Riverhead Raceway

Riverhead Raceway is a 0.250 mi oval race track with a Figure 8 course, located in Riverhead, New York. It is the only auto racing venue on Long Island since Westhampton Raceway closed down in 2003. It started being built in 1949 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. It was built in 1949 and opened on May 30, 1952. According to Marty Himes, auto racing historian and founder of the Himes Museum of Motor Racing Nostalgia in Bay Shore, John Evers and Harry Rambo purchased the land, which was originally swampland. With the help of Harold G. Seaman of Riverhead and others, they cleared it of trees and filled in the swamp. The Riverhead Raceway opened as a 1/5 of a mile, high bank clay track, made with clay trucked in from Greenport. A local driver, Ronnie Matson, won the new raceway’s first event. The track is a high-banked, asphalt oval a quarter mile around. It also features a Figure 8 course.

Events

Riverhead Raceway has seven racing divisions: Modified, Riverhead Modified Crate Figure Eight, Late Model, Blunderbust, Super Pro Truck, and Legends. It hosts races for the Whelen Modified Tour, Whelen All-American Series, and the Northeastern Midget Association. 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.

Drivers

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

Riverhead Raceway modified champions

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".

References

References

1. "Riverhead Raceway {{!}} NASCAR Home Tracks".
2. Paul Goldsmith. (2003-08-13). "Gauge Nears 'E' at Riverhead Raceway". [[The New York Times]].
3. Lubin, Marshall. "Memories and legends come alive at Riverhead Raceway". exploreli.com.
4. (2012-02-11). "The Suffolk Times".
5. (2012-02-11). "The Riverhead News-Review".
6. (27 October 2022). "Riverhead Raceway Reading for Sixth Annual Islip 300 on Nov. 12". RaceDayCT.com.
7. Will Sammon. (2013-05-17). "Bill Park experiences racing in a new light".
8. (2012-02-11). "The Riverhead News-Review".
9. [http://www.near1.com/HALL-OF-FAME/2004/Charlie_Jarzombek.htm Charlie Jarzombek] {{webarchive. link. (2007-10-09 . [[New England Auto Racers Hall of Fame]]. Retrieved on 2008-04-15.)