Dave Brigati Finally Back in Winner’s Circle

A near-capacity crowd made their way to Riverhead Raceway this past Saturday, July 27, to witness an eight-cylinder demolition derby and a full-size school bus demolition derby as well as some stock car racing action. The NASCAR Modifieds were present as well as the INEX Legends, Blunderbusts, and Chargers along with a Grand Enduro feature event.

The evening began with time-trials for the INEX Legends for their 20-lap Jos. M. Troffa Landscaping and Mason Supplies sponsored event and it was the defending champion who put down the fastest lap. Kyle Ellwood’s lap of 13.738 seconds was the fastest of the day and just one-tenth of a second slower than the track record that he set last season. The fastest eight drivers drew their starting positions out of a bucket, and Ellwood drew seventh. Vinny Delaney laid down the seventh fastest lap but he drew the pole position for the feature. Jeffrey Goodale drew second, Paul Dodorico drew third, Justin Strumpf drew fourth, Brad Van Houten drew fifth, Kevin Nowak drew sixth, and Timmy Solomito drew eighth.

Time-trials for the NASCAR Modifieds followed the Legends and it was John Beatty Jr. in a brand new racecar who put down the fastest lap. Beatty’s time of 11.822 seconds was one-tenth of a second faster than the second fastest driver, Dave Sapienza. The Modifieds also drew out of a bucket for the top eight starting positions as they do every week. Dave Brigati was sixth fastest in time-trials, but he managed to draw the pole position for the feature. Beatty drew second, 15-year-old Vinny Biondolillo drew third, Jason Agugliaro drew fourth, David Roys drew fifth, last week’s winner and current points leader Howie Brode drew sixth, Sapienza drew seventh and Timmy Solomito drew eighth.

The first race of the night was a Grand Enduro event. The 50-lap event saw one caution period, three spins, and four lead changes. James Charrier was the driver that came out on top and scored the victory.

The Blunderbusts followed with a 20-lap feature that began with Bill Wegmann on the pole and Paul Parisi on the outside of the front row. Wegmann jumped out to the early lead but the yellow flag flew before the first lap was completed when Parisi got turned around on the frontstretch. A few cars piled in, but it was Parisi who took the most damage from the incident with both bumpers hanging off of his No. 69 machine. The next caution came out on the tenth lap when Jack Handley Jr. spun around in turn three. The race was called two cautions later on lap 12. The final caution of the race happened on a single-file restart when Wegmann was shoved up the track and into the wall by Jimmy White Jr. The race was called after that incident and White was named the winner. The victory was the third of the season for White.

“This doesn’t feel as good as the rest,” said White. “I’d rather win a race fair and square and not in a time-out race that’s over in 12 laps.”

After the Blunderbusts the INEX Legends rolled onto the raceway for their 20-lap feature. Vinny Delaney started on the pole with Jeffrey Goodale to his outside courtesy of the redraw. Delaney jumped out to the early lead, but the caution came out before the completion of the first lap due to a crash in turn three that involved Brad Van Houten. Van Houten got turned around and the rear of his car hopped off the ground as he was hit. Just a couple of seconds later a second incident happened in turn one after the caution was out involving Johnnie Gloor, Frank Scimeca Jr., and Christian Conklin. Conklin’s car was heavily damaged and was towed back to the pits. The race was completely restarted since the first lap was not completed and again Delaney jumped ahead of Goodale who also lost second to Paul Dodorico. The next caution came out on the third lap for a harmless spin in turn two by Bryan Kelly. Delaney held the lead for most of the race with ease until a hard-charging Timmy Solomito closed in with just a few laps remaining. Solomito made the outside work as he ascended up the leader-board, he took the lead from Delaney on the inside coming out of turn four to take the white flag. However, the caution came out once again for a big crash on the frontstretch that involved Kyle Ellwood, Goodale, and Kevin Nowak. Ellwood was turned into the wall and Goodale was left with nowhere to go. Goodale charged right into his teammate destroying his car. Goodale was driven back to the pits in an ambulance but he was okay. He said he just got the wind knocked out of him. The lead was given back to Delaney on the restart as the track officials ruled that the previous lap was not completed. Delaney had to hold off Solomito on a green-white-checkered restart. Solomito gave it one last charge on the final lap, but to no avail. Delaney held on to score the victory, which was his first ever in the Legends division.

“It’s something I’ve been working on for four years,” said Delaney, “so to finally get it done feels pretty good.”

The penultimate feature of the night was a 20-lap affair for the Chargers sponsored by Talmage Farm Agway. John Baker started on the pole with Cory Midgett to his outside. Things quickly went single-file up front, but Eric Zeh was charging on the outside. He made his way from his seventh starting spot up to third by the halfway mark. Midgett moved past Baker in turn one to take the lead on lap 11. The race’s only caution came out on lap 11 for a spin by Jayson White in turn four. The race restarted with Midgett leading Zeh, Chad Churilla, Baker, and Chris Turbush. Three laps after the restart, Zeh made his way into the lead as he went under Midgett, and Churilla who followed to take second. Churilla tried to close in on Zeh, but he was unable to do anything to keep Zeh from winning his third race of the season.

“We had a good starting position on the bottom and just made our way through,” said Zeh. “We got a caution in the middle of it and it just ended up working out well. I’m hoping we can get at least three more.”

The final feature of the night was a 35-lap event for the NASCAR Modifieds. Dave Brigati and John Beatty Jr. started on the front row courtesy of the redraw. 11 cars were supposed to start the event, but the No. 26 of David Roys was towed off the track just before hot-laps with engine issues. The race’s first caution came out at the end of the first lap when Dave Sapienza spun out the No. 06 of Vincent Biondolillo in turn four. The lineup on the restart saw Brigati leading Beatty, Jason Agugliaro, Howie Brode, and Timmy Solomito, but Agugliaro would lose third when he went for a spin in turn two. The race stayed green as Agugliaro was able to get the car going again, but he spun again in turn two on lap 12 and that spin brought out the yellow flag. Timmy Solomito moved his way into second place one lap after the restart, but he lost that spot on lap 24 to Sapienza in turn four. Brigati was able to hold off a fast Sapienza to score his first win of the season.

“I tore up two of my cars and Dave Sapienza called me up gave me a ride here and there,” said Brigati. “It’s my third time in this car and I won, so I’m happy. It feels good to win, but it feels good to win for Dave and all of my guys are here working on the car too so it all worked out.”

The night was closed out by an eight-cylinder demolition derby as well as a full-size school bus demolition derby. Jason Savoy won the eight-cylinder demo and Michael Rommeney won the school bus demo.

Photos available at: http://www.racerhub.com/photos/index.php?cat=2161

Blunderbust Results:

1. (6) Jimmy White Jr.

2. (3) Tim Mulqueen

3. (12) Brian Brown

4. (4) Tom Sullivan

5. (14) Scott Maliszewski

6. (11) Tom Pickerell

7. (10) Justin Wahl

8. (2) Paul Parisi

9. (17) Brandon Hubbard

10. (7) Tom Puccia

11. (5) Bob Muller

12. (8) William A. Wegmann

13. (9) Ron Langdon

14. (1) William J. Wegmann

15. (15) Tommy Walkowiak

16. (14) Jack Handley Jr.

17. (16) Bryan Quilliam

Chargers:

1. (7) Eric Zeh

2. (4) Chad Churilla

3. (8) Chris Turbush

4. (10) Ray Minieri

5. (2) Cory Midgett

6. (9) CJ Lehmann

7. (5) Jayson White

8. (6) Tom Anderson

9. (3) Richard Wilson

10. (1) John Baker

11. (11) Tom Sullivan

Legends:

1. (1) Vinny Delaney

2. (8) Timmy Solomito

3. (3) Paul Dodorico

4. (4) Justin Strumpf

5. (16) Artie Pedersen III

6. (12) Kyle Soper

7. (14) Brendon Bock

8. (11) Anthony Marsh

9. (18) Dylan Slepian

10. (10) Johnnie Gloor

11. (5) Brad Van Houten

12. (19) Chris Rogers

13. (22) George Tomko Jr.

14. (23) Mike Van Houten

15. (17) Frank Scimeca Jr.

16. (26) Allan Pedersen

17. (25) Steve Smith

18. (24) Steve Hersey

19. (6) Kevin Nowak

20. (7) Kyle Ellwood

21. (2) Jeffrey Goodale

22. (27) Shawn Wanat

23. (20) Bryan Kelly

24. (9) Richie Davidowitz

25. (13) Gregory Harris

26. (15) Christian Conklin

Modifieds: 

1. (1) Dave Brigati

2. (7) Dave Sapienza

3. (8) Timmy Solomito

4. (6) Howie Brode

5. (4) Jason Agugliaro

6. (3) Vincent Biondolillo

7. (2) John Beatty Jr.

8. (9) Ed Brunnhoelzl III

9. (10) Ken Darch

10. (11) Eric Zeh

11. (5) David Roys

 

Source: Rob Blount/LongIslandJam