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Riverhead Raceway: Solomito one of seven champions crowned

Shawn Solomito of Center Moriches was one of seven track champions crowned at Riverhead Raceway Saturday night. By winning his fifth race of the year in first of Twin 30s for the NASCAR Modifieds, Solomito clinched his second track championship.

Kyle Soper of Manorville notched his fourth win of the year in the nightcap, ending a solid sophomore season in style.

In the first 30-lap race, John Fortin Sr. of Holtsville was second, Howie Brode of East Islip third, Jimmy Zacharias of Candor, New York, fourth and John Fortin Jr. of Holtsville fifth.

Soper made the best of a 12th-place starting spot in the second Twin 30 to race his way to victory.

“If you told me at the start of the year we’d win four races, I might have thought you were crazy,” said the 20-year-old Soper, who was followed to the line by Brode and Dillon Steuer of Bohemia.

Jeremy McDermott of Riverhead clinched his second consecutive Late Model championship by coming in second in a 25-lap race that also saw David Roys of Coram place fourth. That gave McDermott a one-point edge in the championship.

Kyle Ellwood of Riverhead had previously recorded feature event wins in the NASCAR Modified and INEX Legend Race Car ranks. Now he can add a Late Model win to his résumé as he won a 25-lap event. Third place in the race went to Eric Zeh of Selden.

Dave Brigati of Calverton, who has the distinction of winning the first race for the class back in May, will go down in the record books as the first ever Modified Crate champion. Dylan Slepian of Dix Hills did not take the title, but the 2015 INEX Legend Race Car champion made sure he went out in a big way, winning a 25-lap main event. C.J. Lehmann of Shirley was second, with Peter Bertuccio of Bohemia third.

Ken Hyde Jr.’s third-place finish in the final 15-lap Figure Eight feature of the season was enough to bring him his second career championship. Just two races ago, Gary Fritz Jr. of Mastic Beach and his father Gary Sr. looked at their mangled 1957 Chevy Figure Eight car and thought their season was over, but it wasn’t. Father and son rolled up their sleeves and got out the torches, returning two weeks ago with a strong runner-up finish. On Saturday, Gary Jr. upped the ante and won the race. Tom Ferrara of Patchogue made a late-race charge for second.

Rob Bader of Holtsville secured his 10th career win in a 20-lap Blunderbust feature. Scott Maliszewski of Deer Park was second and Tommy Walkowiak of Ridge third. Jack Handley Jr. of Medford, who entered the race already having secured his first career championship, crossed the line fifth.

Roger Turbush of Riverhead crossed was fourth, giving him the Super Pro Truck championship by seven points over his father-in-law, Dave Brigati of Calverton. Rob McCormick of Ridge recovered from a bent race machine to visit victory lane for the first time this year. The non-stop 20-lapper saw newcomer Tommy Walkowiak come in second and Brigati third.

Vinny Delaney of Holtsville won the 2016 INEX Legend Race Car championship when he crossed the line fifth. It is the first career championship for Delaney, who scored one feature event win en route to the crown. For the fifth time this year, Kyle Ellwood of Riverhead topped the field in the 30-lap feature event. John Beatty Jr. of Merrick came in second, and Ray Fitzgerald of Manorville was third.