Sports

Riverhead Raceway: Rogers makes winning pass for third victory of season

In NASCAR Modified racing, sometimes being in the right place at the right time is as important as anything else for success. That was the case for former multi-time champion Tom Rogers Jr. of Riverhead Saturday night at Riverhead Raceway. Rogers pounced on a late-race opening to bolt from third to first, notching his third win of the 2019 NASCAR Whelen All American Series.

The final caution of the 50-lap race waved on Lap 44 after C.J. Lehmann and Jason Agugliaro got together on the front stretch. Moments after the final restart of the race, Dylan Slepian and Kyle Soper went into a turn, racing for the lead. That opened the door for Rogers to pounce in front. Slepian of Dix Hills dropped to second and Soper of Manorville to third. John Fortin Sr. of Holtsville and Dave Brigati of Calverton completed the top five.

As the checker flag waved, Rogers moved to within eight wins of the all-time track lead of 63, held by the late legend Charlie Jarzombek.

Right place, right time.

Heading into the final month of racing, Soper, the championship leader, enjoys a 74-point margin over Rogers.

In modern racing, youth dominates victory lane on tracks across America, but that was not the case when the 20-lap Blunderbust main event concluded Saturday. Bill Wegmann Sr. of North Bellmore, just weeks shy of his 75th birthday, won his first race of the year. Tom Pickerell of Huntington was the runner-up. Cody Triola of Bay Shore took third.

When you are hot, you are hot. That’s the case with former multi-time Super Pro Truck winner Lou Maestri of Deer Park, who won his third race of 2019 and 33rd of his career. The win was his second victory this month. With two laps to go, Mark Stewart of Riverhead made a late-race pass for second. Sean Glennon of Northport was third.

Legend Race Car championship leader Richie Davidowitz of East Moriches enjoyed a milestone 25th career win, with the aid of a late-race pass. It was his fifth win of the season. Kevin Nowak of Medford claimed second and Joseph Braun of Manorville third.

Brian Brown of Riverhead notched his second Street Stock win of the year in a 20-lapper. In racing to his fourth career win, he took sole possession of second on the all time win list. Eric Zeh of Selden, who leads that win list with eight, was the runner-up. Defending champion David Antos of Lindenhurst was third.

Phil LaManna of Smithtown is enjoying a breakout year, winning his fourth Truck Enduro, a 40-lap feature. LaManna broke to the race lead on the first lap and never trailed. He lapped all but the second-place Don Nelson Jr. of Rocky Point. Richie Carman of Miller Place, making his first start, came in third.

In an all-female School Bus Figure Eight race, third-generation driver Keri Brunnhoelzl of Levittown took a 15-lap victory.