One of the proudest traditions in the northeast Modified racing scene continues Saturday at Riverhead Raceway, where the prestigious Islip 300 will take place.
The event’s name derives from its initial setting of Islip Speedway, a 0.2-mile bullring that hosted a handful of NASCAR Cup Series events from 1964-71. After the Cup Series held its final event at the track, the Modified class briefly carried on the tradition of running 300-lap events at Islip, with the last one being in 1979.
Modified legend and NASCAR Hall of Famer Richie Evans set the gold standard for endurance events during Islip’s existence. Evans won all but one of Islip’s 300-lap races, while other drivers like Geoff Bodine, Charlie Jarzombek, Greg Sacks, Tom Baldwin and John Blewett Jr. also found their way to Victory Lane in a Modified at the facility.
Although Islip ceased operations in 1984, the memories of the track’s vibrant racing culture endured over the following decades amongst the Modified community. Riverhead Raceway revived part of that history in 2017 when it introduced the Islip 300 as a spiritual successor to the once-storied crown jewel event.
A healthy crowd of Modifieds have descended upon Riverhead every year with the goal of adding an Islip 300 victory to their resume. The status quo remains in place as many of the region’s top competitors prepare to battle across 300 intense laps on Saturday evening.
Below is everything you need to know about the 2024 edition of the Islip 300 at Riverhead Raceway.
[caption id="attachment_452527" align="alignnone" width="2560"]TV channel, live stream for Islip 300 at Riverhead Raceway
Saturday’s Islip 300 at Riverhead Raceway will be shown exclusively on FloRacing, the official streaming home for all NASCAR Regional properties.
The event will not be shown on a traditional TV channel.
Below is how to watch the 2024 Islip 300 on Saturday, Nov. 16.
| Date | Race | Streaming Start Time | How to Watch |
| Saturday, Nov. 16 | Islip 300 | 12:15 p.m. ET | FloRacing |
2024 race schedule
Joining the Modifieds for the Islip 300 will be three support classes, the Eddie Partridge All Stars, Legends and Crate Modifieds.
Each division gets one round of practice prior to qualifying at 12:15 p.m. ET. The Modifieds get a 45-minute practice session; Legends, Crate Modifieds and All Stars have 30 minutes to shake down their cars.
The starting field for the Islip 300 will be set by a two-lap, single-car qualifying session. Legends and Crate Modifieds have 10 laps on track to determine where drivers line up in their respective features. There will also be consolation races for Modifieds, Legends and Crate Modifieds if necessary.
Below is the complete race-day schedule for Riverhead on Saturday.
(All times ET)
| Time | Event |
| 7:30 a.m. | Pit Gates Open |
| 9 a.m. | Modified Driver's Meeting |
| 9:45-10:15 a.m. | Legends Practice |
| 10:15-11 a.m. | Modified Practice |
| 11-11:30 a.m. | Crate Modified Practice |
| 11:30 a.m. | Eddie Partridge All Stars Practice/Qualifying |
| 12:15 p.m. | Qualifying Begins (Modifieds: 2 laps/single car ... Legends: 10 laps ... Crate Modifieds: 10 laps ... Modified Consi: 15 laps ... Legends Consi: 12 laps ... Crate Modified Consi: 12 laps) |
| To follow... | Opening Ceremonies/National Anthem |
| To follow... | Feature Races (Eddie Partridge All Stars: 15 laps ... Legends: 40 laps ... Crate Modifieds: 50 laps ... Modifieds: 300 laps) |
Islip 300 entry list
The 2023 edition of the Islip 300 saw Matt Hirschman add a victory in the historic event to his long list of accolades.
After making his debut in the event the previous year, Hirschman put together a typical performance that saw him dominate over a stout field of Modified competitors. Hirschman is back in his familiar No. 60 this weekend as he looks to become the first driver to bring home two consecutive Islip 300 checkered flags.
Joining Hirschman in the field is Paulie Hartwig III, who surprised everyone at Riverhead Raceway in 2023 by grabbing the Islip 300 pole at just 12 years old. Hartwig even managed to trade blows with Hirschman for the lead, with his stellar debut Islip 300 outing ending with a solid seventh place finish.
Saturday’s Islip 300 will feature two separate No. 7NY’s in the field, which are being operated by Luke and Jack Baldwin. Neither Baldwin brother has previously competed in the Islip 300, but Saturday presents a perfect opportunity for them to honor their grandfather Tom, who won at Islip Speedway several times during his own illustrious career.
Other notable names set to compete in the Islip 300 include 2023 winner Anthony Nocella, Austin Beers, Craig Lutz, Timmy Solomito, and Jimmy Blewett, among others.
The complete entry list for the Islip 300 can be found below:
| Car No. | Driver |
| 00 | Chris Rogers |
| 2 | J.R. Bertuccio |
| 5 | John Beatty Jr. |
| 7NY | Jack Baldwin |
| 7NY | Luke Baldwin |
| 10 | Dylan Slepian |
| 13 | Max Zachem |
| 21 | Austin Beers |
| 21NY | Kyle Ellwood |
| 24 | Justin Brown |
| 46 | Craig Lutz |
| 55 | Chase Grennan |
| 60 | Matt Hirschman |
| 66 | Timmy Solomito |
| 70 | Owen Grennan |
| 72 | T.J. Potrzebowski |
| 73 | Paulie Hartwig III |
| 78 | Walter Sutcliffe Jr. |
| 81 | Mark Stewart |
| 88 | Roger Turbush |
| 92 | Anthony Nocella |
| 96 | Matthew Brode |
| 99 | Jimmy Blewett |
Previous winners
| Year | Winner |
| 2017 | Dillon Steuer |
| 2018 | Ryan Preece |
| 2019 | Kyle Soper |
| 2020 | Ryan Preece |
| 2021 | J.B. Fortin |
| 2022 | Anthony Nocella |
| 2023 | Matt Hirschman |