OSWEGO, NY (July 14, 2019) - The legendary Joe Gosek rebounded from a scary incident one week earlier to take the iconic Burke’s Home Centers No. 00 back into victory lane on C’s Beverage ‘Summer Championship’ Night at Oswego Speedway last Saturday, July 13.
Gosek started second and was able to get by polesitter Keith Shampine on lap 2. For a moment, it appeared Shampine may steal the victory as he reeled Gosek in through lapped traffic with ten to go, but the No. 00 was just too strong. It was a win Gosek dedicated to the late Bobby Smith.
“This is for my buddy Smitty,” Gosek said. “I thought (Keith) Shampine was going to get me. We got really loose at the end, but I was able to get into open track and hang on. It has been a long time, too long. My guys worked so hard to get the car back tonight and this feels really good.”
The 50-lap main event was quickly yellow flagged with only one lap complete when the No. 11 of Aric Iosue spun in turn one. He then made contact with the inside hub rail and collected Jack Patrick in the miscue. Both of these drivers ended their evenings in the pits.
That first restart gave Gosek the opportunity he needed to dive low on Shampine heading into turn three. Joe took over the lead, but the race was all but over for the 63 year old hall of famer who would have to deal with very heavy lapped traffic for the better half of 50-laps.
While Gosek was off to the races, fan favorite Alison Sload showed early on that she had plenty of speed in the Nicotra Racing No. 39. The fifth starter made her way under Tyler Thompson just before lap 5 and began to chase down the early top three of Gosek, Shampine, and Dave Gruel.
Turning laps at 16.3 seconds, it took Gosek only fifteen circuits to catch traffic and when he did, it was quite apparent that the car was on the free side, allowing Shampine to close in. Despite several scares, it seemed as soon as Gosek got back into clean air, nobody could touch him.
With Gosek dominating, Sload went under Gruel to take third at halfway and next began to work lapped traffic towards Shampine. Meanwhile, Gruel, Jeff Abold, Mike Barnes, Otto Sitterly, Dave Danzer, Dave Shullick Jr, and Tyler Thompson now battled closely for third through tenth.
Upon the race leader coming around for the ten lap sign, things got interesting as Gosek closed on the third batch of lapped traffic, and it nearly cost him. On lap 41, he had the car completely sideways looking under a slower car in turn three, allowing Shampine to close significantly.
By the next circuit, Shampine was all over Gosek for the lead. For half a lap, the two raced side by side, splitting a lapped car through turns one and two and eventually down the backstretch, where Gosek was able to inch back in front to regain his advantage.
Shampine remained on Gosek’s back bumper through lap 46, only to be hung up by yet another lapped car with four to go, ending his bid for the win. With the 55 stalled, this allowed Joe Gosek to set sail for what was his forty fifth career victory at the Oswego Speedway.
Earning his second podium finish of 2019, Shampine held on for runner-up over Sload, Abold, Gruel, Sitterly, Barnes, Danzer, Shullick, and Thompson in the top ten. Brandon Bellinger, Tim Snyder, Logan Rayvals, Jerry Curran, and Camden Proud were top fifteen finishers.
Sitterly was the D&S Landscaping Hard Charger once more, driving from thirteenth to sixth. The tenth place finisher, Thompson, was awarded Lighthouse Lanes ‘Up and Comer’ honors.
Dan Connors Jr, Lou LeVea Sr, Hal LaTulip, Iosue, and Patrick all went pitside prior to the checkered flag.
Coming up next on Saturday, July 20 will be one of Oswego Speedway’s biggest events of the season as the 75-lap, $10,000 to win Quality Inn & Suites Riverfront and Best Western PLUS Captain’s Quarters Mr. Novelis Supermodified program takes center stage.
To purchase tickets for this huge show, also featuring the $1,500 to win Mr. Pathfinder Bank SBS event plus racing for the 350 Supermodifieds, please phone the speedway box office at (315)-342-0646 or contact Paul Conzone at oswegospeedway@gmail.com.
For the latest updates from Oswego Speedway, please visit the track website online at OswegoSpeedway.com. You can also FOLLOW on Twitter @OswegoSpeedway or LIKE on Facebook at Facebook.com/OswegoSpeedway.
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.
- CAMDEN PROUD on Jul 29, 2019
- Article Date: 7/29/2019