Riverhead Raceway
| Location | Riverhead, New York[1] |
|---|---|
| Time zone | UTC−5 (UTC−4 DST) |
| Coordinates | 40°55′21″N 72°42′16″W / 40.92250°N 72.70444°W |
| Owner | Connie Partridge and Tom Gatz[2] |
| Broke ground | 1949[1] |
| Opened | 1951[2] |
| Major events | Current: NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour (1985–2019, 2021–present) |
| Paved Oval (1955–present)[2] | |
| Surface | Asphalt[2] |
| Length | 0.250 miles (0.402 km) |
| Turns | 4 |
| Banking | 14° (turns) |
Riverhead Raceway is a 0.250 mi (0.402 km) oval race track with a Figure 8 course,[2] located in Riverhead, New York.[1] It is the only auto racing venue on Long Island since Westhampton Raceway closed down in 2003.[3] It started being built in 1949[1] and opened as a dirt track in 1951, before permanently changing to asphalt in 1955.[2] The raceway was also well known for featuring a towering statue of a Native American, dubbed "Chief Running Fair", at its entrance until it was destroyed in 2012 due to Hurricane Sandy but rebuilt by Christmas and still standing at its original location.
Events
[edit]Riverhead Raceway has seven racing divisions: Modified, Riverhead Modified Crate Figure Eight, Late Model, Blunderbust, Super Pro Truck, and Legends.[1][4][5] It hosts races for the Whelen Modified Tour, Whelen All-American Series, and the Northeastern Midget Association.[1] Other events include demolition derby, school bus racing, monster trucks, enduro, one-on-one spectator drags and go-karts up until the fall of 2016.
The track's signature race is the non-champion Islip 300, named for the now-defunct speedway on Long Island, which began in 2016. The open competition event allows cars run to any of four different series ("Tour Type" modifieds) specifications.[6]
Drivers
[edit]Notable drivers who used to race at Riverhead Raceway include Steve Park[2] and his uncle Bill Park,[7][3][8] Greg Sacks, Charlie Jarzombek,[9] Brett Bodine, Tom Baldwin, Donny Lia, and 2013 NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour champion Ryan Preece.
Riverhead Raceway modified champions
[edit]| Year | Driver |
|---|---|
| 2024 | John Beatty Jr. |
| 2023 | John Beatty Jr. |
| 2022 | Kyle Soper |
| 2021 | Kyle Soper |
| 2020 | Tom Rogers Jr. |
| 2019 | Kyle Soper |
| 2018 | Kyle Soper |
| 2017 | Tom Rogers Jr. |
| 2016 | Shawn Solomito |
| 2015 | Tom Rogers Jr. |
| 2014 | Howie Brodie |
| 2013 | Howie Brodie |
| 2012 | Shawn Solomito |
| 2011 | Justin Bonsignore |
| 2010 | Tom Rogers Jr. |
| 2009 | John Fortin |
| 2008 | Bill Park |
| 2007 | Bill Park |
| 2006 | Chuck Steuer |
| 2005 | Bill Park |
| 2004 | Tom Rogers Jr. |
| 2003 | John Fortin |
| 2002 | J.R. Bertuccio |
| 2001 | John Fortin |
| 2000 | Frank Vigliarolo Jr. |
| 1999 | Frank Vigliarolo Jr. |
| 1998 | Howie Brode |
| 1997 | Bill Park |
| 1996 | Chuck Steuer |
| 1995 | Don Howe |
| 1994 | Don Howe |
| 1993 | Don Howe |
| 1992 | Fred Harbach |
| 1991 | Wayne Anderson |
| 1990 | Wayne Anderson |
| 1989 | Dan Jivanelli |
| 1988 | Wayne Anderson |
| 1987 | Wayne Anderson |
| 1986 | John Blewett Jr. |
| 1985 | Fred Harbach |
| 1984 | Don Howe |
| 1983 | George Brunnhoelzl Jr. |
| 1982 | Wayne Anderson |
| 1981 | (no modifieds) |
| 1980 | (no modifieds) |
| 1979 | (no modifieds) |
| 1978 | Charlie Jarzombek |
| 1977 | Charlie Jarzombek |
| 1976 | Charlie Jarzombek |
| 1975 | Joe Krukowski |
| 1974 | Charlie Jarzombek |
| 1973 | Don Howe |
| 1972 | Joe Krukowski |
| 1971 | Jim Malone Sr. |
| 1970 | Jim Malone Sr. |
| 1969 | Joe Krukowski |
| 1968 | George Brunnhoelzl Sr. |
| 1967 | Charlie Jarzombek |
| 1966 | John Berkoski |
| 1965 | Tommy Washburn |
| 1964 | John Berkoski |
| 1963 | Gary Winters |
| 1962 | Gary Winters |
| 1961 | Joe Collins |
| 1960 | Norm Gimmler |
| 1959 | Buzzy Hedges |
| 1958 | Johnny Rocco |
| 1957 | Ronnie Harra |
| 1956 | Axel Anderson |
| 1955 | Tommy Washburn |
| 1954 | Tommy Washburn |
| 1953 | Ronnie Matson |
| 1952 | Bud Anderson |
Cultural references
[edit]Riverhead Raceway was featured as a filming location in the HBO series The Sopranos under the name "Chikamauga Raceway". It appears in Season 5, Episode 7 - "In Camelot".
See also
[edit]Track also in the documentary "The last race"
References
[edit]- ^ a b c d e f "Riverhead Raceway | NASCAR Home Tracks". localracing.nascar.com. Archived from the original on 2008-05-17.
- ^ a b c d e f g Lubin, Marshall. "Memories and legends come alive at Riverhead Raceway". Newsday. exploreli.com. Retrieved 2009-04-15.
- ^ a b Paul Goldsmith (2003-08-13). "Gauge Nears 'E' at Riverhead Raceway". The New York Times. Retrieved 2009-04-05.
- ^ "The Suffolk Times". 2012-02-11. Archived from the original on 2012-02-11. Retrieved 2024-04-17.
- ^ "The Riverhead News-Review". 2012-02-11. Archived from the original on 2012-02-11. Retrieved 2024-04-17.
- ^ "Riverhead Raceway Reading for Sixth Annual Islip 300 on Nov. 12". Race Day Connecticut. RaceDayCT.com. 27 October 2022. Retrieved 2022-11-26.
- ^ Will Sammon (2013-05-17). "Bill Park experiences racing in a new light". Newsday. Archived from the original on 2020-07-01. Retrieved 2020-07-01.
- ^ "The Riverhead News-Review". 2012-02-11. Archived from the original on 2012-02-11. Retrieved 2024-04-17.
- ^ Charlie Jarzombek Archived 2007-10-09 at the Wayback Machine. New England Auto Racers Hall of Fame. Retrieved on 2008-04-15.
External links
[edit]- Official site
- Riverhead Raceway race results at Racing-Reference