PRESENTS---

RIVERHEAD GETS READY FOR 2007 SEASON AS PRE-SEASON MEETINGS ARRIVE

by Mike Fields

January 21, Long Beach, NY--- Riverhead’s Chief Steward Bill Denniston will be holding their annual Informational Meetings again this coming Sunday (January 28^th) at Polish Hall at 214 Marcy Avenue in Riverhead.  This is a chance for new competitors to become familiar with procedures instituted at the ¼-mile facility, learn who the officials are along with what they do, and ask questions to clarify the rules.

The Blunderbusts will meet first from 10:00am until 11:00am.  The Chargers and Super Pro Trucks will meet together at 11:15am through 12:30pm.  The Late Models and Figure Eights will meets after lunch at from 2:15pm through 3:30pm, while the Modifieds will end the day with their meeting commencing at 4:00pm.

BETHEL MOTORSPORTS PARK will be meeting with the Town Board regarding their permit to open this week.  The problem facing promoters Billy Bartley and Jason Makarewicz is that the board and tracks’ neighbors want to the track to only operate on Saturday nights.

Bethel Motorsports Park seems to be running into problems with the town of Bethel.  Bartley and Makarewicz on the other hand, want to operate the track on Sunday afternoons, so as not to compete with the numerous other Saturday night tracks within an hour’s drive of the facility.

If the track can be operated on Sunday, they can 1) Not have to compete. 2) Draw cars from the other Saturday night tracks.  3) Hopefully, make a profit.

We hope that in our next column, we’ll have some good news to report on that front.  Otherwise, as we’ve mentioned before, the promoters may just be forced to pick up their marbles and go home, walking away from the whole deal.

LAST WEEK’S QUESTION--- Has anyone noticed that Wall Township Speedway, Thompson International Speedway, and the Waterford Speedbowl still haven’t announced their 2007 schedules as yet? Somebody must have noticed, as all three facilities now have their schedules out.

AUTOPARTS SWAP ‘N SELL--- We drove up to W. Springfield, MA this past Saturday to visit the “Big E”. We spent 3 hours driving up, three hours driving back, and only about 1 hour and 40 minutes in the building.  Still, that was enough to see every exhibit in the building, as well as stop and talk to a few people.

Ben Dodge’s annual Swap Meet had a building chuck full of vendors, selling everything you could possibly want for your race car, as well as a ton of stuff you don’t. For example, we noted Ed Partridge had a space, as he was getting rid of a ton of race parts he had collected, as he kept up to five Modifieds at one time.  Now down to three, he sat back as the crowd perused his goods.  On the other hand, we noted Mark Tooker selling race parts, as well as a marked down snow-blower he hadn’t gotten rid of at Riverhead’s Swap Meet in November. If the last two months of winter turn out to be the opposite of our warm northeast start to the season, we’re sure that many people will be kicking themselves for not grabbing the bargain.

We spoke to Partridge for a little while, discussing his team’s plans for 2007. Jimmy “Showtime” Blewett will be his driver, as they run the SK division at Thompson on Thursday, as well as the full Whelen Modified Tour.

We also spoke to one of our favorites, Bo Gunning. Bo had some cardiac problems during the off-season, and had two stints put in. He’s feeling fine and looking forward to the new season.

Also having a space was Russell Broy, trying to unload some extra parts.  Unfortunately, we didn’t have much time to spend with him to get his plans for the new season.

HAVE YOU STAKED OUT YOUR TABLE YET? Bob Finan sent out a press release, letting all know that the annual Daytona 500 party would be back at Mike’s Place in Coram on February 18^th.  Steve and Tim Halpin will have their numerous pools set up.  This has also been a wild party, and each year gets bigger and bigger. They even erect a large tent in the rear of the building for smokers to roost during the race.  There will be many giveaways, as well as drawings for two of the large-screen 42” plasma TVs.

Mike’s Place is at 24 Route 25 in Coram.  That’s a little bit east of Route 112. The doors open at noon, with the race beginning at 2:00. For more information, you can contact Bob Finan at the Riverhead office at 631-842-RACE.

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Those are out thoughts this time.  What’s yours?   Questions, comments, and complaints will reach us at liracenews@hotmail.com. Until next time, Happy Motoring!

     Mike Fields has written for the Area Auto Racing News, Raceway Media Magazine, as well as being a contributing author for the book Chicken Soup for the NASCAR Soul.  He has also been a co-host of a weekly motorsports radio program, and a track announcer. Fields currently writes a weekly internet column, and is an occasional contributing columnist for the Riverhead Racer, the track program for Long Island's Riverhead Raceway.

     While not at his full-time job (babysitting his very rambunctious almost 4-year old grandson), he is the owner of The Hero Card Store!, providing specialty autograph cards to racecar drivers and teams. He may be contacted by e-mail at info@LongIslandMotorsports.com, or by phone at (516) 376-4028.

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