Bandoleros and Legends raced on Saturday, May 25, at Riverhead Raceway in New York. Ben Morabito won the Bandolero Outlaws and Legends main events with Emmett Grattan winning the Bandolero Bandits feature and Daxx Halpin taking the victory in the Beginner Bandoleros. Race recaps and results below, as written by Bob Finan for the track (Legends and Bandolero portion extracted for posting on LN).
Photo credit: Krista King
It was a double down kind of night for Ben Morabito of Miller Place, scoring his first career 20-lap INEX Legend Race Car victory literally minutes after winning the 15-lap INEX Bandolero Outlaw event. Morabito and Anthony Marsh brought the 26-car grid to the green with the more seasoned Marsh gaining the advantage early. Undaunted, Morabito kept the pressure on Marsh for the lead and with an inside pass exiting the second turn on lap 3 moved the Benimax Racing entry out front. Nerves never became an issue for Ben, as he not only led the rest of the race, but at times was pulling away from the field. Not even a late race restart could deter Ben Morabito from his first INEX Legend Race Car win. Marsh of Riverhead was second in the Riverhead Trailer machine, while Joey Braun of Manorville made a late race pass during the final restart to claim third in the HighMark Building Efficiency entry.
Giavanna Agugliaro took the early race lead in the Bock Auto 15-lap INEX Bandolero Outlaw feature, but the story of the race would be defending champion Ben Morabito, who despite starting deep in the field raced by Agugliaro for the lead on lap 3 with an inside pass off turn two. For the rest of the distance Morabito would show the way in the 860 Motorsports racer with Will Sipala of Manorville giving chase in the Riteway Automotive Center Bando. Sipala settled for second while Thomas Grattan of Southold making his first ever start impressed with a third-place tally in the Reeve Farm Stand Outlaw. The win was the 9th of Ben Morabito’s Bandi career, tying him with Darren Krantz Jr for the all-time lead.
Emmett Grattan of Southold enjoyed the thrill of a first career win when he topped the 15-lap Bock Auto INEX Bandolero Bandit feature event. Defending champion Reid Halpin paced the race over the first none circuits a sudden, non-contact spin off turn four ended his bid for victory. Emmett Grattan, who showed much improvement in 2023 assumed the lead when the race resumed and led the rest of the way in his Southold IGA Bandit. The driver who perhaps turned the most heads was the runner-up of the tilt, Brooke Meyer of Riverhead in the WES Trailer Sales & Service machine, third fell to Mason Goodale of Riverhead in the Riverhead Building Supply Bandit.
With a heavy influx of first year drivers, the Bock Auto INEX Bandolero Beginners class debuted Saturday and when the dust settled 7-year-old Daxx Halpin of Wading River made history as the first ever winner of the new class. The race featured four lead changes over 15-laps before “The Daxx Attack” Daxx Halpin took the lead for good on lap 10 in the Baldwin Automotive/Florida Connection machine. Grace Cheslak of Sound Beach survived an early race spin to come home second in her sponsor wanted entry, Wyatt Goodale of Riverhead was third in the GAF Roofing mount.
Legend Race Cars: 1. Ben Morabito 2. Anthony Marsh 3. Joey Braun 4. Riely O’Keefe 5. Jeff Farruggia Jr. 6. Kyle Ellwood 7. Kevin Nowak 8. Richie Davidowitz 9. Jack Handley Jr. 10. Jim Sylvester 11. Jayden Glennerster 12. Mike Van Houten Jr. 13. Charles Hodge 14. Chris Sinatro 15. Ryan Barbieri 16. Pat Moore 17. Alex Halinar 18. Ray Fitzgerald 19. Chevy Rommeney 20. Will Sipala 21. Rodney Dowless Jr. 22. Phillip Alaimo 23. Steve Woytysiak 24. Kevin Ohrnberger 25. Ed Stadtlander 26. Ray Stulz
Bandolero Outlaws: 1. Ben Morabito 2. Will Sipala 3. Thomas Grattan 4. Tucker Bock 5. Kix Bock 6. Madison Tomaszewski 7. Ayden Alvarado 8. Giavanna Agugliaro 9. Michael Berry 10. Jordan Ryan 11. Madsion White
Bandolero Bandit: 1. Emmett Grattan 2. Brooke Meyer 3. Mason Goodale 4. Tyler Oxee 5. Reid Halpin 6. Antonio D’Alonzo 7. Layla Quilliam 8. Blake Grattan 9. Aria Ligon 10. John Alaimo 11. Christian Ryan
Bandolero Beginner: 1. Daxx Halpin 2. Grace Cheslak 3. Wyatt Goodale 4. Mackenzie Ulmet 5. Emily Gatz
