Riverhead Raceway: Beatty makes winning move

With 35 or so laps left in a non-stop, 75-lap NASCAR Modified feature at Riverhead Raceway Saturday night, veteran driver John Beatty Jr. of Merrick might have thought to himself that second place was as good as it going to get. However, with 29 laps remaining, the leader, David Schneider of Huntington, who led since the second lap, went wide around some lapped cars. That opened the door for Beatty, who pounced on the opportunity for his first win of 2019. It was his sixth career NASCAR Modified triumph.

“As we raced into the third turn I saw David go up the hill and I just sent it in and we came away with the lead and win,” said Beatty.

Schneider had to be content with second place. Dave Brigati of Calverton won a battle for third, with Kyle Soper of Manorville fourth and Tom Rogers Jr. of Riverhead fifth.

Jeremy McDermott of Riverhead made it four in a row, winning a 25-lap Late Model race. The win is the 13th of his career, moving him into a tie for ninth on the all-time win list with Kevin Metzger and Chris Turbush, both of whom are still active. Ray Minieri of Bay Shore came in second. Dylan Slepian of Dix Hills was third.

After finishing second in Crate Modified points in 2018, Justin Brown of Manorville has served notice that the 2019 title will go through him by winning his third straight race. It was his sixth career win. Chris Rogers of Patchogue was the runner-up and Terry Stiles of Rocky Point took third.

Tom Rogers Jr. scored his second Figure Eight win of the season and 45th of his career. Ken Hyde Jr of Yaphank and Gary Fritz Jr. of Mastic Beach were the next two finishers.

In the Blunderbust class, Jack Handley Jr. of Medford won his second race in three starts. Tom Pickerell of Huntington fought the final few laps with Cody Triola of Bay Shore for second.

Richie Davidowitz of East Moriches picked up his second Legend Race Car win of the year and 22nd for his career. Teenage driver Riely O’Keefe of Manorville turned heads with a runner-up finish. Vinny Delaney of Holtsville was third.

After waiting years to win his first truck Enduro, Gary Voight of Medford won his second race in six days.

In a hard-hitting Demolition Derby, Joey Palmeri of Lindenhurst and C.J. Zurkowski of Riverhead were declared co-winners when they made the final hit on each other at the same time. Both drivers could not restart their cars.