6/9/2001

STEFANIK MAKES DARING PASS TO TAKE MILLER LITE 200
by J.A. Ackley

FEATHERLITE MODIFIED SERIES

            Mike Stefanik, looks to back in his championship of ’89, ’91, ’97 & ’98, when he wheeled his #21 Eggland’s Best Chevrolet to victory lane for the first time in 2001.  Stefanik, the Featherlite Modified Series’ win leader, made the Miller Lite 200 his 60^th career win, and it was a hard-earned win be it that.

            Jerry Marquis, in the #34 BRE Racing Chevrolet had the fastest qualifying time of 11.752 seconds, in a session where many quality cars went home early, as only 28 qualified, and 49 wanted in.  Long Island was well represented as 24 of those 49 hailed from the Big Apple and many of them made the show as well, illustrating that, Long Island Racing does indeed have the muscle to make the big show when it comes into our neck of the woods.

            When the top 6 redrew numbers, Tommy Cravenho saw himself on the pole with his #3 Beach Bluff Auto Chevrolet alongside the Bud Pole Award winner, Jerry Marquis.  When the green flag flew, Cravenho and Marquis were neck to neck but an incident off turn 2 would result and caution would fly.  Involved in the early incident were the cars of Charlie Pasteryak, Reggie Ruggerio, Joe Hartmann, and Joey Caraccia.  During this caution, the #1 Muratec Chevrolet of Chuck Steuer experienced power problems, which would sideline him into the pits and end his chances of winning the race.  On lap 5, red flag would fly as the incident was taking a bit of time to clean up.  After the cleanup, they would resume again and Tommy Cravenho finally took his #3 out in the lead and pulled away from the #34 of the defending champion, Jerry Marquis.  A long green run continued and tested the ability of the leaders to make through traffic on the tight bullring, known as Riverhead Raceway.

            Caution would fly once again however on lap 83 for oil on the track, as J.R. Bertuccio and his #02 Gershow Recycling Chevrolet would see his fine run end with rear end problems.  Lap 90 the race resumed once again, and Jerry Marquis took off at the start and claimed the lead.  However, soon after the race were be slowed by caution as an incident involving the #49 of Chris Young, #75 of Carl Pasteryak, and #99 of Jamie Tomaino would bring out the yellow.  This incident would result in another of the Riverhead contingent exiting the race, as Long Island Racing veteran, Chris Young, had severe enough damage on his #49 Riverhead Building Supply Chevrolet to force him to resign from the race.

            The Mod Squad restarted once again on lap 98 and the battle of former Featherlite Modified champions broke out in an exciting short track duel.  Jerry Marquis tried triumphantly to hang on the lead as Mike Stefanik took the outside line in an effort to take the prized position.  Finally, on lap 107, Mike Stefanik got around Jerry Marquis and shut the door on Marquis’ chances of becoming a repeat winner of the Miller Lite 200.

            A scramble on lap 140 would result in caution once again, but when the race restarted again, Stefanik took off and left the field in the dust as he stretched his lead to a near half a track in the end.  Marquis would try to catch the #21, but when it was all settled and done, Mike Stefanik won the 2001 Miller Lite 2001.

            Following Stefanik would be the #34 BRE Racing Chevy of the defending champion, Jerry Marquis.  Taking 3^rd would be one of Riverhead’s own, John Fortin with his #84 Abbott’s Hart Cove Marina Chevy.  In 4^th, it would be another of Riverhead’s finest, Bill Park, in his #20 Smithtown Nissan Chevrolet.  And rounding out the top 5 would be the polesitter, Tommy Cravenho, in his #3 Beach Bluff Auto Chevrolet.

            All in all a good showing for the Riverhead contingent and come in August, there is a great chance that one of Riverhead’s own may win the final big race of the season and break the dry spell since Eddie Brunnhoelzl's win in '98.

BLUNDERBUSTS

            In regular Riverhead action, the Blunderbusts had a good field of cars on hand once again with 36 cars in the pits ready to try to make the field of 25.  Starting from the pole, the #6 SPONSORS WANTED machine, of Ozone Park’s Scott Sepe took off from the start and claimed the lead in his first race of the season, however on lap 1 he would be slowed by a caution where the #00 C&A Auto Parts Chevrolet of Tommy Walkowiak would end up hard in the wall.  Also involved in the incident were the #3 AAA Hi-Tech Auto Chevrolet of Doug Watson and #93 Ideal Cesspool entry of rookie Jim Warner.  The green flew again and the battle between #42 of Wayne Meyer and the #6 of Scott Sepe would heat up.  However just when Meyer was about to get around Sepe, a hard hit on the back straight away would result in caution and place Meyer back in second for the restart.  Involved in the incident were the #89x CI Sanitation Chevy of Chris McGuire, the #88 Wesemann’s Sand & Mason Supplies Buick of Anthony Aiello, and #61 SPONSORS WANTED Cadillac of Rich Busick.  When the race resumed, the #42 Rapid Recovery Towing Chevrolet of Wayne Meyer would take off on the start and take the lead along with the #23 SPONSORS WANTED Buick of Eugene Malverty.  Malverty would be right on Meyer’s tail coming off turn two on lap 5, Malverty would take the lead.  However, not too far behind Meyer and Malverty would be the #58 of Rich Hubbard and Hubbard and Malverty would do heavy battle for laps to come.  On lap 11, the dust settled and Hubbard took the lead and shut the door on the #23 of Malvery, and took off to win his first race of 2001 in the #58 Wesemann’s Sand & Mason Supplies Buick.

            Crossing the line in second would be the #55 Golden Auto Body Cadillac of the 1995 Blunderbust Champion, Bobby Gardner.  In third, it would be #49 Landsend Abstract/Invesco Caprice of “Jumping” Jack Handley.  Taking fourth would be the #42 Rapid Recovery Towing Impala of Wayne Meyer and rounding out the top five would be the black and yellow #08 SPONSORS WANTED Cadillac of Jarrod Hayes.

CHARGERS

            In the Chargers, Richie Carman in the #30 United Exhaust Shop Chevrolet would take off from the pole position and use it to is advantage but before he would try to extend the lead, a caution flag was waved as the tough year for Rob Tribuzio and his #01 Riverhead Trailer Dodge would get tougher, as he would hit the turn 1 wall hard and continue to slide the wall until it stopped on the banks of turn 2.  The race would resume with Carman taking off once again on the restart and caution would fly again for a scramble.  However, the third time was the charm as Richie Carman took off on the restart again and would never look back.  The big battle of the night in the Charger were for positions in the top 5 as the #48 Long Island Poolscapes Pontiac of John Piazza, the #2 ER Yard Care Pontiac of Robin Vollmoeller would duke it out for the 3^rd position with the sly veterans of the Turbush brothers, Rusty Turbush and Dan Turbush, along with the #99 Glamour Transportation Olds of Jack Orlando all in the hunt for position in the top 5.  When Vollmoeller took control of 3^rd, he put as much pressure as possible on the #24 of Barry Stanchio, but time would run out and Vollmoeller would have to settle for a 3^rd.  When the checkers waved though, Richie Carman would still be leading and take the win for the Chargers.

            Following Richie Carman and his United Racing team to the line, would be the #24 Sunset Towing Chevrolet of Barry Stanchio.  Taking down third and taking the lead Charger points would be the #2 of Robin Vollmoeller.  In 4^th it would be the #17x Panasonic Document Imaging Pontiac of Rusty Turbush and following him to round out the top 5 would be his brother, “Dynamite” Dan Turbush in his familiar red and black #8 Long Island Ice and Fuel Chevrolet.

COMING NEXT WEEK

            Coming this upcoming Saturday will be a night full of action and excitement.  The Late Models will return to have a 50-lap Double Point event sponsored by Ronkonkoma Plumbing Supplies where Buzzy Eriksen will have the chance to extend his lead but contenders such as Kevin Metzger, Bubba Zwickel, Mike Mortimer, and RJ Oxee will have the chance to take it away as well.  The famous Figure 8’s will be having a 25-lap Double Point feature where the division is looking carry on its success from two weeks ago, in a feature that went non-stop with great racing action.  The surprise hit of the year is back, with the second train race of the season, where Stanley Wangenstein Jr. and Kevin Clarke are trying to make it two in a row.  Along with the aforementioned events, the Modifieds will be back in regular competition as well has the Super Pro Trucks to round out a very full night of racing action..

Sources:  J.A. Ackley/LongIslandJam.com
Posted:  June 10, 2001