The Parade Lap…
After
a seven-year hiatus, the Legends cars have returned to Riverhead
Raceway in 2008, and the division seems poised to do so in a big
way. So far, they have two races under their belts, and each
show has drawn more than 20 competitors, including some from as
far away as Pennsylvania, North Carolina, and even Florida. The
division is currently scheduled to run eight races in 2008,
leaving fans who want to see them with six more opportunities
this season. We at LongIslandJam.com would like to reintroduce
our readers to the division and what it’s all about, as well as
what it takes to get into it.
One thing that stands out about the Legends division is the
vast mix of racers – young and old, experienced and novice.
There are actually three separate classes, and a driver’s
classification is dependent on a number of factors, including
age and driving experience. Each car has a sticker affixed to
the left front fender identifying the driver as a Pro, Masters,
or Semi-Pro competitor. In 2008, there is a vast span in the
ages of drivers. In fact, such drivers as Timmy Solomito and
John Gloor IV are only 16, while other drivers are over the age
of 55. LongIslandJam.com sat down with four drivers in the
division – two rookies and two veterans – to get some insights
from each and to highlight the diversity that exists in the
Legends class.
Legends cars are designed to be affordable. They were
introduced in 1992 at Lowe’s Motor Speedway, after officials
there sensed the need for a class of cars that was more
affordable and required less maintenance. In 1995, INEX – the
sanctioning body for the Legends and several other classes – was
born. INEX is actually short for “INEX”pensive. Behind NASCAR
Weekly Racing and International Motor Contest Association (IMCA),
INEX is the third largest sanctioning body. There are more than
3,500 members, and the body sanctions more than 2,000 races at
over 200 tracks worldwide each year. One of the goals of INEX is
to provide uniform technical and safety rules and regulations
for all of the cars that run in its sanctioned divisions,
regardless of their location.
Legends cars are 5/8 scale replicas of cars from the 1930s
and 1940s. They are available in two distinctly different body
styles – the sedan or the coupe. Including all different model
years, makes and body styles, there are 10 available choices.
All Legends cars are manufactured by 600 Racing Inc. in North
Carolina, which is the world’s largest mass producer of race
cars. Since 1992, the company has turned out more than 4,000
Legends cars, and has the ability to produce as many as 40 cars
per month. Each frame has a serial number, and there is a title
for each car. The cars are powered by Yamaha motorcycle engines.
Drivers have the option of running a sealed 1250 motor or an
unsealed 1200 motor.
Racers looking to purchase a Legends car can either purchase
one new through a 600 Racing authorized dealer, or they can
acquire one used from another racer. The local dealer for
Legends cars and parts is Dennis Freese of Oval Speed Unlimited.
Dennis has a substantial stock of Legends parts – from clips to
shocks to brakes to tires. He can also order complete cars. On
race days, Dennis is at the track with his parts truck, and he
has the necessary parts to get a car righted and back out for
the feature if it suffers damage in practice or a heat.
So,
how much does this all cost to get into? A basic new car retails
for $12,995. plus tax. The price is the same regardless of
model or year. Technically, that is a complete car; however, it
does lack some of the add-ons that most drivers are used to and
comfortable with. According to Dennis, a complete car with the
options that are recommended by INEX will run just over $15,300.
plus tax. For those people who literally want to just strap in
and race, Dennis can even have your car set up for you and
delivered needing nothing more than some numbers added to the
sides.
Like any racing division, though, there are also used cars
available. The advantage with Legends cars is that they run
under uniform rules everywhere, so a car that is for sale in New
Jersey is the same as a car that is for sale in North Carolina
or even in Texas. Many times, the person who is selling the used
car is moving to another division or has other circumstances,
and the buyer gets all of the spare parts, tires, etc. that
could add thousands to the cost of a new car. A used car will
also come with some sort of setup already in it. The setup can
always be changed or adjusted, but gives someone who is
unfamiliar to the cars or the class a starting point. Legends
drivers who have purchased used cars estimate that a good used
car, including some spares and “extras” will typically run
between $8,000. and $10,000., while $10,000. to $12,000. will
buy a “really good” used car.
Although the Legends cars are all essentially the same and
there are restrictions on what types and kinds of modifications
and adjustments can be made, there is still some setup involved
in the Legends division. The cars run coil-over shocks, and
adjustments can be made to such things as the wheelbase, caster,
and camber. This year in the division at Riverhead, there is an
obvious sense of unity among many of the drivers, and veteran
drivers can very often be seen sharing setup advice with the
newcomers in the class. Advice and input is also available from
other locations, including a Legends group on Yahoo! where
registered members can ask questions, share concerns, and offer
advice.
As in any racing division, regular operating costs are
important to consider before making a purchase. Legends cars can
run on pump gas, as opposed to the more expensive racing fuels.
Every Legends car runs on a “Legends Edition” 205/60R13
BFGoodrich T/A Comp HR4 tire. Like other Legends parts, they are
available from Oval Speed. There is a “dry tire” rule, which
states that there should be no substances anywhere on the tires.
Additionally, INEX has a nationwide rule specifying a minimum 58
point durometer reading at any time. If a competitor is caught
“soaking” tires, he or she is banned from INEX permanently.
Tires can be shaved, and there are a number of places that do
this, for a small fee. A set of tires, complete and shaved,
should cost a driver roughly $500. Unlike many other divisions,
though, a single set of tires is normally sufficient for an
entire season. Even in the event of a crash, the cost to repair
a Legends car is somewhat lower than many other divisions. A
front clip, for example, costs $280. plus tax, while a rear clip
is around $100.
There are many resources available for anyone who is
interested in obtaining more information about the Legends,
including
www.600Racing.com or
www.legendsnation.com. Oval Speed also has some information
available. The best bet, however, is to come to Riverhead
Raceway and check them out in person – watch them run a feature
or two, talk to drivers and crews, and get a general feel for
the class. The remaining currently scheduled Legends race dates
are:
May 17
May 25 (Sunday, raindate May 26)
June 15 (Sunday, raindate June 22)
June 28
August 10 (Sunday, raindate August 17)
August 31 (Sunday, raindate September 1)
General admission gates open at 3 p.m. for Saturday shows,
while they open at 12 noon for shows on Sundays. Come check out
the Legends cars and see what Riverhead – and you – have been
missing!
And the Green Flag Flies…
Veteran Paul Dodorico - #55
To
a point, one could say that racing is in Paul Dodorico's
blood. His uncle built engines for the likes of Billy Spade, Tom
Baldwin, Red Klaus and Jim Hendricksen (Tony Ferrante's X-3).
Paul's start in racing actually came during the mid-70s, when
his uncle got him into it and he was on the crew for the late
Tom Baldwin at Islip. He would later work on a Late Model driven
by Sam Lipiro at Riverhead. Finally, the urge to drive got the
better of Dodorico, and he purchased a Modified in the early
90s. He ran the Modified for roughly three seasons before
running two seasons in a Late Model and then taking a season
off. With the likes of Scotty Wolf (with whom he had run in the
Modifieds) in his ear, Dodorico purchased a used Legends car.
Paul ran a limited schedule with the Legends car in 1999 and
2000. He was honored as "Rookie of the Year" in his first year
in the Legends division. When Riverhead stopped running the
class, Dodorico sought out other places to race his Legends car.
He has run at such tracks as Chemung, Mahoning Valley, Monadnock,
Mountain, Riverside, Seekonk and Waterford. For five years,
Dodorico ran at Kauneonga Speedway/Catskill Mountain
Speedway/White Lake Raceway, under several different owners.
Paul won three consecutive Legends championships at the track,
which was Kauneonga when he won the championship in 2004,
Catskill Mountain in 2005, and White Lake in 2006. In 2008,
Dodorico got the chance to bring his Legends car "home" to race
at Riverhead Raceway.
Dodorico is one of the older drivers in the division, at 55
years old. He worked for the Suffolk County Police, where he was
a Detective Sergeant in charge of a team of Homicide Detectives
when he retired after 33 years. He is also a licensed attorney
in New York and Washington DC, though he does not actively
practice. Paul and his wife Carol have been married for 31
years, and they have a 27-year-old son, Chris, who lives in
Washington DC. "My wife has always been very supportive of my
racing and actually anything I want to do," says Dodorico. Among
the things they do together, Dodorico says they try to run every
day.
Dodorico attributes the initial decision to purchase a
Legends car to several factors, including the fact that they
were affordable and ran a limited schedule. All of the Legends
cars he has purchased have been used. He presently owns a 1937
Ford Sedan and a 1934 Ford Coupe. Dodorico has several sponsors
who help him out, including Bridal Suite of Centereach, RPM Dyno
Service, Engine Research Development (ERD) and Smithtown Auto
Body.
"The division is what I thought it would be," Dodorico
commented. "You can race anywhere in the country, since the
rules are the same everywhere. But it's wonderful to be back
'home' racing at Riverhead. Our division seems like a perfect
match." Dodorico cited such factors as the size of the track,
and the strong go-kart program, with the Legends providing
almost a natural progression. Legends rookies Timmy Solomito and
Bryan Johnson both have go-kart experience under their belts, as
does veteran driver Tony Naglieri and others.
As
a veteran in the division, Dodorico has been among the many who
have offered advice and assistance to the rookies. It is not
uncommon in the division for veteran drivers to mentor some of
the rookies, offering setup advice, sharing driving
knowledge and sometimes even turning a wrench here or there.
Dodorico's advice to the rookies is simple, "Learn your car and
how to set it up. These cars are a lot of fun to drive and
really responsive. They can be a handful, but when you get used
to them they are a ball to drive."
Dodorico has a lot of positive thoughts about the 2008 rookie
crop in the Legends division: "A lot of these rookies are going
to be very good drivers once they get some experience. They are
some very talented drivers."
As far as his own goals for the 2008 season, Dodorico says he
hopes to have fun and help out the rookies. "I have already won
three championships," he said, "so, while it would be nice to
win the Riverhead Legends point championship, it's not something
I feel I must do."
Dodorico would recommend the Legends division for anyone who
is considering starting racing, but also for those who are a bit
older and are possibly looking to finish their racing careers.
Rookie Joe Sedotto - #43
Joe
Sedotto may be a rookie in the Legends division, but he is far
from being a racing novice. Sedotto's experience came in the
Mini Cup cars, which he raced for a season and a half before
Westhampton closed. He has also raced at such tracks as Lake
Erie, Mahoning, and Poughkeepsie.
Sedotto sat in a Legends car at Lake Erie, and, as they say,
the rest is history. He liked the cars, and he also liked the
fact that they ran under a single set of rules, no matter where
you were. Sedotto joined a Legends group on Yahoo! and spoke to
several other drivers, including Greg DiCanio (who was in the
process of buying a car for himself), Mike Malone, and Paul
Dodorico. "I wanted to buy a very clean car that had extra
parts," Sedotto stated. He ended up with a used car that he
purchased from someone in Illinois who was moving up to another
division. According to Sedotto, his neighbor Bernie Stepnoski -
a former Riverhead racer from the mid-70s himself - was a big
help in getting his car ready for the 2008 season, lending a
hand with such things as cleaning carbs, mounting the seat,
building scaling boxes and more. Stepnoski still gives Sedotto
help with projects during the week, although Sedotto is
essentially a "one-man show" at the track on race days.
The only real seat time Sedotto and the other rookies had was
whatever they could rack up at Riverhead's two preseason
practice days. Then it was time to sink or swim, as the rookies
and the veterans all took to the track for the first feature
event.
The rookies and veterans alike realize that there are certain
challenges that come along with such a spectrum of drivers. Sedotto
admits that his biggest challenge as a rookie will be to improve
each week with more seat time. This is in contrast to the
veterans, who he feels are more likely looking to win races or
even capture a championship.
"I
was only in the car for two weeks before the first race, like
other rookies, so I knew it was going to be a challenge, and it
was," Sedotto said. "My original expectation was to just go out,
have fun, and try not to wreck the car and just turn laps, but
my driving was improving, and I realized that I would actually
be competing in the race." With two laps to go, it appeared that
Sedotto would walk away from his very first race with a top ten
finish, but a late race incident involving another driver left
Joe's running board crunched and the rookie driver walked away
with a 12th place finish.
With the first two races of the season in the books, some of
the rookies have a better view of the big picture, in terms of
what they would like to accomplish for the season as a whole.
Joe's goals for the season are "to improve enough each week and
get a season of experience under my belt, so next season I could
come back and be even more competitive, which would keep my
sponsors happy." Sedotto is currently sponsored by Col Security
and Management (www.col-security.com).
He also carries the Purple Heart Candles (www.purpleheartcandles.com)
name on his car, as that is his wife's business that donates 20%
of its profits to injured soldiers from Iraq and Afghanistan.
When he's not "piloting" a race car, you might find Joe
working as a helicopter pilot with the Air National Guard in
Westhampton. He previously served ten years of active duty in
the Army, also as a a helicopter pilot. He and his wife, Carrie,
enjoy riding motorcycles and boating, and she is "very
supportive" in his racing as well.
So far, Sedotto is enjoying himself in the Legends division,
and, as he says, "the light is starting to come on." His advice
to anyone considering the division is pretty simple, "talk to
drivers in the division, do your homework about the difference
between coupes and sedans, open or sealed motors." He also
recommends looking into the Legends group on Yahoo! as a source
of valuable information.
Veteran Tony Naglieri - #94
Fans
that followed the Legends when they ran at Riverhead Raceway
years ago are likely to remember the name Tony Naglieri. That’s
because Naglieri was the last Legends champion crowned at
Riverhead in 2000. He is now among the many who are thrilled to
see the class return to action on the quarter-mile oval again in
2008. Naglieri was no stranger to racing back then either. He
actually got his start in go-karts, running in Eastern Karting
Association and traveling. By Naglieri’s own account, he ran
go-karts for 13 or 14 years before making the jump into a
Legends car after winning the IKF Grand Nationals. Tony started
running in the Legends class in 1995, the second year that the
division was at Riverhead.
After winning his championship, Naglieri spent much of the
2001 season running the Legends car at places like Wall Stadium
and Waterford Speedbowl. He began the 2002 season in the Legends
car, but then ended up in an All-Star Truck. He continued to
race a few shows a year in the Legends division, including the
annual Turkey Derby at Wall Stadium. With the division back at
Riverhead, Naglieri’s goals are simple: “I’d definitely like to
win another championship, and definitely win a race or two.”
When Tony decided to try his luck at Legends racing, the
division was new to the Island and used cars were few and far
between. Therefore, the cars that Naglieri’s car owner - Rick
Berotti - purchased were new. Naglieri’s stable currently
consists of a 1934 Ford Sedan and a 1937 Ford Sedan. Naglieri’s
sponsors for 2008 include Eveready Motorsports, Eveready
Roofing, and Allied Building Products. His crew consists of
Vinny Naglieri, Steven Naglieri, John Brand, Don Wolf, and Rick
Berotti. On an interesting note, Naglieri’s cars were used when
the scene from “The Sopranos” was filmed at Riverhead, with
Naglieri driving one car, and John Denniston driving the other.
With the current state of Legends racing and the widespread
use of Internet advertising, though, Naglieri says, “Now it’s
definitely so much better to get a used car. There are so many
on eBay and racing classified sites. You get a lot of knowledge
from the people who have the cars, so you’re not really as cold
when you get into the car.”
If
you get a car and don’t get all of the information you need, it
is apparent that the Legends veterans are both willing and able
to help. “Come over and ask for help,” Tony suggests. “Whoever
comes over, I’m more than willing to help, with minor setups and
just how to drive the cars and stuff like that.”
For the first few races back, the class has had a sizeable
car count, and many of the drivers feel that cooperation among
the race teams off the track can help to keep it that way, while
also making the racing more exciting for the fans. Among the
challenges for the division in its first year back, notes
Naglieri, will be to “get some roots back at Riverhead Raceway.
We got a good start as far as the car counts. Hopefully, it’s
the start of a good thing for the long term.”
Naglieri definitely thinks that the Legends class is a good
place to start for anyone who is interested in racing. “It’s an
inexpensive class,” he says. “It doesn’t have the tire
maintenance or putting tires on it every week like other
divisions. It gives you a great base on how to drive a car –
with the horsepower, the weight, and the hard tires on the car –
that should make it quite a challenge to drive.” In fact,
Naglieri credits his Legends racing experience with helping to
make the leap into the All-Star Truck easier.
When he isn’t busy with his racing efforts, Naglieri does
some occasional skiing, and likes to go to amusement parks. As
he puts it, he just likes to do “ordinary stuff”. Naglieri and
his wife Lori have been married for almost a year, and Naglieri
has one stepdaughter, Jacqueline.
Rookie Bryan Johnson - #92NY
If
racing is in Paul Dodorico's blood, then it's possible that Cam2
flows through Bryan Johnson's veins. Bryan is the grandson of
racing historian Marty Himes of The Himes Museum of Motor Racing
Nostalgia; the nephew of former Riverhead Figure 8 driver Marty
Himes Jr.; and son of the late Scott Johnson, a racing
enthusiast and Johnson Motorsports team owner and founder. Bryan
got his start in go-karts in 1999. He ran go-karts at Medford
Raceway, Riverhead Raceway, and Westhampton Raceway before
traveling with the World Karting Association (WKA) North East
Speedway Pavement Series (NESPS). He also drove a mini-scale
truck for John Burns' 5J's Motorsports at Westhampton and
Poughkeepsie Speedways, winning a few feature events as well as
the 2003 Pro-Modified Mini-Truck championship with LIMCA. In
2007, Bryan attended the Doug Foley Drag Racing School and
graduated with a successful 1/4 mile pass down the Atco Raceway
in Atco, NJ. In addition to driving, Bryan has also served as a
flagman for the NESPS, as well as a crew member for the Petro
Motorsports #96 NASCAR Whelen Modified Series team.
According to Bryan, he had aspired to drive a Legends car,
even when he was younger. Before his father's sudden and
untimely death in the summer of 2006, there had been discussions
about buying one. However, circumstances changed when his father
passed away, and the plan ended up shelved for some time. "Over
the winter, I spoke with Peter Clark and worked up a deal
between him, myself, and my mother (Nancy Johnson), to reform
Johnson Motorsports as Bryan Johnson Motorsports and purchase a
Legends race car."
The team purchased a used car from North Carolina. According
to Johnson, "It was our goal to find a good used piece that was
cheap enough for us to do some work on and make it our 'own'
piece of equipment. Starting with a used car isn't always a bad
thing," he states. "You can learn the tricks of how the car has
already been run and what to do and not to do."
While not the youngest rookie in the field this year, Johnson
is one of the younger drivers, at just 21 years old. He
graduated from Briarcliffe College in Patchogue in 2006, with a
degree in graphic design. Bryan currently works as a graphic
artist in P.C. Richard & Sons' advertising department, and he
resides in Mastic with his fiancée Krystal. He enjoys
photography, and also owns his own graphic design business,
Extreme Design & Graphic Enterprises. Bryan has a younger
brother, Michael, who is also a key member of his race team.
The
team has dedicated the 2008 season to the memory of Scott
Johnson. "Dad would have wanted this," states Johnson. "He was a
real racing buff. When the guy got into something, he put his
life into it. I honestly did this for him, and I am running in
his memory." A number of sponsors have signed on to back
Johnson's rookie efforts in the Legends class. They include Long
Island Freightliner, Applebee's Restaurants, Panera Bread Bakery
Cafes, Extreme Design & Graphic Enterprises, The Himes Museum of
Motor Racing Nostalgia, The Sheet Metal Shop Inc., and Thrift
Collision and Painting. Bryan also supports and promotes the New
York Organ Donor Network.
In preparing for the 2008 season, Bryan knew that his biggest
challenge was going to be learning how to drive a vehicle with a
manual transmission, and getting comfortable enough with it to
be able to perform under racing conditions. Some practice runs
down the road by his shop helped him overcome this obstacle. Now
that the season has begun, the challenges facing the rookie
driver are quite different. In Johnson's words: "The challenge
for me for the season is going to be being able to run with the
veterans. These guys are seasoned and know how to drive and set
these cars up. As a rookie, you have less knowledge than them,
but you have to take everything everyone tells you and use it as
a learning experience. I want to learn about these cars, I want
to be able to get going fast, and I want to be able to have a
good time - have a clean race, and enjoy racing with a group of
seasoned vets."
In his rookie year, Bryan's goals are to have some good,
clean runs and to finish well in the points. "I don't need to
win races," he says. "I don't need to finish in the top 5 or top
10 each week. I just want to be able to walk away each week with
a clean race car." He goes on to explain, "Walking away from the
Riverhead Raceway bullring without a scratch is a win in my
book. And walking away from Riverhead Raceway at the end of the
year without a problem is a championship in my book, even if we
finish 10th, 11th, or so on in points. Just finish the best we
can, and drive as hard as we can. And, of course, have a lot of
fun doing that."
Johnson offers some pretty simple advice to those who are
looking to get into the division: "Do your research. It helps
out a ton. Make sure you have plenty of time dedicated to the
upkeep of the car. It's a race car, and it needs to be kept on
top of and not neglected. Other than that, go out, have fun, and
keep the wheels clean each week."
The Victory Lap…
By
all accounts, the return of the Legends division to Riverhead
Raceway is a win-win situation. No one is happier to be “home”
than the drivers, both new and old. As Paul Dodorico said, “We
have to thank Jim Maggio and Mike Cappiello for taking an
interest in bringing our division back and Barbara and Jim
Cromarty for giving us the chance to come home.”
Riverhead Raceway co-chief steward Mike Cappiello said he was
“nothing short of excited” to have the division back. “These
guys and gals worked hard to let us know how much they wanted to
come back, even bringing some cars last season for an
exhibition. The fans loved it, and there were lines of people
who wanted to just look at the cars. Getting to see them
actually race is a whole other ballgame, and one we think that
they will enjoy seeing each and every time the division hits the
raceway.”
“I’m so happy. Thank you very much again to Riverhead Raceway
for letting the Legends back,” Silas Hiscock Jr. stated in
Victory Lane this past Saturday, after winning his second race
in two attempts so far this season. Also interviewed in Victory
Lane was second-place finisher Tom Sherman, who said, “(We’ve)
got to thank the Cromartys…for bringing us back and Mike and
Jim…for bringing us in here.” Third-place finisher Tony Naglieri
added, “It definitely great being back home…great running here
at Riverhead.”
Source: Tracy
Chirico/LongIslandJam.com
Posted:
May 14, 2008
