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TIMMY SOLOMITO STAYS IN THE GAME
AFTER WINNING THE NWMT MILLER LITE 200
 With a Heavy Heart NWMT Drivers Went Forward And Raced by Denise DuPont

The NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour (NWMT) came to the quarter mile oval of Riverhead Raceway for 200 laps of short track racing. There was a somber mood in the pits as race teams and fans mourned the loss of fellow racer Ted Christopher. Christopher lost his life earlier in the day in a plane crash on his way to the track. As Reverend Don Rivers said, “Christopher was a colorful person and everyone has a story they can tell or a memory that they can share.” That is what made TC a legend.

Timmy Solomito of Islip, NY was at his home track and knew that the race could be his if he wanted it. With the competition for the championship heating up and the 2017 season winding down, Solomito needed to step up a notch to stay in the hunt. Solomito started on the pole, dominated the race and with four circuits to go, he passed Doug Coby of Milford, CT to capture his fourth 2017 NWMT victory.

The 200 lap feature took less than an hour from start to complete. Solomito, Kyle Soper of Manorville, NY and Coby took their turns at the front of the field.

Once again, the old adage is true - ‘Lapped traffic give it and it take it.’ Solomito used lapped traffic to his advantage to steal back the front position from Coby and capture the ‘Miller 200’ win for the #16 Starrett Tools Ford team. “The car got around here tonight and it is great to win over a bunch of talented race car drivers. Tonight got us back into victory lane which my crew deserves every week. This win is also for Starrett Tools,” sated Solomito after post-race ceremonies. “We were able to rustle the lead away from him (Coby) at the end. I am very happy to be back in victory lane. I just cannot say enough about these guys. They work hard week in and week out. We have had a couple of bad weeks, but we are right back in this thing.”

So back on target and ready to fight to the end, Solomito and the #16 crew will head back to the shop and prepare for the next battle. “We are going to go to New Hampshire with our heads held high and keep fighting.” Solomito said. “We have worked on improving our package for there and we seem to be better than we were there before. I am looking forward to going back there and of course Stafford and Thompson. And hopefully we will wrestle another one for the Long Island Gang.”

Coby started the race fourth and after mid-race made his move. He was a man on a mission and his goal was his first ever win at Riverhead. But he fell one position short and took home second. “I am just so disappointed. This is a tough day for everybody.” Coming to Riverhead, Coby thought it would be a night of celebration for all. But what happened over shadowed the race and victory lane celebration. “I thought tonight was going to be a night of pomp and circumstance. It would have been nice to see a Connecticut car in victory lane tonight. I am really disappointed. We had a good car. I am happy to go home in one piece but I really would have liked to win.”

In the 2017 race for the championship Coby and the #2 Mayhew Tools/Dunleavy/AJ Romano Construction team has already placed their hat in the competition. “That is what we do. There are three more races and the best car is going to win. It has been a tough season for everyone. And I hope we win a couple more races before the year ends.”

Soper, Riverhead Raceway’s local competitor, was fastest in practice and started on the outside pole. He drove a strong race and held his own ground with the NWMT experienced drivers. “We qualified second after being fastest in practice. It really is an honor.” Expressed Soper. “I have to thank Wayne Anderson for the opportunity to drive the car. This thing was very good in the beginning and it got loose way to quick. I was hanging on to it at the end. To finish behind these two (Timmy Solomito and Doug Coby) is almost a win. It is just kind of humbling.” Soper finished the 200 lap feature event third.

Ryan Preece finish fourth and Kyle Bonsignore rounded out the top five. CJ Lehmann, Dillion Steuer, Kyle Ellwood, Eric Goodale and Rob Summers were the sixth through tenth finishers.

Teams will mourn, honor their fallen fellow racer TC, then regroup and prepare for racing next Saturday at their Super Bowl of tracks----- New Hampshire Motor Speedway.

Notes From Riverhead Raceway:

Driver’s express his thoughts on the death of Ted Christopher

Timmy Solomito
“When we got the news it was pretty devastating, Whether or not you liked Ted you still watched him. Growing up I watched every race Ted was in. He was exciting, he was aggressive and he put the fans in the stands. And there was a battle every night no matter what type of car he was driving. We definitely raced tonight with a heavy heart. We pitted in slot 13. So hopefully Ted was along with us for the ride tonight. And hopefully he enjoyed it as much as I did.”

Kyle Soper
“A few year’s ago at Riverhead Raceway Ted Christopher took the #15 modified to victory lane. Our prayers go out to Teddy and his family.” Soper expressed his honor for having driven the #15 in the ‘Miller 200’.
 
Source: Denise DuPont / TheChromeHorn.com
 Posted: September 17, 2017

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