By Sabina Cardali
Welcome to the Point. The Point being College Point. Sadness prevailed with the passing of Larry Costa and Richard Reilly. Condolences to the Costa and Reilly families.
Costa was one of the most beloved personalities in the Riverhead Raceway pit area and was fatally injured while making his way to victory lane. Costa was on his way to greet Blunderbust winner Bobby Gardner, who had just won a 50-lap event. Costa and his Golden Auto Body firm sponsored Gardner’s car.
After the victory lap, the crew loaded onto a team golf cart for the ride to victory lane. Costa was seated in a rear seat on the passenger side and fell headfirst from the cart, landing with a heavy impact. The Riverhead Raceway CMS Ambulance crew was quick on the scene and took Costa to Central Suffolk Hospital. He later was airlifted to Stony Brook Medical Center, where he died.
Costa and his young son, Lenny, had won several feature events and were among the top drivers in the Super Pro Truck class. Larry Costa had competed earlier in the evening in the SPT 20-lap main event and was forced to drop from the race with a flat tire.
He began his racing career at Riverhead Raceway in the Enduro ranks before moving to the Blunderbusts and then Chargers, and also spent several seasons at the Flemington, N.J. Speedway in the Street Stock class.
Costa owned Golden Auto Body in College Point, a firm that sponsored many cars in various divisions as well as the Blunderbust division through the Riverhead marketing program. He is survived by his wife, Margaret; son, Lenny; and daughter, Michele.
Reilly is survived by his wife, Carol; son, Keith; and daughter, Laura. Reilly was master of his Anchor-Astoria 729 Lodge FAM. He was very dependable at the lodge and dedicated. He was a member of the VFW and the American Legion. He was very hard working in the political field and helped many candidates achieve their goals.
Congratulations to Greta Hruska for bowling 212 and to Cathy Tuttle for bowling 201 at Whitestone Bowling Lanes.
There will be a Penny Social on Friday, Oct. 18, at American Legion Ladies Auxiliary McKee Post, 10-20 Clintonville St., Whitestone, at 7 p.m., admission $3, coffee and cake.
St. Alphonsus, Whitestone, held installation ceremonies for Paul Borowski, as director and superior; and Jeffrey Rolle, as assistant director; as well as the Renewal of Temporary Vows of Luyen Dau.
Holy Trinity Parish School will present Fun Night 5000 on Friday, Oct. 18, at 8 p.m. in Msgr. Haggarty Hall, with 11 big money prizes.
An important community meeting will be sponsored by College Point Civic/Taxpayers Association on Thursday, Oct. 24, at 7 p.m. at the Knights of Columbus Hall at 22-38 College Point Blvd. Please attend if you care about your community.
Upcoming fall programs at the Poppenhusen Institute: Saturday, Oct. 19, 1 p.m., free, a Civil War Happening. “This Gunner and His Piece — College Point and the Civil War,” Jim Haas, a descendent of a College Point Civil War Veteran, will share his journey in writing the book as well as highlighting various individual biographies.
Queens historian Long Island Vincent Seyfried will be present to share his book, “Flushing and the Civil War.” The day includes slide presentations, a display of Civil War artifacts, live Civil War music, Civil War veteran descendants and book signings.
On Saturday, Nov. 9, at 2 p.m., “The Early Trolleys of Queens,” a Bayside Historical Society film, and Ron Ziel’s “The Early Railroad of Queens and Long Island,” will be presented.
Condolences to the family of Edmund Taylor Pratt, Jr., former chairman and CEO of Pfizer Inc.
The third Annual Bob Burke Memorial Scholarship Fund Golf Outing was sponsored by the Emerald Society, Queens Private Bus Lines, Eugene Wynne, president.
Support from this outing goes to Mount Saint Michael Academy and its students, with donations and raffle prizes from Anheuser-Busch, Inc.; Bus Stuff; Stanley G., Atty.; Ken & Patsy Gamble; Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co.; Kidde Dual Spectrum; Ed Koppenhofer; Mullen Motors; Rosie O’Grady’s and Peter Snell.
St. Fidelis School Walk-A-Thon is having its First Annual Walk-A-Thon Saturday, Oct. 19 (rain date Oct. 26). Your sponsorship and/or donation is appreciated. Call the school office at 539-2628 for more information.
Holy Cross High School’s open house will be Sunday, Oct. 20, from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. For more information, please contact Paul Gilvary at 886-7250.
St. Francis Prep School’s open house will be Saturday, Oct. 26, from 12 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. For more information, please call 423-8810.
Sabina says…Remember to love and appreciate the members of your family and friends every day. This was so apparent especially when I lost two good friends this week.
