan 3. Mason Goodale 4. Brooke Meyer 5. Daxx Halpin 6. Wyatt Goodale 7. Mackenzie Ulmet 8. Blake Grattan 10. Christian Ryan

Bandolero Beginners: 1. Scarlet Dumicich 2. Alexis Gatz 3. Mason Dickerson 4. Emily Gatz 5. Megan Cummings 6. Carrisa Busam 

8-Cylinder Enduro (top ten) 1. Don Carasiti 2. Sean Fitzpatrick 3. Kevin Feeney 4. Richie Carman 5. Woot Lawrence 6. Mariah Lawrence 7. Roger Tramm 8. Greg Harris 9. Justin Ferreri 10. Justin Squires 

School Bus Figure Eight: Winner- Frank Dumicich Jr.