Auto Racing: After shortened vacation, Rogers visits victory lane
RIVERHEAD RACEWAY ROUNDUP
Tom Rogers Jr. of Riverhead cut short a family vacation to be able to compete in the Sunoco Race Fuels Twin 50 NASCAR Modified features Saturday at Riverhead Raceway. His competitors would rather he remained on vacation.
Rogers swept both 50-lap features. The victories were his fourth and fifth of the season, and he has won four of the last five races at the quarter-mile track, moving his career win total to 29.
In both races, Rogers finished ahead of second-place Ryan Preece of Berlin, Conn., third-place John Fortin of Holtsville, fourth-place Howie Brode of East Islip and fifth-place Kyle Ellwood of Riverhead.
“I have to thank Ryan,” Rogers said. “He is a class act. He raced me hard early on in both races but never used me up especially in the first race he could have squeezed me but never did.”
In other races:
The INEX Legend Race Cars competed in their INEX National Qualifier with 39 cars attempting to make the 27-car field. The defending track champion, Brendon Bock, scored his second win of the year. Kyle Ellwood, making his first Legend start of the year, drove in second. Third went to Kyle Soper of Manorville. Completing the top ten were: Richie Davidowitz of East Moriches, Brad Van Houten of Wading River, Vinny Delaney of Holtsville, Devin O’Connell of Charlotte, N.C., Kevin Nowak of Medford, John Beatty Jr. of Merrick and Artie Pedersen III of Center Moriches.
Roger Maynor of Bay Shore scored his 112th career Figure Eight win in what for him was an unusual way, inheriting the lead when another driver was sent to the rear of the field.
As the field started the seventh lap, Mike Mujsce got into the back bumper of second-year driver Gary Fritz Jr. right in front of the NASCAR officials, causing Fritz to spin and drawing a caution. Mujsce was sent to the rear for his role in the spin.
That turn of events moved Roger Maynor, who had raced his way from seventh to third, into the lead where he remained for his second win of the year. Tom Rogers Jr. was the runner-up, and Scott Pedersen of Shirley came in third.
Ray Minieri of Bay Shore posted his third win of the season when he topped a 20-lap Charger feature for his 21st career win. Greg Immerman of Southampton grabbed second place, and the defending champion, Eric Zeh of Selden, was third.
The last time veteran driver Richie Hubbard of Mastic Beach won a Blunderbust feature was June 9, 2001. The timing of his victory Saturday night could not have been better.
Earlier in the week, Hubbard and his family mourned the loss of his sister. On race day, Hubbard was a man on a mission.
Hubbard, who started in the pole position, prevailed in the 20-lap affair. Joe Warren Jr. of Ridge was second. Brian Brown of Baiting Hollow motored in third.
Mark Stewart of Riverhead captured his third Super Pro Truck win of 2014 in a 20-lap feature. It was his seventh career win. Mike Albasini of Flushing took second. The division points leader, Erin Solomito of Hampton Bays, finished third.
Jimmy White Jr. of Southampton topped the Eight-Cylinder Demolition Derby competition.
