From Oswego Speedway
OSWEGO, NY (July 20) โ Andrew Schartner proved the outside does work at Oswego Speedway, passing four cars in four laps on the high side, before cutting under Mike Bruce on the next circuit to score his first Pathfinder Bank SBS Series main of 2012 as a part of the 62nd annual SUNOCO Race of Champions on Friday evening.
Bruce took the lead away from front row starter David LaTulip early on and held on to the top spot until Schartner charged by on the low side of turn three on the races 35th lap. Prior to taking the lead Schartner used the outside to breeze past Cameron Rowe, JJ Andrews, Bernys, and LaTulip in consecutive laps. Schartner, who travels from Charlotte, NC weekly to run at Oswego would then hold off the advances of Brian Sobus and AJ Bernys in the final stages of the 50-lap main event.
Bruce and LaTulip would complete the Top 5 ahead of Rob Pullen, Andrews, Dalton Doyle, Josh Kerr, and Mike Bond.
โI knew we had to turn a corner with the way the car has been running,โ said Schartner in Chris Nelson Insurance Victory Lane. โThe guys hit the spot the last few weeks, weโve been fast, this is a credit to them.โ
Schartner rode outside of the Top 5 for the majority of the event before going on his passing spree.
โI decided to stop being so cautious,โ said Schartner. โMy car owner tells me all the time, โyouโre too nice, this is a race track go out there and drive the thing.โ So thatโs what I finally decided to do. I was trying to be patient and just work cars, it just wasnโt working. I was in a heck of a battle with Mike Bond there for a while and finally got that squared up. I just finally decided weโve got nothing to lose, letโs go.โ
The LaTulip No. 17 led the early stages of the RoC 50 before the Bruce No. 22 would sneak past within the first ten laps of the race. Bruce would hold the top spot in an eight car freight train for several laps ahead of LaTulip, Bernys, Andrews, and Rowe.
It was on lap 21 that Schartner began to really come into focus as he dove under Doyle for the 7th spot bringing Pullen with him into position number eight. From there the top eight cars would pull away from the rest of the field, in a bumper to bumper battle.
The raceโs first caution hit the Speedway on lap 28. Schartner pulled to the inside of the Patrick No. 9 to move up another spot and Pullen again tried to thread the needle as well. Instead Pullen and Patrick would touch, sending each car around in turn four, with both having to restart at the tail of the field.
Bruce led LaTulip, Bernys, Andrews, Rowe, Schartner, Jason Simmons, Tim Barbeau, Mark Castiglia, and Bond back to the green flag.
Just one lap later another caution would hit the Speedway, this time in turn two for Simmons, Barbeau, and Castiglia. Simmons would be done for the night in the No. 98, while Barbeau and Castiglia would rejoin the field. The three drivers would finish 15th, 16th, and 17th respectively ending Barbeauโs streak of Top 10 finishes in the No. 79.
It was at this restart that Schartner decided to throw patience out the window as he charged to the high side of the race track in the No. 18. The Weedsport, NY native would use the high side to best Rowe, Andrews, Bernys, and LaTulip in consecutive laps before turning underneath Bruce for the lead on lap 35. Once out front, Schartner began to pull away.
In the closing stages of the event another driver began to throw caution to the wind and that was Supermodified pilot Brian Sobus in his family owned No. 10 SBS. Sobus started at the tail of the field and in the last ten laps put on a valiant high side charge working his way into the runner-up spot.
With just three laps to go Championship leader Bond ran into trouble in turn three. He would be able to restart in the No. 26, but that allowed Sobus his chance at race leader Schartner.
When the green lights came back on however, it was all Schartner on his way to his first win of 2012 and 7th career Oswego SBS triumph tying him with Billy Izyk, Scott Landers, and Daryl Nichols All-Time.
At nightโs end Sobus was more than satisfied with his runner-up effort.
โIt took me about 25 laps to figure it out in the feature,โ said Sobus, who has been a regular in the Novelis Supermodified division this season, riding 5th in overall points. โThat 18 car was just amazing tonight, I couldnโt believe it. As the race went on and the cautions came out Iโm like, โalright, I am only two or three spots behind himโ but he was in a different area code tonight.โ
When asked if he would be back in the SBS division at all this season, Sobus believed he might.
โWe are looking towards Classic,โ said Sobus. โIf everything is alright with the Super and we feel comfortable pulling double duty, then we will do it at Classic.โ
AJ Bernys has his best run of the season in the No. 24 on Friday night.
โThe car was good tonight, really quick,โ said Bernys. โWe had a good starting spot, that was just a tough one. The car was good in practice and in the heat and that gave me a lot of confidence going into the feature, it just feels really good to be up front without wrecking like weโve been the past couple weeks.โ
Championship contender Kreig Heroth, driver of the No. 04, did not start the main event due to a blown motor.
For more information on Oswego Speedway be sure to visit online at www.oswegospeedway.com. Fans can also like the Speedway on Facebook at www.facebook.com/OswegoSpeedway or follow on Twitter @OswegoSpeedway.
For tickets or merchandise call the Speedway box office at (315) 342-0646.
Quick Results
Friday, July 20th, 2012
Oswego Speedway
Oswego, NY
62nd Annual SUNOCO Race of Champions
UPCOMING SHOWS:
$10,000 to win Mr. Novelis Supermodified/$1,500 to win Mr. Pathfinder Bank SBS on Saturday, August 4th
PATHFINDER BANK SBS SERIES
Feature (50-laps): 1. 18 โ Andrew Schartner, 2. 10 โ Brian Sobus, 3. 24 โ AJ Bernys, 4. 22 โ Mike Bruce, 5. 17 โ David LaTulip, 6. 2 โ Rob Pullen, 7. 93 โ JJ Andrews, 8. 01 โ Dalton Doyle, 9. 8 โ Josh Kerr, 10. 26 โ Mike Bond, 11. 99 โ Dennis Rupert, 12. 77 โ Cameron Rowe, 13. 47 โ Jon Tesoriero, 14. 9 โ Jack Patrick, 15. 69 โ Mark Castiglia, 16. 79 โ Tim Barbeau, 17. 98 โ Jason Simmons, 18. 11 โ John Ketcham DNS : 04 โ Kreig Heroth (Blown Motor)
1st Heat (10laps/All Qualify): 1. 9 โ Jack Patrick, 2. 18 โ Andrew Schartner, 3. 2 โ Rob Pullen, 4. 17 โ David LaTulip, 5. 8 โ Josh Kerr, 6. 99 โ Dennis Rupert, 7. 10 โ Brian Sobus
2ndHeat (10laps/All Qualify): 1. 24 โ AJ Bernys, 2. 22 โ Mike Bruce, 3. 93 โ JJ Andrews, 4. 26 โ Mike Bond, 5. 69 โ Mark Castiglia, 6. 79 โ Tim Barbeau
3rd Heat (10laps/All Qualify): 1. 77 โ Cameron Rowe, 2. 98 โ Jason Simmons, 3. 01 โ Dalton Doyle, 4. 11 โ John Ketcham, 5. 04 โ Kreig Heroth, 6. 47 โ Jon Tesoriero
About Oswego Speedway: Oswego Speedway, a sports entertainment company, is a 5/8 mile semi-banked pavement racing oval located off the shores of Lake Ontario in scenic Oswego, NY. Oswego Speedway has been a continuously run weekly racing venue since August, 1951. The premier open-wheel pavement short track cars in the world, Supermodifieds, run weekly at Oswego Speedway making Oswego the only weekly Supermodified racing venue in the world. The Small Block Supermodifieds accompany the full blown Supers on a weekly Saturday night schedule which runs from May through September. Oswego Speedway is mentioned in racing circles as the โIndy of the East,โ as no fewer than a dozen past and present competitors have competed at the famed Indianapolis Motor Speedway including Mario Andretti, arguably the greatest driver of all time, two-time Indy 500 champion Gordon Johncock, along with former International Classic Champions Bentley Warren, Joe Gosek, and Davey Hamilton.
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