OSWEGO, NY (June 23, 2019) – Defending track champion Otto Sitterly became the first repeat Supermodified winner of 2019 when he passed race long leader Aric Iosue with eight to go and captured his 44th career victory on Helena-Agri Enterprises Night at Oswego Speedway.
Making up the front row for the 50-lap main event were Lou LeVea Jr. and Iosue. Despite LeVea Jr. taking the lead at the green flag, it took Iosue less than a lap to go under the No. 83 and thus begin to build a humongous advantage over the field.
One of the earliest cars on the move was the Brandon Bellinger No. 02. Bellinger started sixth, but had gone around both Dan Connors Jr. and Dave Danzer with two laps in the books, moving him into the fourth spot.
Second generation Canadian pilot Logan Rayvals was the next to make an early bid inside the top five. The fourth starter put his No. 94 to the inside of LeVea and took over second place with five laps in, but Iosue was already way out in front.
For the next eight laps, Bellinger and Danzer worked LeVea over for third. On lap 13, the door opened as Bellinger got to the inside going into turn three with Danzer following through. It was now Iosue, Rayvals, Bellinger, Danzer, and LeVea making up the top five.
On lap 15, the driver of the No. 7 car decided it was “time to go.” Using the extreme outside lane of the speedway, Sitterly made an unbelievable move to go by four cars in one lap including Joe Gosek, Dave Shullick Jr, Connors Jr, and LeVea Jr. to get up to sixth.
Meanwhile, Dave Gruel had gone by the LeVea No. 83 as well, moving his No. 50 into fifth place. With twenty laps in the books, Iosue had since built a half track lead over Rayvals, Bellinger, Danzer, Gruel, and Sitterly.
At halfway, the second and third place cars began to close in on the Iosue No. 11 as he was now maneuvering through heavy lapped traffic. That is also when Sitterly went around both Gruel and Danzer to grab fourth.
With Sitterly on the charge, Iosue continued his march through lapped traffic without hesitation. The fourth year driver gave no ground to second and third place running Rayvals and Bellinger, who had begun to battle for position.
When Rayvals and Bellinger got hung up in lapped traffic in the midst of their duel for second, this allowed Sitterly to close almost instantly. On lap 30, both Bellinger and Sitterly worked by the Rayvals No. 94, dropping him back to fourth.
On lap 37, Sitterly drew to Bellinger’s back bumper as the No. 02 had difficulties getting by a lapped car. When Bellinger hesitated going into turn three, Sitterly went underneath both of them to inherit the runner-up spot.
At this point, it appeared as if Sitterly was the fastest car on the race track, but he only had a mere thirteen laps to catch Iosue who was still at least a half track ahead. That was only until the yellow flag flew with seven to go for a jam up just outside the top five.
On lap 43, Shullick and Rayvals got together in turns one and two, sending the No. 94 around. This also collected the Connors No. 01 and the Gosek No. 00, both of which ended up out for the night. Rayvals was able to continue on, but the spin threw out a sure top five finish.
The caution flag also proved to be very costly for Iosue, as his gigantic lead was thrown away as well, bringing Sitterly right to his back bumper. On the restart, Iosue got sideways coming off of turn two, allowing Otto to capitalize and drive right on by up high.
With three laps to go, Iosue was able to close back in on the Sitterly No. 7, but the yellow flag came out twice on lap 47. First, Keith Shampine spun in turn two. One lap later, Gruel’s strong run ended in the foam in between turns three and four.
Iosue had one last shot at Sitterly on the final restart, but this time around it was ‘Ottomattic’ as Sitterly picked up the race win over Iosue in second and Bellinger in third. Shullick finished in fourth and Danzer in fifth.
Completing the top ten were Alison Sload, Michael Barnes, Rayvals, Shampine, and Jeff Abold. Snyder, LeVea Jr, rookie Jack Patrick, and Gosek rounded out the top fifteen.
Sitterly was the D&S Landscaping Hard Charger for yet another week, coming from row six to pick up the win. Rayvals picked up his second Lighthouse Lanes Up & Comer Award of the year as he recovered for an eighth place run.
Oswego Speedway is off this Saturday, June 29, but its 69th Season will continue with the Holiday Inn Express & Suites Grand Prix Special on July 6 featuring the Novelis Supermodifieds, Pathfinder Bank SBS, and 350 Supermodifieds.
Driving the re-worked Syrell Racing ‘Iron Mistress,’ Pathfinder Bank Small Block Supermodified veteran Dalton Doyle held off the challenges of Vern LaFave and won in his first ever 350 Supermodified start at the Oswego Speedway this past Saturday.
LaFave and Barry Kingsley brought the 350 Super field to green on Helena-Agri Enterprises Night at the races and it was the LaFave No. 97 that picked up the immediate advantage on the outside part of the speedway.
No sooner had LaFave picked up the lead, he lost it in the same corner to Doyle one lap later. A six-time winner in the Small Block Super ranks, Doyle was off to the races in his debut with the Syrell owned Graves Chassis, which was built in 1994.
For the remaining twenty laps, it was an all out war for the lead between Doyle and LaFave, who looked to the outside of the leader almost every single circuit. Further behind the front two cars, Kingsley and John Burke spent the duration of the event in a battle for the third position.
With about five laps to go, LaFave really turned up the wick, at times nearly showing Doyle a wheel down the back straightaway, but the former Novelis Supermodified campaigner was unable to squeeze his car between the leader and the outside retaining wall.
LaFave gave it one more last ditch effort on the final lap, but never found quite enough room to get by Doyle, who brought the No. 08 back to victory lane in its first time on track since 2007.
Completing the finishing order were Burke, Kingsley, Mike Bruce, and Anthony Losurdo.
Oswego Speedway is off this Saturday, June 29, but its 69th Season will continue with the Holiday Inn Express & Suites Grand Prix Special on July 6 featuring the Novelis Supermodifieds, Pathfinder Bank SBS, and 350 Supermodifieds.
For more information on Oswego Speedway, you can visit the track’s website online at OswegoSpeedway.com. Fans can also FOLLOW on Twitter @OswegoSpeedway or LIKE on Facebook at Facebook.com/OswegoSpeedway.
For more information on Oswego Speedway, you can visit the track’s website online at OswegoSpeedway.com. Fans can also FOLLOW on Twitter @OswegoSpeedway or LIKE on Facebook at Facebook.com/OswegoSpeedway.
Oswego Speedway
Oswego, N.Y.
Saturday June 22, 2019
Supermodifieds
Qualifying:
1. 0-Joe Gosek, 15.918
2. 39-Alison Sload, 16.016
3. 50-David Gruel, 16.029
4. 95-Dave Shullick, 16.046
5. 11-Aric Iosue, 16.112
6. 7-Otto Sitterly, 16.164
7. 55-Keith Shampine, 16.189
8. 94-Logan Rayvals, 16.225
9. 52-David Danzer, 16.303
10. 0-Tim Snyder, 16.328
11. 1-Dan Connors, 16.349
12. 68-Michael Barnes, 16.369
13. 2-Brandon Bellinger, 16.528
14. 54-Camden Proud, 16.670
15. 90-Jack Patrick, 16.768
16. 83-Lou LeVea, 16.849
17. 56-Hal Latulip, 17.734
18. 5-Jeff Abold, 18.378
19. 98T-Tyler Thompson, NT
Heat Race #1:
1. 1-Dan Connors
2. 83-Lou LeVea
3. 94-Logan Rayvals
4. 11-Aric Iosue
5. 39-Alison Sload
6. 90-Jack Patrick
Heat Race #2:
1. 0-Tim Snyder
2. 2-Brandon Bellinger
3. 95-Dave Shullick
4. 55-Keith Shampine
5. 0-Joe Gosek
6. 56-Hal Latulip
Heat Race #3:
1. 52-David Danzer
2. 50-David Gruel
3. 7-Otto Sitterly
4. 5-Jeff Abold
5. 68-Michael Barnes
6. 54-Camden Proud
Feature:
1. 7-Otto Sitterly
2. 11-Aric Iosue
3. 2-Brandon Bellinger
4. 95-Dave Shullick
5. 52-David Danzer
6. 39-Alison Sload
7. 68-Michael Barnes
8. 94-Logan Rayvals
9. 55-Keith Shampine
10. 5-Jeff Abold
11. 0-Tim Snyder
12. 83-Lou LeVea
13. 90-Jack Patrick
14. 50-David Gruel
15. 0-Joe Gosek
16. 1-Dan Connors
17. 54-Camden Proud
18. 56-Hal Latulip
Small Block Supermodifieds
Qualifying:
1. 50-Dave Cliff, 18.718
2. 1-Anthony Losurdo, 18.747
3. 27-Dave Latulip, 18.982
4. 88-Brad Haynes, 19.022
5. 90-Greg OConnor, 19.047
6. 4-Mike Bruce, 19.139
7. 26-Josh Sokolic, 19.219
8. 77-Cameron Rowe, 19.244
9. 2-Russell Bartlett, 19.438
10. 3-Travis Bartlett, 19.643
11. 15-James Babcock, 19.833
12. 32-Stephen Flack, 20.077
Heat Race #1:
1. 4-Mike Bruce
2. 77-Cameron Rowe
3. 88-Brad Haynes
4. 1-Anthony Losurdo
5. 3-Travis Bartlett
6. 15-James Babcock
Heat Race #2:
1. 26-Josh Sokolic
2. 90-Greg OConnor
3. 50-Dave Cliff
4. 27-Dave Latulip
5. 2-Russell Bartlett
6. 32-Stephen Flack
Feature:
1. 50-Dave Cliff
2. 1-Anthony Losurdo
3. 4-Mike Bruce
4. 77-Cameron Rowe
5. 26-Josh Sokolic
6. 90-Greg OConnor
7. 15-James Babcock
8. 32-Stephen Flack
9. 27-Dave Latulip
10. 88-Brad Haynes
11. 3-Travis Bartlett
12. 2-Russell Bartlett
350 Supermodifieds
Qualifying:
1. 1-John Burke, 18.006
2. 97-Vern LaFave, 18.050
3. 72-Mike Bruce, 18.247
4. 6-Barry Kingsley, 18.412
5. 8-Dalton Doyle, 18.643
6. 1-Anthony Losurdo, 0.000
Heat Race #1:
1. 72-Mike Bruce
2. 97-Vern LaFave
3. 6-Barry Kingsley
4. 1-John Burke
5. 8-Dalton Doyle
6. 1-Anthony Losurdo
Feature:
1. 8-Dalton Doyle
2. 97-Vern LaFave
3. 1-John Burke
4. 6-Barry Kingsley
5. 72-Mike Bruce
6. 1-Anthony Losurdo