By Camden Proud
EVANS MILLS, NY (September 22, 2019) – A determined Mike Bruce started on the pole for the 35-lap Oswego Speedway Small Block Supermodified Fall Brawl at Evans Mills Raceway Park this past Saturday and drove the RBI Racing No. 04 to a commanding victory worth $1,000.
Bruce, a Small Block Super veteran and many-time feature winner at Oswego, spent several weeks coordinating this event with the Gill Family; new owners of Evans Mills Raceway Park. He was thrilled with the turnout of both cars and fans in the North Country over the weekend.
“Racing here is a blast,” Bruce said in victory lane. “The SBS teams love coming to the Mills and it showed today. My crew has worked so hard this year and it feels great to end it with a win. Big thanks to the Gill Family for having us and the fans for being here. This crowd is awesome.”
The heat race inversion draw would put two of the three qualifying winners on the front row for the main event with Bruce jumping to the early lead ahead of Russ Bartlett and Tony Pisa, who had picked up the first Small Block Super heat win of his career earlier in the evening.
Unfortunately, an early accident in the first corner would end the night for Pisa’s teammate and car owner, Greg O’Connor. Bryan Haynes; who made the trip from Maryland to compete in the Fall Brawl, was also involved, and had to tag the tail in the early going.
On lap 2, Griffin Miller, a second generation New York Super Stock Series regular making his first start in a Small Block Super, drove around the outside of Pisa into third behind teammate Bartlett. Travis Bartlett had tabbed the teenager as driver of his No. 03 for this special event.
While Bruce began to run away in the lead, Miller showed he was certainly going to make the most of his opportunity. In almost no time, he closed the gap between himself and runner-up Russ Bartlett. Before long, the Oswego Kartway graduate was pressuring for second.
At halfway, fifth starting Cameron Rowe got to the inside of Pisa and moved his No. 77 ride into the fourth spot. Around the time Rowe made his move, his teammate had entered the heaviest lapped traffic of the race thus far. Bruce had built about a half straightaway lead in the No. 04.
Behind the top five of Bruce, Bartlett, Miller, Rowe, and Pisa, Jim Babcock, Steve Flack, Bryan Haynes, Stan Gates, and rookie Mark Denny Jr. were all battling for spots six through ten. The veteran Babcock was very fast, and had nearly won his first heat race earlier in the evening.
The race went green to checkered from lap 2 on and by the checkered flag, no one had even remotely challenged Bruce despite his fight through traffic. The Oswego, NY driver picked up the third Evans Mills Raceway Park victory of his career over Bartlett, Miller, Rowe, and Pisa.
Babcock, Flack, Haynes, Gates, and Denny rounded out the top ten in that order with Steve Wood, Travis Bartlett, Joshua Sokolic, Ken Moody Jr, and Greg O’Connor completing the field.
For more information on the SBS Traveling Series, visit online at SBSTravelingSeries.com. You can also FOLLOW on Twitter @OswegoSBSSeries or LIKE the series Facebook page at Facebook.com/OswegoSpeedwaySBSTravelingSeries.
About the SBS Traveling Series: The Oswego Speedway SBS Traveling Series is a northeast Small Block Supermodified touring club showcasing the stars and cars of Oswego Speedway’s Pathfinder Bank SBS class. Formed in Spring 2017 by drivers Mike Bruce and Camden Proud, the series will hold its fourth event at Evans Mills Raceway Park in 2019. The series is made possible with the support of Cam’s NY Pizzeria, Lighthouse Lanes, Route 37 Building Supply and the dedicated team owners, drivers, and fans of Small Block Supermodified racing.
BOX SCORE
Evans Mills Raceway Park
Evans Mills, NY
Saturday, September 21, 2019
Oswego Speedway SBS Traveling Series
Feature (30-laps): 1. 04 MIKE BRUCE, 2. 02 Russ Bartlett, 3. 03 ® Griffin Miller, 4. 77 Cameron Rowe, 5. 89 Tony Pisa, 6. 15 James Babcock, 7. 32 Steve Flack, 8. 86 Bryan Haynes, 9. 28 Stan Gates, 10. 14 ® Mark Denny Jr, 11. 93 Steve Wood, 12. 03 ® Travis Bartlett, 13. 26 Joshua Sokolic, 14. 01 ® Ken Moody Jr, 15. 90 Greg O’Connor, DNS – 88 Brian Langer
Heat 1 (10-laps): 1. 89 Tony Pisa, 2. 03 ® Griffin Miller, 4. 93 Steve Wood, DNS – 88 Brian Langer
Heat 2 (10-laps): 1. 02 Russ Bartlett, 2. 77 Cameron Rowe, 3. 90 Greg O’Connor, 4. 32 Steve Flack, 5. 26 Joshua Sokolic
Heat 3 (10-laps): 1. 04 Mike Bruce, 2. 15 James Babcock, 3. 86 Bryan Haynes, 4. 28 Stan Gates, 5. 15 ® Mark Denny Jr, 6. 01 ® Ken Moody Jr.