Greg Harris Tops Riverhead Spring Smack Down Enduro Street Stocks

The second half of the tradition Memorial Day weekend of racing at Riverhead Raceway was completed Sunday afternoon as the Spring Smack Down Enduro program was presented with over 100 cars taking part. Greg Harris of Riverhead earned his first career Street Stock win in a 40-lap contest while the 100-lap Gut & Go race was captured by Ed Fontana of Wading River who pocketed the $500 first place prize money.

Second generation driver Logan Fogg led the early going of the 40-lap Street Stock race before he was overtaken by Dave Antos on lap 4. Quickly moving to second was Logan’s father Rhett who now ran second to Antos. Greg Harris who started the race from the 7th position quickly wheeled his way up to challenge Rhett Fogg for second and the duo went side by side for the spot for several laps before Harris took the spot on lap 19. Harris once second then had to go to work to try and erase a comfortable lead that Anrtos had built up. Once Harris got to Antos it took him a few laps to size up the race lead but with just four laps remaining Greg Harris in his SGS Stone Works Chevy took the race lead on lap 36 and drove off to victory. In victory lane Harris disclosed his car had an engine issue mid week, “we found our motor was hurt but Erick Zegel of EZ Motorsports stepped up and loaned us his motor and we made the swap. I can’t thank all of those who helped us out enough, I know it’s cliche but we really would not be here without them”.

Dave Antos of Lindenhurst in his CR Customs Chevy was runner-up while Brian McCormack of Holbrook placed third in the Big Mack’s Towing entry.

In a hotly contested 30-lap Mini Stock feature Bryan Kelly of Aquebogue outlasted Mike Mujsce Jr. of Hampton Bays to notch his third win of the season in the newly formed class. Paul Wojcik led the first lap from his outside pole starting berth but on lap 2 he was passed by Mike Mujsce Jr. for the early lead. Meanwhile Bryan Kelly who started the race from 8th quickly carved his way to the front of the pack taking second away from Wojcik on lap 7 Once Kelly made his way to race leader Mujsce the two tested tough veterans put on a clinic on how to race side by side for the race lead. After 10-laps of racing door handle to door handle Kelly rode the outside lane to the race lead on lap 19 with Mujsce quickly tucking in behind Kelly. Once out front Bryan Kelly in the BKS Granite, Marble & Tile machine never looked back taking home the win. Mike Mujsce Jr. was runner-up in the Premier Pest Control VW while Preston Prydatko of Rockly Point had another solid outing finishing third in the Sapphire Designs Cavalier.

For every Truck Enduro event the starting line-up is determined by luck of the draw as drivers enter the track in the morning. When Gene Burbol, a multi-time winner and past track champion drew the pole for the 30-lap Spring Smack Down Truck Enduro a slight groan could be heard throughout the pits. From from the throw of the green Gene Burbol would lead this contest chased for the first lap by “Pirate” Pete Rabaglia and then for the remainder of the way by defending class champion Don Nelson Jr. While Nelson was able to keep the leader in his sights Gene Burbol in the Gene’s 112 Car Care S-10 would drive off to yet another victory. Don nelson of Ricky Point was second in the Abner Tree Experts Chevy while Phil LaManna of Smithtown charged his way from a 10th starting spot to claim third place money in the EB Milling & Sweeping machine.

With $500 on the line for the Spring Smack Down Gut & Go victory some 47 cars took to the track for the 100-lap Memorial Day weekend special. Early on veteran Joe Warren Jr. showed the way racing to the front after starting 5th on the grid. Warren’s car after leading early on seemed to start misfiring halfway down the straightaways on low and behold when the red flag waved prior to the halfway mark of the race Warren dropped to the infield out of the race. That moved another veteran driver and past winner Peter Verwys to the race lead when the race resumed. After leading for a spell Verwys was soon passed just past the halfway point by Ed Fontana who once out front never looked back driving his Good Wood Shop entry to a popular victory in front of family and friends. Ryan Warren of Ridge was runner-up with Peter Verwys of East Rockaway third in the Usedautoparts.com machine.

Earlier in the month Dennis Jones won his first career 8-Cylinder Enduro in tech after numerous cars in front of him in the finish were disqualified. Sunday Jones went out and won his second career race the old fashioned way, on the race track! Jones in his KMS Electric racer had to survive a late race duel with Mark Wolf for the race win. Defending champion Brian Halsey led early on before he was overhauled by Mark Wolf for the lead. Wolf’s bid for victory was hampered when he lost the belt that drives the power steering in his car but the veteran pushed forward none the less. After swapping the lead with 10-laps remaining in the race Dennis Jones of Calverton would take the lead for good on lap 35 and drive to the checkers. Mark Wolf of Shirley was second in the Shirley Feed Chevy while Dominick Ranieri of E. Northport placed third in the Spare Parts Racing Chevy.

Street Stocks: 1. Greg Harris 2. Dave Antos 3. Brian McCormack 4. Anthony Pizzo 5. Rhett Fogg 6. Chris Lescenski 7. Glenn Simonin 8. Gerard Lawrence 9. Dale Doherty 10. Logan Fogg 11. Brian Brown

Mini Stocks: 1. Bryan Kelly 2. Mike Mujsce Jr. 3. Preston Prydatko 4. Paul Wojcik 5. Joe Warren Jr. 6. Ryan Warren 7. Robert Dugre 8. Steve Fuller 9. Chris Elixson 10. Brandon Esposito 11. Johnny Vullo DNS- Jeremy Clint

Trucks: 1. Gene Burbol 2. Don Nelson Jr. 3. Phil LaManna 4. Jarrett Campbell 5. Gary Vought 6. Mariah Lawrence 7. RJ Gage 8. Bobby Pease 9. Dustin Cole 10. Mike Benton 11. Paul Cummings 12. Danielle Cohen 13. Pat McGay 14. Pete Rabaglia 15. Steve Betcher

Gut & Go: 1. Ed Fontana 2. Ryan Warren 3. Peter Verwys 4. Rich Gray 5. Brad Bess 6. Corey Beverly 7. Ryan Dupuis 8. Joe Palmeri 9. Mike Farrell 10. James Johnson 11. Johnny Vullo 12. Joey Palmeri 13. AJ DeSantis 14. Joe Boccia 15. Eric Germuth 16. Demitria Pickerell 17. Preston Prydatko 18. Kevin Augustine 19. Phil Ebert 20. Scott Phillips 21. Danny Zasowski 22. Jeff Michaels 23. Don Laskey 24. Robert Thurau 25. Dan Augustine 26. Tony Collingsworth 27. Rob Henninger 28. CJ Zukowski 29. Drew Fohrkolb 30. Dennis Sill 31. John Palmeri 32. George Astacio 33. Joe Warren 34. Mitch Pattern 35. Mitch Rippe 36. Brian Moore 37. George Astacio Jr. 38.Brandon Esposito 39. Woot Lawrence 40. Bryan Kelly 41. Doug Tittle 42. Tom Pickerell 43. Kendall Grennan 44. Kris Dane 45. John Marino DQ- Sean Rooney DQ Ryan Zurkowski

8-Cylinders: 1. Dennis Jones 2. Mark Wolf 3. Dominick Ranieri 4. Brian Halsey 5. Sean Fitzpatrick 6. Justin Ferreri 7. Dennis Kurras 8. Kevin Coyle 9. David Verbeek 10. Wes Sammon 11. Stacey Halsey 12. Pat Collins 13. Drew Scalfani 14. Eric Germuth 15. Jarrod Halsey 16. Peter Hart 17. Thomas Roberts 18. William Sammon 19. Steve Marchese

Source: Bob Finan/RR PR