Chasin’ Racin’
Now in its third year at The Steel Palace, Oswego Speedway Super DIRT Week just seems to get better every year.
Oswego Speedway
With no help from Mother Nature the track was in super shape for all the laps that were turned. With on and off rain, as well as having both Wednesday and Thursday canceled, there were many questions on what that track would do. Would it stay intact as it did last year or would the clay start to peel away from the asphalt, as it did the first year, and create a horrible racing surface that cost teams a ton of money?
What the fans had the chance to see was great 2- and 3-wide racing on a super smooth and fast racing surface.
What surprised me was the lack of crashes on a track the drivers have not seen since last year, and for some, the first time they had ever been to Oswego. The pits were jam packed with drivers eagerly waiting for their turn to take to the Oswego Speedway that is used all season as a Saturday night 5/8th-mile asphalt racing facility that was built in 1951 and is the home of the Super Modifieds.
The Capital District was well represented in all classes, especially the support division of the 602 Sportsman and the always exciting Pro Stocks, with both features coming right down to the closing laps, with our area racers putting on a show for the packed stands on both the front and back stretch.
Friday found an action-packed day on the track as Jimmy Phelps would turn the track in 21.233 to set fast time in the DIRTcar Big Block Modifieds and pick up the pole position for the Billy Whittaker Cars 200.
Local racer Keith Flach locked down the outside pole as Gary Lindberg surprised everyone, turning third fastest time with Peter Britten, Tim Sears Jr., and Stewart Friesen rounding out the top 6 of the 70 cars that took time, locking themselves into Sunday’s $50,000-to-win event and to set up the three heats later in the night.
Besides Flach, other Capital District drivers Tim Fuller 7th, Demitrius Drellos 20th, Marc Johnson 22nd, Modified rookie Jack Lehner 30th, 2018 Albany Saratoga and Lebanon Valley Champion Brett Hearn 31st, Josh Hohenforst 32nd, Danny Varin 35th, Jessey Mueller 36th, Kenny Tremont Jr. 40th, 2018 Fonda Track Champion Bobby Varin 47th, and Alissa Cody took her 358 mod out and ran 69th of the 70 cars entered.
DIRTcar Modifieds
In the DIRTcar 358 Modifieds Tim Fuller, the 2017 Fonda Speedway track champion, put down a lap of 20.899 to put himself on the pole for the Camping World 150 with Erick Rudolph, Mat Williamson, Matt Sheppard, rookie Ronnie Davis III, and Stewart Friesen rounding out the top 6.
Also on Friday over 90, 602 Sportsman took to the Oswego Speedway for time as for the third consecutive year Dave Marcuccilli set fast time with Kevin Root, Capital District racer Adam McAuliffe, Shane Pecore, and another area racer, David Schilling, rounded out the top 6. Other local racers Robert Bublak, Dave Constantino, Jeremy Pitts, and Connor Cleveland all timed in the top 15.
Friday night under the lights at the Speedway the Modifieds and 358 Modifieds took center stage with their qualifying events.
In the first qualifier after a great early race with fast timer Jimmy Phelps, Peter Britten, who had been using the outside, dove to the bottom to take the lead from Phelps, with some great racing in the top 5 behind the leaders between Max McLaughlin, Billy Dunn, and current Series point leader Matt Sheppard.
At the checker it was the Graham Racing 21A of Britten over Phelps, Dunn, McLaughlin and Sheppard, with Billy Decker in the sixth spot in another new car after taking hard rides at both Fonda and Fulton Speedways. Local racers Tim Fuller, Kenny Tremont Jr., and Marc Johnson finished 8th through 10th, with Brett Hearn 16th after losing a motor.
In the second qualifier local racer Flach, The Ravena Rocket, quickly jumped out to an early lead as Danny Johnson was racing hard with Tim Sears Jr. for the runner-up spot. Once Johnson took over the second spot he reeled in the high-flying Flach and was quickly all over the rear deck of the Flach Companies 43 as the caution flew.
On the restart Johnson made a great move to the bottom in his Graham Racing 21J and was the new leader and started to pull away as now it was Erick Rudolph starting to put the pressure on Flach and would take over the second spot, but had to much track to make up with the high flying Johnson out front as he cruised on for the win with Rudolph, Flach, Justin Haers, with local racer Demitrius have a great run rounding out the top 5. Area father and son Danny and Bobby Varin finished 8th and 9th, with Josh Hohenforst with a 12th at the checker.
With the wins in the first and second qualifiers, Johnson and Britten sent notice to the field that the 21A and 21J Graham Racing Team was going to be a force to deal with on Sunday. The third qualifier found little-known driver to most, Gary Lindberg, proving his speed earlier in the day was no fluke as he jumped out to an early lead, with Stewart Friesen and Mat Williamson battling hard behind the leader with Williamson getting the spot.
The race for the lead heated up but Lindberg was up to the challenge as Friesen in third was now putting pressure on Williamson once again as the top three raced nose to tail. The caution would fly and on the restart Lindenburg was again back to the front, with Friesen dropping to fourth, putting veteran chauffeur Gary Tomkins into third behind Lindberg and Williamson, with Lindberg holding on for the win as Williamson, Tomkins, Friesen, and Larry Wight would round out the top 5 after an impressive drive by Lindberg. Capital District racers Jessey Mueller and rookie Jack Lehner finished 11the and 12th.
The 602 Sportsman would run their action packed qualifiers, with Capital District drivers Robert Bublak and Dave Constantino picking up wins as did Will Shields and Ryan Stabler. Other Capital District drivers making their way directly into the starting field of the Chevy Performance 75 were Connor Cleveland, Jeremy Pitts, Andrew Buff and Darryl Nutting. Saturday was another huge day of racing and getting a late start due to rain overnight and into the morning did not help, but it sure made for another great day of racing on a great racing surface that withstood the pounding of Fridays racing,
Pro Stocks
The Pro Stocks took to the track 41 strong for Time Trials and the Capital District’s Chuck Dumblewski and Josh Coonradt would nail down the top two spots with Jocelyn Roy, another area driver looking for yet another big win, Rob Yetman, and C.D. Beauchamp rounding out the top 5.
Other area drivers were Rick Crane 7th, Fonda Speedway multi-time champion and all-time win leader Kenny Gates 10th, Jay Casey 11th, Kim Duell 12th, Justin Knight 14th, Jonathan Routheir 17th, Steve LaRochelle 18th, Chuck Townslee, Jason Casey, Luke Horning, Jason Meltz, Kenny Martin 19-23, Jay Cobin 26th, Ivan Joslin 27th, Dean Charbonneau 31st, Dan Older 31st, Jason Morrison 38th and Nick Stone in the backup 51 was 39th.
The Pro Stock last chance event found area racer Dan Older holding off Pete Stafanski to pick up the win as Jay Corbin, Marc Lalonde and Dean Charbonneau would now be in the starting field for Sunday’s feature event.
Still trying to make the starting field for Sunday’s event after so many 602 Sportsman made the trip to Oswego was getting tough as three more qualifiers would only take the top three in each event as Brianna Ladouceur, Zach Zobotka, and Bucko Branham would pick up the wins in the hotly contested LCQs.
The Modifieds also had a pair of last chance races with Capital District young gun rookie Jack Lehner picking up the impressive win over veteran Jimmy Horton as Nick Webb and Billy Vaninwegen also were able to work their way into Sunday’s big 200-lap event in the first consi. In the second consi it was Ryan Watt showcasing his talent with the win over Rich Scagliotta, with Alan Johnson and Mike Mahaney securing their way into the Billy Whittaker Cars 200.
Camping World 150
The big event for Saturday was the Camping World 150 for the 358 Modifieds as Tim Fuller and Erick Rudolph would lead 40 of the best 358 Mods in the Northeast and Canada to the green flag, with Fuller getting the early advantage.
After a lap 9 caution it was Mat Williamson taking over the lead. The track was super fast, with many teams rim riding the high side and making it work as Stewart Friesen was one of them as he worked his way to third, past Erick Rudolph, to set his sights on the leaders. It did not take Larry Wight long to also find the top to his liking, picking off cars and getting into the top 5. Still on the top Wight would make his way past Rudolph, then Friesen in the great race behind the leaders.
The race for the lead heated up with Fuller using the high side to retake the lead, moving Williamson to second. Now the top four were battling hard with Friesen in fifth with the best view of the action up front. With Fuller still out front the battle for second was a barn burner with Williamson, Wight and Rudolph going three wide between turns 3-4, with Rudolph taking over second only to have Wight come right back and regain the second spot with Williamson third, Rudolph fourth, and Friesen holding down fifth.
Quickly Wight started to reel in Fuller, pounding the cushion, and he was all over the back deck of the leader but then got a little too high, making contact with the wall and allowing Rudolph to gain the second spot. Now it was Friesen who was on a march to the front, putting the rear bumper on the wall, and one by one was now in second and would be the new leader driving past Fuller.
Now the race was becoming one of strategy as teams started to pit and take fuel while others stayed out during a lap 69 caution and another just before the 100-lap mark. On the lap 69 restart Wight again on top moved to second as Gary Lindberg, who had been running just outside the top 5 went top side and was now fourth. Out front Friesen continued to show the way as Rudolph and Wight were in a great battle for the runner-up spot, running nerf bar to nerf bar, with Rudolph getting the spot. The yellow was out for those who wanted to pit on lap 96 and quickly the top 5 would change.
Once back to green again it was Friesen leading the way, but now it was Gary Lindberg in second and Brett Hearn powering to the high side to go from sixth into the top 3. Friesen started to open the lead as Pat Ward proved fresh tires were the way to go after pitting on lap 69, and was now in the top 5. After another caution many of the top running teams went to work changing tires and adding fuel. Again it was Friesen out front, but with the front runners on old tires and many on new the chase was on.
One driver who was on the move was Billy Dunn, who started in the back of the race had worked his way into the top 5, as was Peter Britten, who had been running a conservative race and was now on the high side and throwing caution to the wind. He started moving to the front and I mean moving after a lap 125 restart. Local racer Mark Johnson would slow after breaking a fuel pump, ending his day as he was charging to the front inside the top 10.
Once back to racing Friesen continued his drive, but it was not long before Britten was all over the leader after he was able to get past Hearn on the restart. As Friesen and Britten raced hard out front, Britten made his move, using the extreme outside of the speedway that was still in great shape to take the lead and from that point on it was all Peter Britten, who picked up the big win over Friesen as Matt Sheppard, Brett Hearn and Erick Rudolph would round out the top 5. Capital District and many-time champion at both Albany Saratoga as well as Lebanon Valley Kenny Tremont was 10th, with Rocky Warner, Demetrois Drellos, and Mark Johnson all finishing outside the top 20. The track produced great 2 and 3 wide racing between the leaders as well as through the pack proving the Steel Palace of Oswego turned Dirt Palace is right where Super DIRT Week needs to be.
Sunday racing
Now it was Sunday and yes, Mother Nature was knocking on the door, it was what every race fan and Modified team that had made the show was waiting for, the Daytona 500 of dirt Modified racing the, Billy Whittaker 200 was on the line. The track crew who had the track in perfect shape all weekend long once again had the track in perfect shape and the racing proved it.
At the drop of the green it was Jimmy Phelps out front, a spot he would hold for many laps, with local racer Keith Flach holding down the second spot as the caution flew for Justin Haers for a left front flat. Once back to racing with Phelps still the racing behind the leader was fast, tight and furious with Flach, Gary Lindberg, Stewart Friesen, and Peter Britten, who had showed his power in the qualifying race he won Friday under the lights. The caution flew again as Rob Bellinger slowed on the back stretch. Once back to green Erick Rudolph moved inside the top five as Larry Wight was rim riding the high side and on a charge from his 16th position and was sixth by lap 25.
Once again the yellow flew, this time for Carey Terrance. Once back to racing it was Rudolph who continued to be impressive as first working his way around Lindberg, then Flach, and set his sights on the leader. With Phelps still out front Rudolph was closing and was soon on the back deck of the leader as they were starting to catch the tail of the field. In lap traffic Phelps was just that much faster as Rudolph was not getting through traffic, and soon it was Lindberg who was racing Rudolph for second as Flach, Wight, and Friesen were in a tight battle inside the top 5. Out front Phelps continued to lead until a slight bobble opened the door and Rudolph was more than happy to take advantage and be the new leader. Wight pressured Phelps for second but the Phelps ride was too strong and held on.
Just before lap 60 Ryan Watt would slow and bring out the yellow. Like the 358 Modified race pit strategy would become the name of the game as leader Rudolph and a host of others made their way to the pit, changing the top 10. Back to racing it was Larry Wight going to the high side, driving hard off the corner to be the new leader and quickly the caution was out for Danny Johnson with damage. Once back to racing, this time it was Phelps who went top side and drove by Wight to retake the lead once again with Friesen, Billy Dunn, Max McLaughlin, in the top 5 as 20th place starter Chris Hile sat sixth with a great run and Kenny Tremont, who started 24th, was seventh. Again the caution was out as Nick Webb took a hard hit in turn 2.
The pits were a busy spot as Stewart Friesen would lead the way for tires and gas. Once back to green Phelps remained the leader. Again the caution flew for a multi-car tangle in turn 3 and shortly after the restart another caution flew for Ryan Watt, whose day was ended. Back to green and Phelps was back to the lead and quickly opened up on Wight and the field that was trying to chase him down, some on much newer tires, but at this point Phelps was the class of the field. The all-too-familiar caution flew, this time for Danny Varin with a flat left rear with 125 down and 75 to go. Phelps was still in charge and did not pit.
Once again many top runners went to the pits, putting Matt Sheppard on Phelps’ bumper as they took the green, but it was Peter Britten who was on the move, using the high side and quickly moving from fourth to second, and started to run down the leader as Danny Varin had another flat, slowing the high-flying Australian. Again Phelps did not pit with the others, including third running Sheppard. Back to green and again Phelps pulled away and Britten was not able to keep up as behind the leaders Tim Fuller, Ryan Godown and Max McLaughlin in the top 5.
Just before the lap 150 Mark Adam Roberts brought out the yellow, with Britten leading a host of cars to the pits. Once the green came back out it was Billy Decker now in the top 5, with Phelps still holding the lead spot. The red flew on lap 170 as the track was blocked by a multi-car tangle in turn 3. With 175 down and 25 to go, Phelps continued out front with Godown, Wight, Decker and Friesen in the top 5. The caution flew for Bobby Varin as it seemed tires were becoming an issue, but so far not for Phelps.
On the restart Larry Wight went high and got the drive to first get Godown, then start to pressure Phelps as Wight had much newer tires and no chance of running out of fuel, two things Phelps had to worry about. It did not take the high-flying Wight long to take the lead as on lap 178 he used the high side out of turn 4 to lead at the flag stand and quickly pulled away from the field leaving Phelps to do battle with Godown, Friesen and Decker as Godown started to show smoke.
On the move was local racer Marc Johnson, who was putting his 3J into the top 5 with a great run for the former Albany Saratoga champion. With four laps to go Danny Johnson broke, bringing out the caution to close up the field over the last handful of laps as Phelps headed to the pits for fuel and that put Stewart Friesen on the back bumper of Wight. Back to green Friesen had nothing for Wight as he cruised on for the win as with two laps to go, Godown’s great ride came to an end. At the checkers it was Larry Wight, Stewart Friesen, Peter Britten, Billy Decker, and Mark Johnson leading the way for the Capital District drivers with a great run rounding out the top 5. Other local runners found Tim Fuller 10th, Kenny Tremont 12th, Keith Flach 14th, and Danny Varin 15th, rookie Jack Lehner on the lead lap 21st, Bobby Varin 23rd, and Brett Hearn 26th.
More racing
The Sportsman put on a dog fight that came down to the last lap, and in fact came right down to the checker with slower lap traffic being a huge problem. When all was said and done it was Shane Pecore in for the win over Capitol District drivers Robert Bublak, Adam McAuliffe, Connor Cleveland, Andrew Buff, and Dave Constantino for a great showing for the area teams against the best in the 602 Sportsman.
The Pro Stocks came right down to the end as well with C.D. Beauchamp getting into the back bumper of Chuck Dumblewski to go on for the win, with Dumblewski coming in for a disappointing second after such a fine run out front. Following the leaders to the line were Capital District drivers Justin Knight, Kim Duell and Rob Yetman, who was looking for his sixth in a row at Super DIRT Week, and on a charge, with Kenny Martin, Jay Casey, Jason Casey, Jay Corbin, Kenny Gates, Jonathan Routhier, Dan Older and Dean Charbonneau all in the top 15.
Well, folks, it was a great time in Oswego and Mother Nature could not dampen the spirits of the race fans or the teams. A new contract has been signed for two more years to hold Super DIRT Week in Oswego and after this year’s racing, I can’t think of a better place for it. Hats off for a job well done to DIRTcar and its staff. It was racing at its best!
This week it’s off to Eastern States Weekend with the kick-off Thursday night.
