Jim Cromarty, longtime Riverhead Raceway owner dies at age 91

Jim Cromarty, former co-owner of Riverhead Raceway, died Sunday, Aug. 13. His wife and partner Barbara was at his side. He was 91 years old.

The Long Island racing community, still reeling from the passing of figure-eight champion Tom Kraft late last month, received the sad news about Cromarty yesterday.

In 1977 Barbara and Jim Cromarty were introduced to the NASCAR stock car racing family as the new lease holder of Islip Speedway. The couple came to racing with very little knowledge of the sport, but their promotional credits were numerous. Prior to their involvement at Islip Speedway, Barbara and Jim promoted the Long Island Ducks of the Eastern Hockey League, the Suffolk County Fair, Roller ‘N Ice, an indoor roller skating & ice skating venue in Copiague, as well operating a successful telemarketing firm, Suffolk Productions. The couple leased Islip Speedway through 1984 when the final show was presented in September after the property owner sold the 26-acre parcel to Silver Lake Cookie. 

Undaunted, Barbara and Jim approached Riverhead Raceway owners Ed and Clara Hawkins, from whom they leased Riverhead for some Friday night NASCAR racing over the years, to purchase the Route 58 facility, which they did in the off-season leading up to 1985. From 1985 through 2015 Barbara and Jim presented NASCAR racing and family entertainment events at the track. Even when property values along the Route 58 corridor skyrocketed, Jim turned down numerous lucrative non-racing offers on the property so Barbara and he could keep racing alive on Long Island, they made it a non-negotiable point. During the 2015 season it was announced that Eddie & Connie Partridge and Tom Gatz has entered into an agreement to buy Riverhead Raceway to continue the tradition of stock car racing moving forward. 

The Cromartys resided in Manhattan during the race season and wintered just outside of Miami, taking up full-time residence there after retiring in 2015. Aside from racing, Jim loved boating along the south shore of Long Island, the occasional round of golf, and horse racing. Barbara and Jim also enjoyed traveling to Europe, Broadway shows and fine dining.

Friends and colleagues remember Jim as “the most positive, loving person you could meet.” He ways upbeat. Jim and Barbara shared a strong love and spread it to those around them.

Jim thoroughly enjoyed presenting events that brought joy, fun and memories into countless lives.

He is survived by his wife Barbara, daughters, Deborah (Sean), Meryl, and Joyce (Bob). He was predeceased by his youngest daughter, Robin. Funeral arrangements are pending. 

Bob Finan handles media relations for Riverhead Raceway.