Saturday’s race at Riverhead Raceway isn’t the longest race of the year, or the biggest, but it’s definitely the most meaningful. The Baldwin/Evans/Jarzombek Memorial 77 honors three legends of Modified racing and three legends of racing on Long Island.

This event takes place in loving memory of “Tiger Tom” Baldwin, driver of the famous black No. 7NY, the “Rapid Roman” Richie Evans, considered by many to be the greatest Modified driver of all time, and “Chargin” Charlie Jarzombek, one of the greatest Modified drivers Long Island has ever produced.

Baldwin, the father of Daytona 500-winning crew chief, Tommy Baldwin Jr., scored 11 victories at Riverhead Raceway. 

Evans’ career at riverhead wasn’t anything special. He had just one win at Riverhead, but he had 19 victories at the now defunct Islip Speedway, and two wins at the now defunct Freeport Stadium.

Jarzombek’s career at Riverhead was incredible. Jarzombek still stands as the all-time wins leader at Riverhead Raceway with 63 victories on the quarter-mile bullring. 

Sadly, all three drivers perished behind the wheel of their race car. Evans passed at the age of 44 after a crash in practice in turn three at Martinsville Speedway in 1985, just one week after he clinched the National Modified championship.

Jarzombek was lost just two years later, also at Martinsville Speedway, when his throttle hung open during a race at the track in 1987. He was also just 44 years old. 

Baldwin sadly passed at the age of 57 years old after crashing into a concrete block that was protecting a light pole in the infield of Connecticut’s Thompson Speedway Motorsports Park during a 2004 event. 

But the legacies and memories of all three drivers live on in many different ways, but especially because of this race held at Riverhead Raceway every season.

Baldwin’s son, Tommy Baldwin Jr., still carries on his father’s legacy by bringing the famous black No. 7NY to Modified races up and down the eastern seaboard with drivers such as Doug Coby, Jimmy Blewett, Caleb Heady and Mike Christopher Jr., all piloting the car and winning with the car already this season.

Baldwin said the 7NY will be at Riverhead on Saturday with Blewett behind the wheel in his father’s memorial race.

“Whenever the Baldwin name is attached to anything, it’s important for me to be there,” said Baldwin Jr. “My dad left a pretty good legacy of his own, so I think it’s important for me to be there and honor him, as well as honor Richie and Chargin’ Charlie Jarzombek.”

The 7NY has already visited victory lane at Riverhead this season. Coby won the May event when the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour visited Riverhead. 

But a win in this race would be extra special, and that’s why Baldwin is running a marathon week that his father, and any old-school racer would be proud of.

Baldwin’s car will be running in the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour event at New Hampshire’s Claremont Motorsports Park on Friday night with Coby, then they’ll drive down to Riverhead Saturday for the memorial race with Blewett, then down to North Carolina for two nights of racing at North Wilkesboro Speedway with Blewett and Caleb Heady on Tuesday and Wednesday of next week, then back up to Connecticut to race at the New London-Waterford Speedbowl with Mike Christopher Jr.

To tally up the final score, that’s five races in eight days with four drivers in four different states. But the one that would mean the most to win is Saturday night at Riverhead. 

“It would mean the world to me to win my dad’s memorial race,” said Baldwin.

Race fans can catch the Baldwin/Evans/Jarzombek Memorial 77 from Riverhead Raceway live on FloRacing on Saturday, July 30, at 5:30 p.m. ET.