9/8/2001

EGAN WINS WILD ONE…

    Donny Lia of Merrick capped off his rookie season in the NASCAR Modified division at Riverhead Raceway in fine fashion this past Saturday night when he won his second feature event in a photo finish over Dan Jivanelli of Hampton Bays. While Lia scored the win in the 35 lap feature event John Fortin of Holtsville wrapped up his first ever NASCAR Modified title in the final race of 2001 with a 7th place finish.
    Larry Altholtz led the way for the first two laps before he suddenly spun off turn four which turned the lead over to Tom Rogers Jr. who had been running second. With Rogers out front on the restart Donny Lia moved up to second on lap 3 and spent the next 5 circuits testing Tom for the top spot. With a move to the inside off turn four on the 8th lap Lia was able to race into the lead, with veteran Dan Jivanelli walking through the open door Lia created for second at the same time.
    For the following 26 laps Lia and Jivanelli raced one-two for the lead, with Lia able to keep a comfortable distance on Dan for the most part during the race. However as the race wore on lapped traffic allowed Jivanelli to zero in on leader Lia, but once clear of the congestion Lia was able to again open a car length or two advantage. With less than five laps to go the leading tandem raced upon Al Ermmarino, with Lia trying the outside in an attempt to lap Al, while Dan tagged onto Ermmarino's back bumper trying to use him as a "pick".
    Exiting turn four for the checker flag Jivanelli was able to pull alongside Lia as the duo raced for the checker flag.  In the end the poised youngster took a close win in the Huntington Honda Monte Carlo. "Dan was right there" Lia admitted afterward, "he tapped me once or twice along the way, but Dan races you clean and we were able to hold him off in the end". As for his freshman year in the NASCAR Modifieds Lia said, "We hoped for maybe one win, but we really are very happy with two wins and a top ten in points and I have to thank my mother and father for giving me this opportunity. I also want to thank Rob Nicola of ERD Race Engines, Huntington Honda, Middle Island Deli and Nucom Industries".
    Dan Jivanelli had to be content with runner-up money in his Jack Scott Racing entry, while early leader Tom Rogers Jr. of Patchogue turned in a stellar performance for third place honors in the Gershow Motorsports Chevy. Ed Brunnhoelzl Jr. of Levittown and Chris Young of Riverhead completed the top five.
    By virtue of his 7th place finish John Fortin wrapped up the 2001 NASCAR Modified title over Joe Hartmann of Riverhead who wound up 13th in the final race of the year. Fortin, a former three time Figure Eight champion at the quarter mile oval now adds the NASCAR Modified crown to his portfolio.
    The Dart Fuel Oil 25 for the Late Model troops became the Dart Fuel Oil 14 as the race was halted when the 40-minute time limit ran out on the caution filled event. Sean Egan of Riverhead collected his 4th win of the season when the checker flags waved. Chris Mangles jumped to the early lead and for the second straight year appeared as though he'd win the final race of the regular schedule. However on a 6th lap double file restart Sean Egan out powered Mangles to the first turn to take the lead, with 2001 Late Model champion Peter Eriksen racing to second as well. On the few long green flag runs that did take place Egan's car started to push in the corners and Eriksen was poised and ready to make a move for the lead. However right after a yellow flag on cooler tires Egan's car was fast enough to stay out front.
    At the conclusion of the wild race Sean Egan in the Riverhead Building Supply entry took home the victory and admitted later, "I really don't know if we could hold "Buzzy" off, but we'll take it". Peter Eriksen of Baldwin took home runner-up money in the Harley Davidson of Hempstead racer, while Chris Mangles of Brooklyn scored his best run of 2001 with a fine third place finish in the U.S. Army entry.
    "Krazy" Ed Mistretta of New Hyde Park notched his second win of the season when he won the final Figure Eight feature over Roger Maynor of Bay Shore who clinched his 4th track championship with the runner-up finish. Mistretta leaped out front at the start of the race and led the first five laps of the race before he had to slow at the "X" allowing Anthony Nunziata to race by for the top spot. Just two laps later it was Nunziata forced to slow at the intersection, thus allowing Mistretta to reclaim the lead. After a long battle with Nunziata for second, Roger Maynor was able to move to second on lap 16 and try to set his sights on the race leader, but it was too little too late.
At the conclusion it was Ed Mistretta in the Islip Transmissions entry scoring the popular win, while Roger Maynor of Bay Shore won the 2001 Figure Eight championship with his runner-up performance in the Barrasso & Sons Mason Supplies machine. Anthony Nunziata of Ronkonkoma wound up third in the USA Communications entry.
    Neal Feola Jr. of Ronkonkoma capped off his solid 2001 effort in the Blunderbust division in victory as he won the 20 lap main event that saw Chris Chirico of Huntington earn the divisional championship with a 4th place effort. Jim Havens set the pace of the race for the first 6 laps, first chased by Scott Sepe for the first two laps before Feola raced to second on lap 3. Exiting the fourth corner on the 6th lap of the race Feola drove under Havens for the lead, with Chris Chirico coming to second just a lap later. On the 15th lap Bobby Gardner entered the picture, first racing by Chirico for second and then using a lapped car as a "pick" taking the lead from Feola on lap 16. In the one good turn deserves another category, on lap 18 Feola himself trapped Gardner behind a slower car to retake the lead, with the fans on hand on their feet during this see-saw battle among two good friends.
    At the checker flag it would be the Chili Peppers Pub entry of Neal Feola Jr. scoring the close win over Bobby Gardner of Westbury in the New York Metro Peterbilt Cadillac. Eugene Malverty of Lindenhurst placed third in the Uneedapart.com Buick.
    Taking full advantage of a rare third place starting berth in the Super Pro truck feature event, two-time defending class champion Ron "Hurricane" Humes of East Rockaway notched his third win of the year. Frank Dumicich a former champion in the class led the first three laps of the race before Humes executed an inside pass for the lead off the fourth turn on lap 4. Just one lap later Rich Giordano also found an opening to the inside of Dumicich to take second position away and then set his sights on the race leader. For a spell Giordano glued himself to the tailgate of Humes' truck and looked as though he could very well have something for the race leader. However as the race hit its final five laps Humes was able to pull away somewhat giving himself some breathing room.
    At the finish it was Ron Humes in the Shamrock Painting GMC not only scoring the win, but also moving into a tie with Larry Costa for the SPT point lead with two races left for the "tailgate brigade". Rich Giordano of Lindenhurst was runner-up in his Millennium Theatre Systems Dodge, while "Turbo" Tom Fleming of Aquebogue was third in the IGA of Southold/Greenport entry.

Sources:  Riverhead Raceway PR
Posted:  September 11, 2001