By Camden Proud
OSWEGO, NY (June 10, 2024) – Last Saturday night at Oswego Speedway, Dave Shullick Jr. started ninth and stormed through the field to secure his 21st career Oswego Supermodified feature win and his 27th overall at the Speedway, including six winged features. This victory marked Shullick’s first since June 24, 2023, adding another impressive performance by the driver of Chris Osetek’s No. 95.
The 50-lap feature began with Mike Bruce and Canadian driver Logan Rayvals leading the field to the green flag. Despite the front row setting a slow pace at the start, Bruce managed to inch ahead, with third-starting Jeff Abold quickly taking second place, relegating Rayvals to third.
Right away, it was clear how hooked up Shullick was, as he moved up to fifth from ninth by lap 5. Fourth-starting Dan Connors Jr. tried to work over Rayvals in the 94 for a number of laps to get into third, but by lap 8, Shullick took advantage, stealing fourth and then passing Rayvals for third on lap 9, dropping Connors to fifth.
By this point, Bruce and Abold were already way out front, but it only took Shullick a handful of green flag laps to reel them right in. A yellow flag on lap 15 for a Nick Snyder spin bunched up the field, and on the restart, Shullick immediately went to the inside of Abold to take second on lap 15 and then passed Bruce for the lead on lap 17 coming down the front stretch and into turn number one.
Meanwhile, Michael Barnes and Otto Sitterly, who started sixth and seventh, began their march through the field around the fifteenth lap. Barnes moved up to fourth by passing Rayvals and Connors on lap 19, and then Connors broke while running fifth, moving the 94 of Rayvals back to fifth and Sitterly to sixth with 19 laps in. One lap later, Sitterly shot under Rayvals and into the top five.
Joe Gosek, making his first start of the year, spun on lap 21 to bring out another yellow. On the restart, Shullick was absolutely gone, leading Bruce, Abold, Barnes, Sitterly, Tyler Thompson, Rayvals, Dave Danzer, Brian Osetek, and Gosek at halfway.
As the laps wound down, Abold, Barnes, and Sitterly all closed in on Bruce for second as Bruce had become a sitting duck with the No. 22 getting very loose in the late stages.
With 10 laps to go, Abold went under Bruce for second. With 8 laps to go, Barnes was next to capitalize, and with 3 laps to go, Sitterly made his move, passing Bruce and dropping him into fifth.
Shullick won by a straightaway, followed by Abold, Barnes, Sitterly, and Bruce rounding out the top five.
“When you got guys like Otto Sitterly, Michael Barnes, and Tyler Thompson here, you’ve got to be aggressive and get to the front first,” Shullick said after the race. “Tyler has gotten four of these and I really wanted to shut his water off and not let him get another because he has so much momentum and momentum can be hard to stop sometimes. We just have to build some of our own. Thanks to TJ Toyota, Riverwalk Oswego, Holiday Inn Express & Suites Oswego, North and Ron, Chris, Brian, Jim, Ashton, MARDON PC, and Oswego Speedway for rushing to get the show in.”
Oswego Speedway is off Saturday, June 15, for the ISMA/MSS Super Crown Nationals at Lorain Raceway Park in Ohio but returns Saturday, June 22, with a full program for Novelis Supermodifieds, Pathfinder Bank SBS, and J&S Paving 350 Supers on Autograph Night presented by Chase Enterprises.
RESULTS
Circle T Ready Mix Division Night
Novelis Supermodifieds
Saturday, June 8, 2024
Oswego Speedway
Oswego, NY
Feature (50-laps): 1. 95 DAVE SHULLICK JR, 2. 05 Jeff Abold, 3. 68 Michael Barnes, 4. 7 Otto Sitterly, 5. 22 Mike Bruce, 6. 98T Tyler Thompson, 7. 94 Logan Rayvals, 8. 52 Dave Danzer, 9. 75 Brian Osetek, 10. 00 Joe Gosek, 11. 90 Jack Patrick, 12. 02 Brandon Bellinger, 13. 01 Dan Connors Jr, 14. 20 ® Nick Snyder, 15. 54 Camden Proud, 16. 83 Lou LeVea Jr, 17. 0 Tim Snyder
Heat 1 (12-laps): 1. 95 Dave Shullick Jr, 2. 05 Jeff Abold, 3. 68 Michael Barnes, 4. 83 Lou LeVea Jr, 5. 54 Camden Proud, 6. 90 Jack Patrick
Heat 2 (12-laps): 1. 22 Mike Bruce, 2. 01 Dan Connors Jr, 3. 98T Tyler Thompson, 4. 7 Otto Sitterly, 5. 0 Tim Snyder
Heat 3 (12-laps): 1. 94 Logan Rayvals, 2. 02 Brandon Bellinger, 3. 52 Dave Danzer, 4. 00 Joe Gosek, 5. 75 Brian Osetek, 6. 20 ® Nick Snyder
Lighthouse Lanes Up & Comer ($100 bonus to the highest finishing driver who has never won a feature at Oswego Speedway): #94 Logan Rayvals
D&S Landscaping Hard Charger ($25 bonus to the driver advancing the most positions): #95 Dave Shullick Jr.