Riverhead drivers pay tribute to young Jason

The drivers of Riverhead Raceway have not forgotten the tragedy that took two of their own.

In October, Keri Trinca and her 7-year-old son, Jason, were killed after the car she was driving was struck by a van on County Road 111, near their home in Manorville.

Jason took part in the Sunday go-kart races and was a constant presence at the track. Veteran racers called Jason a "natural" behind the wheel, an emerging talent who had a passion for racing well beyond his years.

Mike Smith, a 30-year veteran of the Riverhead races and Trinca family friend, had retired from competitive racing. After Jason's death, he bought a legends race car for $7,500 and put his retirement on hold.

His car is emblazoned with Jason's No. 48, a tribute to the "little man.''

"You'll look over where he used to sit, and he is just not there,'' Smith said. "His future would have been in a race car. He was just a natural at it. He had the drive to win."

Shawn Solomito, who races in the NASCAR Modifieds Twin 30's division, served as one of Jason's many mentors. He can recall many a Saturday night when Jason would sprint down from the stands and across the track for a postrace high-five.

His wife was Keri's best friend, and during the offseason, he had a body shop customize the back panel of his race car with a collage of Trinca family photos.

"Being idolized by Jason was awesome and helping him on Sundays and making him smile was something I always looked forward to," Solomito said. "You knew, in the future, he would be just like you and racing on Saturday nights. I was looking forward to racing against him."

Like Smith, he is dedicating his summer of racing to Jason. Said Solomito: "He is our angel riding in the passenger seat with us."