Riverhead Raceway action July 30

The parking lot was filled, as well as the pit area on this sunny, warm Saturday evening. The first race of the evening was the 25 lap qualifying race for the modified cars. This was the prelude to the Lighthouse Mission tour 200 lap heat. The top 7 from this race would qualify for the main race.  The race was somewhat uneventful with a spin out in lap 6, and a caution flag in lap 18. Car #38 spin out allowing Donnie Lia in the #15 car to win. His first race back on the circuit in two years.

The Blunderbust race, a 30 lap, double point feature race was clean from start to finish as Tommy “Wild Child” Walkowiak, in the #00 won, his 47th career win.

The Charger race, which was also a 30 lap, double point feature race, was a slight battle between Chris Turbush in the #81 car and Jeremy McDermott in the #5 car from the start, but in the end Chris Turbush was the victor.

The main event, the Lighthouse Mission 200 was an accident-filled race from the start, after the drivers posed for the ceremonial picture before the race, the cars and drivers were announced, and the race began.

In lap 2 a pileup in turns 1 & 2 caused the #50 car to be taken out of the race with extensive damage, and many to the pits for repairs. A caution in lap 23 involving car #09 crashing into the wall in turns 3 & 4. A caution in lap 51, turns 1 & 2 slowed the race again, but it soon got underway. In lap 58, turns 3 & 4 Donnie Lia in the #15 car crashed into  the wall and was done for the night.

In lap 70, a huge accident as #96 & #98 crashed, sending 96 into the wall and 96 spinning into the infield grass, bringing up a red flag.

In lap 89 car #93 spins out in turns 3 & 4 bringing up yet another yellow caution flag. In lap 129 a yellow caution was raised due to illegal contact with another car.

The race went well until lap 146, when car #66 crashed into the wall bringing the race to a crawl. The track crew was in the process of cleaning up when a red flag was raised due to a medical emergency in the stands.
The second set of paramedics were called out to assist a woman who had collapsed in the stands.

In lap 159 a pile up of cars 36, 3, 90 once again slowed the race.

The race was finally won by Long Islander Justin Bonsignore in the #51 car, his first career win on the modified tour. Remarkably enough, he held 1st place the entire race, a true feat of driving, in an accident filled race.

See you next week……….at the races,

George

RiverheadLOCAL photos by George Faella. To order reprints, please contact the photographer directly. Click here to send George an e-mail.

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