CHASE GRENNAN CONTINUES SIGNATURE RACE PROWESS SCORING CLEAN SWEEP OF CECIL PALM TREE 66 AT RIVERHEAD RACEWAY

One thing is becoming abundantly clear with the budding driving career of 18-year-old Chase Grennan of Glen Cove, the bright spotlight of signature NASCAR Modified events at Riverhead Raceway doesn't intimidate him at all. In fact, he thrives on them and has been dubbed with the moniker "Big Time". Saturday, the college freshman set fast time and led all but the first lap of the Cecil Palm Tree 66 for his third win of the season, all Crown Jewel Series events for the Ted Christopher Cup. Add his upset win in the 2024 Islip 300 and the only left for "Big Time" Chase to accomplish is to win a 50-lap weekly event.

In qualifying Chase Grennan won the Ace's Landscaping Pole Award with a lap of 11.881 and was joined in the front row by defending champion John Beatty Jr. who just missed the pole at 11.917. As the field roared towards the ceremonial green flag waved by Connie Partridge in honor of her husband Eddie Partridge, John Beatty Jr. would edge out to lead the first lap from the outside pole. However, Chase Grennan was having none of that as he passed Beatty to the inside to lead the second lap while Beatty was left to contend with Chase's older brother Owen who moved to second under Beatty on lap 3. In fact, Beatty, a former TC Cup champion was shuffled further back early trapped on the outside. 

The race would settle in for a lengthy green flag run, 61-laps to be exact with the Grennan brothers Chase and Owen showing the way. Kyle Ellwood raced his way from his 6th starting position to tuck onto the rear spoiler of Owen, while Chris Rogers and John Beatty would eventually battle for fourth in the best fight for position as the race progressed. The only stoppage came on lap 61 when Mark Stewart's car snapped from underneath him sending him into a spin on the backstretch.  

As the field reset the Grennan brothers made up the front row, while Kyle Ellwood was third, licking his chops at perhaps making a late race run for the win. When the race resumed Chase executed the perfect restart to keep his Eastport Feeds Chevy out front for the final five lap dash for the cash. After securing his fourth career win Chase admitted, "we were chasing it a little in practice, but there is something about us & these big races. We went to qualifying, set fast time and as we all know starting position is everything here". Grennan then perhaps shocked some when he revealed, can't thank Mike Pettit Race Engines enough, this is an 18-degree built motor pulling mine and Owen's car around here versus those fancy engines" 

Owen Grennan of Glen Cove was runner-up in the Black Forest Automotive entry; Kyle Ellwood of Riverhead completed the podium in third with the Millennium Limited Contracting Chevy. John Beatty Jr. of Merrick prevailed over Chris Rogers of Patchogue in their late race duel. The finish gives Beatty a slim 4-point advantage over Dylan Slepian in the chase for the 2025 track championship entering the final race September 27th. 

In the 20-lap Super Pro Truck feature event Erin Solomito earned er second victory of 2025 the old-fashioned way, with an outside pass of her brother Frank Dumicich Jr. at the halfway point of the race. The siblings brought the field to green with Frank breaking out front from the pole with Erin hot on his heels. On lap 6 the yellow waved for a Max Handley and Sean Glennon incident, both were inside of Solomito exiting the second corner when they made contact sending them into the inside wall. Unfortunately for five-time winner Glennon has night and perhaps championship hopes were finished for the night, Handley was also finished. On the ensuing restart Erin planted her RAM truck to the outside of her brother and with good drive off the corner took the lead at the crossed flags on lap 10 but her stress was not finished yet, not by a long shot. On lap 11 championship leader Jack Handley Jr. made his way to second and on lap 14 the one thing Solomito did not want to see was a caution which waved for her brother who spun after contact. With Jack, a 26-time winner alongside Erin Solomito survived not one but two restarts over the final six laps to secure her sixth career win in the Hydrant Hotel RAM. Jack Handley Jr. of Medford was second with the Hydro Action Toyota and with Glennon's misfortune now enjoys a 24-point lead over Sean entering the SPT finale September 27th. Charles Sudano clicked off another solid podium finish with third in the Long Island Debris entry.

The Street Stocks clicked off another non-stop race with Dave Antos of Lindenhurst winning the 20-lap tilt for his second win of 2025. Polesitter Danny Pizzo set the tone for the first three laps before Dave Antos ducked under Danny entering the third turn on lap 3. By the time the tandem hit the line to start the 4th cycle Antos was the new race leader, while Pizzo lost another position on lap 5 after he was passed by championship leader Brandon Hubbard for second. With nary a yellow flag in sight Dave Antos hit his mark and drove the EP Milling & Sweeping Monte Carlo to a division leading 17th career victory. Reflecting on his pass of Pizzo for the lead Dave offered, "I knew I had the better car for the bottom; Danny was running well and I knew I had to make a move" Brandon Hubbard of Mastic was second with the Top Twenty Motorsports Chevy and with that takes a slim 4-point lead over Brian Brown of Calverton into the Street Stock finale September 28th. Jarrod Hayes of Calverton was third with the North Fork Sanitation Chevy, Brown was fourth.

In the previous 20-lap Mini Stock race, Ryan Zukowski of Riverhead, try as he might had to settle for second to older brother CJ for the win. This time the "Z-Man" was ready, willing & able to reverse the outcome Saturday. Ryan Zukowski and Joe Warren Jr brought the field to green with Ryan gaining the early lead. The race was slowed on lap 6 when Hunter Cummings had his car make a hard right towards the third turn wall drawing a caution flag. When the field was reset, Zukowski and Warren were joined by third place driver CJ Zukowski in third. When the race resumed Ryan remained the leader while CJ worked under Warren for second. This time Ryan Zukowski would have everything under control and led big brother CJ to to checker flag for his first win of 2025 and second of his career. "Nothing like racing your brother, especially for a win, but after last time when he won, he didn't stop reminding me. Now it's my turn" Ryan said. CJ, also of Riverhead was runner-up in the Walls of Fame Cavalier, Paul Wojcik of Patchogue completed the podium in third with the Superior Business Solutions Honda. 

Hard to imagine but it took until Saturday for Don Howe of Water Mill to score his first Eddie Partridge Vintage All Stars win of 2025. Howe in the Carl Zeh Auto Repair Cavalier fired off from the outside pole at the throw of the green and never looked back. John Jasinski of Riverhead in the Gary Cretty tribute Vega chased Howe for the entire race distance before settling for second, Sal Accardi Jr. of Deer Park made a bold last lap pass of Tony Ferrante Jr. of New Hyde Park for third at the line in his A-Plus Auto Salvage entry. 

NASCAR Modifieds: 1. Chase Grennan 2. Owen Grennan 3. Kyle Ellwood 4. John Beatty Jr. 5. Chris Rogers 6. Chris Young 7. Matt Brode 8. Dylan Slepian 9. JR Bertuccio 10. CJ Lehmann 11. Roger Turbush 12. Mark Stewart 13. Allan Pedersen 14. James Blewett 15. Michael Berner 

Super Pro Trucks: 1. Erin Solomito 2. Jack Handley Jr. 3. Charles Sudano 4. Tony Naglieri 5. Frank Dumicich Jr. 6. Lou Maestri 7. Liam Patrick 8. Frank Dumicich Sr. 9. Dave Koenig 10. Max Handley 11. Sean Glennon

Street Stocks: 1. Dave Antos 2. Brandon Hubbard 3. Jarrod Hayes 4. Brian Brown 5. Danny Pizzo 6. Chris McGuire 7. Tom Sullivan 8. Kyle Halpin 9. Dennis Kurras 10. Ricky Carman 11. PJ McGay 12. Bob Dalke 13. Luke Foerster 14. Giavanna Agugliaro 15. Rich Braun DQ-Alyssa Paprocky

Mini Stocks: 1. Ryan Zukowski 2. CJ Zukowski 3. Paul Wojcik 4. Chris Olivari 5. Joe Warren Jr. 6. Eoughan Heyward 7. Hunter Cummings 8. George Astacio 9. Charles Astacio  

Vintage All Stars: 1. Don Howe 2. John Jasinski 3. Sal Accardi Jr. 4. Tony Ferrante Jr. 5. Don Conradis 6. Tom Pickerell 7. John Cote 8. Mark Miller 9. Jimmy Reed Jr. 10. Mike Siraco 11. Jimmy Reed Sr.