Antos, Burbol, McCormick, Kelly, Warren & Verwys Take Sunday Riverhead Gold

Sunday afternoon Riverhead Raceway concluded the 4th of July weekend in style with six Enduro races being presented on a sun splashed afternoon. Dave Antos of Lindenhurst scored his second consecutive Grand Enduro win in a 50-lap contest while Gene Burbol of Brookhaven topped the 50-lap Truck Enduro.

If you ask Dave Antos what the toughest part of his Sunday win in the Grands was he’d probably point to the vigorous post race technical inspection the top four finishing cars had to endure. The teams were made to take the heads off their engines as track officials wanted to make sure everybody was on the up and up. Some three hours after taking the checker flag Dave Antos was officially declared the winner of the race in his GR Performance Chevy. Antos, a former champion in the class took the lead from Brian McCormack on lap 7 with an inside pass off turn two and never looked back. McCormack of Holbrook was second in his Big Mack’s Towing entry while young talent Jeff Otto Jr. of Deer Park was third in the Designs for Vision Chevy. Greg Zaleski of Jamesport and Jimmy White Jr. of Southampton completed the top five.

Gene Burbol made a triumphant return to the winners circle when he won the Truck Enduro. The worst place one could be early in this race was in the lead as two drivers dropped to the infield laps after taking over the top spot. Hank Hallock raced into the early lead and was in the process of building a comfortable cushion when he suddenly pulled to the infield on lap 8 after his truck threw the power steering belt. That moved Don Nelson Jr. into the lead but he too would lead only a few laps as he fell victim to mechanical failure on lap 12. That left Gene Burbol to take the lead on lap 13 and once the former champion of the 6-Cylinder Enduro class was out front it was clear sailing for the Gene’s 112 Car Care Chevy who drove off to his first ever Truck Enduro win. Gary Voight of Medford was runner-up in the A. Voight Towing machine with Richard Galante of East Patchogue third.

McCormick Motorpsorts enjoyed a fine Sunday at the races as they swept the two 8-Cylinder Enduro events. In the first race, a 75- lap tilt Rob “The Racer” McCormick took the lead from Mike Sorrentino on lap 5 and then proceeded to dominate the race lapping the entire field in his Sneaker Aquarium Chevy. Rhett Fogg of Westhampton and Mike D’Orta of Deer Park were second and third.

In the 40-lap 8-Cylinder nightcap Legend Race Car standout Bryan Kelly of Aquebogue drove the McCormick entry to victory lane. Kelly took the lead of the race early and was never threatened once out front. Sean Fitzpatrick of West Babylon and Mike D’Orta chased Kelly to the finish.

2013 4/6-Cylinder Car Enduro champion Joe Warren Jr. of Ridge scored his first win of 2015 in the class topping the 75-lap feature. Warren raced quickly out front and led pretty much the entire distance of the race and had a comfortable lead when the race concluded. Ed Fontana of Wading River and Mike Mujsce Jr. of Hampton Bays followed Warren across the line.

A stellar field of 25 Gut & Go Enduro machines took to the track for a 50-lap race with defending 4/6-Cylinder Car Enduro champion Peter Verwys Jr. of East Rockaway scoring the win. Joe Warren Jr. and Brandon Esposito of Farmingville were second and third.

Grand Enduro (top five) 1. Dave Antos 2. Brian McCormack 3. Jeff Otto Jr. 4. Greg Zaleski, Jamesport
5. Jimmy White Jr.

Truck Enduro (top five) 1. Gene Burbol 2. Gary Voight 3. Richard Galante 4. Pete Rabaglia 5. R.J. Gage

1st 8-Cylinder Enduro (top five) 1. Rob McCormick 2. Rhett Fogg 3. Mike D’Orta 4. Thomas Haase 5. Sean Fitzpatrick

2nd 8-Cylinder Enduro (top five) 1. Bryan Kelly 2. Sean Fitzpatrick 3. Mike D’Orta 4. Rhett Fogg 5. Dale Doherty

4/6-Cylinder Car Enduro (top five) 1. Joe Warren Jr. 2. Ed Fontana 3. Mike Mujsce Jr. 4. Paul Salvatore 5. Matt Wahl

Gut & Go Enduro (top five) 1. Peter Verwys Jr. 2. Joe Warren Jr. 3. Donald Lawrence 4. Brandon Esposito 5. Mike Mujsce Jr.