Sports

Riverhead Raceway: Rogers visits victory lane twice

Tom Rogers of Riverhead double-dipped on Saturday night. He won both a 40-lap NASCAR Modified feature event as well as a 15-lap Figure Eight contest at Riverhead Raceway. The Modified win was the 44th of his career while the Figure Eight victory was his 27th.

The Granite State Pro Stock Series made its first Long Island appearance, with Mike Mitchell of Cumberland, Rhode Island, collecting his first career victory in the Riverhead 100.

In the Modified race, Vinny Biondolillo of Farmingville pressured Rogers, who was able to keep him at bay. Biondolillo finished second.

“Vinny had a good car tonight,” Rogers said. “He threw all he could at me and he’s going to win his share.”

The early race leader, John Fortin Jr. of Holtsville, turned in a third-place tally. Dave Brigati of Calverton and John Fortin Sr. of Holtsville completed the top five.

In the Figure Eight contest, Rogers led the final five laps to nail down the victory. Tom Ferrara of Patchogue made a late-race pass of Scott Pedersen of Shirley to claim second.

In the Riverhead 100, smoke poured from the right front of Mike O’Sullivan’s car on Lap 45 and he veered off the second turn into the infield. That moved Mitchell to the race lead, which he held to the finish. Barry Gray of Belchertown, Massachusetts, was the runner-up. Cory Casagrande of Stafford Springs, Connecticut, was third, followed by Scott MacMichael of Newbury, New Hampshire, and Scott Kulesa of Georgetown, Massachusetts.

Former Blunderbust champion Tom Pickerell of Huntington took full advantage of his outside pole starting position to drive to victory in a 30-lap race, earning his 19th career win. Tim Mulqueen of Levittown was second and Jim Laird of Riverhead third.

Owen Grennan of Glen Cove served notice on his fellow Super Pro Truck competitors that he will be a voice in the championship fight. He claimed his third career victory in a 20-lap main event. Dave Brigati of Calverton was the second one to cross the finish line. Mike Albasini of Flushing took third.

The race of the night belonged was an INEX Legend Race Cars 20-lapper. Bryan Kelly of Aquebogue nipped Kevin Nowak of Medford by a hair at the transponder stripe. John Beatty of Merrick was third.

Kelly also found his way to victory lane in a 30-lap Mini Stock race. He was followed by Mike Mujsce Jr. of Hampton Bays and Paul Wojcik of Centereach.

Pete Rabaglia of Bohemia roared from his 13th starting spot to take the win in a 30-lap Truck Enduro his second career win. Gary Voight of Medford was second and R.J. Gage of Riverhead third.