ISLIP 300 TO DECIDE 2025 TED CHRISTOPHER CUP CROWN JEWEL SERIES CHAMPION AT RIVERHEAD RACEWAY SATURDAY
There is still one more championship to be decided at Riverhead Raceway for 2025, and that title will be decided at the biggest race of the season during the $12,000 to win 9th annual Islip 300 Saturday. When the dust settles at the conclusion of the 300, the 2025 Ted Christopher Cup Crown Jewel Series champion will emerge with several drivers still in the hunt. The Crown Jewel Series is a championship within a championship annually at Riverhead Raceway consisting of five extra distance, signature events. The championship cup for the series is named honoring the iconic, late Ted Christopher who tragically lost his life in route to Long Island for a WMT event in September of 2017.
"Ted Christopher embodied what a true short track racer is, dedicated, talented, timely aggressive and popular among his peers and fans alike" Riverhead GM John Ellwood reflected, "when Scott Tapley was race director here, we came up with the Crown Jewel Series concept. Take out annual extra distance races and create a championship within a championship and it has worked out. Many times, the Ted Christopher Cup champion might not be our overall NASCAR Advance Auto Parts Weekly Series track Modified champion. Scott and I felt only one name should adore the championship trophy, which we made a cup, Teddy's, and the TC Cup was born".
In September John Beatty Jr. of Merrick and his MSM Elite Motorsports team won their third straight NASCAR Modified track championship, something only Riverhead Raceway legends "Charging" Charlie Jarzombek of Baiting Hollow and Don Howe of Water Mill had accomplished before Beatty. The Islip 300 has been and remains a non-track points event, only Crown Jewel Series points are paid at the $41,650 spectacular. Chris Rogers of Patchogue earned the 2024 Crown Jewel Series championship with a solid third place finish in last year's 300 with his Coors Light /Outlaw Inc team.
Defending Islip 300 winner Chase Grennan of Glen Cove on the strength of three wins over the first four Crown Jewel Series events leads the TC Cup championship entering the 300. Chase put his Black Forest Auto Chevy into victory lane at the first Crown Jewel event, the 75th Anniversary, "Flying Dutchman", 75 on June 28th, hours after graduating Glen Cove high school. Grennan then won the lucrative Oval Speed Unlimited Bubba 150 in early August and the Cecil Palm Tree 66 in September upping his career win total to four, all coming in Crown Jewel Series contests. It was after the Bubba 150 triumph that retired track announcer Stephen Halpin calling his final race dubbed Chase, "Big Time". Dylan Slepian of Dix Hills broke Grennan's Crown Jewel Series win streak back in mid-August winning the Baldwin, Evans & Jarzombek 77 with his Eastport Feeds team.
Entering the 300 Saturday, Chase Grennan holds a slim six-point bulge over John Beatty for the 2025 Ted Christopher Cup, Beatty is a former Crown Jewel Series champion. Dylan Slepian and Kyle Ellwood of Riverhead are knotted for third, -12 back of leader Grennan. Chase's older brother Owen Grennan of Glen Cove is fifth, -14 markers to his younger sibling. Completing the top ten are, Chris Young of Calverton -18, Matt Brode of East Islip -22, Chris Rogers of Patchogue -28, Roger Turbush of Calverton -30 and CJ Lehmann of Lake Grove -36.
Complementing the Islip 300 tour type Modified event are the Eagle Chevrolet Crate Modifieds, INEX Legend Race Cars, Street Stocks and the Eddie Partridge Vintage All Stars.
Pit windows open at 7:30 AM Saturday November 15th haulers enter, and pit gates open at 8:00 AM. Pit Admission is $55 with no licensing necessary. Spectator gates swing open at 10:00 AM, adults are $40, kids-6-12 $20, 5 & under free. Qualifying commences at 12:30 PM, opening ceremonies and feature presentations to follow.
For a complete race itinerary, entry lists, race rules and procedures please visit http://www.riverheadraceway.com. Emails reach us at [email protected], the phone number remains 631-842-RACE