Racing at Riverhead never gets old

There aren’t too many 1974 Oldsmobiles on the streets these days, but one can be spotted at Riverhead Raceway most Saturdays between May and September with North Bellmore’s Bill Wegmann Sr. behind the wheel.
Nicknamed the “Racing Grandpa,” the soon-to-be 79-year-old has competed on the eastern Suffolk County quarter-mile oval since 1989 — in the same car — and last season finished in the top five in the Blunderbust driver standings.
“I built the car and maintain it myself,” said Wegmann Sr., who began racing stock cars in 1962. “It’s a fun hobby and something I could always afford,” he added. “I’ve been racing so long I can probably close my eyes and get around the track.”
Wegmann Sr., who grew up in Franklin Square and attended Sewanhaka High School, has 9 career victories at Riverhead and is a fixture among the Top 10 Blunderbust drivers each season. He has eight grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.
“My wife [Eileen] has been a tremendous supporter even though she’s not a big race fan, she’s a fan of mine,” Wegmann Sr. said. “People always ask how long do I plan to compete, and I tell them ‘as long as I can climb through the window of the car and get behind the wheel.’”

Giordano embraces new challenge
Lifelong Freeport resident Gerard Giordano is following in his father’s footsteps and hopes to one day get behind the wheel of a race car owned by someone else.
But for now, Giordano, 26, is embracing the challenge of the Late Model division at Riverhead after a dominant run along the East Coast in his Super Pro Truck.
“The competition in the Late Models is much tougher and I’m enjoying the challenge,” said Giordano, whose father, Jerry, competed for decades at the now-defunct Freeport Speedway. “It’s a big step up,” he added. “I’ve won one feature in this division and I’m hunting for my first one for this year.”
Sponsored by K1 Logistics, Excelsior Lodge, New York Outdoors Club, Venture Auto Body, Admiral Metals, Landgon’s Automotive and Scorpion Race Engines, Giordano sat fourth in the Late Model driver standings following a solid performance July 22. He was the division’s Rookie of the Year in 2021 and picked up his first-ever victory last summer in a 60-lap feature with a large cheering section in the stands.
He began racing go-karts at age 12 and has been a fixture in the Super Pro Truck winner’s circle for years, capturing a pair of touring championships consisting of a dozen annual races in Connecticut, Massachusetts and New Hampshire.
“I’ll still fit some Super Pro Truck races into my schedule when I can, but my main focus now is the Late Model,” Giordano said.

Former crew member enjoys success
Andrew Farnham, a friend of Giordano’s since middle school when they both attended St. Christopher School in Baldwin, was a member of Giordano’s pit crew for years and then got behind the wheel in Riverhead’s Mini Stock division in 2018.
“I’m having a blast,” said Farnham, a 2015 Baldwin High School graduate who’s seeking sponsorship to help offset costs of competing, which includes weekly maintenance, gas and tires. “Constantly working on the car, putting in at least four hours a week even if everything appears fine,” he added. “If you’re not fast, you’re slow.”
Farnham proved fastest of the Mini Stock’s 20-driver field in 2022, taking home the Mini Stock title by winning the final race of the season to overcome an 11-point deficit in the standings. He had two feature wins but said consistency and avoiding any serious damage to his 2008 Honda Civic were crucial to earning the crown.
A runner-up finish in the 20-lap feature July 22 pushed Farnham back in the lead of the driver standings as he looks to repeat. “Winning last year was awesome but I’m not really thinking about the long term and repeating, I’m just focused on week to week,” he said afterwards. “I thought I was the fastest car tonight. Started seventh and finished second.”
A typical Saturday from May through September for Farnham, Giordano and crews begins before noon and ends around midnight.