Riverhead Raceway

Last updated
Riverhead Raceway
Location Riverhead, New York [1]
Time zoneGMT-5
Coordinates 40°55′21″N72°42′16″W / 40.92250°N 72.70444°W / 40.92250; -72.70444
OwnerConnie Partridge and Tom Gatz [2]
Broke ground1949 [1]
Opened1951 [2]
Major events Whelen Modified Tour [1]
Whelen All-American Series [1]
Northeastern Midget Association
Oval [2]
SurfaceAsphalt [2]
Length0.25 miles (0.402 km)
Turns4
Banking18° (turns)

Riverhead Raceway is a quarter-mile (402 m) oval race track with a Figure 8 course, [2] located in Riverhead, New York. [1] It is the only auto racing venue on Long Island since Westhampton Raceway closed down in 2003. [3] It started being built in 1949 [1] and opened as a dirt track in 1951, before permanently changing to asphalt in 1955. [2] The raceway was also well known for featuring a towering statue of a Native American, dubbed "Chief Running Fair", at its entrance until it was destroyed in 2012 due to Hurricane Sandy but rebuilt by Christmas and still standing at its original location.

Contents

Events

Riverhead Raceway has seven racing divisions: Modified, Riverhead Modified Crate Figure Eight, Late Model, Blunderbust, Super Pro Truck, and Legends. [1] [4] [5] It hosts races for the Whelen Modified Tour, Whelen All-American Series, and the Northeastern Midget Association. [1] Other events include demolition derby, school bus racing, monster trucks, enduro, one-on-one spectator drags and go-karts up until the fall of 2016.

The track's signature race is the non-champion Islip 300, named for the now-defunct speedway on Long Island, which began in 2016. The open competition event allows cars run to any of four different series ("Tour Type" modifieds) specifications. [6]

Drivers

Notable drivers who used to race at Riverhead Raceway include Steve Park [2] and his uncle Bill Park, [7] [3] [8] Greg Sacks, Charlie Jarzombek, [9] Brett Bodine, Tom Baldwin, Donny Lia, and 2013 NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour champion Ryan Preece.

Riverhead Raceway modified champions

YearDriver
2024 John Beatty Jr.
2023 John Beatty Jr.
2022 Kyle Soper
2021 Kyle Soper
2020 Tom Rogers Jr.
2019 Kyle Soper
2018 Kyle Soper
2017 Tom Rogers Jr.
2016 Shawn Solomito
2015 Tom Rogers Jr.
2014Howie Brodie
2013Howie Brodie
2012 Shawn Solomito
2011 Justin Bonsignore
2010 Tom Rogers Jr.
2009John Fortin
2008Bill Park
2007Bill Park
2006Chuck Steuer
2005Bill Park
2004 Tom Rogers Jr.
2003John Fortin
2002 J.R. Bertuccio
2001John Fortin
2000Frank Vigliarolo Jr.
1999Frank Vigliarolo Jr.
1998Howie Brode
1997Bill Park
1996Chuck Steuer
1995Don Howe
1994Don Howe
1993Don Howe
1992Fred Harbach
1991Wayne Anderson
1990Wayne Anderson
1989Dan Jivanelli
1988Wayne Anderson
1987Wayne Anderson
1986John Blewett Jr.
1985Fred Harbach
1984Don Howe
1983George Brunnhoelzl Jr.
1982Wayne Anderson
1981(no modifieds)
1980(no modifieds)
1979(no modifieds)
1978Charlie Jarzombek
1977Charlie Jarzombek
1976Charlie Jarzombek
1975Joe Krukowski
1974Charlie Jarzombek
1973Don Howe
1972Joe Krukowski
1971Jim Malone Sr.
1970Jim Malone Sr.
1969Joe Krukowski
1968George Brunnhoelzl Sr.
1967Charlie Jarzombek
1966John Berkoski
1965Tommy Washburn
1964John Berkoski
1963Gary Winters
1962Gary Winters
1961Joe Collins
1960Norm Gimmler
1959Buzzy Hedges
1958Johnny Rocco
1957Ronnie Harra
1956Axel Anderson
1955Tommy Washburn
1954Tommy Washburn
1953Ronnie Matson
1952Bud Anderson

Cultural references

Riverhead Raceway was featured as a filming location in the HBO series The Sopranos under the name "Chikamauga Raceway". It appears in Season 5, Episode 7 - "In Camelot".

See also

Track also in the documentary "The last race"

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References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 "Riverhead Raceway | NASCAR Home Tracks". localracing.nascar.com. Archived from the original on 2008-05-17.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Lubin, Marshall. "Memories and legends come alive at Riverhead Raceway". Newsday . exploreli.com. Retrieved 2009-04-15.
  3. 1 2 Paul Goldsmith (2003-08-13). "Gauge Nears 'E' at Riverhead Raceway". The New York Times . Retrieved 2009-04-05.
  4. ↑ "The Suffolk Times". 2012-02-11. Archived from the original on 2012-02-11. Retrieved 2024-04-17.
  5. ↑ "The Riverhead News-Review". 2012-02-11. Archived from the original on 2012-02-11. Retrieved 2024-04-17.
  6. ↑ "Riverhead Raceway Reading for Sixth Annual Islip 300 on Nov. 12". Race Day Connecticut. RaceDayCT.com. 27 October 2022. Retrieved 2022-11-26.
  7. ↑ Will Sammon (2013-05-17). "Bill Park experiences racing in a new light". Newsday. Archived from the original on 2020-07-01. Retrieved 2020-07-01.
  8. ↑ "The Riverhead News-Review". 2012-02-11. Archived from the original on 2012-02-11. Retrieved 2024-04-17.
  9. ↑ Charlie Jarzombek Archived 2007-10-09 at the Wayback Machine . New England Auto Racers Hall of Fame. Retrieved on 2008-04-15.
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