OSWEGO, NY (July 2, 2019) - Winning back to back Novelis Supermodified Independence Weekend Grand Prixs for former car owner John Nicotra, Dave Shullick Jr. will aim to make it a ‘three-peat’ with new team Osetek Racing this Saturday, July 6.
Through six feature events, Shullick already has a trio of top five finishes with the all new Chris Osetek No. 95. The 2017 track champion is closing in on the top five in points behind teammate Keith Shampine and fifth place Joe Gosek.
If Shullick wants to make it three Independence Weekend victories in a row, he’ll have to outdo a laundry list of names including former Grand Prix winners Otto Sitterly, Gosek, and Aric Iosue, who all will be in the field.
Opening the month of July with the points lead, Sitterly may be the clear cut favorite for victory in the first extra distance feature of the season. The eight time and defending champion has five podium finishes in six events thus far.
Joining Sitterly as early season feature winners are Shullick, Jeff Abold, Dave Danzer, and his Nicotra Racing teammate; Alison Sload. These five drivers also combine for a total of fifteen top five finishes.
Continuing to knock on the door are Gosek, Shampine, Brandon Bellinger, Dave Gruel, Logan Rayvals, and Tyler Thompson. All six of these drivers have one or more top five finish, proving the Supermodified division has seen no shortage of competition in 2019.
Regulars Dan Connors Jr, Tim Snyder, and Lou LeVea Jr. have all shown great speed this year and will aim to challenge these drivers Saturday evening. Snyder and Connors are both coming off heat race wins on June 22.
Rookie of the Year contenders Jack Patrick and Camden Proud will be on hand as well, as the pair continues their fight for the rookie title. The Pathfinder Bank SBS veterans have been in a very close battle through the first half of the season.
Invaders expected for the 75-lap ‘Grand Prix’ include hall of famer Doug Didero, who will be traveling from Mooresville, N.C. to make his second start of the season with the No. 3. Didero finished fourth in each of the Jim Shampine Memorial Twin 50’s on May 26.
With Saturday’s race being a $750 to start Corr-Pak Merchandising Reciprocal Event, support from International Supermodified Association teams is expected to be plentiful with Dan Bowes, Ben Seitz, and Mark Sammut all expressing interest.
Two first timers this year, Lou LeVea Sr. and Jerry Curran, also intend to debut their racers with Oswego’s rear wing package on July 6. LeVea Sr. will be in the track record holding, former Graham Racing No. 99 while Curran will again pilot the Brian Allegresso built No. 99.
Dave McKnight will be making the trip from North of the Border as well, piloting the Gary Morton owned No. 70. With McKnight, Didero, Rayvals, and Sammut all committed, this will bring us to a total of four Canadian drivers in the field.
The July 6 Holiday Inn Express & Suites program is sure to be a can’t miss event for families, as autographs will kickstart the show at 5:15pm with fireworks serving as the nightcap following the completion of all three main events. Racing is scheduled to begin at 7:00.
For a full time schedule, please visit OswegoSpeedway.com. You can also FOLLOW the track on Twitter @OswegoSpeedway, Instagram @OfficialOswegoSpeedway or LIKE on Facebook at Facebook.com/OswegoSpeedway.
To purchase reserved or GA seating for this weekend’s activities, please phone the track box office at (315)-342-0646.
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.
Oswego Speedway Independence Weekend Grand Prix Winners:
2012 - Randy Ritskes
2013 - Otto Sitterly
2014 - Joe Gosek
2015 - Bob Bond
2016 - Aric Iosue
2017 - Dave Shullick Jr.
2018 - Dave Shullick Jr.
- CAMDEN PROUD on Jul 29, 2019
- Article Date: 7/29/2019