Oswego Speedway report 2001-08-18

Otto Sitterly and Todd Stowell each scored impressive 30 lap victories at Oswego Speedway Saturday night. Both started on the front row, and led all 30laps enroute to the popular victories. For Sitterly, it was his first ever Oswego Speedway supermodified feature event win, while Stowell notched career win number two.

The first 30 lap race saw the regular handicap procedure in effect, and had Ray Graham and Sitterly start up front. When the green flag came out to start the race, Sitterly shoot-out from his outside front row starting spot for the lead. Jeff Holbrook, Dave Trytek and Tim Gareau went to the inside to get through early traffic, while Tim Snyder, Todd Stowell and Greg Furlong elected to go to the high side of the race track.

Sitterly broke away by a few car lengths in the first few laps on the strength of laps at the 17.8 area. Pat Abold had the Muldoon #50 on the charge early, as he raced his way into the top ten in the first few laps.

Within a few laps, the top seven cars of Sitterly, Stowell, Graham, Trytek, Bob Bond, Tim Gareau and Abold broke away from the rest of the field of cars. The top seven battled wheel to wheel and bumper to bumper, all looking to challenge the 79 for the lead.

Graham was the first to attempt the high line to work his way by, but had to fall into line as when he looked by Stowell, Trytek went inside to fill the lane. Bond used this opportunity to move into fourth place, as he then stepped his way in the outside lane, following Graham by Trytek. Trytek then stayed in his lane, and got the position back the next trip by.

While this tight racing went on behind, Sitterly opened up a two car length lead over the freight train behind him. He continued to turn laps near 17.8 while up front.

Current high point man Greg Furlong was working his way to the front, but was stuck in heavy race traffic. He was up to seventh place, working on Pat Abold inside and out for the position.

The action was slowed for the only time in the race as a third turn wreck slowed the furious action. Sitterly had all the top runners on his tail section on the restart, as he looked to keep the top spot in the closing stages. He jammed the accelerator, and drove a perfect restart, keeping the lead. The field behind aligned in single file, with no one making any unwarranted moves.

Sitterly then turned in his quickest laps of the race, as he stopped watches at 17.56 and 17.51 as he opened up a comfortable two car length lead over Stowell. Stowell made one last outside shot at the leader with 5 laps to go, but fell back another few lengths. Sitterly was again back in front by a few lengths.

He kept his groove the last few laps, and his lap times were as fast as they had been all race. As the checkered flag flew, Otto Sitterly drove under, three car lengths ahead of runner up Stowell. Ray Graham had his finest run of the year in third, with Dave Trytek and Bob Bond rounding out the top five.

Sitterly was so happy, that on his cool down lap, he did a 180 degree spin on the front straightaway on his way to victory lane, and popped the outside wall with the tail section of his car.

He jumped from his car, ecstatic that he had became the 71st supermodified feature in the history of Oswego Speedway. "It feels really good. I still can't believe it," he exclaimed after the win. "We have worked on this car so much, it's been getting better. I've dreamed of winning here. We still have a little work to do for the second one. This hasn't sunk in yet."

The second 30 lap sprint saw Tim Gareau and Stowell start from the front row. The pair raced side by side for the first lap, knowing whoever got the better start would be in the best shape in the quick race. As they came down for lap 1, Stowell nosed his 89 out in front of the 5 car. As the feature field looked for racing room, Stowell began to open up a little but from the second place battle of Gareau, Trytek, Abold, Graham and Sitterly.

The 89 turned laps at 17.58 and 17.54 as he gained four lengths on the pack behind. He 5, 70, and 50 closed up to Stowell the next few laps, making it a four car breakaway for the lead. The race pace quickened to the 17.4 range, as the lead quartet opened up ten lengths back to fifth place Ray Graham

Yellow on lap 11 for a third turn jam up between Bill Sharkey and Scott Eldred slowed the furious race pace. It gave the leaders a chance to catch their breath, and rethink the rest of the race plan. High point man Greg Furlong pitted during this yellow flag period, as the crew adjusted the new machine. He restarted the race back in 19th position.

Stowell hit his marks on the restart, as he quickly put Trytek behind by two car lengths. Once heat was in the tires, the lap times went down in the 17.4's again. Gareau worked his way into third by Abold, who was beginning to struggle a bit with the 50. The car began to fade at this point, and shortly after, pulled the 50pitside, out of the race.

Trytek reeled in the 89, and it became a bumper to bumper race again. It was now a two car race, as Gareau was ten car lengths behind in third place, with just ten laps to go.

Stowell, Trytek, Gareau, Graham, and Bond an in the top five, while Gene Lee Gibson and Shannon groves battled it out for sixth place. The leaders came into traffic for the first time on lap 24, which they cruised by on the outside. They raced up to the slower car of Brian Sweeney on lap 24, and the leaders made it a three abreast run in to the third turn for the top spot. Stowell went high, Trytek low as they sandwiched Sweeney. All three held their lines, and Stowell came through the battle with the three car length lead. Gareau closed up through traffic, but was three lengths behind Trytek.

Stowell remained calm and composed the last few laps, and looked to back up his win of earlier in the season. As the checkered flag came out, he drove across the start finish line with his right fist in the air, as he picked up the three car length victory. Trytek brought the 70 home in second, and Gareau drove another fin race for third. Ray Graham and Bobby Bond finished fourth and fifth, both having two top five runs on the night.

"It feels nice to back up my earlier win, " the winner said in a post race interview. "I had no closure after the first win. We tightened it up s a little bit for the second race. I have to thank my sponsors, my crew and my family, fiends and fans. We backed it up in a few weeks, and hopefully we can keep running consistently the rest of the year."

Bill Izyk continued his wining ways in the limited supermodified class Saturday night. He is the winningest drive this year in the class, as picked up his third win of the season in the 25 lap race.

Izyk passed early leader John Ketcham on lap three in the first turn, and was never seriously challenged the remainder of the race.

The super stocks also had a first time Oswego winner. Bobby Newman started the race from the inside of the second row, but had to work for the victory. He grabbed the top spot from Doug Reaume on an early race restart, and held a comfortable two car length advantage for most of the 20lapfeature event.

News and Notes..There were 25 supermodifieds, 31 limiteds, and 15 sup stocks in the pits...Heat races in each division were won by Bobby Newman and Doug Reaume in stocks, Jack Patrick, John Ketcham and Bill Izyk in limiteds, and Todd Stowell, Tim Snyder and Tim Gareau in supers..Russ Brown won the limited consolation.Greg Furlong and Mark Regan remained in front of the point races, with one point night to go.Furlong struggled with the new car most of the night, they kept their primary car parked for the night.Four drivers, Todd Stowell, Dave Trytek, Ray Graham and Bob Bond all had top fives in both feature races..The final point race of the year is this Saturday night.. Gates open at 4pm, with the first race at 6pm

-OS