By Camden Proud
OSWEGO, NY (June 14, 2025) – In one of the wildest Pathfinder Bank SBS features in recent years, Noah Ratcliff came from the back of the pack to claim his third career victory Saturday night in the Tony White Memorial 35-lapper at Oswego Speedway.
Coming out of retirement to drive the Robbie Wirth Racing No. 04, Rob Pullen redrew the pole for the 35-lap main event held in honor of his good friend Tony White. Pullen jumped out to the early lead at the drop of the green, driving ahead of AJ Larkin, while third-starting Drew Pascuzzi quickly dove to the inside and settled into second. Ratcliff, starting right behind his teammate Pascuzzi, followed him through for third with fourth-starting Alex Hoag also dropping in line and eventually sliding underneath Ratcliff to take third on lap 7. However, Hoag and Ratcliff made contact shortly after, sending both drivers to the rear of the field.
On the lap 10 restart, the running order was Pullen, Pascuzzi, Larkin, Carter Gates, and Tony DeStevens. Gates wasted little time moving past Larkin into third, while Brad Haynes, who started sixth, charged to fourth around both DeStevens and Larkin using the outside lane. DJ Shuman was on the move as well, coming from 14th to fifth, with Cameron Rowe charging from 16th to sixth right behind him.
On lap 14, the field was bunched up again when Haynes made contact with the outside wall down the front straightaway and then slid into the foam in turn three due to damage. This brought out another caution and reset the field with Pullen leading Pascuzzi, Gates, Shuman, Larkin, Rowe, and DeStevens.
On the restart, Shuman made a power move, driving around the outside of both Gates and Pascuzzi to move into second and begin tracking down race leader Pullen. At halfway, Pullen led Shuman, Pascuzzi, Gates, Rowe, Ratcliff, who had rallied back from the tail, DeStevens, Matt Matteson, and Larkin.
By lap 20, Ratcliff had climbed back to fifth. Up front, Pullen and Shuman were locked in a fantastic battle for the lead. Pullen appeared to be on his way to victory, but just as the leaders came to the Rupert’s Party Rentals white flag, rookie CJ Crawford spun in turn three, bringing out another Vashaw’s Collision yellow flag.
Lining up for a single-file restart with two laps remaining, it was Pullen, Shuman, Ratcliff, Pascuzzi, and Rowe. Pullen again held the lead at the white flag, but heartbreak struck out of turn four as his right rear wheel failed, sending the tire flying off the car and ending his run just short of the win.
Shuman then inherited the lead, but the wild finish continued. Entering turn three on the restart, Shuman slid up the track and nearly touched the foam after a broken shock ended what could have been a fantastic drive to his first-career victory.
With both Pullen and Shuman out of contention, Ratcliff found himself in the lead over teammate Pascuzzi, with Rowe moving to third, Gates fourth, and Hoag charging from the back into fifth. Ratcliff pulled away over the final two laps to secure his first win of the season and third career Pathfinder Bank SBS victory.
“I feel like I should go buy a lottery ticket right now,” the 2023 track champion said in victory lane. “The rear end was bent pretty bad after what happened with Alex and then up in turn four. It was just one of those racing deals and we had to start at the rear. It was Robbie Pullen’s race to win for sure and then it was so unfortunate to see what happened to DJ also. It looked like something broke. He had a great run going. I just can’t thank all my sponsors enough – Jake’s Automotive, Total Fire Protection, SNR Fuels, Smokin Coffee Xpress, my mom, Nate, Tash, Kenzie, Travis, John, Drew – and I’m sure I’m forgetting someone, but that was a hell of a race. This is a great feeling.”
The Pathfinder Bank SBS return to action this Saturday, June 21 as Oswego Speedway continues its 74th season with another round of racing for the Pathfinder Bank SBS and Novelis Supermodifieds, which will be joined by the Oswego County Tourism 350 Supers on Constellation Energy night at the races.
About Oswego Speedway: Oswego Speedway is a 5/8 mile semi-banked pavement racing oval located off the shores of Lake Ontario in scenic Oswego, NY. The 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 the Oswego Speedway making it the only weekly Supermodified racing venue in the world. The Small Block Supermodifieds and 350 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 “Indy of the East,” as no fewer than a dozen past and present competitors have competed at the famed Indianapolis Motor Speedway including Mario Andretti, two-time Indy 500 champion Gordon Johncock, and former International Classic Champions Bentley Warren, Joe Gosek, and Davey Hamilton.
RESULTS
74th Season Kickoff presented by FlynnStoned Cannabis Company
Pathfinder Bank SBS Tony White Memorial 35
Saturday, June 14, 2025
Oswego Speedway
Oswego, NY
Feature (35-laps, $625 to win): 1. 73 – NOAH RATCLIFF, 2. 72 – Drew Pascuzzi, 3. 77 – Cameron Rowe, 4. 55 – Carter Gates, 5. 41 – Alex Hoag, 6. 24 – Tony DeStevens, 7. 35 – AJ Larkin, 8. 20 – Tessa Crawford, 9. 66 – Darrick Hilton, 10. 47 – Matt Matteson, 11. O4 – Rob Pullen, 12. 62 – DJ Shuman, 13. 3J – ® CJ Crawford, 14. 7 – Cameron Rowe Jr, 15. 27 – Steven Bradshaw, 16. 88 – Brad Haynes, 17. 89 – Tony Pisa, 18. 29 – ® Mackenzie Coleman, 19. 90 – Greg O’Connor, DNS 1 – Dennis Richmond
Heat 1 (10-laps): 1. 73 – Noah Ratcliff, 2. O4 – Rob Pullen, 3. 24 – Tony DeStevens, 4. 3J – ® CJ Crawford, 5. 47 – Matt Matteson, 6. 7 – Cameron Rowe Jr, 7. 66 – Darrick Hilton
Heat 2 (10-laps): 1. 88 – Brad Haynes, 2. 89 – Tony Pisa, 3. 55 – Carter Gates, 4. 27 – Steven Bradshaw, 5. 90 – Greg O’Connor, 6. 29 – ® Mackenzie Coleman, DNS 1 – Dennis Richmond
Heat 3 (10-laps): 1. 41 – Alex Hoag, 2. 72 – Drew Pascuzzi, 3. 35 – Anthony Larkin, 4. 20 – Tessa Crawford, 5. 62 – DJ Shuman, DNS 77 – Cameron Rowe
Howard Hoses and Sean Magari Enterprises ‘Double Deuce Strong’ Lap 22 Leader Bonus In Support of Mike Bruce ($222.22): #04 Rob Pullen
Top Quality Construction Heat Race Winners in Support of Bruce Racing ($22): #41 – Alex Hoag, #88 – Brad Haynes, #73 – Noah Ratcliff
Top Quality Construction Last Car Running in Support of Bruce Racing ($22): #47 Matt Matteson
JP Jewelers Halfway Leader ($100 bonus to the leader of lap 18): #04 Rob Pullen
Lighthouse Lanes Up & Comer ($50 bonus to the highest finishing driver who has never won a feature at Oswego Speedway): #55 Carter Gates
4th Place Finisher in Memory of Tony White ($75 Gift Certificate to Jake’s Automotive): #55 Carter Gates
4th Place Starter in Memory of Tony White ($40 Gift Certificate to Jake’s Automotive): #41 Alex Hoag
D&S Landscaping Hard Charger ($25 bonus to the driver advancing the most positions): #77 Cameron Rowe