LIers battle, fall back in Riverhead 200

George Brunnhoelzel III, Justin Bonsignore and Kevin Goodale teased the Riverhead Raceway crowd.

Looking for the first homegrown winner of the NASCAR Whelen Modified tour's Riverhead 200 since 1995, the capacity crowd saw one of those three Long Islanders lead for the first 135 laps Saturday night. But Goodale, of Riverhead, ceded the top spot on Lap 136 to eventual winner Rowan Pennink of Huntington Valley, Pa., and the drought continued for the locals.

Goodale, who started fifth, finished 15th. He said after the race that he felt Pennink coming on strong to the inside on Turn 3.

"I could feel the car going away and I wasn't going as fast,'' Goodale said. "You're just buying your time out there. The cautions were helping, but you aren't going to have that the whole race. That was all she had.''

Yet Goodale and his younger brother Eric, who finished seventh, relished the opportunity to race at home. During the week, Eric bought his car down to Riley Avenue Elementary School, which he and his brother attended, to showcase his car to local children - many of whom came out for Saturday night's race.

"All the kids were here. I was surprised,'' Kevin said. "The car ran real good. We just needed 40 more laps out of it and we could have took it home.''

On Lap 81, six laps after a caution caused when Chuck Steuer (of Bohemia) spun out, Goodale cruised past West Babylon's Brunnhoelzl, who had led since Lap 25, when he overtook Holtsville's Bonsignore.

Brunnhoelzl earned his first career pole with a fast lap of 11.814 seconds in qualifying (76.181 mph) on the quarter-mile track. He held a large lead on Ron Silk when a five-car spin-out forced the fifth of nine cautions on the night.

Four Long Islanders - Brunnhoelzl, Bonsignore, Howie Brode of East Islip (who bowed out after seven laps because of front-end damage) and Kevin Goodale - started in the top five, but Brunnhoelzl's No. 46 Chevy was the only one to finish in the top five.

Early on, it looked as if the night might belong to Bonsignore. Starting in the second spot, the 22-year-old overtook Brunnhoelzl on the very first lap and held it for the next 24. The youngster remained in the hunt until Lap 126, when he accidentally hit the car's kill switch. He had to clear the track as he slowed up, and fell off the lead lap upon his return.

He finished 17th but remains in seventh place in the season points race (tops for a Long Island racer).

"I'm too nice of a guy,'' Bonsignore said. "I got pushed around a little bit too much tonight and took us out of contention. We started banging wheels and I hit the kill switch and didn't realize it quick enough. I've gotta be a little more aggressive. You gotta put it behind you because we go racing again next Friday.''

Coming into the night, Bonsignore thought he might have an advantage on his home track, but as Kevin Goodale put it: "It's a little bit of an advantage. But those guys are veterans; they can figure it out quick.''

And the Long Island guys were left waiting till next year.

How they fared (Long Island racers in the NASCAR Whelen Modified Riverhead 200)

George Brunnhoelzl III (West Babylon): Finished 5th, started 1st. Points: 165. Prize money: $2,100.

Eric Goodale (Riverhead): Finished 7th, started 13th. Points: 146. Prize money: $1,450.

Dave Brigati (Calverton): Finished 11th, started 22nd. Points: 130. Prize money: $925.

Kevin Goodale (Riverhead): Finished 15th, started 5th. Points: 123. Prize money: $600.

Justin Bonsignore (Holtsville): Finished 17th, started 2nd. Points: 117. Prize money: $1,025.

Glenn Tyler (Hampton Bays): Finished 20th, started 23rd. Points: 103. Prize money: $425.

Chuck Steuer (Bohemia): Finished 26th, started 11th. Points: 85. Prize money: $300.

Frank Vigliarolo, Jr. (Medford). Finished 27th, started 19th. Points: 82. Prize money: $300.

Howie Brode (East Islip): Finished 28th, started 4th. Points: 79. Prize money: $300.