Drag Racing's Return To Riverhead Delights Crowds

RIVERHEAD, NY — After being met with widespread support last season by many, drag racing is back this year at Enterprise Park at Calverton.

Peter Scalzo, who presented his "Race Track, Not Street," series last year, said the fun continues on Saturday and Sunday and again on Sept. 10 and 11. Rain dates will be held on September 17 and 18.

"Racing continues this Saturday night and Sunday afternoon," Scalzo said. "We are providing wholesome, family entertainment while bringing revenue to local businesses, the town of Riverhead, and surrounding areas."

The group and events are sanctioned by the National Hot Rod Association, he said. "We are providing a safe, well-organized venue where people can race their vehicles, which will have a direct impact on curtailing illegal street racing."

Scalzo said his efforts to stage drag racing at EPCAL began when former Riverhead Town Supervisor Sean Walter was in office.

"This current town board, led by Supervisor Yvette Aguiar, has been very supportive and should be commended for allowing me to show the positive effects that drag racing has created," he said.

Next Saturday night, on Sept. 10, in addition to the regular program, a "Beat the Heat" race will be held, with racers able to compete against a police car. "If they win, we will give them an 'I Beat the Heat' T-shirt," he said.

For additional info and tickets, click here or go to the "Race Track. Not Street" Facebook page for scheduling and ticket information.

"Our slogan is 'Run what ya brung,'" Scalzo said. No motorcycles are allowed.

This year's season began in August to a sold-out crowd, with Rep. Lee Zeldin driving a car to start the races, Aguiar told Patch.

Family and friends cheered as the festivities unfolded, Aguiar said. "It was great to see such community engagement," she said.

The Fall Series will take place on September 24 and 25, October 1, 2, 8, 9, 15 and 16, with rain dates of October 23 and 24, Scalzo said. Those dates are all-daytime events, with gates opening at 9 a.m.and racing from 11 a.m to 4 p.m.

For Scalzo, after years of advocating to bring motorsports to Riverhead, battling objections about noise but never able, he said, to do a sound test — last year's events were deeply rewarding.

He and representatives from the "L.I. Needs A Dragstrip" group never gave up.

Scalzo thanked Aguiar for her support; he also thanked the board members who voted to green light the events. "That took a lot of guts," he said.

But, once the cheering crowds turned out, Scalzo said the message was clear: The events were welcomed by scores across the board.

Scalzo said municipalities have long been adept at providing sports facilities for soccer, baseball, tennis, basketball, and football. But, he added, "There are a lot of gear heads — folks love cars. And here I'm proposing to do something, at my expense, to show the merits. They had the guts to agree — and now we're looking to expand on that."

Aguiar spoke with Patch about having the events return. "Let the races begin," Aguiar said.

History was made in Riverhead last August as drag racing once again revved up on Long Island —and a crowd of motorsports enthusiasts turned out for an event they said has been years in the making.

At the inaugural event last year, instead of a traditional ribbon-cutting, Aguiar, in a race car, roared through a crepe paper ribbon stretched across the track as the crowd cheered.

Remembering the sheer joy emanating from the many who attended that first event, Aguiar said she got chills. "I have never seen anything like this in my life," she said.

Aguiar kicked off last year's festivities with Lisa Pickersgill, "the face of downtown Riverhead," in the car beside her; Lisa's father Ray was a strong proponent of events to infuse downtown with new energy and vitality until he died from the coronavirus during the pandemic.

Johnny Consoli of L.I. Needs A Dragstrip lauded the supervisor for her efforts to bring a long-held dream to fruition.

"Thank you to Supervisor Yvette Aguiar for everything she has done for the motorsports community and for allowing the 'Race Track, Not Street' events to happen at EPCAL. . . For so many years, people have tried to bring motorsports to EPCAL, and previous administrations have never opened their eyes to the tremendous opportunity," he said.

Aguiar's voice filled with emotion as she described the event. "People cried," she said.

Donna Nicosia of the "Long Island Needs a Drag Strip" group was thrilled to see drag racing brought to Riverhead. "I'm ecstatic," she said. "My son is a race car driver, and so is my husband. To finally be able to race where we live is such a pleasure."

Up until now, Nicosia and her family were spending exorbitant sums on money, gas, tolls, and hotels to travel for hours to events in areas such as upstate New York, Virginia, and Maryland, she said. "To have it back on Long Island is a great thing," she said.

For years, drag racing advocates have rallied for a permanent facility EPCAL; many say until such a destination is built on the East End, scores of motorsport enthusiasts are forced to leave the area and travel long distances to participate.

Consequently, some say, communities with motorsports facilities receive a much-welcomed economic infusion from those who travel to the area to attend events.

Marty Johnson III, founder and CEO of the Long Island Motorsports Association, who has long lobbied for a drag racing strip at EPCAL, has said for years that he would like to see a drag strip and a road course at EPCAL similar to what once existed in Bridgehampton and Westhampton.

On the flip side, some detractors have said over the years that they worry about noise, crowds, and environmental impacts of drag racing in the community.