Story By: Paul Murphy
OSWEGO, NY (July 5, 2015) – For the second time in Oswego Speedway history the Bond brothers visited victory lane on the same evening as Bobby Bond and his younger brother Mike graced the Turning Stone Resort Casino Victory Lane on Independence day.
In the supermodified feature it was Mexico pilot Mike Bond picking up the win and the $2,500 top prize. Bond inherited the lead on lap 62 as early race leader Otto Sitterly was forced to go pit side with mechanical issues after dominating the middle portion of the 75 lap Oswego D Bus presents “4th of July” Grand Prix. After gaining the top spot Bond cruised to his first win of the 2015 racing season at the lake side oval.
Dave Gruel drove his No. 50 crossed the line in the runner-up position ahead of Michael Barnes, Tim Snyder, Dan Connors in the Top 5. Kody Graham, Pat Lavery, Dave Danzer, Jeff Abold and Tim Devendorf would fill out the Top 10 rundown.
Joe Gosek and Dave Gruel brought the 24 car Novelis Supermodified field to the green flag, with Gruel getting the early jumping coming out of turn four. But Gosek would battle back and take the lead one lap later entering turn one.
The track would not stay green for long as the No.11 of Aric Iosue and the No. 66 of Lou LeVea Sr. came together in between turns three and four with LeVea’s car coming to rest on top of Iosue’s car with a brief oil fire erupting under LeVea’s car both drivers had quickly exited their cars and would be done for the remainder of the night.
On the ensuing restart the duo out front Gosek and Gruel would quickly streak to a commanding lead in the 75-lap grind over the third place car of Connors who was holding off Tim Snyder, Brian Sobus and Keith Shampine.
While back in the pack Sitterly and Bond where methodically working their way towards the front with Sitterly besting Bond for position on lap four.
Sitterly would continue his march towards the front as he worked his way up to seventh by lap 10. While behind him Bond was stuck in the quagmire just inside the top ten.
Sitterly would move into the top five on lap 15 as he slipped past Barnes and Connors.
While out front Gosek continued to show the way with Gruel lurking in second.
The second caution of the event came out on lap 23 as the No. 24 of Jerry Curran spun in turn four.
This tightened the field once again. On the restart it was Gosek and Gruel once again getting a good jump on the third place car of Snyder.
Brian Sobus would immediately go to work on Snyder’s No.0 the two would brush wheels coming out of turn two allowing Sitterly to scoot by to take away the third position. While Snyder and Sobus fought to regain control of their cars settling back into the fourth and fifth positions. While behind them Bond managed to slip past Barnes to take away the sixth position.
Sitterly would manage to real in the race leaders by lap 30. One lap later he would make quick work of Gruel with a Bonzi move going into turn one to take away the runner up position.
Sitterly would then go to work on the double zero of Gosek. The two veterans would battle over the next three laps with Sitterly gaining the advantage going into turn one to take away the top spot on lap 34.
Behind them Bond was looking for a way to get by Sobus but slipped up a little on lap 36 allowing Barnes to slip by pushing him back into seventh for a moment but he would battle back to regain the position.
One lap later early race leader Gosek would spin coming out of turn four slowing the racing action once again. During the caution period Sobus would go pitside for service, he would return to the racing surface at the tail end of the lead pack.
On the restart it was Sitterly out front followed by Gruel, Snyder, Bond and Barnes filling out the top five.
The racing surface would stay green until lap 49 when Sitterly’s teammate Dave Shullick aboard the brand new No.2 Hawk Chassis came to rest on the high side of the racing surface in turn two.
On the restart Bond made a bold move slipping past Snyder coming out of turn four and then dove under Gruel going into turn one to take away the runner up position.
Behind them Barnes would dive under Snyder going into turn three taking away the fourth.
In the meantime the top two would quickly put some distance between themselves and the third-place car of Gruel making it a two-car battle for the top spot.
Sitterly continued to show the way as the field came around to complete lap 60 with Bond sitting back of five car lengths as the leaders approached some slower back markers.
Bond looked to close the distance on the race leader as they worked their way through traffic.
As the field came around to start lap 62 Sitterly abruptly exited the racing surface coming out of turn four with an apparent broken torque arm. This allowed Bond to inherit the lead with a Baker’s dozen laps remaining in the 75 lap main.
As the racing surface continued stay green it was all Bond as he wasted little time building up a full straightaway lead over the second-place car Gruel.
As the lap counter approached lap 75 it was apparent that Bond was about to win his first feature of the 2015 racing season at the Steel Palace as he cruised to an easy victory. Gruel manage to hold off a late challenge from Barnes to hold on to second. Barnes came home third followed by Snyder and Connors rounding out the top-five.
In the 35 lap SBS feature it was Bonds younger brother Mike coming home victorious with his 31st career win in the SBS division. The Mexico veteran took the lead on lap 19 and never look back as he cruised to the $625 payday and a clean sweep of the Grand Prix features for Four Sevens Motorsports.
As the field came to the green it is Barry Kingsley and Scott Shafer setting the pace for the 24 car field. With Kingsley gaining the advantage coming out of turn two as Shafers car slid up the racing surface allowing Dave Cliff and Dalton Doyle to slip by for position. Shafer had a settling for fourth as the field came around to complete the first circuit.
Kingsley would lose the lead to Cliff on lap 3 as the two battled coming out of turn four. Kingsley was settle into second followed by Doyle and Bond who had just slipped past Shafer for position.
First caution the event came out on lap 7. As the No.8 Josh Kerr was sent spinning between turns three and four. Kerr’s car had to be towed from the racing surface ending his evening pitside.
On the restart it was Cliff jumping out to commanding lead all behind him the racing action began to heat up as third-place car of Doyle looked for a way around Kingsley for the runner up position but he is unable to complete the pass. In the meantime Bond is looking for room to get by Doyle taking away the third position the trio continued to battle over the next 10 laps.
On lap 12 Bond drove to the highside of Doyle entering turn three to take away the third position. Moments later caution would rear its ugly head once again for the spinning car Jason Simmons over in turn three.
As the field came to the green it was Cliff showing the way followed by Kingsley, Bond, Doyle, and Michael Bruce rounding out the top-five.
In the ensuing lap Bond went to the highside between turns three and four as he worked his way past the second-place car of Kingsley.
By now Cliff had managed to build up 10 car advantage over second-place car Bond. But Bonds car to be much quicker running laps below 19 second barrier as the racing surface continued to stay green.
Bond managed to real in the race leader by lap 16 and immediately went to work looking for an opening to get by Cliff for the lead.
Bonds opening came on lap 18 as he made a slingshot move on Cliff coming out of turn four. The two battle down the front straightaway with Bond gaining the advantage as they crossed the start finish line.
Caution once again so the racing action as Bond’s teammate for this week Tyler Shullick came to rest against the inside hub rail turn four. Shullick was able to refire his car rejoined the racing action.
Track would go green once again with Bond and Cliff getting a great restart on the rest of the field.
Track would stay green until lap 29 when No.76 of Scott Shafer spun entering turn three. This car was then collected by Shullick sending both cars into the foam between turns three and four. Both cars sustained damage had to be towed from the racing surface. Both drivers exit the vehicle unscathed.
On the restart Bond shown the way with Cliff in hot pursuit. Behind them Doyle managed to get by Kingsley on the highside as the two crossed the starting line in turn three simultaneously on the restart with Doyle gaining the advantage between the turns.
But on this night Bond was not to be denied as he easily pulled away from the second-place car Cliff as the lap counter quickly approached lap 35. As the field came to the checkered it was Bond coming home with his second feature win of the year, he was followed across the line by Cliff, Doyle, Kingsley and Bruce making up the top five.
Oswego Speedway
Oswego, NY
Saturday, July 4th, 2015
Independence Day Grand Prix
presented by Walker Enterprises D Bus
BOX SCORE:
Novelis Supermodifieds
Novelis Supermodified Grand Prix (75-laps): 1. 47 – Bob Bond, 2. 50 – Dave Gruel, 3. 68 – Michael Barnes, 4. 0 – Tim Snyder, 5. 01 – Dan Connors, 6. 21 – Kody Graham, 7. 22 – Pat Lavery, 8. 52 – Dave Danzer, 9. 05 – Jeff Abold, 10. 5 – Tim Devendorf, 11. 26 – Shaun Gosselin, 12. 02 – Brandon Bellinger, 13. 9 – Stephen Gioia III, 14. 00 – Joe Gosek, 15. 79 – Brian Sobus, 16. 7 – Otto Sitterly, 17. 18 – Howard Page, 18. 2 – DJ Shullick, 19. 83 – Lou LeVea Jr, 20. 24 – Jerry Curran , 21. 55 – Keith Shampine, 22. 91 – Ray Graham, 23. 56 – Hal LaTulip, 24. 11 – Aric Iosue, 25. 96 – Lou LeVea Sr
Lighthouse Lanes Hard Charger: #52 – Dave Danzer
Lighthouse Lanes Up and Comer: #01 – Dan Connors
Radical Racegear Lap Leader: #7 – Otto Sitterly
Heat #1 (12-laps): 1. 55 – Keith Shampine, 2. 00 – Joe Gosek, 3. 47 – Bob Bond, 4. 21 – Kody Graham, 5. 05 – Jeff Abold, 6. 2 – Dave Shullick Jr., 7. 11 – Aric Iosue, 8. 56 – Hal LaTulip, 9. 06 – Dave Cliff, 10. 51 – Michael Muldoon
Heat #2 (12-laps): 1. 01 – Dan Connors Jr., 2. 68 – Michael Barnes, 3. 7 – Otto Sitterly, 4. 02 – Brandon Bellinger, 5. 9 – Stephen Gioia III, 6. 24 – Jerry Curran, 7. 96 – Lou LeVea Sr., 8. 83 – Lou LeVea Jr., 9. 26 – Shaun Gosselin
Heat #3 (12-laps): 1. 22 – Pat Lavery, 2. 50 – Dave Gruel, 3. 79 – Brian Sobus, 4. 0 – Tim Snyder, 5. 5 – Tim Devendorf, 6. 91 – Ray Graham, 7. 52 – Dave Danzer, 8. 18 – Howard Page
Consolation (10-laps, 6-qualify): 1. 52 – Dave Danzer, 2. 11 – Aric Iosue, 3. 26 – Shaun Gosselin, 4. 96 – Lou LeVea Sr., 5. 18 – Howard Page, 6. 56 – Hal LaTulip, 7. 83 – Lou LeVea Jr., 8. 06 – Dave Cliff DNS
Pathfinder Bank SBS
Pathfinder Bank SBS Grand Prix (35-laps): 1. 74 – Mike Bond, 2. 50 – Dave Cliff, 3. 01 – Dalton Doyle, 4. 91 – Barry Kingsley, 5. 22 – Mike Bruce, 6. 7 – Alex Hoag, 7. 04 – Kreig Heroth, 8. 54 – Camden Proud, 9. 93 – JJ Andrews, 10. 1 – Anthony Losurdo, 11. 87 – Matt Magner, 12. 9 – Jack Patrick, 13. 18 – Andrew Schartner, 14. 99 – Dennis Ruppert, 15. 98 – Jason Simmons, 16. 67 – Tyler Shullick, 17. 71 – Ray Sand Jr, 18. 76 – Scott Shafer, 19. 15 – James Babcock, 20. 24 – AJ Bernys, 21. 07 – Justin Connell, 22. 97 – Jeremy Pitcher, 23. 8 – Josh Kerr, 24. 90 – Greg O’Connor
D&S Landscaping Hard Charger: #18 – Andrew Schartner
Nice Price Auto Sales Up and Comer: #54 – Camden Proud
White’s Car Care 4th Place: #91 – Barry Kingsley
Sherwood Racing Wheels Lap Leader: #74 – Mike Bond
Bacc-Off Hard Luck Award: #97 – Jeremy Pitcher
Heat #1 (10-laps, 6-qualify): 1. 04 – Kreig Heroth, 2. 74 – Mike Bond, 3. 67 – Tyler Shullick, 4. 76 – Scott Shafer, 5. 71 – Ray Sand Jr., 6. 8 – Josh Kerr, 7. 87 – Matt Magner, 8. 14 – Alex McRae, 9. 90 – Greg O’Connor
Heat #2 (10-laps, 6-qualify): 1. 50 – Dave Cliff, 2. 01 – Dalton Doyle, 3. 91 – Barry Kingsley, 4. 1 – Anthony Losurdo, 5. 93 – JJ Andrews, 6. 9 – Jack Patrick, 7. 24 – AJ Bernys, 8. 07 – Justin Connell
Heat #3 (10-laps, 6-qualify): 1. 97 – Jeremy Pitcher, 2. 99 – Dennis Rupert, 3. 7 – Alex Hoag, 4. 22 – Mike Bruce, 5. 54 – Camden Proud, 6. 15 – James Babcock, 7. 69 – Mark Castiglia, 8. 18 – Andrew Schartner, 9. 98 – Jason Simmons DNS
Consolation (8-laps, 6-qualify): 1. 87 – Matt Magner, 2. 24 – AJ Bernys, 3. 98 – Jason Simmons, 4. 07 – Justin Connell, 5. 18 – Andrew Schartner, 6. 90 – Greg O’Connor, 7. 69 – Mark Castiglia, 8. 14 – Alex McRae DNS
Next Race:
Saturday, July 11
King of Wings VII
ISMA Supermodifieds
NEMA Midgets
NEMA Lites